Oil level screw is usually a Phillips head ...



Adjusting the primary chain ...
I do not try to find the tightest point as it is too tedious. I adjust it wherever it happens to be then rotate the chain testing to see if i had the right spot; loosen a little if needed. Both of my ironheads have had a consistent p chain - no noticeable tight spot.

I set mine up to about 1/2" when hot. Watch how much the chain moves compared to the thickness of the chain, which i think is a little less than 1/2". If the bottom moves past where the top was then it is good.

The clutch cannot be adjusted from the handlebar. It is not like some other bikes in this regard. There is a detailed 5 or 6 step procedure to follow. It is in the factory manual, and probably in other manuals as well. It is most important to follow this procedure exactly.

You do not need that tool. I use a larger open end wrench whose thickness matches the width of the slot. Hold it in there firmly and rotate it with a plier.

Unless you are in a very hot climate 60 will be too heavy. 50 is a good choice. Don't get caught up in an oil debate or you will have no time to ride.

 

thanks mick. i will try the end wrench tomorrow b4 i take off to go get the rest of the stuff( 1 hr to nearest dealer) to see if i can get the plugs to break loose. do i need to pick up replacement o-rings(are there any?) for behind the plugs? or a o-ring for behind the phillips bolt for checking oil level in primary? want to get what i need so i dont have to go back. at 1.5 pints the oil should start to run out of the phillips hole right? let it run till it just drips and oil should be proper level im assuming. lastley, will it hurt anything to make the adjustments when the system is empty after i drain everything(clutch, primary.( im guessing know that you guys told me about the phillips plug, that the oil wont get as high as the clutch adj plug, where i originally thought i filled it up till it ran out) thanks for the help.

 

There is a thin o-ring with each of the two access plugs. I have not had to replace them on my two IronHeads. They are not special - any o-rings of appropriate size will do. Ooops, except it might get hot there, so something more heat resistant.

The Phillips bolt should have a sealing washer. A copper washer would be traditional. The newer ones are the white material that looks like plastic. Either will do.

Yes, at about 1.5 pints, with the bike level, it should start to drip out then wait until it stops. I put a 2X6 under the side stand and a tie down to the frame so the bike does not fall over; especially when loosening or tightening the plugs.

I would think that empty/full does not affect the primary chain adjustment or the clutch adjustment. I have always done it full; never thought of the other.

A fun day coming up ...

 

thanks for the help mick. got the clutch adjusted(doesnt seam to slip anymore,but i only went a mile or so) and the primary chain. i did the primary cold(book said 5/8th inch or so cold,3/8th to around 1/2 for warm i believe.i left it at 1/2" then rode a mile or so and pulled the plug. seamed like it tightened a little. so i put bike in 4th gear with it shut off and pushed it in gear around the garage checking diferent posisitions on the chain. backet it off a little more. little better than 1/2" play know.
i screwed up on the oil change. i did it with a cold engine that hadnt been run in a few days(i should have pulled the dipstick b4 and checked it)and only 2 quarts came out of resivoir and the oil filter was half full. i took it for granted that the oil was just low. i filled the filter, screwed it back on,poured 2 quarts in filler res. and checked it. it was full. ran the motor and the oil light wouldnt go off in 1 minute like manual said. i let it sit with the cap off for 1/2 hr and ran it agian and it went off right away. oil is filthy agian. there had to b a quart and a half of the old oil in it yet(even my sump fed 4wheelers with a resivour have a drain plug in the bottom of the block). should i drive 2 hrs to go get 3 quarts of oil and do it over, or run it 1500 miles and do it agian. open for suggestions.

 

Two hour drive to get oil? Aaaahhhh! I buy mine by the case. Anyway, i would run it with the oil that is in it now.

I think the oil light not going off is a coincidence, not because there is some old oil in there. There was some air in the line and the pump was not primed - until you let it sit for a while.

