78 shovelhead primary help
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 600
Likes: 6
From: Central Islip, NY
78 shovelhead primary help
1978 FX, I was asked to help put the mess that someones son made changing out a stator and we are about to button up the primary cover, there is a clymer manual, and it talks about checking vacuum which is no problem I assume this is to pull fluid in from somewhere???, but I do not see any lines for fluid coming into the primary area, and since the bike was ripped apart by two kids without a clue, they have no idea how much fluid was in it. Any clues would be appreciated.
(this was a bike I was going to buy, seeing how they tore it apart made me very sad indeed)
thanks
(this was a bike I was going to buy, seeing how they tore it apart made me very sad indeed)
thanks
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,125
Likes: 51,446
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
If the bike still has the stock oil hose routing ( 5 or 6 lines ) the primary is lubed by a small line from the oil pump & motor breather blowing oil into the case when sealed . If the primary has been setup to be a sealed system ( 3 oil lines total ) and none are connected to the primary you assemble everything and while the bike is upright and the derby cover off add just enough oil to come to the bottom of the clutch basket that's it . This is the best route to go cleans up several leak areas and you motor oil stays cleaner much longer .
The vacuum test in the book is a headache for most to do ignore it and just check all the lines for condition & tight clamps if you have the stock oiling system .
The vacuum test in the book is a headache for most to do ignore it and just check all the lines for condition & tight clamps if you have the stock oiling system .
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,125
Likes: 51,446
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
I use good old ATF in shovel primary's if you don't have any HD primary fluid , pretty much the same stuff and cheaper . The shovel clutch plates don't like regular oil they gum up and slip .
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 600
Likes: 6
From: Central Islip, NY
I have to check what they bought, when I say these two were clueless, they were clueless, one of the starter mounting bolts (to the primary) was stripped, they were going to shove something else in, till I pointed out that it had two different threads......it was quite a fun evening sifting through multiple piles of nuts and bolts!!!
fyi the clutch plates didn't look like they had ever been wet which I found to be odd, but the response I got was they thought gasoline came out of the primary case......lmao....
fyi the clutch plates didn't look like they had ever been wet which I found to be odd, but the response I got was they thought gasoline came out of the primary case......lmao....
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,125
Likes: 51,446
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
How old are these two ? Trick is to add just enough to the case it just touches the clutch hub , that will oil everything just fine and trash the plates . Good luck man sounds like you have school in session at the short bus destination , LOL .
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 600
Likes: 6
From: Central Islip, NY
father and son, both have no business working on a bike, dad also has a really nice 70's vette, hopefully they let someone else work on it!
I should be back tonight to hopefully button it all up.....I'll report back
edit:
when I left the other day, I gave them 1 instruction, get some automotive simple green and clean some of the crap off the bike that is under where the oil tank goes.
Got to work and was told something bad happened with a spark plug while they were cleaning the bike....this should be fun.....
really...WTF is wrong with people....
I should be back tonight to hopefully button it all up.....I'll report back
edit:
when I left the other day, I gave them 1 instruction, get some automotive simple green and clean some of the crap off the bike that is under where the oil tank goes.
Got to work and was told something bad happened with a spark plug while they were cleaning the bike....this should be fun.....
really...WTF is wrong with people....
Last edited by y2kflhr; Apr 28, 2011 at 12:14 PM.
Trending Topics
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,125
Likes: 51,446
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 600
Likes: 6
From: Central Islip, NY
she told me lunch time, what ever he did with the plugs is taken care of, he replaced them....
me-did he gap and put anti sieze on?
she on phone with hubby....duh...no...
me-oh jeez....
its a good way to laugh through the work day!
next...
just got home, pretty much done, well except for the 3 stripped black isolation bolts that mount the horseshoe oil tank.....I had to laugh, they just keep putting the wrong nuts on stuff.....
once we replace those, I forbade them from putting the primary cover bolts on while I was gone!!!! will continue next week
me-did he gap and put anti sieze on?
she on phone with hubby....duh...no...
me-oh jeez....
its a good way to laugh through the work day!
next...
just got home, pretty much done, well except for the 3 stripped black isolation bolts that mount the horseshoe oil tank.....I had to laugh, they just keep putting the wrong nuts on stuff.....
once we replace those, I forbade them from putting the primary cover bolts on while I was gone!!!! will continue next week
Last edited by y2kflhr; Apr 28, 2011 at 08:10 PM.
Stage II
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: calumet city ill
oil for primary
a fixed amount of oil is supplied through an oil line running from the oil pump to the primary case. oil drops on the chain from the oil outlet and is drawn back into the engine gearcase breather...check to see if oil line is intact an not restricted. there is no set amount of oil ,as it is continually circulated.. o yeah BUY IT