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Yeah, I loosened all 6 mount bolts: two front motor to frame, two motor to transmission and two transmission to frame. I removed the oil filter for the front ones, used a short 3/8 drive breaker bar and racket box open end wrench for the middle ones and a long extension for the transmission ones. I would of probably forgotten about the rear exhaust but it was off already since I had to take the starter out. Hopefully I can finish it up tomorrow! I decided to install the new starter.
Excellent! Sounds like you got them all and are well on your way.
I know your past this point, but just as a reference for others:
As far as front and rear mounts go, all you need to do is loosen the two front and rear allen/socket head bolts about a 1/4 inch each. They are the bolts that go from the frame to the actual mount. Not the bolts that go from the mount to the engine or trans.
The two front ones are easy to see and probably chrome. The two rear ones are a little harder to see and are tucked in at the area of where the swing arm meets the trans. Both the front and rear use a 5/16 allen wrench. Loctite blue when tightening back up.
It sounds like I loosened the wrong bolts! Picture 7 shows the front mount bolts, picture 8 shows the engine to transmission and for the frame diagram I loosened 2 x bolt #7. In hindsight loosening the mounts sounded hokey to me even though the manual states to do it. Why would one want to disturb the alignment if your re-using the original plate?
It's what the factory manual (and clymer I think) describes in the removal and installation procedure. I'm no engineer and can only guess, but there must be a reason why it's described in the manuals (especially in bold letters).
Just a few wild guesses like: worn rubber engine mounts, previous removal and reinstallation of the exhaust putting torque on the engine or trans, the rear wheel is attached to the swing arm and the swing arm is attached to the transmission, top engine alignment mount previously adjusted...did the factory assemble the engine and trans to primary with no weight on the trans (like swing arm or rear wheel)? I have no idea, just listing some variable/possibilities. Remember, the engine is a rubber mount, not a solid mount.
Bottom line: a cracked inner primary sucks and is expensive. If the manual says "loosen" then I loosen. Same thing with the broken lip at the big O-ring on the engine...it sucks. Once everything is loosened, the engine and trans move around really easy, and when tightening up the inner primary bolts, then the engine to trans, then the rubber mounts to frame in sequence like the manual again describes, you know you have done your part and are not putting any torque or stress on that inner primary.
Last edited by Yankee Dog; May 2, 2021 at 02:57 PM.
From my 91 - 98 HD Dyna manual.. Step #5 of the inner primary installation is what threw me off..
Now I have entered Bizarro world.. I finished the project this afternoon and wanted to go for a test run. While tightening the battery tray jacking bolt I noticed sparking.. I thought the negative cable nearby was arcing so I inserted some rubber hose as a temporary fix thinking the sheathing was damaged. I then resumed tightening the bolt and a large spark was generated and the bolt turned cherry red! I carefully removed the battery. What in Sam Hill could cause this? I installed the new starter and the ground cable is secured via the starter motor bolt.
Jacking bolt and negative cable Battery tray jacking bolt
Check the underside of the bottom of the battery tray. When installing, you have the tray in the lowest position so it is easy to make the battery connections. In the lowest position, the battery tray bottom can rest on top of the starter hot lead and there is a sharp metal edge on the bottom of the battery tray that cuts into the boot on the large hot lead of the starter. The metal edge of the battery tray is cutting into the boot making contact with the 12 volt hot lead and that is your dead short from 12 volt positive to ground.
Just put a flat piece of vinyl, plastic, rubber or whatever in between the battery tray and the boot of that hot lead (to isolate) until you make the battery connections and draw up the battery and tray using the jacking bolt in your pic. Once you look at that black rubber boot you will see what I mean. There will be a cut in it if that is what your problem is. Mine did the exact same thing.
The permanent fix is to replace the boot and put some black foam tape on the underside of the battery tray covering that sharp metal lip.
I had to install a new battery so I went with the HD OEM one which fits perfectly. After letting the battery charge over night with a trickle charger I finally got a chance to take the bike for a test run.. after about a 30 minute ride I didn't see any leaks! I'm hoping to go for a longer ride tomorrow. Thanks for all the help!
My "no leak" claim was premature... After yesterdays longer ride I found primary oil seeping from the lower portion of the chain tension inspection plate. I found the use of a tire spoon very helpful with removing the plate as I worked it around the perimeter. I applied black Permatex on both the primary cover and inspection plate surfaces and around the bolt holes. I also applied some Permatex sealant on the shifter shaft o-ring. After a 30 min test run no more seeping from the plate. Sealed with black Permatex Tire spoon
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