ok guys i recently bought my harley its my first one and i have no idea what oil or transmision fluid or spark plugs to use, what do you guys recomend?

i need a manual but because its custom im not sure what one to get.

i was told its a 1340 evo, is there anywhere i can find out what exactly it is? im going to service myself just obv want to find out what to use.

Sorry for my stupidity,

heres a picture ofit il take a better close up tomoro

 

Nice bike. Go check out the evo forum.

 

Nice bike. Welcome to the forum. I can't help you, but if you wait around long enough I'm sure someone will come along shortly who can. A lot of knowledgeble folks in here. Ride safe.

 

Nice chopper - congrats!

In my old FXR with the EVO motor I had good performance using Harley spark plug #5R6A or #5R6AG (Gold), Castrol 20w-50 non-synthetic mc oil, Harley semi-synthetic tranny fluid, and Harley primary chain case fluid for wet clutch systems (if your bike has a belt drive/open primary you won't need any primary fluid). Hope that helps!
~

 

Hey, welcome!

I ride an older FXR ('84) -- first year the Evo appeared. That's what yours is, and it is indeed a 1340 cc -- unless somebody has been into it and done something like a big bore kit. I swapped my Evo out a while back for an aftermarket engine, but here's what I can tell you from many years of working with (and on) that Evo:

Oil: HD recommends 20W50 for anything between 20-100 degrees. Pretty sure you don't get warmer than that, and if it's colder, you need to store it! I've sworn by Castrol GTX 20W50, and always had good experience w/ it. With ANY engine oil, tho, the most important thing is to change it, and the filter, frequently.

Trans oil: I've used 80W90 w/ good success. Tried a synthetic oil years back, the name of which I can't remember, but it was red, very thick, and reputed to give smoother shifting. etc. Shifting was indeed smoother, but my tranny didn't have the oil slinger fitted onto the throwout bearing, and I fried it in heavy traffic one day when it was hotter than he**. Since the bearing isn't below the fluid level, it wasn't getting lubed. So I retro-fitted a slinger, and went back to the recommended oil. Haven't had any problems since.

Spark plugs: HD recommends their number 5R6A, but you can easily get aftermarket plugs at nearly any parts house. All I can recall is that Autolite 4265 worked for me. (never used the HD plugs). Parts houses can look up numbers for the stuff they carry, based on year and engine size.

Manual: I recommend you get the factory service manual for what your bike started out to be: looks like a softail Evo to me, but you need the year to be most accurate. (never owned a softail, so can't comment on when models changed enough to warrant a new manual.) If you don't know the year of manufacture, get the VIN, and call a dealer. Most of the stuff in the factory manual doesn't change, even w/ many mods. They're only about 50 bucks, and well worth it.

Best,
Mike

 

Mike thats perfect, thank you for your reply. i cant remember if he said 88 or 89 for the year but im going to get a manual asap and read it front to back

i also need to update my toolkit, i dont av alot of the sizes needed for harleys lol

 

would this be the manual i need, im pretty sure it is just wanna confirm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Harley-Dav...1351%26ps%3D54

 

Find a good independent specialist

 

This one'd probably work, but -- just my point of view -- I've not had great luck w/ Haynes manual for much of anything -- cars, trucks or bikes -- and the broad range of coverage for their books was the most common problem. Too often they give you an example of some fix on some specific part, but showed a picture that was 'representative', and (in my cases) was almost always on a different model than what I was working on at the time. Some stuff, tho, is probably gonna be pretty right on, but you've gotta wonder how they can cover so danged many years and models in one book, and do it thoroughly.

I've been wrenching for over 40 yrs, having most of my experience in post-war European autos. I bought a few of 'em (Haynes manuals) years back, and sometimes a customer brought his/hers in for me to use. But I never found 'em very helpful. I think I even have one that ostensibly covers my bike, but I've looked it maybe twice.

For a vehicle that you intend to keep and do most/all of the work on yourself, I'd go for the factory manual. You'll probably end up w/ a small collection of books, especially since you've got a customized bike. One that I found pretty helpful: got it a couple years back -- "101 Harley-Davidson Evolution Performance Projects", by Kip Woodring. Think I found it in the book section of J&P Cycles catalog. The guy is a former HD wrench, and knows his stuff.

As for your tool kit, you'll figure out what you need (or can afford!) pretty quickly. One thing I'd suggest, tho, to add to any general mechanic's set of tools is a good set of Allen wrenches. I have accumulated several different types -- short, long, ball-end, straight end, flex-head, etc. -- 'cause these bikes use lots of 'em, and they're not always easy to get to! Although HD uses primarily standard sizes, I have found a few metric sizes on aftermarket parts (e.g., hand controls, mirror brackets, etc.). (PITA...)

Hope this helps!
Mike

 

ive just orderd the book you sugested.

thanks for your advice, i dont have any decent tools at home i use my mates bike shop i gues i shud by some of my own lol