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2014 Limited Coolant Leak Finally Caught Up With Me

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Old 12-18-2013, 04:24 PM
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Default 2014 Limited Coolant Leak Finally Caught Up With Me

In prep for my ride to the dealership to replace the product replacement campaign on the Neck Filler on the 2014 Limited, I discovered 3 small silver dollar size coolant puddles. This was after 5 min warm up in the Garage that the puddles appeared, leak was around the thermostat housing tube that enters the housing, "same as an earlier posting". I downloaded the pictures from the earlier posting and sent to the dealership to show location.

Dealership performed the Neck Filler replacement, but the Tech could not see the leak, luckily the service rep stated I had pictures, Tech started bike, after 5 min warm up leak appeared, I'm now waiting for a replacement hose on order. Bike has 2600 miles on it before 1st leak. I see another Product Improvement Campaign for us Limited riders. BTW I still love the Bike and I recall similar growing pains with my 2008 Ultra ( Fuel filter/rear brakes), so thanks to a sympathetic HD service department I'm over the frustration. Merry Christmas to my fellow riders
 
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Old 12-18-2013, 05:45 PM
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Originally Posted by longjh53
In prep for my ride to the dealership to replace the product replacement campaign on the Neck Filler on the 2014 Limited, I discovered 3 small silver dollar size coolant puddles. This was after 5 min warm up in the Garage that the puddles appeared, leak was around the thermostat housing tube that enters the housing, "same as an earlier posting". I downloaded the pictures from the earlier posting and sent to the dealership to show location.

Dealership performed the Neck Filler replacement, but the Tech could not see the leak, luckily the service rep stated I had pictures, Tech started bike, after 5 min warm up leak appeared, I'm now waiting for a replacement hose on order. Bike has 2600 miles on it before 1st leak. I see another Product Improvement Campaign for us Limited riders. BTW I still love the Bike and I recall similar growing pains with my 2008 Ultra ( Fuel filter/rear brakes), so thanks to a sympathetic HD service department I'm over the frustration. Merry Christmas to my fellow riders
You might want to press them to replace the t-stat too...

Cheers
 
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Old 12-18-2013, 10:04 PM
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Hope it gets worked out for ya. All us 2028 model year guys appreciate the effort you are going through.

 
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Old 12-18-2013, 10:37 PM
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My thermostat housing is leaking at the elbow going into the housing. Only have 262 miles on the ODO.
 
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Old 12-19-2013, 02:26 AM
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Just dropped my 3 week old FLHTK off today for the 3rd time. They replaced the filler neck before the 'new' ones came in to get me through a weekend ride. Still leaked, changed to the 'new' neck the following week. Still leaking. Told 'em I need to bring it, let it sit overnight, and check it in the morning. As we looked at it I pointed where the drips (maybe a teaspoon a day if that) were coming from. I suggested maybe it was the thermostat, the service guy looked it up and said 'yup' that's the thermostat. The shop foreman came out and we talked at length about that and a few other things. He said they have seen a couple of bikes with cracks in the elbow (forgot if it was inlet or outlet) resulting in some slow leaks. Said they'd start with that and follow any drips in the morning. Sounds like you guys are seeing this as well.

Sure hope this takes care of my annoying drip on a new bike.
 
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Old 12-19-2013, 06:30 AM
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I hope they get it resolved soon, but I know just how you feel. My routine for the last couple of months is ride on the weekend and back in the shop because of leaks during the week. The frustrating part of this whole thing is that it appears that it took Harley 2 months to identify and resolve the filler neck issue and I don't think that they have resolved the thermostat housing leaking problem yet.
 
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Old 12-19-2013, 06:52 AM
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Originally Posted by SoCalMike
Just dropped my 3 week old FLHTK off today for the 3rd time. They replaced the filler neck before the 'new' ones came in to get me through a weekend ride. Still leaked, changed to the 'new' neck the following week. Still leaking. Told 'em I need to bring it, let it sit overnight, and check it in the morning. As we looked at it I pointed where the drips (maybe a teaspoon a day if that) were coming from. I suggested maybe it was the thermostat, the service guy looked it up and said 'yup' that's the thermostat. The shop foreman came out and we talked at length about that and a few other things. He said they have seen a couple of bikes with cracks in the elbow (forgot if it was inlet or outlet) resulting in some slow leaks. Said they'd start with that and follow any drips in the morning. Sounds like you guys are seeing this as well.

Sure hope this takes care of my annoying drip on a new bike.
It just amazes me how out of touch some of these service people are. The thermostat leaking at the elbow is a known issue. Dealers are supposed to be shipping any leakers back to the manufacturer, Caltherm, for analysis. They are supposed to be getting new thermostats directly from Caltherm. According to my dealer, they still don't have a handle on why some parts are coming from Caltherm leaking. When HD and Caltherm get it sorted out, there will be a "program" of some sorts to address it.
 
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Old 12-19-2013, 07:37 AM
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I feel for all of you with problems I guess I got lucky my 14 only had the overflow problem but a new cap at the 1k service fixed that and it has yet to ever leak a drop from the t-stat housing, now watch it start leaking LOL.

I will get the neck replaced when I go in for the 5k service in a week or two but my bike has not leaked a drop since the 1k service was done and the new cap installed.

I do believe with the new neck and once they get a handle on the t-stat problem we will no longer see any of the leaking issues.
 
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Old 12-19-2013, 07:57 AM
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Arm chair quarterbacking, but it somewhat sounds like some of the replacement parts are being pulled from parts bins that still contain the defective original parts.

It's a good idea when making a replacement part to make it visually distinctive from the original defective part, to help ensure component turnover and to keep the defective parts out of the supply line. Doesn't sound like this was done.
 
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Old 12-19-2013, 08:02 AM
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WOWWOW!!!
Nothin' like forking over almost $30 K for a new ride!!
Then having a continual leak in it that you need to keep taking it in for a fix.
Then having the dealership not even having a clue!!
Wheewww!!

Talk about brand confidence.
 


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