When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Nice enough (barely) today to ride to the shop for the first time this season. I broke the ice on 2023 a couple of days ago on the bobber (just rode around the neighborhood a little), but today I took the Electra Glide. Ten miles at Interstate speed in 35 degree weather says "take the bike with a windshield!"
First start in maybe three months got me this:
That's the second time she's sumped. First time was last year after an extended period of downtime when I was doing a bunch of work on the inner primary.
My guess is once I start riding her daily, this won't be a problem. We'll see.
Meanwhile, I'm mainly posting because I'm still basking in the glow of my first real ride of the year!
Oh Boy, glad you explained what those spots were.When I first saw it I thought it was one of those trick Psychological Tests that they give ya, asking you what do these ink spots remind ya of. Good thing I didn't answer the question or I probably would have been bared from the Forum for life.
Oh Boy, glad you explained what those spots were.When I first saw it I thought it was one of those trick Psychological Tests that they give ya, asking you what do these ink spots remind ya of. Good thing I didn't answer the question or I probably would have been bared from the Forum for life.
I think you're on to something here.
Evo sumps. Blot it up with paper towels. Have a witch doctor read the signs.
This latest instance was far less...um...profuse than the one last year. I'm guessing that was because of thick oil over the winter months minimized the leak-by on the check valve.
BTW, ended up staying at the shop past 7:00pm last night. The ride home was bracing.
When HD moved the oil pan to under the trans, from the tank above the oil pump, did solve most of the tank oil getting past the check valve to over sump the engine with oil when the bike sits too long.
Hence motor is always going to have sump oil in it from when you turn the motor off, but did not need the help of gravity to just drain all the upper tank oil into the motor when the check valve is not seating correctly.
So just sounds like it time to check the check valve in the pump with an upper oil tank system, or just play the catch pan game if the bike is going to site for long periods of time,and it only a little extra oil that is going to be forced through the breather tubes during initial start up/before the oil pump can push all that back into the oil tank.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Blub, blub, blub...
