who's been having to add transmission fluid?
#81
06-05-2017, 09:15 AM
Just a thought, but why doesn't someone with an M8 simply send a sample of primary fluid to Blackstone Labs and ask them to test for the presence of gear oil if thats what you use in your transmission. They test a lot of stuff for all different types of vehicles and aircraft, so it shoud be a simple enough test for them. If primary fluid comes back positive for whatever your using in your transmssion then that would be prima facia evidence to present to the dealer and MoCo that there's a problem. It might be worth the $30 or so dollars for the test.
It CAN be duplicated. The problem is getting the manufacturer (MOCO) to own up to the problem...and fix it on their nickle. My guess is that they knew of the problem far enough in advance to make the change in design on the soon to be released 2018 models. We will have to see whether or not they step up to the plate and assume ownership of the problem with the 2017 bikes. Admitting to having a problem and committing to fix it are two entirely different things.
The MOCO has a long history of not fixing some of their design problems during the initial 24 month factory warranty period. We will have to see how they handle this latest problem of fluid transferring from the transmission to the primary case.
Stay tuned.
#82
06-05-2017, 09:41 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Mine started whining after approx 4T km when shifting from 5th into 4th and 4th into 3rd. Checked the oil level and the dipstick wasn't touching oil anymore. So I drained the gear box and found the remaining oil unusally dirty/dark. Overall amount was 0,5l, so 0,3l less to what it should be.
I filled the gearbox with Castrol 75/140 and the whining was gone. At this time I still thought that the dealer just didn't fill in the corect amount at the first inspection. A thousand kilometers later I could again hear whining, so I checked the oil level again. It needed almost 0,3l to bring it back to the required level. Furthermore I started having clutch issues when cold. The reason will be highly likely the 75/140 in the primary. I very rarely drive above 3.500rpm, so this must also happen at lower rpm's.
The whining noise of the gear box when running on low oil also shows that this problem is anything but harmless, as whining simply means wear of the edges of the toothed gears (hope my english is good enough for everybody to understand).
Personally I find it absolutely inacceptable for Harley to deliver something like this. In the 21st Century there are no secrets about designing proper gear boxes anymore and it is hard to believe, that a company, that had 18years to develop and test a successor engine is making such a basic and fundamental mistake in engine design that any 2nd semester machine design student wouldn't do. I'm dissapointed, really.
I filled the gearbox with Castrol 75/140 and the whining was gone. At this time I still thought that the dealer just didn't fill in the corect amount at the first inspection. A thousand kilometers later I could again hear whining, so I checked the oil level again. It needed almost 0,3l to bring it back to the required level. Furthermore I started having clutch issues when cold. The reason will be highly likely the 75/140 in the primary. I very rarely drive above 3.500rpm, so this must also happen at lower rpm's.
The whining noise of the gear box when running on low oil also shows that this problem is anything but harmless, as whining simply means wear of the edges of the toothed gears (hope my english is good enough for everybody to understand).
Personally I find it absolutely inacceptable for Harley to deliver something like this. In the 21st Century there are no secrets about designing proper gear boxes anymore and it is hard to believe, that a company, that had 18years to develop and test a successor engine is making such a basic and fundamental mistake in engine design that any 2nd semester machine design student wouldn't do. I'm dissapointed, really.
#83
06-05-2017, 10:03 AM
Club Member
Sorry if my first post is a bit harsh, but I find this issue frustrating. One thing I forgot to mention: if you fill up the gear box with exactly the amount stated in the manual, it will not show any oil on the dipstick when the bike is on the sidestand. So either the amount or the measuring method described in the manual is wrong....
** Die Kapazität ist annähernd. Beim Wechseln des Schmiermittels fügen Sie zunächst 28 Fl oz (0,83 L) hinzu. Nach Bedarf prüfen und füllen.
#84
06-05-2017, 10:24 AM
HD EFI Guru
As for a fix, I have my ideas but currently not doing to much as work has to get done first. I have modified one of my bikes and we will see how id does.
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#87
06-05-2017, 02:32 PM
Club Member
#88
06-05-2017, 06:23 PM
Abrecadabra
I guess the quick answer would be to buy a new M8 and ride it for ten minutes at 4000-4500 rpms. Then check your fluids.
Actually to say that you "lose it" is incorrect. If you were to look in your primary case you would find it has just been magically transferred over there. Not lost, just moved, so to speak. Kind of like "hocus-pokus-now you see it, now you don't".
Actually to say that you "lose it" is incorrect. If you were to look in your primary case you would find it has just been magically transferred over there. Not lost, just moved, so to speak. Kind of like "hocus-pokus-now you see it, now you don't".
Last edited by texaswiz; 06-05-2017 at 06:26 PM.
#89
06-05-2017, 09:59 PM
