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2008 Softail-Oil Change
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Georgia
2008 Softail-Oil Change
Good evening all.
I am new to this forum and have a technical question and concerns regarding oil changes on a 2008 Softail.I am pretty green as far as maintenance on a Harley.I am wanting to know the proper way to do a service/oil change on my own Harley.I have recently heard several horror stories from family and friends regarding taking there own Harley to the dealer for service and the primaries being left dry among other issues.
Does anyone have any information or a diagram of the proper drain plug to loosen.I was told by a friend there were 2 plugs 1 of them being the one that would leave your primary dry. Then again i have tried to look on the web and there were several mentions on a drain hose-which i could not locate myself.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!
I am new to this forum and have a technical question and concerns regarding oil changes on a 2008 Softail.I am pretty green as far as maintenance on a Harley.I am wanting to know the proper way to do a service/oil change on my own Harley.I have recently heard several horror stories from family and friends regarding taking there own Harley to the dealer for service and the primaries being left dry among other issues.
Does anyone have any information or a diagram of the proper drain plug to loosen.I was told by a friend there were 2 plugs 1 of them being the one that would leave your primary dry. Then again i have tried to look on the web and there were several mentions on a drain hose-which i could not locate myself.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,054
Likes: 26
From: Florida
You REALLY need a service manual if you don't have one already. Most of what you need to know is in there and then you wouldn't have to try and count on someone to try and explain the process to you on some forum. Not that there are people here like myself who are happy to help. I just think that you are taking the hard way about it if you are relying on the forums to get the info you need. I would suggest you use the forums to answer questions when you run into a specific issue and not for finding out how to do a complete process.
That said, if you are doing a complete fluid change then you are looking for three drain plugs and they are all the same size/type drain bolt. You can use either a socket or an alen wrench to remove them. The hardest one to get to is the transmission plug which is up between the two shocks under the bike. I tend to need a mirror to get at it with the wrench. The oil plug is on the right had side of the bike and it is set in the frame right underneath the swing arm. A drain hose may have been mentioned because there is a hose above the drain plug through which the oil travels but you don't touch that line. The third plug for the primary is located at the bottom of the primary cover towards the back. If you feel along the bottom of the primary cover you will feel it.
Not sure what you mean by "leaving the primary dry". You need to drain all the old fluid before you replace it with new fluid. The primary and transmission each take one quart of fluid. The engine take just under three depending on how much oil is left in the motor after you drain it.
Honestly it is a very easy process but I would be here all night typing it up for you. The best advice I can give you is to get yourself a service manual. And to be honest, I think your owner's manual covers basic service info such as fluid changes.
Good luck.
That said, if you are doing a complete fluid change then you are looking for three drain plugs and they are all the same size/type drain bolt. You can use either a socket or an alen wrench to remove them. The hardest one to get to is the transmission plug which is up between the two shocks under the bike. I tend to need a mirror to get at it with the wrench. The oil plug is on the right had side of the bike and it is set in the frame right underneath the swing arm. A drain hose may have been mentioned because there is a hose above the drain plug through which the oil travels but you don't touch that line. The third plug for the primary is located at the bottom of the primary cover towards the back. If you feel along the bottom of the primary cover you will feel it.
Not sure what you mean by "leaving the primary dry". You need to drain all the old fluid before you replace it with new fluid. The primary and transmission each take one quart of fluid. The engine take just under three depending on how much oil is left in the motor after you drain it.
Honestly it is a very easy process but I would be here all night typing it up for you. The best advice I can give you is to get yourself a service manual. And to be honest, I think your owner's manual covers basic service info such as fluid changes.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Georgia
Thanks for the posts.It seems that when I bought my bike they did not provide me with a proper service manual all the info i was given was warranty info unless it has been misplaced.I will now go back and request one. And yes micahpop i am pretty green regarding Harley's(don't want to hurt my baby)my other bike is a Suzuki Intruder if that says anything.
thanks again.
thanks again.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,909
Likes: 4
From: Kalifornia
I'm pretty green when it comes to mechanical things too but with the help of the service manual, I do most of the regular maintenance on my bike.
And the dealer is not going to "give" you the manual if they didn't include it in the purchase of your bike. It's about $60 - well worth it!
And the dealer is not going to "give" you the manual if they didn't include it in the purchase of your bike. It's about $60 - well worth it!
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 726
Likes: 3
From: Pacific Northwest
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Georgia
Thanks Micahpop i will go and get one.I have never had an issue doing a service on almost anything i have ever owned until now after listening to friends and family which usually never do there own maintenance anyway.And here in the Atlanta GA area i have heard even worse stories regarding the dealerships,including the one where i bought mine from.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,514
Likes: 443
From: South Florida
Good advice. It also includes torque values, which, IMO, are important. But if you search the net, there are some videos on do it yourself maintenance, and they are good even when you do have a service manual.
These are a good place to start
http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_619_mo...le-repair.html
These are a good place to start
http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_619_mo...le-repair.html
Last edited by Stretchman; Jun 21, 2011 at 11:57 PM.
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Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Georgia
Thanks Glen that was helpful.
i was a little confused looking at my bike i noticed 2 different plugs that look like drain plugs.
One that is exactly where the photos of the link you posted however it is taken out by an allen wrench on the right side .The other is a standard 5/8 but on the left side rear under the derby. Now is a 96CI roughly the same as an 88CI which is in the link you posted.
Mine is the 96.
thanks again!
i was a little confused looking at my bike i noticed 2 different plugs that look like drain plugs.
One that is exactly where the photos of the link you posted however it is taken out by an allen wrench on the right side .The other is a standard 5/8 but on the left side rear under the derby. Now is a 96CI roughly the same as an 88CI which is in the link you posted.
Mine is the 96.
thanks again!
Last edited by JH-Harley08; Jun 22, 2011 at 12:32 AM.
Thread Starter
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3rd Gear
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Southeast Georgia
Thanks Stretchman that post was helpful as well i think my confusion lies on where the actual drain plug was.I saw 2 different styles and like i said in my very first post was i heard some bad info I believe regarding the primary being left dry??I was just a little worried pulling the wrong one.
thanks again everyone.
hopefully this will be my last stupid question.
And yes i will be getting a proper service manual-I wish harley would have provided one to me-but then again that fault is also mine for not requesting one at time of purchase.
thanks again everyone.
hopefully this will be my last stupid question.
And yes i will be getting a proper service manual-I wish harley would have provided one to me-but then again that fault is also mine for not requesting one at time of purchase.