hello all, i am sure this question has been asked a bazillion times already, is there a good method to seal the old tin primary covers from leaking huge amount of oil.
i am currently working/detailing a 40 knuckle that really marks it's spot.

thanks

Robin

 

If its still running a primary chain and oiler still working then you will never stop the leak.Its made to leak so it wont overflow.You could go to belt setup and block the chain oiler.

 

oil pump has an adjustment screw on it, turn it off.just remember to lube the primary when u do the rear.also harley had a cork gasket for it ,good luck finding one.i made one from 1/4 inch braided rope it worked for a while,almost all summer.some times the primary oiler wont shut all the way off ,dont worry about it .old knuckles were supposed to use a qt about every 400 miles due mostly to chain oiler.

 

I run an enclosed belt drive on my knuck What youhave to do is drill a 5/8 or 3/4 hole in the inner primary so you can run a rubber hose from the breather pipe that sticks out at the back of the engine case left side Make a tight loop bring the hose up between the eng & trans left side Put on a 3/8 in k&n filter so you let the bottom end breath I also ran a short piece of 2 in pvc pipe over the k&n to keep out rain water if you don't and ride in the rain your oil will turn into a muddy brown liquid

 

You can neither turn off the oiler nor can you put that hoise in there. That breather oil is all the oiling your getting to oil the primary. You turn that off or hook a hose up to the breather and you will burn up the chain and the sprockets in 200 miles;;; or less

 

Sorry ,I don't agree with Pantony's message. I shut off my oil to the primary chain on my 46 knuckle and rode for years on the same chain but you do have to do a few things . The old chains never had teflon inserts so you could set up a oil bath then heat your chain in the oven ( set it in a old pan ) at275 degrees for an hour , then quickly drop it in the oil bath for at least another hour.It will smoke at first so do this outside if you have an old lady.The oven heat opens up the metal molecules which will absorb the oil while cooling. Don't let the chain cool before emersing .This has to be done about every 3000 miles . In between the oil bath sessions use the HD non - slinging rear chain oil thru your inspection hole every 400-500 miles . Wish this was my idea but it comes from an old timer that had rode back in the 40's and 50's. Mike