New HD owner here (2000 RK), and I've been chasing some of the more common oil leaks to some success; clutch cable leaking at tranny fitting, fixed with some rtv, check. Stator grommet leaking at primary, also RTV'd, check. Thought I was home free until after a ride and noticed a drop of oil under the bike AGAIN, but the clutch cable and stator grommet are now bone dry as they should be. After a ton of trying everything I can think of, pulling my hair out, I found the culprit………#1 oil from the primary is getting into the stator wire itself underneath the insulation, and #2 there are 3 spots along the stator wire where the insulation was worn through from rubbing, causing oil to run OUT of the wire, and #3 the oil is also traveling all the way to the stator/voltage regulator connector underneath the bike and escaping there as well. I pulled the connector apart and it was filled with oil.

So is it normal for the stator wire to contain oil, or is that a sign of a bad grommet or something actually inside the primary? I can RTV the spots that have worn through on the outside, but it seems if the stator wire has oil inside it has no choice but to run out at the connector. Seems like no oil should be getting in there in the first place?

Insight?

 

I would replace the stator if mine had all the problems that yours has.

 

I hate to replace the stator since it's working ok, just want to get the oil leak stopped. I'll replace the stator if I need to, but I'm trying to figure out if oil is supposed to be getting into that wire or not. I think not, but I'm new to a lot of the HD-isms.

 

No, oil is not supposed to get into the wire. Are you positive that the oil is not getting into the connector from elsewhere?

 

Yes positive, it can only be from the primary since the other end connects to the regulator. Also, the spots where the insulation is worn through I can see oil seep there after a day or 2. Seems HD has a service bulletin which is just to move the connector higher so the oil flows back to the primary rather that the low point being the connector, but it seems like a bandaid rather than a real fix. But if thats the fix then so be it, which is why I asked the forum. Just seems strange to me.

 

Just replaced the stator in a friend's bike for that very reason.

 

The fix about raising the stator harness was a real TSB years ago.