Got home from work today on my 19 FLDE has 23k miles is 18 months old and still under warranty.

As I was backing it into the garage I realized a good deal of smoke coming up from the right side off the pipes and a strong burning oil smell. Got of and looked and the right side is bathed in oil, from the front fender and wheel all the way to the ABS cover. small amount dripping under the bike.

Inspection has it looking like it is leaking at the lifter blocks on the front cylinder, and running down, but that does not in anyway explain how it blew FORWARD to the rear fender and wheel, that seems like it would have to have been pressurized atomized oil blowing out.

Dealer is closed till the morning, I will have them come get it. My fear is that this is gonna be a long warranty claim, and I dont want to be without my ride, hell I average 15k a year and this is prime time ridding season. SO PISSED right now. Anyone wanna pontificate as to what the problem will be?

 

Is this an oil thread? What kind of oil are you using??? J/K Good that it is under warranty. Hopefully it can be resolved quickly.

 

not that kind of oil thread!!!! Lol

 

Fork seal ?

 

Hmmm, maybe. Ill have to look



Yep I think you nailed it. Pumped em a few times and a trickle of oil is running. Warranty will cover I am sure.

 

I had Progressive cartridge shocks installed this spring by the HD dealer. Replaced the fork seals and used Red Line fork oil instead of HD fork oil. Service writer told me the OE seal looked like it was due for replacement--only had 8.5k miles on bike and about 18 months since I bought it new. Since you ride your bike more than average number of miles per year, you should consider replacing old technology fork springs with cartridge shocks. Front end feels more planted to the road, and the excessive brake dive I didn't like is gone.

 

I came in here to say “fork seal,” but it looks like you’ve got it covered.

When it happened to my Evo Softail, I saw oil on the back side of the motor and thought I had either a case seam leak or rear cylinder base gasket leak. It’s amazing where wind will relocate leaking oil.

 

Yep! I was already shopping big bore kits and cams, if the MOCO was gonna rebuild it under warranty I was gonna give them some go fast goodies to use. Either way, it is going back together with chrome lowers, next time around will do the cartridges. it was only 7k away from service recommended fork seals, wonder why they are not making it to the advertised service interval...

 

Most likely the seal was damaged during initial installation. I've heard of a few cases of this happening. As far as routine "servicing" of the forks, I figure if Harley-Davidson wanted me to change the fork oil, they wouldn't have omitted the drain screws. As for routine replacement of fork seals, I've regularly had fork seals last over 100,000 miles.