 

thanks mick. we have all kinds of parts stores and farm implement stores around here. they have the 20/50 but none carries straight 50 anymore. i figured that was air in the line. was going to loosen the oil sending unit and let the air and a little oil out like the manual said, but i cant get at it with the frame and the pipe there. and just like everything else on this bike so far, the sending unit doesnt have a nut style collar on it where you can use a wrench. must be another special tool. even the screw for the primary chain tension didnt have a slot cut in it for a screwdriver to run it in or out. had to use a visegrip to turn the screw and a wrench to hold the locknut. atleast the screw for the clutch tension had a slot in it. i still dont understand what difference a hot or cold motor makes when draining the oil. eitherway there has to be fluid in the engine that you cant drain due to no block(or pan for it to run into after sitting) drain plug. when you change oil on yours, how much do you get from the resivour and put back in with fresh?
the last thing hopefully(till winter, then with the manual and the help of you guys im going to try the motor rebuild) is adjusting the pushrods. i understand the concept(like adjusting the rockers on a car)but am a little leary till i figure out how to make sure the valves are closed. if looking at the bike from the right side and going from left to right(rear jug to front jug) there are 4 pushrod tubes(2 back, 2 front) which have to be up and which down when doing the adjustment? i can do the rest of it once i havefigured that out. thanks for all the vast knowledge you haveshared with me so far. learning a bunch everyday!

 

Some of the older oil pressure switches actually have a nut that you can turn a wrench on. Not any of the newer ones AFAIK. I sure would like to find a source for the old style. I use a slip joint plier.

The screw for the primary chain adjuster takes an allen key. Hard to see without a mirror.

Note especially step 5 below ...

Ironhead Push Rod Adjustment

Do this procedure with the engine stone cold. I usually do it first thing in the morning.

1. Remove the spark plugs. Remove A/C to make room to work.

2. Using a flat blade screwdriver pry the spring keeper off of each push rod; the bottom of the keeper pops out first, then the top. Alternately, use a 3/4" open end wrench to push down on the top of the spring retainer, then pry out the spring keeper with the screwdriver.

3. The lower push rod covers may be stuck tight against the bottom o-rings, but they can be loosened by pinching between thumb and finger [or carefully using a shop rag and a pliers] and twisting or rotating. Lift these up and secure each with a tall-S-shaped piece of 12 or 14 gauge household wire [not cable] [or a long piece of Plumbers solder such as 95/5 hooked over the rocker cover and under the push rod cover.

4. Jack up back end of the bike so that rear wheel is off the ground, shift to 2nd gear, rotate wheel until it clicks, repeat until you get to 4th gear. Now by rotating the rear wheel you are rotating the engine. Almost impossible with the plugs in; very difficult in lower gears.

5. To adjust a particular push rod, its valve must be fully closed [the valve spring is relaxed]. Valve position for a particular cylinder is determined by observing the corresponding push rod of the other cylinder. For example, when the rear cylinder intake valve tappet is raised [valve fully open, spring compressed], the front cylinder intake valve is fully closed, and the front intake push rod can be adjusted.

6. Check [and adjust if necessary] the push rods:

[a] use the rear wheel rotate the engine so that the rear cylinder exhaust push rod tappet is fully raised. The front cylinder push rod is adjusted correctly if it has no vertical or horizontal play, and you can just rotate the push rod between thumb and forefinger with no trace of binding or dragging.

[b] to adjust if needed: hold the adjusting screw in place with a wrench; with another wrench loosen the split locknut. Then turn the adjusting screw using fingers only until the pushrod's ball end is seated in the tappet with a "slight amount of play". Then tighten further as follows:

Option 1: Adjust on the tighter end of the range: There should be no vertical or horizontal play, and you should be just able to rotate the push rod between thumb and forefinger with no trace of binding or dragging.

Option 2: Adjust on the looser end of the range: Set the adjusting screw to finger tight so that you cannot turn the push rod between forefinger and thumb. Undo it a tiny bit so that it is just barely loose. Then loosen it 1 "side" for an exhaust or 1/2 "side" for an intake. "Side" refers to one side of the 6-sided adjusting nut.

EDIT: Experience here is that Option 2 is the better and most likely the correct choice.

[c] hold the adjusting screw in place with the one wrench; with the other wrench tighten the locknut.

[d] recheck the adjustment; it is common for the adjustment to go out as you do step [c], in which case [b] and [c] must be redone.

[e] repeat for the other push rods.

7. Use a flat blade screwdriver to push the upper push rod covers up, and seat them into the upper o-ring or cork washer.

8. Install the spring keepers, top end first, by prying them in under the bottom with a flat blade screwdriver.