puked oil
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 11
From: Northern Ontario
puked oil
Hiya folks, went out to start the bike up one last time before I start replacing starter, charging system and ignition, figured I'd make sure its running before doing the change over, so anyway I tried to start it and even though the battery was fulley charged after being on the tender it quickly died out and motor was really turning over hard. I left it a bit and was going to try it again when I noticed a big puddle under the oil crank breather ( this oil line would usually go to back of carb plate ). I haven't had a chance to check the oil level in the tank but I'm thinking the oil seeped down into the case which made it puke, does this sound likely? And if yes what should I be checking to fix this problem?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,195
Likes: 3,085
From: NW AR
They All Do That, Sir.
There's tricks you can do, like seating the ball, new ball, new oil pump, just living with it. Don't worry about it and just put a pan under it when you start it up after it's been sitting a while. That's what most of us do.
There's tricks you can do, like seating the ball, new ball, new oil pump, just living with it. Don't worry about it and just put a pan under it when you start it up after it's been sitting a while. That's what most of us do.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 11
From: Northern Ontario
Would all this oil not make the engine harder to turn over? Should I perhaps pull the plugs after its been sitting and whirl it over to ease the pressure build up then replace the plugs once the oil has gone back to the tank?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,195
Likes: 3,085
From: NW AR
Yeah, that ball in the oil pump under the spring. SOME PEOPLE go to great lengths to seat the ball. SOME PEOPLE will buy a new ball, glue it onto the end of an old pushrod, put some valve grinding compound on it, work the seat in the oil pump to match the ball, then put a new ball in. Others will put a new ball in, put some kinda punch on it, rap it with the Harley Wrench (hammer). Others will buy a new pump. Personally, mine's been doing it for 24 years. I don't worry about it. When it's been sitting, I put a catch pan under the bike, crank it a bit, wait to see if anything is going to puke out. Start it up. See if anything is puking out. Let it all puke out, ride on. I've never bothered with pulling the plugs. Shovelheads do it too. Probably pans, knuckles and flatheads and anything else since 1936, but I don't have any personal experience with them.
You got that right!! I learned the hard way too........Thought one of my heads cracked or something, the first time it happened.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 12
From: Bluffton, South Carolina
Yeah, that ball in the oil pump under the spring. SOME PEOPLE go to great lengths to seat the ball. SOME PEOPLE will buy a new ball, glue it onto the end of an old pushrod, put some valve grinding compound on it, work the seat in the oil pump to match the ball, then put a new ball in. Others will put a new ball in, put some kinda punch on it, rap it with the Harley Wrench (hammer). Others will buy a new pump. Personally, mine's been doing it for 24 years. I don't worry about it. When it's been sitting, I put a catch pan under the bike, crank it a bit, wait to see if anything is going to puke out. Start it up. See if anything is puking out. Let it all puke out, ride on. I've never bothered with pulling the plugs. Shovelheads do it too. Probably pans, knuckles and flatheads and anything else since 1936, but I don't have any personal experience with them.
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Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,123
Likes: 43
From: NJ
It's an easy fix, as John described, and no need to live with it. Although many EVOs will do this at some point over their lifespan, my 99 never did it and my current 94 has been dry so far. If this is the first time it's happened I'd chaulk it up to a speck of dirt and leave it alone, if it starts doing it frequently then I'd fix it.
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