Primary Cover Leak is making me crazy
Thread Starter
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4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 8
Likes: 2
From: Lakeland, FL
Primary Cover Leak is making me crazy
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**
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 10,734
Likes: 3,755
From: SWFL
You might have tweaked the inner primary, which bent along with the original cover. When you replaced the bent cover with a straight one, they are not mating. Thats my opinion.
You may need a new inner primary. Sorry to say its a bit more then just the outer
You may need a new inner primary. Sorry to say its a bit more then just the outer
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,625
From: along the shore of Mishigami
Didn't the 06's and 07's have transmission mating to the block issues, no locater pins, Mchad may be on to something. When you went down on the primary case you may tweaked the trans.case a little and pulled the inner primary case with it. I'd take it a shop that can check this out.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,175
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From: South Carolina
Didn't the 06's and 07's have transmission mating to the block issues, no locater pins, Mchad may be on to something. When you went down on the primary case you may tweaked the trans.case a little and pulled the inner primary case with it. I'd take it a shop that can check this out.
Maybe the impact did knock the inner cover out of alignment with the transmission case, that could cause a leak at the oil seal on the inner cover.
Reach behind the inner cover and see if it is oily.
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Aug 18, 2021 at 10:10 PM.
Thread Starter
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4th Gear
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 8
Likes: 2
From: Lakeland, FL
The `06 Dynas had problems with alignment between the inner primary cover and the transmission, which caused a lot of inner primary bearing failures.
Maybe the impact did knock the inner cover out of alignment with the transmission case, that could cause a leak at the oil seal on the inner cover.
Reach behind the inner cover and see if it is oily.
Maybe the impact did knock the inner cover out of alignment with the transmission case, that could cause a leak at the oil seal on the inner cover.
Reach behind the inner cover and see if it is oily.
If it is not the inner primary cover, I may have to just go the RTV route and hope for the best. (I hate that stuff. It always makes more mess than is needed, and always looks terrible when you split the parts for maintenance).
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 1,320
From: Good roads, cold beer
Leaking like a few drops of oil every ride (maybe 4-5).
also - hoping you didnt use the flimsy spaghetti type of primary cover gasket, I tried one once and it leaked. The firm rigid ones worked ok (for me anyway).
Mchad has a good point above. hope its not the case but....
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21,736
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From: Driftless Area
My neighbor once came to me because his derby cover was leaking. Turns out, he went in there to check his primary fluid, and tightend the derby so unevenly, it warped,
I had another derby cover laying in my parts basket, so I donated it and mounted it for him. The old one became an ash tray.
Hopefully, it's not the shaft seal on the inner. Those are a pain.
I have an AMF-era Shovelhead. A skin coat of RTV on both sides of the outer gasket, and no leaks ever.
I had another derby cover laying in my parts basket, so I donated it and mounted it for him. The old one became an ash tray.
Hopefully, it's not the shaft seal on the inner. Those are a pain.
I have an AMF-era Shovelhead. A skin coat of RTV on both sides of the outer gasket, and no leaks ever.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 16,271
Likes: 15,108
From: Somewhere SW
I am going to check this out on my lunch break today. The fact that it wasn't leaking before, and now after the primary and gasket change, it is one step shy of weeping, is quite aggravating. Feels like the tales I've heard of Harley's in the AMF days. My wife even made the joke about getting me a cat litter box to park under it.
If it is not the inner primary cover, I may have to just go the RTV route and hope for the best. (I hate that stuff. It always makes more mess than is needed, and always looks terrible when you split the parts for maintenance).
If it is not the inner primary cover, I may have to just go the RTV route and hope for the best. (I hate that stuff. It always makes more mess than is needed, and always looks terrible when you split the parts for maintenance).