Coolant level dropping...
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
Thanks,
JP
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
Update:
Well, my coolant level finally stabilized about 1/2" below the full line. It must have been air in the system, as others said.
Glad they were right!!
The sales guy at Sun is gonna give me a few ounces to top it up and that'll be that.
Thanks again to all the folks who posted on my thread.
Keep the rubber down,
JP
Glad they were right!!
The sales guy at Sun is gonna give me a few ounces to top it up and that'll be that.
Thanks again to all the folks who posted on my thread.
Keep the rubber down,
JP
Stage III
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: California
I have a 15 limited. Doing the same thing. I can smell the coolant burning when I ride. Slight residue in pipe and ashy rear cyl spark plug. New cap, filler neck, and head gasket. Still slowly loosing coolant. Down 3/16" every 75 miles. Headed back to dealer.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
Cheap head castings = porosity leaks and/or cracks. The MOCO would rather cheap-out on every part on these bikes and then waste huge amounts of money on warranty repairs than to just use quality parts to begin with.
It's always been that way with them for as far back as I can remember. They're incapable of learning from their mistakes!
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 123
Likes: 22
From: Northeast Ohio
Fears confirmed
2015 Ultra Limited, 1,500 miles. Bike has been to the dealer three times for coolant smell/ coolant loss without an external leak. They topped up a completely empty coolant tank twice (once @ 800mi, again @ 1,200mi) before I demanded a more thorough investigation. Air in the cooling system does not explain why I smell coolant when riding/starting the engine. During my first visit they refilled the reservoir to the proper level and advised me to monitor the level and continue riding as normal. The dealer kept my bike for a day on the second visit and did some riding- diag. They advised me that they completely filled the cooling system and purged system of all air and test rode for 20 miles. They pulled spark plugs and checked them, they appeared normal. They found no leaks and even did a pressure test of the cooling system and it all checked out. I got the bike back and rode about 150 miles before my reservoir was nearly empty AGAIN (all the while smelling coolant). Back to the dealer! During my third visit the dealer kept my bike again. The technician at the dealership was unable to successfully troubleshoot the problem, nor were they able to duplicate my concerns (smell/ antifreeze loss). The dealership ended up calling Harley Tech. I got a call a few days later stating that Harley believes there to be a leak in a gasket within the cylinder head or a leaking cylinder head so they have authorized the replacement of the front cylinder head. I am now waiting on the repairs to be done on my bike. The bike has been at the dealer since Aug 2nd. Luckily they were kind enough to provide me with a loaner bike.
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
2015 Ultra Limited, 1,500 miles. Bike has been to the dealer three times for coolant smell/ coolant loss without an external leak. They topped up a completely empty coolant tank twice (once @ 800mi, again @ 1,200mi) before I demanded a more thorough investigation. Air in the cooling system does not explain why I smell coolant when riding/starting the engine. During my first visit they refilled the reservoir to the proper level and advised me to monitor the level and continue riding as normal. The dealer kept my bike for a day on the second visit and did some riding- diag. They advised me that they completely filled the cooling system and purged system of all air and test rode for 20 miles. They pulled spark plugs and checked them, they appeared normal. They found no leaks and even did a pressure test of the cooling system and it all checked out. I got the bike back and rode about 150 miles before my reservoir was nearly empty AGAIN (all the while smelling coolant). Back to the dealer! During my third visit the dealer kept my bike again. The technician at the dealership was unable to successfully troubleshoot the problem, nor were they able to duplicate my concerns (smell/ antifreeze loss). The dealership ended up calling Harley Tech. I got a call a few days later stating that Harley believes there to be a leak in a gasket within the cylinder head or a leaking cylinder head so they have authorized the replacement of the front cylinder head. I am now waiting on the repairs to be done on my bike. The bike has been at the dealer since Aug 2nd. Luckily they were kind enough to provide me with a loaner bike.If the MOCO has to buy back enough of these bikes, then there's a miniscule possibility that they'll fix the underlying problem with their cheap head castings - but I doubt it.
They would rather waste massive amounts of money on band aid fixes than to ever admit they screwed up in the first place!
What I really don't get is the part about a failed gasket. The coolant passage is completely imbedded in the head, so why did they apparently design-in a passage that needs a gasket (that can leak) in the first place?
Oh well... More inexplicable design flaws brought to you by the Almighty, All Knowing MOCO, I guess.
Last edited by jpooch00; Aug 11, 2015 at 08:12 AM.
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Stage III
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: California
Update to coolant loss.
After returning to dealer with same problem for the fourth time, H.D. Finally decided to send a new head for the rear cylinder. Picked up bike a week and a half later. Put 250 miles on it and the problem was worse. Brought it back and was looking into the lemon laws and how to deal with this situation. Got a call three days later from the dealer informing me that a new engine just arrived in a crate for my bike. Imagine my surprise. Even the MOCO gave up and gave in on this one. 500 miles so far and no issues. Good luck to those of you dealing with this issue.
Thread Starter
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,867
Likes: 268
From: People's Republic of Boulder Colorado
After returning to dealer with same problem for the fourth time, H.D. Finally decided to send a new head for the rear cylinder. Picked up bike a week and a half later. Put 250 miles on it and the problem was worse. Brought it back and was looking into the lemon laws and how to deal with this situation. Got a call three days later from the dealer informing me that a new engine just arrived in a crate for my bike. Imagine my surprise. Even the MOCO gave up and gave in on this one. 500 miles so far and no issues. Good luck to those of you dealing with this issue.
It's a small thing, but I wouldn't buy a used bike unless the numbers "matched".