Primary Leak
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,872
Likes: 83
From: Canton, Michigan
I would double check that it is, in fact the primary, and not the transmission output shaft. The pulley has been known to loosen up and it will cause trans oil to leak from what appears to be the bottom of the primary.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,413
Likes: 17
From: eastern oklahoma
i came up with a slick trick when it comes to the primary gasket and bolts. i went to lowes and got a 4x8 sheet of the 1/2" rigid blue foam insulation. you can get the sheet for 3 or 4 bucks if it's got a corner broken off. that broken corner will not matter. i cut a piece of it big enough for the new primary gasket to cover it with a couple of inches to spare. then i laid the new primary gasket on top of this piece of blue foam and drew around the gasket with a sharpee including also marking the bolt holes in the gasket. after i did that, i took a number 2 phillips screwdriver and punched a hole where each screw goes in the primary cover. i then wrote on the blue foam the torque specs, and sequence. for an old twin cam this was really useful as there are different lengths of screws, and the torque sequence being numbered and right in your face made it much easier for me. the reason i punched holes with the screwdriver is that it gave me a place to put each screw when i removed them so they'd go right back into their original place. i know, it sounds confusing, but the reason i do it this way, is i don't have to have my service manual lying there with a 12" crescent holding it open and i sure don't need my reading glasses cause i can't write in "fine print" this is a tip i've used for years and for me, it makes it easier for me. numbering each hole i punched was for the torque sequence, i.e. 1, 2, 3,.........etc.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,198
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
Nate,
Trouble finding neutral is pretty common, at least since 1936, and probably before that too. There are lots of threads on it. In summary, a properly adjusted clutch (follow the book), and ATF for primary fluid (I use Mobil 1 ATF) will help a lot.
I'm glad your problem appears to be the inner primary seal at the trans and not the motor. That's a fairly easy fix. Consider a new bearing while you're in there. They aren't too expensive.
Trouble finding neutral is pretty common, at least since 1936, and probably before that too. There are lots of threads on it. In summary, a properly adjusted clutch (follow the book), and ATF for primary fluid (I use Mobil 1 ATF) will help a lot.
I'm glad your problem appears to be the inner primary seal at the trans and not the motor. That's a fairly easy fix. Consider a new bearing while you're in there. They aren't too expensive.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 734
Likes: 0
From: Southern Missouri ( ozarks)
i came up with a slick trick when it comes to the primary gasket and bolts. i went to lowes and got a 4x8 sheet of the 1/2" rigid blue foam insulation. you can get the sheet for 3 or 4 bucks if it's got a corner broken off. that broken corner will not matter. i cut a piece of it big enough for the new primary gasket to cover it with a couple of inches to spare. then i laid the new primary gasket on top of this piece of blue foam and drew around the gasket with a sharpee including also marking the bolt holes in the gasket. after i did that, i took a number 2 phillips screwdriver and punched a hole where each screw goes in the primary cover. i then wrote on the blue foam the torque specs, and sequence. for an old twin cam this was really useful as there are different lengths of screws, and the torque sequence being numbered and right in your face made it much easier for me. the reason i punched holes with the screwdriver is that it gave me a place to put each screw when i removed them so they'd go right back into their original place. i know, it sounds confusing, but the reason i do it this way, is i don't have to have my service manual lying there with a 12" crescent holding it open and i sure don't need my reading glasses cause i can't write in "fine print" this is a tip i've used for years and for me, it makes it easier for me. numbering each hole i punched was for the torque sequence, i.e. 1, 2, 3,.........etc.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 297
Likes: 150
From: Florida Space Coast
I know a lot of guys use ATF in their primary. In fact I read that one guy likes it because if he sees red fluid leaking, he know its coming from the primary. Maybe you could drain the primary and then fill it with ATF. If you then see red fluid leaking, you'll know coming from your primary. Just a thought.
Stan
Stan
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Crystal Coast, NC
So After a few small hick ups Ive got her all apart..found out it was actually the o-ring between the pimary and crank case. the fluid was running down the back side of the oil lines from my oil cooler to where it then ran down the transmission.
I ended up getting a gear puller and using 2 of 4 bolts to pull the clutch plate and taping a little and easing her off.
then getting the nut off to the drive shaft..manual called for impact wrench...air compressor out of service I got a thousand pound cable and ran it threw my chain so it wouldnt spin and bfw got her off.
Ill get some pictures tom.
I ended up getting a gear puller and using 2 of 4 bolts to pull the clutch plate and taping a little and easing her off.
then getting the nut off to the drive shaft..manual called for impact wrench...air compressor out of service I got a thousand pound cable and ran it threw my chain so it wouldnt spin and bfw got her off.
Ill get some pictures tom.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,198
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
Good job. I had a leak there too, once. Biatch to find. Clean off EVERYTHING, start it up and let it idle, get under there and look for oil.
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 18
From: SE Michigan
After market fix...
Mike,that's pretty much what I was thinkin. From wash to wash,there isn't much there.But it does seem to be from both rear corners. This past summer,we tried to retorque the studs in hoping we might find the studs were a tad loose for specs but they were pretty much right there.
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