Primary oil level concern??
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Palmyra Missouri
Primary oil level concern??
Ok long story short, every since I put in my new SE compensator I have been get'n this chatter at 50 to 70mph and chain very noisy at idle. I noticed that the indy that I have help'n me with my first harley told me oil level at 1 quart in primary, so we put in the compensator, and noise, I took primary back apart to see if I missed anything installing new comp and everything good put in the quart and noise still there so RTFB and it said 46 ounces, put in almost another half a quart and chatter gone and primary chain not near as loud as before, now he said he look at an 09 and book said 1 quart, why would it change for 08, he said too much oil would cause my clutch to go out so really concerned about oil level, do I have anything to worry bout? noises are gone and that's what counts..
Last edited by Reaper22; Jul 20, 2011 at 11:38 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
i would add a little more, but i don't think that you have any worries about too much oil here.
you should be able to see the oil level just above the bottom of the sprocket gear teeth....
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Palmyra Missouri
Thanks for the reply man, he said 1qt. fills them to the sprocket and mine made comp noise and chain noise, when I added another 14 ounces (by the book) it filled to the ring just above clutch spring and all runs smooth and quiet, Hoping someone with an 09 chimes in on what there manual says. I just don't beleive 1qt. is enough by the time oil is being sling'd around, gunna be alot of noisy harleys out there if he is wrong, just seen an 2012 leave the other day with oil change..
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,741
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From: Indian Land, SC
as long as you can see the fluid at the bottom looking in through the cover, your good...too much fluid is worse then less oil....your only lubricating the chain and the compensator...
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 565
Likes: 2
From: Palmyra Missouri
That's cool, Book not clear on that, I did have cover off and I put in what the book said 45oz's Seems to me you really cannot put too much oil being it will run out at some point, with bike straight up oil is 1/2" below cover, clutch does not appear to slip so I will leave it at that, all I can say is I have no more noise's I had before more oil added.. BTW what are the symtoms of too much oil?
Thanks to all you guy's for your help, first harley and comm'n from a VTX not used to harley noises..
Thanks to all you guy's for your help, first harley and comm'n from a VTX not used to harley noises..
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 855
Likes: 6
From: Riverside, Ca.
Not true. This is a wet clutch set up and the clutch plates also need the oil. That's why the proper type of oil is imp. If too slick it affects the clutch performance.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
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From: NYC
I think there's a bearing that gets it's lube from splashy splashy primary chain case lube. The bearing can be seen installed on a removed primary chain case. The infamous inner primary bearing....I think.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Indian Land, SC
Right you are......but if his primary fluid is just 1/2" below his cover, I believe it's overfilled. The fluid should just be touching the bottom of the clutch pak.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,692
Likes: 22
From: Denham Springs, La
I had an inner primary bearing replaced along with the primary chain and tensioner. I could hardly get it into neutral. I checked the primary level and it seemed high. I drained the primary and refilled with 38 oz Formula+ as the manual calls for and neutral is much easier to find. Still needs some break in of the new chain/tensioner probably.