Harley Davidson Forums

Softail Models Standard, Custom, Night Train, Deuce, Springer, Heritage, Fatboy, Deluxe, Rocker and Cross Bones.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Cam Cover Replacement

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 11, 2016 | 05:12 PM
Share
  #1  
Berick's Avatar
Berick
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 505
Likes: 24
From: Edmonton, Alberta
Default Cam Cover Replacement
I am going to be changing my cam cover over...... do I need to drain the engine oil to do this or can I just sit the bike over on the jiffy stand?
 
Reply
0
Old Jan 11, 2016 | 05:43 PM
Share
  #2  
joe40x's Avatar
joe40x
Road Warrior
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 698
From: nowhere
Default
Jiffy stand. You'll get 3-4oz out of the cam cover if that much.
 
Reply
0
Old Jan 11, 2016 | 05:48 PM
Share
  #3  
QC's Avatar
QC
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 100,455
Likes: 19,810
From: Centennial, CO
Default
Get a "Pig Form-a-Funnel to help keep your frame clean.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...11396085,d.cGc
 
Reply
0
Old Jan 11, 2016 | 05:56 PM
Share
  #4  
gusotto's Avatar
gusotto
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 784
Likes: 56
From: Eastern Iowa
Default
You won't get much to drain out but I'd have a pan under the cam cover.

It'll be primary oil, not engine oil.
 
Reply
0
Old Jan 11, 2016 | 06:05 PM
Share
  #5  
Berick's Avatar
Berick
Thread Starter
|
Road Captain
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 505
Likes: 24
From: Edmonton, Alberta
Default
Originally Posted by gusotto
You won't get much to drain out but I'd have a pan under the cam cover.

It'll be primary oil, not engine oil.
Does a guy have to worry about topping up the oil if I lose 2-3 ounces while changing the cover?
 
Last edited by Berick; Jan 12, 2016 at 04:24 PM.
Reply
0
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 05:10 AM
Share
  #6  
joe40x's Avatar
joe40x
Road Warrior
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,623
Likes: 698
From: nowhere
Default
It'll be primary oil, not engine oil.[/QUOT
Primary oil in the cam chest? No it's engine oil.
 
Reply
0
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 03:29 PM
Share
  #7  
dfwhockey17's Avatar
dfwhockey17
Outstanding HDF Member
10 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,400
Likes: 284
From: Fort Worth, TX
Default
Originally Posted by gusotto
It'll be primary oil, not engine oil.
What?!?!?!?!

Since when does your primary oil run through the cam chest?
 
Reply
0

Trending Topics

Old Jan 12, 2016 | 08:03 PM
Share
  #8  
Sgt_Jim's Avatar
Sgt_Jim
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,048
Likes: 3
From: Central Jersey
Default
Yeah, it's engine oil.. and it's best to keep it on the kickstand and keep it leaning to the left. You'll get the least amount of oil out that way.
 
Reply
0
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 10:32 PM
Share
  #9  
JeffJA's Avatar
JeffJA
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 12
From: MA
Default
Originally Posted by dfwhockey17
What?!?!?!?!

Since when does your primary oil run through the cam chest?
and i thought i was reading that wrong!...
 
Reply
0
Old Jan 14, 2016 | 11:25 AM
Share
  #10  
Joe_G's Avatar
Joe_G
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,721
Likes: 103
From: St. Louis, MO
Default
I did a how to thread on checking your cam tensioners which requires removing the cam cover. It's an easy job with a long ball end allen from Harbor Freight and a Pig funnel. Hardest thing is getting the cam cover off once the bolts are all loose (leave one in to hold it). I used a thin screwdriver to carefully get it started. I was able to reuse the steel coated gasket and no leaks.

Here's more with pictures:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/softa...with-pics.html
 
Reply
0
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Checking Cam Chain Tensioners.....
HDmikie
General Harley Davidson Chat
6
May 3, 2012 09:23 PM
Cam Cover
Mrkolivers
Touring Models
17
Nov 20, 2011 01:38 AM
Cam Cover
bigsofty
Softail Models
3
May 14, 2010 10:11 AM
How much oil is behind the cam cover?
07RoadHawg
Touring Models
5
Jan 26, 2009 07:05 PM
TC88 Cam Cover
JORENO
Oil Archive (no new posts)
5
Aug 29, 2008 12:24 AM
Back to Subforum
Softail Models
View Next Unread
idle speed on 2011 Fatboy??




Advanced Search
Reply Closed Thread Share
Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:08 AM.

story-0
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE