Hello,

I had a little oil problem with my 85 xlx the other day. replaced the oil pressure sending unit and the oil lines from the oil cooler. There area a couple other lines I need to replace, but one goes under a side cover, and I wanted to wait until I got the service manual.

It is now spewing a little too much oil now and I need to know if i can take the side cover off to get to the end of the oil line. Is there any precautions I should take before removing the side cover (right side when on bike)?

Anyone have a link to a service manual online?

Thanks,
shizz

 

Does the line under that goes under the case connect directly to the oil tank? Is it the oil feed line?

 

I expect that you are referring to the gearcase cover on the right side. Please note that this is not just a cover. It contains the ignition module [points or electronic], and more importantly it contains the brass bushings for the cams, for the pinion gear, and for the generator idler gear.

First you should remove the pushrods - this is to take pressure off the cams, which are most likely going to fall out as you remove the cover. Then remove the ignition stuff.

It is very important that when you remove this cover it comes straight off, else you risk dammage to the soft brass bushings. What i do is make 3 or 4 studs from 3" bolts, same thread as the cover bolts. [Hack saw off the bolt heads]. Remove the cover bolts, then insert the studs a few turns each. This guarantees that the cover will come straight off.

The cover most likely will not come off easily. But you must not pry at it, not even a little! That would wreck the gasket surface. So remove the generator [which must come off anyway], then with a hammer and a block of wood you can tap thru the gen hole and get the cover to start coming off. Then it is wiggle a little here, waggle a little there, etc, etc, patiently, until it comes off.

As you are removeing it you can you can use a couple of fingers thru the ignition hole to try to hold the cams in. Most likely #4 will come out anyway.

The vent hose from the oil tank attaches to the rear edge of this cover. This hose typically runs from the tank, under the starter motor, and then to the cover - making removal of the cover just a little more tedious.

Re-installing the cams can be tedious but it is not difficult. There are timing marks on the 4 cam gears and on the pinion gear that must be lined up. There is a good pic in the manual, and we will offer more help with that when the time comes.

Yes, a very good idea to have the factory manual in hand for this task. I have it plus the factory parts catalog [invaluable!!!], plus both the Haynes and Clymer manuals.

This is all from memory so no guarantees as to completeness or accuracy.

 

The line that goes under the case and enters the oil pump from the rear is the feed from the bottom of the oil tank into the oil pump.

The return from the pump exits the pump at the front, goes up to your oil cooler, then down along the frame rail, up at the back of the cam cover, then along with the vent line under the back of the starter motor, and up to the top of the oil tank.

 

I do not know of a service manual on line. I recall that there was a site a couple of years ago with the Clymer - illegal of course, as would be any on line copyrighted material.

 

when i pull a cam cover i lay the bike over as far as i can, hang it with ratchet straps from the ceiling, that way as im pulling the cam cover and lightly taping on it the cams stay in the engine ( most of the time) i never thought of the longer bolts with the heads removed! i do something like that that on most cars that i have to do flexplates, flywheels, or clutches in, i leave the heads on them, just never thought doing that on the ironhead!

 

i am not sure that he is talking about he cam cover.i think he is talking about the "little cover" to the left(as you look at it) of the cam cover.on my 81 there is nothing you really need to know.i have to pull an exhaust and then thats it as far as i can remember.just remove the nuts that hold it on and that should give you access to the hose.------now if you are talking about the larger cam cover then listen what the guys above say.....and if they come back and say somthing different than me then listen to them too.

 

I believe you are right straydog13. He needs to get the front sprocket cover off to get to the 90 degree fitting to change the 1/4" oil vent hose that is in front of the sprocket.