Primary Cover Leak is making me crazy
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 810
Likes: 363
From: NW Indiana
If you used a primary gasket from HD, and installed it as your said, it's not the gasket itself that is leaking. I agree that you might have bent the inner in your crash, and it is leaking there. Make sure that it is primary fluid and not transmission fluid that is leaking. Anything under there that leaks will migrate to the lowest point before falling to the ground, and that is the outer cover by the drain plug. I have used dye in the oil in the past with great success in determining what is leaking. Now I use red trans fluid so a leak would identify itself. If it's the inner, put a chrome one on and call it a "customization" instead of a repair!! (I did).
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,180
Likes: 12,757
From: South Carolina
Do not use RTV to seal the outer primary cover.
I just reread your original post, I had first misread it and thought the bike started leaking right after the mishap...
Your old outer primary cover did not leak, even after the mishap.
The new primary cover leaks...
I`m gonna go out on a limb here and suspect the new outer primary cover.
Is the replacement outer primary cover new? OEM?
I just reread your original post, I had first misread it and thought the bike started leaking right after the mishap...
Your old outer primary cover did not leak, even after the mishap.
The new primary cover leaks...
I`m gonna go out on a limb here and suspect the new outer primary cover.
Is the replacement outer primary cover new? OEM?
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4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 8
Likes: 2
From: Lakeland, FL
So, went out there just now, and it's wet only between the two bottom bolts at the outer primary, right by the drain plug.
For good measure, I put an extra quarter turn on the primary drain plug, wiped the whole thing dry, and now we'll see.
I'm going to feel like quite the fool if it's the drain plug.
For good measure, I put an extra quarter turn on the primary drain plug, wiped the whole thing dry, and now we'll see.
I'm going to feel like quite the fool if it's the drain plug.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,625
Likes: 6,443
From: Honah Lee
Howdy everyone,
I'm at my wits end with what I thought was simple work on my 2006 FXDCI.
I went down back in April, and scraped the primary cover all to hell and back, so I recently replaced it with a beautiful new one. Prior to the replacement, there was no leaking whatsover, even with the damage from the crash.
I followed the factory service manual for tightening, torqued everything, and it was still leaking.
Leaking like a few drops of oil every ride (maybe 4-5).
I was getting tired of mopping it up, so I went ahead and changed the primary cover gasket. I took great pains to make sure it was properly aligned, and again, followed the factory torque pattern and recommended specs to the letter.
Filled with new synthetic primary fluids (my bike is an 06 with 1964 miles, this was the first primary oil change), and honestly, it's worse than before.
I've checked every bolt with my torque wrench. The gasket isn't sticking out in a weird way that would indicate I misaligned it. I'm just getting frustrated with having it leak since it's practically a new bike.
Is there some tribal knowledge I'm missing on this one?
**Edited for punctuation**
I'm at my wits end with what I thought was simple work on my 2006 FXDCI.
I went down back in April, and scraped the primary cover all to hell and back, so I recently replaced it with a beautiful new one. Prior to the replacement, there was no leaking whatsover, even with the damage from the crash.
I followed the factory service manual for tightening, torqued everything, and it was still leaking.
Leaking like a few drops of oil every ride (maybe 4-5).
I was getting tired of mopping it up, so I went ahead and changed the primary cover gasket. I took great pains to make sure it was properly aligned, and again, followed the factory torque pattern and recommended specs to the letter.
Filled with new synthetic primary fluids (my bike is an 06 with 1964 miles, this was the first primary oil change), and honestly, it's worse than before.
I've checked every bolt with my torque wrench. The gasket isn't sticking out in a weird way that would indicate I misaligned it. I'm just getting frustrated with having it leak since it's practically a new bike.
Is there some tribal knowledge I'm missing on this one?
**Edited for punctuation**
It's about 5" of simple details. PM me if you can't find it.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 10,734
Likes: 3,755
From: SWFL
So, went out there just now, and it's wet only between the two bottom bolts at the outer primary, right by the drain plug.
For good measure, I put an extra quarter turn on the primary drain plug, wiped the whole thing dry, and now we'll see.
I'm going to feel like quite the fool if it's the drain plug.
For good measure, I put an extra quarter turn on the primary drain plug, wiped the whole thing dry, and now we'll see.
I'm going to feel like quite the fool if it's the drain plug.
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