Blown?
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 14
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From: Antigo, WI
Blown?
Went out to start my 74 FLH for the first time this year. Changed oil from the oil tank and changed the external front mounted oil filter. I had put 20-50 in last year and found out it was wrong toward the end of the year. I made sure to use SAE 60 this time around. Put the battery in, and she fired right up! Looked under the bike while it was running, noticed about a half Quart of old black oil spit out. Never saw where it came from but I BLEW out all over the back tire. It still seemed to be idleing fine. Then I noticed that exhaust was only coming out of one pipe. Was a bit white exhaust. I decided to throttle a bit more to see if anything was exhausting out of the other pipe and noticed a bit of a darker smoke momentarily puff out. It looked like the rear cylinder was the only one exhausting?....
I let go of the throttle cause I thought she'd be fine while I grabbed some rags to clean the mess and I see what was going on a little bit more. Bike died. Won't start. WTF. This is gonna be expensive I think. I'm going to give it a few hours and try to start her again. Is all that oil just sumped from sitting? Didn't notice that last year. Then again... I had thin oil in their this time.
I let go of the throttle cause I thought she'd be fine while I grabbed some rags to clean the mess and I see what was going on a little bit more. Bike died. Won't start. WTF. This is gonna be expensive I think. I'm going to give it a few hours and try to start her again. Is all that oil just sumped from sitting? Didn't notice that last year. Then again... I had thin oil in their this time.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 157,326
Likes: 56,888
From: Michigan 15 Minutes East Of Hell
You can make a BIG mess on the floor with sumped oil ... It sure sounds as though that is what has happened as far as the oil mess in concerned ... and ... You may have fouled a plug too ... Pull the plugs out and check and clean them ( for now ) and fire it back up and let it run to give it a chance to scavenge the rest of the oil that has sumped. Once it appears that all of the oil has been evacuated from the crankcase, shut it down, check the oil level, refill to full and see how it runs. Sumping generally results from the check ball not seating properly in the oil pump. There are several "tricks" to resolve this aside from a new oil pump ... One that many have used is removing the spring and check ball, clean out the area, place a new check ball in the pump, lightly tap the check ball with a drift pin and small hammer to "reshape" the seat that the check ball sits in ... remove the check ball replace with a new check ball and spring and generally that will resolve the problem .... Others may suggest using an old pushrod along with some valve lapping compound to refinish the seat ... that can work also! Good luck Brother!
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Antigo, WI
Continued....
Tried to start it again... she sputtered a bit till I think I flooded her. No more Oil showing up underneath. This ol' tank has gotta start. lol. I know it will. Just need to leave it alone for awhile longer. Gonna go for a run.
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,104
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From: Niles Canyon Ca.
The oil issue is common on the old girls if they sit for a while , Just slide a drip pan under before you start it . Uneven exhaust is also a non problem the rear cyl will always seem cooler or like it's not hitting with stock ignition , you'd have to go single fire to get it even . Smoke from the exhaust is also common on the older shovels when starting but should clear up running a bit or at least be the same color . The early shovels didn't have valve seals and oil goes past the guides when sitting .
If she smokes all the time white means valves and black is usually rings . I'd suggest you pull and clean or replace the plugs if you keep having hard starts and the smoking problem they foul easily m also take a peek in the plug hole at the top of the piston is it dry or oily looking ? .
If she smokes all the time white means valves and black is usually rings . I'd suggest you pull and clean or replace the plugs if you keep having hard starts and the smoking problem they foul easily m also take a peek in the plug hole at the top of the piston is it dry or oily looking ? .
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: Antigo, WI
Continued....
The oil issue is common on the old girls if they sit for a while , Just slide a drip pan under before you start it . Uneven exhaust is also a non problem the rear cyl will always seem cooler or like it's not hitting with stock ignition , you'd have to go single fire to get it even . Smoke from the exhaust is also common on the older shovels when starting but should clear up running a bit or at least be the same color . The early shovels didn't have valve seals and oil goes past the guides when sitting .
If she smokes all the time white means valves and black is usually rings . I'd suggest you pull and clean or replace the plugs if you keep having hard starts and the smoking problem they foul easily m also take a peek in the plug hole at the top of the piston is it dry or oily looking ? .
If she smokes all the time white means valves and black is usually rings . I'd suggest you pull and clean or replace the plugs if you keep having hard starts and the smoking problem they foul easily m also take a peek in the plug hole at the top of the piston is it dry or oily looking ? .
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