leaking from primary
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 1
From: N.E. Ohio
I have a 87 FLHTC. The manual says 44-48ozs. I always have put in a quart and a half. Never had any overflow issues. You said it was 100 degrees. Maybe somthing expanded from heat. Just a thought. Look at the inner primary seal from the bottom, maybe clean it and keep an eye on it. I would redo the primary gasket torque to spec. Look around inside the primary with a good light see if you see any cracks or anything else. I use black permatex on the gasket on mine.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,173
Likes: 12,742
From: South Carolina
Chop66, The problem with the reserve may be that the screen inside the fuel tank is partially blocked.
Remove the fuel petcock and and clean the screen and you should regain your reserve capacity.
Remove the fuel petcock and and clean the screen and you should regain your reserve capacity.
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: Route 66 Az
Thanks for the petcock info, i will check this when i do the service this coming week.
The thing that alarmed me the most was that i was about 300mi into a 700mi trip that i was making in one day and the amount of oil that was on the ground. A few drops not that big of a deal. This has not happened since. Thanks again folks for the tips it is a great help to me as i am a newbie with the american iron.
The thing that alarmed me the most was that i was about 300mi into a 700mi trip that i was making in one day and the amount of oil that was on the ground. A few drops not that big of a deal. This has not happened since. Thanks again folks for the tips it is a great help to me as i am a newbie with the american iron.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 737
Likes: 4
From: Scotland,UK
I had an unusual/occasional "oil" leak problem which only happened once or twice last year. After investigation it turned out that the "oil" was coming from the Crankcase Breather. There is a pipe from the Breather which enters the Air Filter Housing (l/h side) and exits (r/h side or under) with excess " breathed" oil from another pipe down to the front of the Crankcase. Maybe your breather pipe exits somewhere else and that is where "leak" is coming from. Just a suggestion. Bungo
Former Sponsor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 5
From: Clinton, NC
I have a 1988 tour glide with 25,000 mi on it. I bought it almost two years ago with 22,000 mi on it. This is my first harley and I really enjoy this bike. Since I have had it it will leave a small spot on the garage floor (not a big deal) about the size of a quarter maybe bigger. On a trip up to salt lake (about 700 mi one way) I stopped to get some gas right before I got into utah and ate some lunch and before i got on the bike I noticed a large pool of fluid under the bike. Unfortunaetly i really could not see where it had been leaking from. The engine oil was full and when i checked the primary it took about a quart. Since this happened I have probably put another 1500-2000mi on the bike and this has not happened again.
I am puzzled, any ideas on how this could have happend, what may be some things to check or look out for?? I have the service manual and enjoy working on my bikes. Thanks in advance guys!
I am puzzled, any ideas on how this could have happend, what may be some things to check or look out for?? I have the service manual and enjoy working on my bikes. Thanks in advance guys!
zoood
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,115
Likes: 5
From: SoCal
I had an unusual/occasional "oil" leak problem which only happened once or twice last year. After investigation it turned out that the "oil" was coming from the Crankcase Breather. There is a pipe from the Breather which enters the Air Filter Housing (l/h side) and exits (r/h side or under) with excess " breathed" oil from another pipe down to the front of the Crankcase. Maybe your breather pipe exits somewhere else and that is where "leak" is coming from. Just a suggestion. Bungo
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: vienna ga
mine puked oil out of the breather from too much oil in the tank also had a leak from the primary had to replace the gasket. went back to 50 wt oil instead of trans fluid.
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Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 7
From: North Atlanta Area, GA
My drain plug leaks too. I've tried teflon tape, pipe sealant , gasket silicone and still no luck. I even bought a new drain plug (wasted my money). I changed out all the gaskets and I'm pretty sure it's the drain plug. I use ATF in the primary, RP in the trans and Mobil1 in the engine so I know it's coming from the primary. This is really pissin me off. Any ideas?
I know this because I've stuck a rag up as far as I can on the outside of the inner primary, and it's always wet on the outside. I haven't gotten around to fixing these primary leak(s), because I haven't gotten sufficiently motivated to pull the inner primary and all that that involves yet... I will this winter when there's no riding to do!
