So this has me perplexed… My 2006 UC has been no issues at all. Last July I had it in for annual service. Bike had 15K miles on it. Service shop/Indy did full service and added AMS OIL SERVERE GEAR OIL to the gear box. Prior to that it had the full synthetic AMS OIL. He recommended this change so I opted in. I also had him do full synthetic motor oil and filter change along with HD’s recommended service for the miles on the bike. Also re-adjusted the clutch and did a great job on the clutch cable. NO issued there but wow its’ got a nice feel to it. I also get 2 new tires…YUP they were do and I got American Elites per his recommendation and I really like them. As it goes this guy really puts a lot of time in ALL the work he does on my bikes. Likely anyone’s bike for that matter. Personally I’d never go anywhere else – unless he decides to close up shop.

As it goes I got the balance of the quart of the gear oil – he gave it to me since I paid for the quart. I ride for the end of the season and bike is great. Put only 2K on the odometer last season since my 2nd bike got a lot of use.

Up to present date –I pick up the UC a week ago from my storage garage and ride for about a week. NO issue no oil from any anywhere under the bike when I pick it up – garage is uber clean – my bike sits on a lift in the off season. Drips would be very noticeable…NONE found. And the bottom of my bike is clean and dry less any road dust etc.

I run bike up to the service guy for inspection last week and he checks it out and YUP it passes no issue. Since the bike only had 2K on it since his hands were on it last season he said we are all good. He did check some areas and said I see no issues at all. It’s a great tight nice bike! I agree…bike is never beat and I’m on my way. No this was not a lick’m and stick’m session. He also knows how meticulous I am with my HD’s and if it needed something – DO IT.

I go home and next day wife and I plan a 200 mile trip for the day on the UC. The morning of our ride I prop up jiffy stand on a house brick to put the bike upright almost perfect and let the oil settle and in 30 mins I check the oils. I double check tire pressure and adjust airride. GOOD! Motor oil is spot on at the right level…BUT the trans oil…no reading on the chrome OEM stick. ??? I should say I did not start up the bike…just checked the fluids cold. In the past I’ve done it this way and never had an issue seeing levels. I check the gear oil it a few times…and NOPE not a reading. So I remember that I have the balance from last years service in my basement. I add 4 oz at a time…finally at 12 oz in…the stick shows “F” on the chrome dipstick. ??? I’m puzzled. Where did the oil go? Tranny never buzzed or whined all last season, only 2K miles total. And this year before checking this I had maybe rode 200 miles total I never heard any whining or felt an issue shifting. I can remember before going to synthetic the bike shifted a bit rougher. This was 2 “5000” services in the past 2 years. To me full synthetic is the way to go. I remember last season after I picked up the bike I commented to him - not sure what ya did but wow this thing shifts super smooth and no super heavy clunk when going into first gear from a cold start up. Each time he works on the bikes I swear it’s not my bikes that I get back. Brakes feel better etc. He’s a great guy and has a wealth of knowledge.

So any clue where the trans oil could have went? I read that when the gear case is empty it takes 18 to 20 oz. And seeing that I was given about 16 oz left in my quart container…this would be good math. The quart now shows just less than 4 oz left.

After our ride I did check the gear oil and it was at the “F” level. And the next day I propped up the bike again and checked it. YUP up again to the “F” on the chrome dipstick.

I’ve no clue where the oil went BUT I will be watching it prior to each outing to see if it dips again.

Sorry for the long read…was hoping some light could be shed or for just piece of mind.

 

the tech had to short fill the trans or it's in the primary(which i doubt) if it's not on the ground

 

I thought the book says to check everything on the jiffy stand with no brick. I know it doesn't answer your question but I would do it like the book says.

 

So, unless I misread your post, if you had 16 oz left over from a quart bottle, that means that only 16 oz went in. I don't think you lost any oil. I don't think it was put in.

 

Trans should have been refilled with one quart (32 oz) at your previous service.

 

Not enough went in at the shop I'd say. Mine takes 28oz

 

My manual says to start bike and warm up. I didn't do that the other day. I checked it cold from sitting overnight. Book says once warmed up to temp shut off and prop bike upright level to check trans fluid.

I got home tonight and did that and now the level is slightly overfilled. I removed about 3 ounces with a tube and syringe. Now level is correct.

I'll keep an eye on it still.

Apparently, as some above have said, the tech may have short filled the trans case. I double checked the book and from empty it shows capacity of 24 oz to full. With what I removed after I over filled it I'm at 24 oz or so. And no leaks or issues underneath. Bike is bone dry.

I'm hoping all is good.

Thanks for the help!!!

 

Ever take a big,steaming dump, & then when you get up to check for color, consistency,blood,peanuts,whatever...the loaf is GONE?? You haven't flushed, but the loaf ain't in the bowl?

That's where your oil went!

 

=============================

2 things come to mind.

1) Not supposed to use brick under jiffy stand that changes reading in more upright position.

2) Possibly the srvc gut made a mistake checking oil lvl in the trans,for my 09 it states to remove trans dipstick ,wipe off,and then just set the dipstick
on top of the threaded hole to trans tp chk oil lvl and not screw it in .

So if the strvc guy screwed in the dipstick thats another way you could get the result /low oil reading.

3) Is you said he gave you the remainder of a qt oil he used to refill the trans when he changed the oil so if that was done to my 09 hd 6spd it holds 1qt/32oz oil and in that case the oil lvl would have been too low when it left the shop.

But i dont know how much oil your older 5spd trans is supposed to hold vs my newer 6spd so chk that out as a possible issue too.

Hopefully the oil lvl in your trans wasnt low enough to have cause any premature wear and or issues but if it were my bike i'd get it hot and then dump the trans oil .

Then take a good look at it to see if there are any metallic looking flakes/particles in the trans oil , if yes that would show damage was done,if no metal contam is seen in the trans oil when dumped it should be ok.

Then replace trans drain plug & refill trans with proper amount of rec type trans oil per HD srvc manual and also chk oil lvl per hd srvc manual when done to ensure its at proper lvl too.

BTW,my frend took his bike to a local indy for oil change and they overfilled it by 1 qt,what a mess it made of the air cleaner and plugs.

My wifes car was in shop for trans srvc inc changing trans filter ,well when i have srvc done like that 1st thing i do is chk the oil and guess what,with motor hot & idling i checked the trans when she came home with the car and dipstick was dry ,put it back in to recheck and was still dry.

I called the shop/Dealer and they sent the tech that did job to my house to chk it out and he found same thing,no oil shwoi ng on stick with no leak usned car,it too approx 4 qts auto trans fluid to fill to proper full lvl.

People are in a rush and dont properly chk things when doing srvc work weather it researching what proper amount of oil to put in my friends bike was correct & then actually chk it before the bike went out the door to see it was 1qt over filled to the srvc guy not bothering to check the trans lvl post installing new filter and pan gasket on my wifes car to ensure it correct before the car went out the door too which he blamed on the auto fill system they use to refill trans.

I said that was BS & their mistake was not checking oil lvl in trans on my wifes car after job was done before the car went out the door which was on them.

I usually do all that type work myself but had a back operation and other health issues and now pay to have some of that work done and so far not happy with that and other work i have had done on my personal car too,i find it hard to get good proper srvc work done these days from the younger gen guys.

I had to take my maxima to 3 diff shops that all claimed they calibrate their balance machines often so they are working properly before 1 of them/the 3rd shop i took my car to that finally balanced the tires properly on my car

Good luck.

Scott