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Small Primary Oil leak. Should I be worried?

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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 02:51 PM
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Default Small Primary Oil leak. Should I be worried?

My bike never used to leak oil. Then last week it just started to leak oil out of the stock shifter peg hole in my primary. My bike has had forward controls since I bought it last year with 19,000 miles. I read that it could start to leak if the breather gets plugged or not venting properly but I am not sure where that is in the primary. the only thing i have done in the primary and I replaced the clutch plate that the clutch adjuster bolt and lock nut threads into because the threads were stripped on it which caused my clutch to back out. Plus I had on over 800 miles since fixing it so I don't think its related.

The problem is I am going to sturgis next week and I don't wont an oil leak or have to worry about bringing extra oil. I am just not sure why it started happening. I am just concerned if it builds pressure and that's why its leaking. or I wonder if theirs a seal or gasket that moved that's causing it to leak. Maybe I will be fine to put some silcone or high temp gasket maker on the cap where the shifter used to be. I just dont know if it will hold the 2000 - 3000 mile total ride during sturgis.

What should I do. Should I pull my whole primary off when I change the oil and check the gasket in the old shifter shaft and hopefully fix it properly, or should i just try some silcome where the leak is to be me buy and fix it after sturgis? I am leaving next tuesday. Has anyone else had this problem with their dynas? Below is a picture of another bike with the same problem. I did not take a picture when mine was leaking this much after a 250 mile ride. Its a very slow leak anyway.

 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 03:02 PM
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Nah, don't worry...it's a Harley. That's perfectly normal. Leaking from that spot means your Harley is weeping.
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 03:03 PM
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pull off the button cap, RTV the edges, give it 3 or 4 min to set up,and push the cap back on.. problem solved... I am completely flush welding mine, no idea why they have the indent in the primary if we do not have an inspection cover...
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 03:04 PM
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THERES A GASKET OR O-RING INSIDE. IT'S PROBABLY DUE TO BE CHANGED...

http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche....N-CASE-HOUSING
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by JRK5892
pull off the button cap, RTV the edges, give it 3 or 4 min to set up,and push the cap back on.. problem solved... I am completely flush welding mine, no idea why they have the indent in the primary if we do not have an inspection cover...
Have you had this problem before? How does that cap come off. Can i just stick a flathead screwdriver and pop that cap off. Also what is RTV? some high temp silicone or something?
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 03:17 PM
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yes sir very very common... there is also a seal inside the primary but this will keep you from having to pull it, that is just a push button cap... while it is off paint it black it will look better, i sealed mine on and powder coated right with it installed last time but after the wreck i am going to eliminate the whole thing now... RTV is a sealant any auto parts store will carry, small flat head will pop that cap right off... like bobber said the right way to do it is to pull off the primary and replace the gasket, but you can also just do this and be fine

here is what mine looked like previous when i sealed it up and coated it... looks much better than a chrome button on there
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 03:32 PM
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You can do what Joe said but that won't prevent oil from leaking out the backside (that hole goes all the way through). Mine never leaked out the back side, and I'd be suprised if it ever did but who knows. If you go to a dealership and ask for a tower gasket you'll get what you need to fix it up. You'll also need a primary gasket, derby cover gasket, and a quart of oil.

There's no harm in trying Joe's way if it doesn't work you can still use the "book" answer, and Joe's way is certainly faster and cheaper.
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 03:45 PM
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the man has a point! completely forgot about the back side!
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 04:35 PM
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Originally Posted by skidsareforkids
You can do what Joe said but that won't prevent oil from leaking out the backside (that hole goes all the way through). Mine never leaked out the back side, and I'd be suprised if it ever did but who knows. If you go to a dealership and ask for a tower gasket you'll get what you need to fix it up. You'll also need a primary gasket, derby cover gasket, and a quart of oil.

There's no harm in trying Joe's way if it doesn't work you can still use the "book" answer, and Joe's way is certainly faster and cheaper.
Yeah I dont think mine is leaking back there. The picture is not of my actual bike. Mine barley leaks unless I am on a longer ride. the 20 miles I do a day to work it just gets wet to the touch but not enough to go down the side. I just dont want to start taking things apart before sturgis and not have enough time in case harley doesn't have a part or something. I wonder if I can buy a wide glide or another harley primary that never had mid controls. that would fix the problem but I guess theres still a hole on the back side. so I dont know. Maybe I should just weld the backside or something
 
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Old Aug 1, 2012 | 05:20 PM
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just pull off the outer primary and get 2 9/16ths freezeplugs from napa... tap one into the outer primary from the inside and one into the inner primary,,, problem solved... forever..
 
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