Primary fluid level
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 125
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City, Ok
Primary fluid level
Changing out all 3 fluids on my scoot. Followed the manual to a tee. Filled tranny with 20oz and it reads over the full mark. No big deal. I'll just drain some out. My question is the manual says to add 32oz to the primary. Don't want to overfill this so how do I check the level on the primary. No time to search this as I'm in a hurry. Thanks for the feedback guys.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
From: Randolph, WI
Have the bike upright. Take derby cover off. fluid should be at the bottom of clutch pack. Just high enough to lube the assembly. I had to put more than the recommended 32oz to get it to the bottom of the clutch. Hope this makes sence.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
easier:
bike on jiffy stand.
pour in lube until about 7/16"~1/2" from bottom of the clutch inspection hole in the primary.
put cover on and ride.
the primary lube spec is not crucial, the lube is for the chain and tensioner and for the clutch plates and discs. it is never pumped or under pressure, it just splashes around inside the primary case
the reason that HD gives no definative OZ spec is that the amount of fluid held by the clutch is unnown unless the assembly has been dismantled, cleaned and reassembled ( Dry).
Most of us just drain the fluid, work the clutch a few times to get some of the goop from between the plates and discs, put in the plug and pour ( wet).
you do not want to have so much fluid that the cover is "underwater" if the bike is on it's stand- it'll leak and be messy
mike
bike on jiffy stand.
pour in lube until about 7/16"~1/2" from bottom of the clutch inspection hole in the primary.
put cover on and ride.
the primary lube spec is not crucial, the lube is for the chain and tensioner and for the clutch plates and discs. it is never pumped or under pressure, it just splashes around inside the primary case
the reason that HD gives no definative OZ spec is that the amount of fluid held by the clutch is unnown unless the assembly has been dismantled, cleaned and reassembled ( Dry).
Most of us just drain the fluid, work the clutch a few times to get some of the goop from between the plates and discs, put in the plug and pour ( wet).
you do not want to have so much fluid that the cover is "underwater" if the bike is on it's stand- it'll leak and be messy
mike
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 609
Likes: 14
From: Mount Airy, MD
I fill mine to the point that the chain sitting on top of the tensioner is submerged in oil so it follows that the tensioner is submerged as well. Primary has been much quieter since using this method.
I swapped out my compensator for an SE compensator at about 9k miles and my tensioner was already showing some nice grooves cut in it so I swapped it out too and started filling to the level stated above.
I swapped out my compensator for an SE compensator at about 9k miles and my tensioner was already showing some nice grooves cut in it so I swapped it out too and started filling to the level stated above.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,034
Likes: 127
Yup. what he said. As long as it just barely touches the bottom of the clutch basket it will sling oil everywhere inside the primary, which is what you want. If you get too much oil in there it will actually make shifting a little bit harder because the spinning clutch pack has to "plow" all that excess oil.
Last edited by Retrop; May 10, 2012 at 07:19 PM.
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Supporter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,189
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From: N.E. Wisconsin
would the viscosity weight of the oil in the primary change the hydraulic tensioner pressure ?
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,532
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From: SoCal
Spring and wedge, no hydraulic tensioning on the primary chain tensioner.
Yeah....thats right ! Senior moment I guess. 