Inner Primary Bearing
Juan,
Is this noise hearable with loud pipes. What are the symptoms?
Bart, I can hear mine with earplugs and a helmet, over my Khrome Works slip-on pipes. I'm pissed. Getting the run around at my dealer too. What a joke. Buell would have been all over this problem, kissing peoples a$$'s to get in fixed. I have a '07 WG with what the service manager at the dealership calls "normal noise, they all sound like that."
Yesterday morning, when I checked the can I'd left underneath...there was very little fluid...not even enough to gather to one side when tilted. Anyway, I wiped everything clean, started it...and laid down to look for the leak. I only let it run for about five minutes (on the kickstand). I didn't see anything leaking, although I knew damn well that it hadn't fixed itself (it leaves a small puddle at red lights). I turned it off and still no leakage around the drain plug or primary gasket. But then...I saw it...running down what I guess is the inside cover...and collecting at the drain plug. I don't have the service manual yet, so I don't really know what it looks like in there, but the oil is running down in the area just above the drain plug. I rode it about ten miles before I noticed the severity of the problem, and the only way I can get it back to the shop (six miles) is to ride it. Now I wonder about the level of fluid left? Also...does that sound like something that they can fix quickly, like while I wait?
No, that's not something they can fix quickly while you wait. Will have to be torn completely down again, primary chain, compensator, and clutch removed, inner primary case removed, bearing race inspected for damage, (seal rides on back of inner bearing race), and new seal pressed into inner primary case.
Yesterday morning, when I checked the can I'd left underneath...there was very little fluid...not even enough to gather to one side when tilted. Anyway, I wiped everything clean, started it...and laid down to look for the leak. I only let it run for about five minutes (on the kickstand). I didn't see anything leaking, although I knew damn well that it hadn't fixed itself (it leaves a small puddle at red lights). I turned it off and still no leakage around the drain plug or primary gasket. But then...I saw it...running down what I guess is the inside cover...and collecting at the drain plug. I don't have the service manual yet, so I don't really know what it looks like in there, but the oil is running down in the area just above the drain plug. I rode it about ten miles before I noticed the severity of the problem, and the only way I can get it back to the shop (six miles) is to ride it. Now I wonder about the level of fluid left? Also...does that sound like something that they can fix quickly, like while I wait?
No, that's not something they can fix quickly while you wait. Will have to be torn completely down again, primary chain, compensator, and clutch removed, inner primary case removed, bearing race inspected for damage, (seal rides on back of inner bearing race), and new seal pressed into inner primary case.
If it turns out to be "nothing", at least you can feel secure knowing the dealer has had a service order opened on it.
I got dicked around on this issue, and by 18,500 miles there was no bearing problem, because it and the race were completely gone along with the the dogs and sliders. My "noise" started around 2500 miles, and would kinda come and go.
Keep a close check on your tranny oil.......... If you oil begins to show a lot of silver (color in oil) you have a big problem. When the oil turns gold in color, that is the race................ Ask me how I know

My 06 FXDI was one of those early production models, and seemed to have a number of those "normal" Harley noises. If your buds start asking you "Hey, what's that funny noise?" when you are in nuetral, there is a good chance your bearing is going bad.
Hope this helped in some way................. BTW, my tranny is so quiet now, all I hear now is the roar of the pipes and wind through the hole in my head.

Good Luck
DougJ
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders




