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hello , i have a question about the crank case breather on a 35 chief . i looked at videos and photos on line to see if people are running the crank case breather ? i see alot only have a bolt in the hole allowed for the breather elbow . the tank fitting has a weird return mount into the tank allowing 2 pipes to attach to it , i have not seen a clear photo or video showing how this works , talking to others here say just run the vent pipe like a 40s chief and block of the crank case outlet ??. my cam cover does not have a breather either ,as far as i know the breather should be a big part of the motor . sorry i can not put up photos . anyone know these 1935 chiefs please give me idea , cheers Rob
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Hairy, I tried to find some info on this. Here are a few pictures of the motor. One clearly has the breather tube missing.
4508644B69B848AD84BE133743B76EDC (1).jpg 1935-Indian-Chief-detail1-1200x800-1-1024x683.jpg r-indian-chief-1931-1945.jpg r-indian-chief-1931-1945.A.jpg -
Kiwi's breather parts. The difference between the disc with and without a hole is for slow parade bikes if I remember correctly.
breather.jpg disc hole.jpg
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It looks like some guys are running 1940's style breather tube set ups. You can see that in the photos that show the breather tube all the way to the front sprocket. The tank vent is separate also.
1935-Indian-Chief-detail1-1200x800-1-1024x683.jpg
Last edited by DEEBS47Chief1991; 03-28-2025, 03:11 AM.Comment
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According to Jerry Hatfield in his Indian Restoration Guide the late 34 and 35 Chiefs had the breather on the left crankcase and the breather hole not drilled on the timing cover.
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That doesn’t mean owners didn’t switch back to the breather on the timing cover as shown in the pictures in the above posts. The photo Hatfield shows for the 35…
IMG_2850.jpeg
…clearly shows the breather on the crankcase…
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34 and 35 chiefs have the crankcase breather going to a combo feed with screen and vent in one fitting,in a about a 3/4" hole.
The cam case breathers are,I believe,same as later chiefs.
Tom
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Deeds, FLFD and tfburke3, great source of information, really helpful, I still think I will try and fit a breather to the crank case and maybe put one on the top of the primary. The info from FLFD states that the 38 chief has a breather off the oil pump I will look too , cheers fellas RobComment
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The crankcase hole is for a vent line ,not a valved breather.The stock breather dics,either on upper cam case or in the oil pump ,act like a cars pcv valve to allow the blowing,but restrict the sucking.although a real pcv valve like Kiwis quick vent probably do a much better job.
This is why I never understood why those years the factory put a vent on one side of the crankcase and a breather on the other cam chest side.Maybe why it only lasted 4 or five years.
I don't thinks there is any point to vent the primary.
TomComment
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Ok Tom , no primary breather, I don't want to take the cam cover off , it has an electronic point system on this bike and I was told that once the points cover comes off parts will fall out . My cam cover set up is like the first photo above the black bike . The original breather fitting in the tank as far as I can work out, would allow oil to drain back into the motor from the lowest point, but the other part of fitting would act as a normal breather return , pipe extends tothetop insideofthetank. Sorry but i cannot put up photos , i did put up a photo on instragram ?? Under my user name as per here. Maybe once you see the fitting on my photo on instragram if you can it may make some sense, it's very unusual fitting, nearly a piece of artComment
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