Inherited a 73 shovelhead FX, cleaning it up, taking care of leaky lines etc. I discovered that the primary chain oiler is actually attached to the primary chain case, delivering oil. The primary chain return line, however, is just dangling from the oil pump onto the street, and within the convoluted mess on the underside of the bike I can't find a fitting anywhere that it could possibly be attached to. Anybody familiar with this scenario? Where do I need to look/stick my finger to find the primary chain return attachment, if there is one. Or can I just plug it off?

 

You said it came from the oil pump. I believe there is an overflow line from the oil tank. That may be attached to where this line is supposed to go.

 

Hi from the UK and welcome to HDF. I bought a new FX in 1974! Buy yourself a factory service manual, if you don't have one, which will answer your question and show the oil system. When new your bike had a dry clutch, with dry sump chaincase. The oil pump fed oil to the primary chain and pumped it back out, so you have a supply pipe and a return pipe. It is not uncommon however for later owners to disable that system (the chaincase has to be air-tight for the lubrication system to work). We also have a Classics Shovel section, where you should find current shovel experts (it's a long time since I moved on from my shovel!)

 

Here`s a diagram: