Engine sludge buildup...
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 438
Likes: 6
From: Kamloops BC
Engine sludge buildup...
Went and looked at an 05 Wide Glide the other day. A car dealer an hour down the road has brought in several H-D's on a broker deal. So my buddy and his son (it's for the son) and I made the drive to have a look. Real clean bike, stock as can be, shade over 7,000 miles, tires good, paint excellent etc.
We grab the VIN and go for lunch, call the local dealer and run the #. Comes back as no warranties, was a rental bike from South Dakota.
Anyways, we go back to the dealer and my buddy and his son start haggling with the salesguy, get to the point where they are haggling on the $300 doc fee (I got the feeling the salesguy was stalling as he could see the gleam of new ownership in Jr's eyes lol) when buddy pulled the engine oil dipstick.
Gotta tell you, I never expected to see that. I know how when an engine is run cold etc that a small amount of sludge will accumulate on the dipstick, but not even kidding, it came out glued to the dipstick. I stuck my finger in the hole (keep it clean
) and scooped out what was the consistency of lubriplate. Was shocked. And it was packed with it !!
So to make a long story even longer lol, is that even halfways normal? I say noooo but of course the shop foreman was saying "normal".
Oh ya, smelled like gasoline too... Needless to say we left town without bike in tow.
G.
We grab the VIN and go for lunch, call the local dealer and run the #. Comes back as no warranties, was a rental bike from South Dakota.
Anyways, we go back to the dealer and my buddy and his son start haggling with the salesguy, get to the point where they are haggling on the $300 doc fee (I got the feeling the salesguy was stalling as he could see the gleam of new ownership in Jr's eyes lol) when buddy pulled the engine oil dipstick.
Gotta tell you, I never expected to see that. I know how when an engine is run cold etc that a small amount of sludge will accumulate on the dipstick, but not even kidding, it came out glued to the dipstick. I stuck my finger in the hole (keep it clean
) and scooped out what was the consistency of lubriplate. Was shocked. And it was packed with it !!So to make a long story even longer lol, is that even halfways normal? I say noooo but of course the shop foreman was saying "normal".
Oh ya, smelled like gasoline too... Needless to say we left town without bike in tow.
G.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 992
Likes: 1
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
wow....that thing has problems. Honestly I would doubt that is the original mileage on that bad boy. I mean you could romp a bike for 7K and surely not do THAT. Wonder if he is being lied to here 
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 6,642
Likes: 48
From: Ogden, UT
Almost 50 years around bikes and I have never seen a bike with sludge as you describe it. As someone who use to rebuild car motors I have seen it in them many times, but not a bike. A bike that was a rental should have been routinely maintained by the dealer.
Just curious, what was the price of the bike?
Just curious, what was the price of the bike?
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 438
Likes: 6
From: Kamloops BC
He was not budging from $13,500 Cdn. I about couldn't stop laughing when he came out. Prior to me going and grabbing him to show him the mess he was pretty full of himself knowing he was about 98% of the way to a closed sale and getting his full asking price. As soon as he saw what was inside the engine it was just like the cartoons where the dollar bills have wings on them and are flying away hahaha.
Yeah I've seen a small amount of that on some of my older vehicles with a pile of miles on em, but man, that was unreal....
Yeah I've seen a small amount of that on some of my older vehicles with a pile of miles on em, but man, that was unreal....
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 467
Likes: 0
From: Lancs, England
Well - sludge in oil means the presence of water.As the Dyna is air cooled my guess would be, having been a rental bike it's had regular washes with a jet wash. Nothing like it for forcing water to get where it shouldn't be. Walk away and keep going..
Derv
Derv
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