crankcase oil drain on evo?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
As to this discussion, I agree the Harley motor can handle a lot of dirty oil, truth be told most reciprocating engines can. But is that a good reason to do it?
A Harley mechanic once told me that I can get an extra half quart out of the twincam engine if I run it for about 8 seconds after the oil had been drained. I also found that if I lean the bike over, I can get almost that much out as well. I haven't a clue why, but it works. However, leaning a touring bike is also risky because you may lean past the point of no return.
I'm an engineer and licenced aircraft mechanic; the thought of accepting some dirty oil as normal is really annoying. I would love a drain plug on the bottom of the crank case.
Beary
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Bedford UK
Beary, I spent part of my working life at Rolls-Royce, with responsibility for the manufacture of components for aircraft engines, including Concorde, 707s, helicopter engines, etc. That is also when I started riding bikes and have been doing so for almost 50 years. I learned a long time ago to keep the two of them in separate boxes! My bike engines have always been fine with the dregs of dirty oil! Jus' sayin'! 
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 112,202
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From: On a hill among the hills, PA
My 113" has the same but thinly reason to pull the plug is if you suspect sumping, happened on mine and the oil bag started losing oil, pulled the plug and a qt came out... not a good thing....
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
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From: Edmond Oklahoma
It's not keeping me up at night or making me go get an Indian or anything like that, but I would still like to have the drain plug.
Beary
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,290
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From: D/FW Texas
weren't you on the launch team for the P51 Mustang ?
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
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From: Bedford UK
They had Packard built RR engines! The ones I was involved in had lots of blades, not pistons.......
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: la la land jerzey
in the original book written By uncle franks motorcycle repair from the 1950s - they said it was common to when overhauling a motor to use the primer pump at least 3 cycles before they would start a motor
up untill the 1940s when the oil tank was part of the fuel tank in a different space in the front of the tank left side harley, the bikes oil pump needed a hand and a hand pump was up on the gas tank left side so every once in a while as the motor got noizyer, you gave it a hand pump of oil that put oil onto the flywheels -- funny thing when you do it you need to heal back on the foot clutch because the engine speed goes up to about 2000 RPMs if you were in traffic it would push the bike foward - cool riding an antique Harley you have a left side foot clutch and its toe to go -left hand shift and left distributor timing advance / retard throttle - left side front brake lever - left side horn button and hi low beam toggel - right side throttle and right side rear brake foot pedal
Indian chief 1940s all the way back to WW1 - left side foot clutch heel to go - left side carb throttle - left horn and hi low switches - right side shifter - right side distributor advance / retard throttle - right side front brake lever - right side rear brake pedal
both having drum brakes you need to remember what bike your on BUT its not as what you might think - the indian is so different to ride then the harley ( cant explain ) you would have to drive one - I have never had an issue - some people cant do the cross and not change the indian to the harley controls
the reason Indian did it this way was police / military - cant shoot and throttle at the same time with you right hand
up untill the 1940s when the oil tank was part of the fuel tank in a different space in the front of the tank left side harley, the bikes oil pump needed a hand and a hand pump was up on the gas tank left side so every once in a while as the motor got noizyer, you gave it a hand pump of oil that put oil onto the flywheels -- funny thing when you do it you need to heal back on the foot clutch because the engine speed goes up to about 2000 RPMs if you were in traffic it would push the bike foward - cool riding an antique Harley you have a left side foot clutch and its toe to go -left hand shift and left distributor timing advance / retard throttle - left side front brake lever - left side horn button and hi low beam toggel - right side throttle and right side rear brake foot pedal
Indian chief 1940s all the way back to WW1 - left side foot clutch heel to go - left side carb throttle - left horn and hi low switches - right side shifter - right side distributor advance / retard throttle - right side front brake lever - right side rear brake pedal
both having drum brakes you need to remember what bike your on BUT its not as what you might think - the indian is so different to ride then the harley ( cant explain ) you would have to drive one - I have never had an issue - some people cant do the cross and not change the indian to the harley controls
the reason Indian did it this way was police / military - cant shoot and throttle at the same time with you right hand
Last edited by johnjzjz; Jan 13, 2015 at 06:31 PM.