splitting the engine
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3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2010
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splitting the engine
I have to do some tranny work on an 08 1200 low. Do I really have to split the engine to get to the tranny. Im experienceing engine oil leaking into the primary. Does this even sound possible.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,228
Likes: 3
From: New Port Richey FL
you do need to pull the motor and split the cases...the rubber mount sporties don't have the trap door the pre rubber mounts did. how do you know engine oil is getting into your primary?
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3rd Gear
Joined: Sep 2010
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Its not for sure. The primary is really building up pressure and then pour out the primary inspection cover. It only happens occasionally, normally after it sits for 10min after the ride. It seams to be useing a little engine oil suddenly also. It is blowing some out of the vent hose on top of the motor. The bike has just over 5000miles and 1. The leak started around the 4500 mark. At first I was unable to find where the leak was comeing from so I ended up changeing the primary gasket, the starter gasket, the shifter and the derby cover gasket. It all seamed fine for about 300 miles then this is when we noticed the oil coming out of the inspection cover, I have put 3 new gaskets in there and still leaking.
Thanks for any help
Thanks for any help
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,228
Likes: 3
From: New Port Richey FL
Its not for sure. The primary is really building up pressure and then pour out the primary inspection cover. It only happens occasionally, normally after it sits for 10min after the ride. It seams to be useing a little engine oil suddenly also. It is blowing some out of the vent hose on top of the motor. The bike has just over 5000miles and 1. The leak started around the 4500 mark. At first I was unable to find where the leak was comeing from so I ended up changeing the primary gasket, the starter gasket, the shifter and the derby cover gasket. It all seamed fine for about 300 miles then this is when we noticed the oil coming out of the inspection cover, I have put 3 new gaskets in there and still leaking.
Thanks for any help
Thanks for any help
when you say "pour out the primary inspection cover" is that what you really mean or is there just some coming out? how do you know its building up pressure? because of the leak? that might not be a very good indicator, oil gets hot, gets thin and finds places to escape. some blow by out the AC breather is normal and some leaking out of the inspection cover is normal too, no it doesn't happen to every bike but its not abnormal. do you have any friends you ride with? i would get one of them to ride behind you and see if your blowing some smoke on up-shift or down-shift...that might be where the exsess oil is going...but it also might be just the blow by coming out the AC vent. I honestly wouldn't worry about it if those are your only warning signs.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,416
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From: East Central Illinois
How full is your transmission/primary? If it is full enough to pour out of your primary inspection cover then something is quite possibly way overfilled. A little seepage shouldn't be much of a worry. Make sure your engine oil isn't over halfway up the dipstick while on jiffy stand with engine warm. And primary/trans only takes one quart.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,278
Likes: 2
From: Mission,BC.Canada
Save your self a lot of money. Stop. Take a deep breath. First thing to do is replace the primary inspection cover gasket. They are known to be faulty. Buy a factory service manual, it is worth the money. The oil coming out of the vent hose, is called blow-by. This is a normal condition for Sportsters. You can lessen the amount of blow-by, by keeping the oil level below the half mark on the dip stick. Change the air cleaner with an aftermarket a/c. Just to let you know, the valve train will get noisier with age.
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 135
Likes: 1
From: Keaau, Hawaii
I think you are talking about the inspection cover you remove to check the tension on the primary chain? If so, be aware that they came up with a new inspection cover and gasket a few years back.The older gasket is rubber-the newer one is like thick paper gasket material. If you use the oldser rubber gasket on a newer cover-it will leak.If you pull the cover again, see if there is a part number on it. Then check with your dealer.They may or may not have any of the older gaskets available.Just be sure you match the correct gasket with your cover.
Where I work, if you bring in your XL for a service and still have the older cover, they replace it with a new on for free.We eat the price of the new cover and gasket.This was not a recall.HD just redesigned the cover/gasket.Don't know why either, because we never had an old cover with a leak. I could explain the difference between the covers, but unless you have one each in front of you, it wouldn't mean much to you.
I hope this might be your problem.
But what makes you belive you need to split the cases? That would get you access to the trans gears and shafts, but if your nproblem is a leak, then its doubtful you need to go through all of that.
jon
Where I work, if you bring in your XL for a service and still have the older cover, they replace it with a new on for free.We eat the price of the new cover and gasket.This was not a recall.HD just redesigned the cover/gasket.Don't know why either, because we never had an old cover with a leak. I could explain the difference between the covers, but unless you have one each in front of you, it wouldn't mean much to you.
I hope this might be your problem.
But what makes you belive you need to split the cases? That would get you access to the trans gears and shafts, but if your nproblem is a leak, then its doubtful you need to go through all of that.
jon
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 666
Likes: 1
From: Cavendish, Pei
1st thing to do is take the primary inspection cover off and blow through the transmission vent tube to see if it is clear. If you do a lot of short rides water condensation will build up in the tranny and can clog the vent tube with what can only be described as whitish goop.
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