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Any truth to this oil migration rumor?

   
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Old 06-12-2018, 02:03 AM
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Default Any truth to this oil migration rumor?
I have been reading the posts about the oil migration issue with the M8's.
I have also read that the oil migration issue only affects the bikes with hydraulic clutches (touring models) but doesn't affect the new 2018 softails M8's, as they have a manual cable operated clutch.
Is this true or rumor. I would like to know this information, as I am looking at purchasing a new 2018 softail lowrider M8.
Thanks for your time.
 
Last edited by Falcon195; 06-12-2018 at 02:05 AM.
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Old 06-12-2018, 05:14 AM
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Nope, you figured it out. It never happened. All the folks claiming it did happen are obviously liars...

Oh, and by the way, the oil sumps, it is the transmission fluid that migrates.... (at least on the small percentage of the bikes that it happens to.)

sheesh...
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 06:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Falcon195
I have also read that the oil migration issue only affects the bikes with hydraulic clutches (touring models) but doesn't affect the new 2018 softails M8's, as they have a manual cable operated clutch.
Is this true or rumor. I would like to know this information, as I am looking at purchasing a new 2018 softail lowrider M8.
I read somewhere here that ALL M8 engines are affected by the migration issue. Even a bone stock 114ci M8 with no Stage kit upgrades.

I am waiting to see if MY2019 is fixed or not. HD Dealer announcement is scheduled for late August in San Diego. MY2019 bikes will hit the showroom in September. By the end of the year, we will know if anyone anyone is still experiencing issues or not. If it is still happening, I will wait another year.
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 06:36 AM
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Not true for me. Mine hasn’t migrated an ounce of oil in 14k miles.
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 06:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Falcon195
I have been reading the posts about the oil migration issue with the M8's.
I have also read that the oil migration issue only affects the bikes with hydraulic clutches (touring models) but doesn't affect the new 2018 softails M8's, as they have a manual cable operated clutch.
Is this true or rumor. I would like to know this information, as I am looking at purchasing a new 2018 softail lowrider M8.
Thanks for your time.
The oil migration issue or transfer does not seem to affect models that have the cable actuated clutch. Don’t know if it is the slinger on the pushrod or just that the side cover is open to the main body of the transmission, but the cable models don’t have the problem. The cable actuation is the same as what has been used by Harley for more than three decades, so it is a proven system.

All M8 models have been known to sump oil which means oil collects in the crankcase and is not returned to the oil reservoir. This can destroy an engine. There is some rumor that the MOCO has redesigned the engine cases for 2019 to alleviate the problem. If that is so it wouldn’t surprise me to see a class action suit by the purchasers of the 2017-18 models to get the MOCO to update the cases on those machines.
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 09:58 AM
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Originally Posted by $tonecold
There is some rumor that the MOCO has redesigned the engine cases for 2019 to alleviate the problem. If that is so it wouldn’t surprise me to see a class action suit by the purchasers of the 2017-18 models to get the MOCO to update the cases on those machines.
Now that is interesting....
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 10:50 AM
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Originally Posted by $tonecold




There is some rumor that the MOCO has redesigned the engine cases for 2019 to alleviate the problem. If that is so it wouldn’t surprise me to see a class action suit by the purchasers of the 2017-18 models to get the MOCO to update the cases on those machines.
Well if this is true and it actually happened it could be a financial nightmare for the moco. It would mean replacing cases on all 17&18 M8 bikes. Could be hundreds of million of dollars.
And I'm not so sure I would want dealer tech's tearing my motor apart. I'm sure there are some very good ones but in my area they are rare, certainly none at my selling dealer.
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by torchmaster
Well if this is true and it actually happened it could be a financial nightmare for the moco. It would mean replacing cases on all 17&18 M8 bikes. Could be hundreds of million of dollars.
And I'm not so sure I would want dealer tech's tearing my motor apart. I'm sure there are some very good ones but in my area they are rare, certainly none at my selling dealer.
Yall are dreaming. Wake up people! There will be no product program to replace cases, period. What planet are you people living on? Did they offer free upgrades to the hydraulic tensioners? No (and I would argue it was a more pervasive problem). Compensators? No. (again, probably more pervasive than sumping)
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Keithhu
Yall are dreaming. Wake up people! There will be no product program to replace cases, period. What planet are you people living on? Did they offer free upgrades to the hydraulic tensioners? No (and I would argue it was a more pervasive problem). Compensators? No. (again, probably more pervasive than sumping)
Agreed. It simply doesn't work that way.
 
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Old 06-12-2018, 12:45 PM
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Well due to all the information I have been reading here on this issue I have decided not to purchase the 2018 softail. It's too bad as the dealer just received the bike from Harley today and I was going to use my $1,500 off coupon to purchase the bike.
I just can't pull the trigger with these issues in mind.
Thanks to everyone who replied to my posts, you may have saved me some headaches.
 
Last edited by Falcon195; 06-12-2018 at 01:06 PM.
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