Major motor problems ?? On a 14 SG
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
10-4 on this. Oil is the lifeblood of your motor and you need to check it frequently as well as tire pressure.
It is a Harley not a Prius fer gosh sakes.!!
You should be well covered on warranty I would think ??
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 239
Likes: 3
From: Castle Rock, CO
Not fer nuthin, but I'd be all the way in any number of peoples butt...starting with the service manager to the GM and if necessary beyond...they;d all hear from me...and they's give me something to ride while I waited for either the motor or the bike to be replaced.....their lack of correct servicing of the machine has, ok potentially, caused premature engine wear.....
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,655
Likes: 4,149
From: Virginia
Took my 2014 SG into our local Harley shop for my first service 996 miles on the bike. I was leaving for a 1200 mile road trip the next day and wanted no issues. 535 mile the first day. 2nd day a parade and 70 miles ( not a slow parade 15 mph). Next day back on the road home , another 535 or so. 100 mile into the ride I hear a ticking over my cranked stereo. I call up the tail gunner , and he confirms. With a full face helmet on at 75 mph. We pull over in some tiny *** town and I check my oil. It is not even registering. I also notice my pipes are all soot when we arrived at our destination. After 1 hour of searching for 20/50. A gentleman down the road was able to sell me 2 qts To get me home. It prob needed 2.5. So Harley tell me it's the valve seals. I had NO. Carbon on the pipes for 1000 mile and then I have it afterwards 535 and a service . Looked at my receipt. And was only charged for 2 quarts of 20/50. They were supposed to change all of my fluids over to synthetic. So now I need a new top end on a brand new bike. I'm thinking I want a new motor. My thought is they never "drained all the oil . And forgot to put the remain 2 back in. The bike got warm and started using oil and just progressed from there. I'm no mechanic but I built outboard race motored for years . He said he had to add 1.5 qts when I took it in yesterday. Anyone have thoughts or experience like this before. I don't want to be an ******* with them. But I can. Thanks in advance.
It is just a shame people are given the tasks to change oil and cannot even get that right. You would think a Harley dealer has some sort of quality check before ANYTHING rolls out. If I were King of a stealer-ship I would fire my SM in a heartbeat after this happened, just inexcusable. I just hate paying out cash for something I can do myself. I know some people have deep pockets and do not want to deal with the mess. I do not TRUST anyone to change my Harley oil nor my Jeep oil but me.
It would make me sick knowing my brand new Hogg had been tarnished. Plus always thinking in the back of your head something else will happen after they fix it. I hope the dealer get this done right whatever that ends up being.
It would make me sick knowing my brand new Hogg had been tarnished. Plus always thinking in the back of your head something else will happen after they fix it. I hope the dealer get this done right whatever that ends up being.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,191
Likes: 12,774
From: South Carolina
You don`t need a 150 dollar dipstick to figure out if the engine has enough oil....
It`s as easy as pulling the dipstick and reading the level, which is what the OP should have done.
Another thing the OP should have done is give the dealer a chance to make the issue right before accusing the mechanic on the forum.
There are two sides to every story. And I am a little skeptical of someone who doesn`t take the time to check the oil before riding.
It`s as easy as pulling the dipstick and reading the level, which is what the OP should have done.
Another thing the OP should have done is give the dealer a chance to make the issue right before accusing the mechanic on the forum.
There are two sides to every story. And I am a little skeptical of someone who doesn`t take the time to check the oil before riding.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,503
Likes: 724
From: Virginia
Sorry to hear of your problem liquisec. But I'm thinking if, and that's a big if, they did change the oil to synthetic, AND it was left a quart low, a synthetic oil should have had no problem with a little extra heat from being a bit low. Things go bad on engines, even new engines, oil seals included. If, and again a big if, the oil seals were the culprit, and the oil doesn't/didn't appear to be burned, and the motor was never starved for oil, I'd guess the bottom end of the engine, and the rest of it for that matter is probably fine. Armchair lawyering aside. I'd let them replace the valve seals, see if it fixes the problem and make sure everything is documented. $.02
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,741
Likes: 45
From: Indian Land, SC
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 11,228
Likes: 3,052
From: St.Louis Mo.
Sorry to hear of your problem liquisec. But I'm thinking if, and that's a big if, they did change the oil to synthetic, AND it was left a quart low, a synthetic oil should have had no problem with a little extra heat from being a bit low. Things go bad on engines, even new engines, oil seals included. If, and again a big if, the oil seals were the culprit, and the oil doesn't/didn't appear to be burned, and the motor was never starved for oil, I'd guess the bottom end of the engine, and the rest of it for that matter is probably fine. Armchair lawyering aside. I'd let them replace the valve seals, see if it fixes the problem and make sure everything is documented. $.02
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,655
Likes: 4,149
From: Virginia
Not to mention the oil pressure gauge. For an engine to have a failure due to no engine oil, ridden over 500+ miles the light should have come on way before the valve seals failed etc and the pressure gauge would probably have been unsteady. If the engine light malfunctioned, then you have a very legitimate bitch. If the bike was telling you that it was starving for oil and you didn't notice, then its an expensive lesson! Hope the warranty covers it for you!