Shovelhead oil return question
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 196
Likes: 82
From: Long Island, New York
A Ducati, as well as Miriad Imports, circulate the Same oil thru-out.. engine and Trans/clutch... Harleys decidedly Do Not... the small bit of oil removed (cycled out) from the chaincase is sent directly to Return...thru Filter...making the return side of the oil pump the Only place that sees that oil..so...Cycled thru the engine is a Stretch at Minimum!!
Again... Trouble Free for ??? Since New!!!
Again... Trouble Free for ??? Since New!!!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,499
Likes: 3,717
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
chizzeler, not sure if you are trying to invent a better mousetrap, but as Racepres stated that diagram is tried, true and tested. There is a reason it is still posted and used 25 years later.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 196
Likes: 82
From: Long Island, New York
Has anyone here put tens of thousands of miles on their Shovelhead without issue with the primary oiler bypassed like that diagram, and the return to the cam case plugged?
My bike won't be going back together for a month or two, so I have time for an answer. If I don't get one I'll probably run the hose from the tank to the cam case and see if it sucks all the oil out of the tank and barfs it all over my garage. Lol
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 196
Likes: 82
From: Long Island, New York
Must be an area cultural thing, with rare exceptions with gents like Panz who are factory correct aficionados Ive seen few factory stock oiling systems on bikes that get high miles as daily riders since the 70s. Cant remember the last stock shovel oil system been on my lift. As with many on the designs the old girls came out with, while it works it isnt always the best option for the machine, it was the **** they wouldnt have done away with it with the evo and onward.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 21,736
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From: Driftless Area
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,158
Likes: 2,565
From: CT/FL
Only 9000, and I can't say it wouldn't have been just as good the stock way, because I wash the gunk out of the oil tank every other oil change like you're supposed to.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2025
Posts: 196
Likes: 82
From: Long Island, New York
Yeah, that definitely wasn't done on my bike. It needs a good de-gunking.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,126
Likes: 51,453
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
Not sure by who yet. No one has come and said they've put ten of thousands of miles on their bike without issue with it bypassed like that. That's kinda what I was hoping for. I like the cartoons and stuff, but the only thing that diagram guarantees is that no oil from the engine will drip on the primary chain. Racepres said I should leave it alone, actually. Not sure what's going on here. Did I accidentally question the orthodoxy on this or something? I still don't think my question is unreasonable, but I'll change it.
Has anyone here put tens of thousands of miles on their Shovelhead without issue with the primary oiler bypassed like that diagram, and the return to the cam case plugged?
My bike won't be going back together for a month or two, so I have time for an answer. If I don't get one I'll probably run the hose from the tank to the cam case and see if it sucks all the oil out of the tank and barfs it all over my garage. Lol
Has anyone here put tens of thousands of miles on their Shovelhead without issue with the primary oiler bypassed like that diagram, and the return to the cam case plugged?
My bike won't be going back together for a month or two, so I have time for an answer. If I don't get one I'll probably run the hose from the tank to the cam case and see if it sucks all the oil out of the tank and barfs it all over my garage. Lol
It works, it works as well as the stock oiling system without the drawbacks the factory system had. 3 plus generations of shovels riders were doing it long before the internet came along to confuse everybody over simple things like this. These engines are very much uncomplicated and extremely forgiving to a lot the recent generation motors would chew themselves to junk over.
The bikes puking it's the check ball seat in the pump body, they can and do get a hairline crack at times, something's not timed right in the cam case, or you got massive blowby going on and then it'd be blowing oil out seals and the pushrod tubes what little it will run. Really isn't much else to it.