Primary Leak. Do they Stop?
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Intermediate
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Primary Leak. Do they Stop?
Ok, I cannot get my inner primary to quit leaking? Replaced all the seals on the primary and tranny, went for a 300 mile ride and the thing is still leaking. Anyone have a different fix for this? Or replace the seals and try it again? 
Stage I
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Been there, done that, still leaking!
My 2000 FLTRSEI began with a small leak somewhere that would drain to the left side and drip off the two lowest points of the Primary Case. I had the engine rebuilt due to the Twin CAM chain tensioner & pin bearing issues. I got the bike back but it leaked even more. I took it back to the shop and they said a $20 bushing was bad but it required splitting the case & $300+ in labor to replace. Since I still have my first Harley a 1982 Roadster, I said I knew I'd be keeping the FLTRSEI forever too so replace the part and anything else found. Got it back and after a week, it leaked. Took it back and they said that they had noticed during the last assembly that the Inner Primary Case must be worped because as they bolted it together it seemed to bow. So I now have a new Inner Primary Case....and a leak. Needless to say I will be taking the bike back but they are obviously running out of excuses other than an assembly process they are missing ie. gasket seal solution along with new gaskets or something. They say they've replaced all the seals and gaskets. I read today a thread regarding porous crankcases which I'm sure the shop would love to blame and charge me to replace but I'll rubber seal the entire bottom of the engine before giving them a dime for new cases, ha. Such leaks do not seem to be uncomon but difficult to find. I'll be doing some google searchs on my problem and let you know what I find and ask that you do the same. I considered trading it in for a new bike but hell the newer bikes have similar problems and other problems too so I'll tape a maxi pad to catch the oil and a slow drip system to replace it and keep riding ha. Good luck. Knucklehead01 
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,611
Likes: 104
From: Southern Colorado
Got one here too. An indy told me he see's this quite a bit...sometimes new seals do the job, other times they don't. One thing he mentioned is that HD adds slightly more oil to the primary case than what is necessary, so as long as it doesn't get too out of control, not really something to worry about.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 4
From: Log home in SE Michigan full time. Log cabin in east TN, Smoky Mountians part time
Yea' it will stop....as soon as it leaks just shy of a quart of oil.
I bet shifter seal. Just helped brother inlaw replace one in his Dyna. We used a small pick ...like a dental pick that we bought from Lowe's and pulled the old one out and gently pushed a new seal in. Leak gone on the Dyna...and its full of synthetic oil too. : )
I bet shifter seal. Just helped brother inlaw replace one in his Dyna. We used a small pick ...like a dental pick that we bought from Lowe's and pulled the old one out and gently pushed a new seal in. Leak gone on the Dyna...and its full of synthetic oil too. : )
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 4
From: Log home in SE Michigan full time. Log cabin in east TN, Smoky Mountians part time
Yea' it will stop....as soon as it leaks just shy of a quart of oil.
I bet shift seal. Just helped brother inlaw replace one in his Dyna. We used a small pick ...like a dental pick that we bought from Lowe's and pulled the old one out and gently pushed a new seal in. Leak gone on the Dyna...and its full of synthetic oil too. : )
I bet shift seal. Just helped brother inlaw replace one in his Dyna. We used a small pick ...like a dental pick that we bought from Lowe's and pulled the old one out and gently pushed a new seal in. Leak gone on the Dyna...and its full of synthetic oil too. : )
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 782
Likes: 0
From: Central Oregon
My '00 RK leaks around the stator wire grommet. It shows up dripping off the bottom of the engine and primary. I finally put some HT silicone around it and touched it up with some engine paint, some people have good luck with this fix. To stop this leak correctly you have pull the primary apart and replace the stator.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,474
Likes: 1
From: Acworth, Ga
are you sure its leaking from the seals and not the bolt holes ????
rtv around the bold holes is required, just DO NOT get it in the threads
rtv around the bold holes is required, just DO NOT get it in the threads
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Tourer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 404
Likes: 1
From: Athens, Georgia
I hate to be a dumb A-- here but you guys keep talking about the shifter shaft. On my 03 Ultra the shifter shaft doesn't run thru the primary, its attached to the primary but doesn't run thru where it can leak. Are you talking about the shaft for the starter pinon gear? The only seals I have are the starter shaft and the main drive for the clutch + the o-ring at the stator. I have mine off now replacing the drive belt and I'm trying to be through in replacing all seals / o-rings / sealing the 5 bolts that can leak / etc. Help me out here, what am I missing?
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 724
Likes: 2
From: Cincinnati Ohio
That shifter seal will leak, and the oil runs along the bottom of the primary and then drips down about the middle of it. At a glance, you swear your primary's leaking, but it's the shifter seal.
