FR500 Honda tiller (5.5hp?) spitting up oil from oil bath air filter

[westsail434]

Newbie here in the forum. Thanks for entry. I need help with a Honda FR 500 garden tiller that all the sudden starting spitting oil from the oil bath filled air filter housing after running just 3-4 minutes. Unit was running fine for several hours after I purchased used. I changed crankcase oil and was extremely careful not to overfill. I installed a new air filter and followed manual instructions carefully on amount of oil to install in bottom of air filter housing. Unit still ran fine another 5-10 hours then all the sudden, like immediately, I noticed oil splashing out of the air filter housing. I think it was coming from the overflow? Or crankcase vent tube. There is a rubber tube that runs from the air filter housing down to the crankcase, like a PVC valve type hose without a valve. I THINK this is where it is coming from, at the top of the hose at the air housing. I double checked the amount of oil in the bath and it is at the proper level. The crankcase oil is at the proper level as well. It's almost like the motor jumped time or something and there is compression from within the crankcase at the wrong time and therefore back feeding up and causing it to leak, spew rather. There is the possibility I operated it a too much of an angle, but if that's the case it wasn't for long and jeez, it IS a tiller. it all started after I had trouble hitting a root, rock or treasure chest, HA. but it was shortly after that this started and it's not like I turned it upside down or laid it flat, just had to move and do what I had to do to get it un hung from whatever it was. The only other thing I did do was dropped the carb bowl to check for gunk and there was a little but not much. I DID remove the needle valve and inspected it and replaced with a new one, as well as a bowl gasket. The float assembly appeared to be working fine before startup. This "bowl cleaning" was done between the first run and while I changed the oil in the crankcase. As I said it ran fine for another 5-10 hours after that. If I did operate it over the "angle limits" wouldn't the problem cease? I would think so. The air filter has a foam type filter that gets oil applied as normal. I'm just not sure if I should head for the flywheel and points for timing or in to the carb for something amiss there. Also, the unit used to start right up, even cold starts, and now it does seem to be a little harder to start but honestly haven't started it more than a couple times and then shut it down when the oil starts spewing. My head is raw from scratching and thinking and am afraid I will be bald soon. I have yet to put a wrench on it because I am not really sure where to start. I have all manuals in my possession and there is nothing in there I missed and absolutely nothing about " Oh if oil spews out the air filter you probably got up on the wrong side of bed."

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. I haven't ever dealt with an oil bath air filter of this type. Pics coming in a couple days.

Thanks

 

[robert@honda]

About where is the oil leaking? Under what exact conditions does it leak? Does it just drip a little, or is it pouring out, or what?

Do you have all the parts shown here for the air cleaner?

 

[westsail434]

About where is the oil leaking? Under what exact conditions does it leak? Does it just drip a little, or is it pouring out, or what?

Do you have all the parts shown here for the air cleaner?

Hello Robert,
Thanks for responding. I do have all the parts shown with the exception of the foam filter count. I installed one as the manual shows and the Honda dealer said that was all I needed. I tried fitting two (bought two) in the housing and apparently the ones I purchased were thicker than the one that came out. The one that came out was NOT fully in tact so it was hard to tell. Also I bought it used and maybe there were two at one time and the one I removed was what was left of the second one. Don't know. The oil seems to"flow" more or less out the vertical tube that connects back to the crankcase and goes up the side of the filter case. I can't be absolutely certain as when it happens the oil just gushes out the cap which the tube/oil would sort of hit the cap and allow the oil to get out any way it can. Obviously I won't let it run long enough to thoroughly analyze the exact point of oil ejection. Today it's freezing but I do intend to get it in the shop for pics tomorrow and to get another look. But the answer to your question is yes, I do have all the pieces in your picture, it's the same as my diagram and I am a stickler for correct and clean assembly.
Thanks
Ed