"Glittery" oil
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Stage IV
Joined: Jul 2006
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"Glittery" oil
Hi everyone! This is my first post and I've been getting tons of useful info from this forum for a couple months now. My question is about my 75 XLH. I noticed on my last oil change that my oil has metal (or brass, not sure) shavings in it. The bike sounds decent...like an ironhead...and I don't hear any rod knock, nor is my tranny acting up. My question is where should I start looking to see where this is coming from and what the "smart" way of repairing it? Do I need to rebuild my engine? On that note, does anyone even make rebuild kits? Or could it just be something under my cam cover. That's kinda what I'm leaning toward, but not really sure what to look for in there. Sorry for the "essay" and thanks for any info. -Adam
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 775
Likes: 2
From: OC California
RE: "Glittery" oil
Time to open that bad boy up. Metal in the oil is not good. I am assuming you are talking about the crankcase oil and not the primary oil. If you do not have an HD factory manual, get one. Start with the cam cover (bushings are brass) and work from there.
Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 179
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RE: "Glittery" oil
This place is great for gaining info, like the others have said sounds like the bushings in the cam cover, also Very good idea to get yourself a HD manual for that year, I would stay clear from Haynes, or Clymer, they are to general and not really much help. Good luck and let us know what you find out.
Daryl
Daryl
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Stage IV
Joined: Jul 2006
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RE: "Glittery" oil
Just wanted to give an update. I pulled off the cam cover and found that cams 3 and 4 (might be 2 and 4, i dont have it right in front of me) had no little washer spacers on the cover side, so the cams were walking into the brass. Also found on the the dogbone thrust washers on the inside on the cams was completely chewed to hell. I took off the rocker boxes and checked the rocker arms for play and felt nothing, smooth as could be. Is there anything else i should be checking while im in there? I'll try to continue to list my progress and maybe help out someone else in the same boat. Also how should i go about cleaning the oil system out when im finished? (well, its a harley, ill never be "finished")
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
RE: "Glittery" oil
The cam gear plate(s) are installed next to the needle bearings in the crankcase. The beveled side of the holes face the cams.
These need to be smooth. Sounds like yours are chewed up, so buy new ones.
If the bushings in the timing cover have rough chewed up faces, then you should have new ones installed.
The thin washers are for getting the correct end play between the crankcase bushing and the timimg cover bushing with the cam(s) sitting in place.
These washers come in the following thickness: .005 and .007 inch. Buy several of each so that you can set all 4 cams correctly.
I assume you know the drill:
Install the cam plates and cams without any spacer washers and do not use oil.
Bolt on the timing cover with a dry gasket using all the screws except the generator bolts and have the tappet bases removed.
Go to work with your feeler gages to see how many, and of what thickness spacing washers are required with each cam.
The correct end play is .001 to .006. Measure this at the point between the cam and the cam plate, then install the needed washers and recheck the whole thing again before you install the tappet bases............pg
These need to be smooth. Sounds like yours are chewed up, so buy new ones.
If the bushings in the timing cover have rough chewed up faces, then you should have new ones installed.
The thin washers are for getting the correct end play between the crankcase bushing and the timimg cover bushing with the cam(s) sitting in place.
These washers come in the following thickness: .005 and .007 inch. Buy several of each so that you can set all 4 cams correctly.
I assume you know the drill:
Install the cam plates and cams without any spacer washers and do not use oil.
Bolt on the timing cover with a dry gasket using all the screws except the generator bolts and have the tappet bases removed.
Go to work with your feeler gages to see how many, and of what thickness spacing washers are required with each cam.
The correct end play is .001 to .006. Measure this at the point between the cam and the cam plate, then install the needed washers and recheck the whole thing again before you install the tappet bases............pg
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Stage IV
Joined: Jul 2006
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RE: "Glittery" oil
thanks for all the great info PG, i'll be sure to use it. I make a carrer from working on cars, but take the learners role and heed to the greater knowledge of the pros when it comes to this. Thanks again and i'll see how it goes....as soon as i dig up my blind hole puller! (they're great for pulling pilot bearings and me thinks it'll work on these bushings too) -Adam
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