"Flutter Valve" Symptoms

[motorpickle]

Can anyone that has had his/her hands in the belly of the beast give me some heads up on side valve motors? I understand the function of the flutter valve is to relieve crankcase pressure caused by the action of the pistons(correct?). What are the symptoms of either a flutter valve stuck open or no inner disc or a valve that is stuck closed or blocked? Can either cause a build up of oil in the tappet guide blocks? I can feel air pulsing from the breather tube---does this mean the flutter valve is working? Can the cam chest be over oiled because of this valve? Any input is welcome. Thanks in advance!

[ronald]

Perhaps you have received some misinformation from some source. The purpose of the flutter valve is to allow any oil that is separated from the breathing system to re-enter the gear chest and be reused rather than be puked out the breather tube. If the flutter valve is plugged, oil will fill the cavity around the breather tube tube and be blown out said tube. If the flutter valve is blocked open or drilled, the oil collected in the breather cavity will flow out into the gear chest slowly and oil will be blown back into the breather cavity from the gear chest and can be the cause of high oil consumption. The breather tube is the internal pressure relief for the flat head engine or "road draft tube" like car engines used to have. It would be entirely normal to feel air pulses coming out of the breather tube, but should contain very minimal amounts of oil if your engine is healthy. Knucks, pans, shovels etc. have an entirely different method of internal engine pressure relief.
Ron