Pushin Oil
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Pushin Oil
Hello my name is Ross and I'm new here. I have a 75' Sporty that I bought brand new way back when. I had the motor stroked back in 1980 but have not used the bike much since then. It has stainless steel barrels, dual plugs, dry clutch and all the good stuff that was available back then. My problem is this -- the motor is pushing serious amounts of oil from the base of the lifter guides and therefore I can not ride it. I have good mechanical skills but none of the special tools needed for Harleys. I know enough to start checking the simple and stupid things first but I've been away from tinkering with the bike for so long I don't know where to start. I'm hopefully guessing that it might be a breathing problem as it is a high compression motor. Can someone steer me in the right direction as how to start tracking down the oil breathing system for Ironhead engines.
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From: Texas! Ya mean there's someplace else?
RE: Pushin Oil
Best thing you can do is cop a service manual. Most of 'em have a drawing of the entire oiling system.
The breather actually drives the oil pump, so it sounds as if it is at least turning. I s'pose the gear could be worn/stripped and the breather timing off.
The oil flows from the rocker boxes down the pushrod tubes and into the gearcase, then eventually through a mesh strainer to the scavenge section of the pump. If the strainer gets clogged it might back oil up and force it out where you're having the leak, but I think it'd also be blowing out the outside breather tube .
The breather actually drives the oil pump, so it sounds as if it is at least turning. I s'pose the gear could be worn/stripped and the breather timing off.
The oil flows from the rocker boxes down the pushrod tubes and into the gearcase, then eventually through a mesh strainer to the scavenge section of the pump. If the strainer gets clogged it might back oil up and force it out where you're having the leak, but I think it'd also be blowing out the outside breather tube .
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From: Houston Texas
RE: Pushin Oil
How did the bike run the last time you rode it? I am talking about in 1980.
Has the machine sat without running since 1980?
If it did not leak the last time it was ridden in 1980, but now you start it up and it leaks from around the base of the lifter guides, is the oil coming from the push rod tubes above the lifter base(s), or the base itself? It may be that the cork washers have dried out over the years and it needs new corks. Each push rod tube takes three corks. One goes at the top, one in the middle and the third one goes at the base of the tube. That is what I would check first. If the leak is indeed coming from under the lifter base itself, it is unlikely but possible that the gaskets are bad. If the oil leaks at all four push rod tubes, get the cork washers.
Like pococj advised.....get yourself a factory manual first of all...................pg
Has the machine sat without running since 1980?
If it did not leak the last time it was ridden in 1980, but now you start it up and it leaks from around the base of the lifter guides, is the oil coming from the push rod tubes above the lifter base(s), or the base itself? It may be that the cork washers have dried out over the years and it needs new corks. Each push rod tube takes three corks. One goes at the top, one in the middle and the third one goes at the base of the tube. That is what I would check first. If the leak is indeed coming from under the lifter base itself, it is unlikely but possible that the gaskets are bad. If the oil leaks at all four push rod tubes, get the cork washers.
Like pococj advised.....get yourself a factory manual first of all...................pg
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RE: Pushin Oil
I had the bike running about two years ago and I replaced the cork push rod gaskets and even tried the rubber gaskets. That is not where it leaks from, I have pulled the lifter guides and replaced the Orings put it still pushes hard. I know that it might not be breathing so I am going to exhaust that route. Is it possible that the lifters could be hitting the top of the guides enough where it is lifting the guide up and down causing it to leak.
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RE: Pushin Oil
Did you add oil when you first restarted it? The check ball in the pump may have emptyed your oil bag into your bottom end and now you are wet sumping. There should be a drain pleg on the bottom of your engine cases.
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From: Houston Texas
RE: Pushin Oil
fdny37......Hitting the guide hard enough to lift it and cause this to leak? Not a chance!
As you know, the lifters fit into the guides from the bottom. The roller bearing(s) fit into two slots on the front and rear of each guide.
The guides have an O ring in a groove cut just below the guide base and this assembly goes into the crankcase and is held tight with a bolt. No way on earth could the lifter be pushed up causing the O ring(s) to leak.
You have four lifters. Every one of the four leak? If the answer is yes, then look for a problem to be causing this leak. It sounds to me like the problem may be that the oil tank partially drained past the oil pump check valve and loaded your crankcase with oil.
Another post mentioned this and if I recall, told you that there is a drain plug to remove the oil. Well, I have NEVER seen such a plug on an ironhead. When the base loads up, you have no choice but to run the engine and let this oil puke out until it is empty. This oil always comes out of the breather tube however, not out of the lifter bases. So, you have a strange case here. I have not encountered this before. If your O rings are in good shape, I can think of nothing to suggest to help. Sorry...................pg
As you know, the lifters fit into the guides from the bottom. The roller bearing(s) fit into two slots on the front and rear of each guide.
The guides have an O ring in a groove cut just below the guide base and this assembly goes into the crankcase and is held tight with a bolt. No way on earth could the lifter be pushed up causing the O ring(s) to leak.
You have four lifters. Every one of the four leak? If the answer is yes, then look for a problem to be causing this leak. It sounds to me like the problem may be that the oil tank partially drained past the oil pump check valve and loaded your crankcase with oil.
Another post mentioned this and if I recall, told you that there is a drain plug to remove the oil. Well, I have NEVER seen such a plug on an ironhead. When the base loads up, you have no choice but to run the engine and let this oil puke out until it is empty. This oil always comes out of the breather tube however, not out of the lifter bases. So, you have a strange case here. I have not encountered this before. If your O rings are in good shape, I can think of nothing to suggest to help. Sorry...................pg
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RE: Pushin Oil
Pinion Thank you for your explaination I was just throwing things out there. I have a big cam in the motor and I wasn't sure how much travel the lifter does in the guide. I guess that there is a breather problem so I will go that route. FYI, there is a drain plug for the crankcase and it's been there since 1975 because I bought the bike brand new.
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From: Houston Texas
RE: Pushin Oil
fdny37.........OK. Thanks for the plug info. I am not up to date newer than 1974 so that is news to me.
Did you pull this plug? I know you said you changed the oil, but that was the oil tank, not a loaded up crankcase.
Also, assuming the machine ran OK the last time(s) you rode it, I cannot for the life of me understand how the breather timing could be off. This has to be correct and the breather timing is done when the cams and piniongear have been removed and then replaced. After that the timing of the breather and cams is done, the timing cover goes on and nothing can change unless those items are again removed. It is a puzzle to me............pg
Did you pull this plug? I know you said you changed the oil, but that was the oil tank, not a loaded up crankcase.
Also, assuming the machine ran OK the last time(s) you rode it, I cannot for the life of me understand how the breather timing could be off. This has to be correct and the breather timing is done when the cams and piniongear have been removed and then replaced. After that the timing of the breather and cams is done, the timing cover goes on and nothing can change unless those items are again removed. It is a puzzle to me............pg
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RE: Pushin Oil
Ross, If you have drained the crankcase of oil, I would check to see if your breather pipe is blocked. Check to see if oil is returning to the oil bag. You could be leaking from your overhead oil lines at the case, the seals go bad and sometimes the lines are short and they just pull out. If the bike has set for a while the pushrod corks and also the o-rings on the tappet blocks could be bad. The drain plug, Part #707 is used from 54-76 on the KH,XL,XLH, andXLCH. Gunk her down and watch it close Good Luck Neil74