Do not overfill
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 574
Likes: 5
From: walpole, ma.
you also need to check the sump, some of these motors will sump the oil over time if not run....winter, then while your working on them and spring comes around you check the oil, fill and then go for a ride......all the oil in the sump decides to return to the tank,....and POOF oil soaked and smokey.
Ask me how I know this.......
Ask me how I know this.......
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,395
Likes: 153
From: Utah
Well, I would add don't check to see if you remembered to put in the drain plug by looking at your shoe while you are putting in the oil... because you feel something hitting the top of your foot.
C#
C#
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,706
Likes: 14
From: Near Frankenmuth, MI
AH the morning chuckle.
Thanks for sharing and it's good to hear you tackled a basket case with very little in the way of issues.
I'm from the school of hard knocks too! lol
Thanks for sharing and it's good to hear you tackled a basket case with very little in the way of issues.
I'm from the school of hard knocks too! lol
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,477
Likes: 14
From: Western MD
I am a new Harley owner. I bought a basket case and put it all back together. Having never turned a wrench on a Harley, there was a learning curve that I was forced to follow...I thought I would share.
I got everything put back together and got it started. It all sounded good so I decided to go for a short test drive. I got maybe 1/4 mile from the house and it sputtered and died. After a rew mintes it restarted and I was off only to sputter and die again a few hundred yards later. At this point I see a pattern and decided to turn around. I also decided that if it followed this pattern of sputtering and dying AND if it should not happen to restart, it was a long push home. The solution, get going as fast as possible so I could coast as far as possible before the unavoidable die.
To me this was a good plan. When I hit about 60 MPH I heard this loud POP and something hit my leg. I looked down to see LOTS of oil shooting out the right side along with much smoke...I was thinking "hmmm...thats bad". I looked up in time to make a necessary course correction away from the bridge rail then looked behind me where I noticed something chrome rolling around in the road. I thought "I need that!" The predicted sputter and die came just then so I pulled aside.
Being on the shoulder in a curve I couldnt use the kick stand. Fortunately my bike has floorboards and I can lay it over on them withoutit falling over, which I did. I walked back and retrieved my chrome which turned out to be my oil fill cap.
Lesson learned - Do not over fill the oil tank, kids, it will really get your attention. And the sputtering and dying...when the gas gauge says near empty it really means EMPTY.
I got everything put back together and got it started. It all sounded good so I decided to go for a short test drive. I got maybe 1/4 mile from the house and it sputtered and died. After a rew mintes it restarted and I was off only to sputter and die again a few hundred yards later. At this point I see a pattern and decided to turn around. I also decided that if it followed this pattern of sputtering and dying AND if it should not happen to restart, it was a long push home. The solution, get going as fast as possible so I could coast as far as possible before the unavoidable die.
To me this was a good plan. When I hit about 60 MPH I heard this loud POP and something hit my leg. I looked down to see LOTS of oil shooting out the right side along with much smoke...I was thinking "hmmm...thats bad". I looked up in time to make a necessary course correction away from the bridge rail then looked behind me where I noticed something chrome rolling around in the road. I thought "I need that!" The predicted sputter and die came just then so I pulled aside.
Being on the shoulder in a curve I couldnt use the kick stand. Fortunately my bike has floorboards and I can lay it over on them withoutit falling over, which I did. I walked back and retrieved my chrome which turned out to be my oil fill cap.
Lesson learned - Do not over fill the oil tank, kids, it will really get your attention. And the sputtering and dying...when the gas gauge says near empty it really means EMPTY.
lmao.. I need that !!! lmao..
glad your learning curve wasn't expensive..
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,016
Likes: 277
From: East Tn Foot of The Dragon
I am a new Harley owner. I bought a basket case and put it all back together. Having never turned a wrench on a Harley, there was a learning curve that I was forced to follow...I thought I would share.
I got everything put back together and got it started. It all sounded good so I decided to go for a short test drive. I got maybe 1/4 mile from the house and it sputtered and died. After a rew mintes it restarted and I was off only to sputter and die again a few hundred yards later. At this point I see a pattern and decided to turn around. I also decided that if it followed this pattern of sputtering and dying AND if it should not happen to restart, it was a long push home. The solution, get going as fast as possible so I could coast as far as possible before the unavoidable die.
To me this was a good plan. When I hit about 60 MPH I heard this loud POP and something hit my leg. I looked down to see LOTS of oil shooting out the right side along with much smoke...I was thinking "hmmm...thats bad". I looked up in time to make a necessary course correction away from the bridge rail then looked behind me where I noticed something chrome rolling around in the road. I thought "I need that!" The predicted sputter and die came just then so I pulled aside.
Being on the shoulder in a curve I couldnt use the kick stand. Fortunately my bike has floorboards and I can lay it over on them withoutit falling over, which I did. I walked back and retrieved my chrome which turned out to be my oil fill cap.
Lesson learned - Do not over fill the oil tank, kids, it will really get your attention. And the sputtering and dying...when the gas gauge says near empty it really means EMPTY.
I got everything put back together and got it started. It all sounded good so I decided to go for a short test drive. I got maybe 1/4 mile from the house and it sputtered and died. After a rew mintes it restarted and I was off only to sputter and die again a few hundred yards later. At this point I see a pattern and decided to turn around. I also decided that if it followed this pattern of sputtering and dying AND if it should not happen to restart, it was a long push home. The solution, get going as fast as possible so I could coast as far as possible before the unavoidable die.
To me this was a good plan. When I hit about 60 MPH I heard this loud POP and something hit my leg. I looked down to see LOTS of oil shooting out the right side along with much smoke...I was thinking "hmmm...thats bad". I looked up in time to make a necessary course correction away from the bridge rail then looked behind me where I noticed something chrome rolling around in the road. I thought "I need that!" The predicted sputter and die came just then so I pulled aside.
Being on the shoulder in a curve I couldnt use the kick stand. Fortunately my bike has floorboards and I can lay it over on them withoutit falling over, which I did. I walked back and retrieved my chrome which turned out to be my oil fill cap.
Lesson learned - Do not over fill the oil tank, kids, it will really get your attention. And the sputtering and dying...when the gas gauge says near empty it really means EMPTY.
Last edited by checkers; Sep 17, 2011 at 05:57 PM.
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