Oil Leak From Stator Wire Plug. Fixes?
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 353
From: Ohio
Good luck with your repair Bingee.
The only potential problem I see with the way you described your process is the letting it dry for a couple hours before applying the RTV. I wouldn't have waited that length of time between cleaning and RTV application.
Here's why I say that... The solvents you used for cleaning evaporate rather quickly so there's no need for prolonged dry times. Once you finished cleaning the area, the longer you wait before applying the RTV, the greater the chance that the area will become contaminated with oil through capilary action. You're never going to get all of the oil cleaned throughout the grommet and the case. There will always be some residual oil left in the recesses. But you can get it all cleaned from the accessible surfaces so I feel it's best to apply the RTV immediately after cleaning, before there's any chance of the residual oil migrating back to the surfaces you're trying to seal.
The only potential problem I see with the way you described your process is the letting it dry for a couple hours before applying the RTV. I wouldn't have waited that length of time between cleaning and RTV application.
Here's why I say that... The solvents you used for cleaning evaporate rather quickly so there's no need for prolonged dry times. Once you finished cleaning the area, the longer you wait before applying the RTV, the greater the chance that the area will become contaminated with oil through capilary action. You're never going to get all of the oil cleaned throughout the grommet and the case. There will always be some residual oil left in the recesses. But you can get it all cleaned from the accessible surfaces so I feel it's best to apply the RTV immediately after cleaning, before there's any chance of the residual oil migrating back to the surfaces you're trying to seal.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
after remembering a quick fix I did on a newport awhile back I thought I would try something similar on the bike. Took a oring that fit the grommet nice and tight but that was a touch bigger than the hole in the case, worked it over the grommet and applied a little lithium and then worked it into the case. Rode for an hour or more and let her sit for 2 now and no seepage whatsoever. Maybe that will get me by until I can replace the stator
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
after remembering a quick fix I did on a newport awhile back I thought I would try something similar on the bike. Took a oring that fit the grommet nice and tight but that was a touch bigger than the hole in the case, worked it over the grommet and applied a little lithium and then worked it into the case. Rode for an hour or more and let her sit for 2 now and no seepage whatsoever. Maybe that will get me by until I can replace the stator
Whatever repair you do, I just can't see replacing the entire stator to fix a simple oil leak.
And with as many leakers as HD fixes under warranty I can't beleive they haven't come up with an "approved" repair method short of replacing the stator, or better yet, a more robust design to begin with.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
That sounds like a good idea. If I ever have the need to do this again I might try your method before the RTV. Did you unplug the stator from the regulator to get the o-ring over the wires and up to the grommet?
Whatever repair you do, I just can't see replacing the entire stator to fix a simple oil leak.
And with as many leakers as HD fixes under warranty I can't beleive they haven't come up with an "approved" repair method short of replacing the stator, or better yet, a more robust design to begin with.
Whatever repair you do, I just can't see replacing the entire stator to fix a simple oil leak.
And with as many leakers as HD fixes under warranty I can't beleive they haven't come up with an "approved" repair method short of replacing the stator, or better yet, a more robust design to begin with.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 585
Likes: 59
From: Near St. Louis, Mo.
My 99 Ultra had the stator leak. I cleaned and tried the silicone solution with out much success. Finally replace the stator. But when I did a Harley tech told me to run the electric wires up to the frame and not down to the frame. This way the oil wants to stay in the case, instead of wanting to run down the wires. Seemed to make sense. I had plenty of wire on the 99 so I changed the way they were routed. Have not looked at my 2012 yet to see how the wires are routed. I figured it wasn't a problem anymore, until I read this post. If my new one leaks I'm going to be really pissed.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
My 99 Ultra had the stator leak. I cleaned and tried the silicone solution with out much success. Finally replace the stator. But when I did a Harley tech told me to run the electric wires up to the frame and not down to the frame. This way the oil wants to stay in the case, instead of wanting to run down the wires. Seemed to make sense. I had plenty of wire on the 99 so I changed the way they were routed. Have not looked at my 2012 yet to see how the wires are routed. I figured it wasn't a problem anymore, until I read this post. If my new one leaks I'm going to be really pissed.
The only potential issue I see with the way the wires are routed is if they are inducing any loads on the grommet. That may cause a leak over time by deforming the grommet.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,561
Likes: 33
From: San Diego, CA
This dang minor oil leak is driving me nuts!! I tried the O-Ring trick but it didn't work for me ...can someone tell me if where the wires enter the engine, is that in the Primary or the Engine Block? It looks like the Engine itself but I know the wires connect to the Stator which is behind the Compensator in the Primary so it doesn't make sense to have the wires in the Engine???
My concern is that when I go to clean the area with the Brake Cleaner, it going to contaminate the oil. I just changed the Engine and Primary oil and don't want to dump both again. Which oil will get the contamination, Engine or Primary?
My concern is that when I go to clean the area with the Brake Cleaner, it going to contaminate the oil. I just changed the Engine and Primary oil and don't want to dump both again. Which oil will get the contamination, Engine or Primary?
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,205
Likes: 18
From: SE Michigan
Mother....
I know it wouldn't look sexy but a real electrical feed-through using bulky contacts accessible from the outside is the only solution that can be repaired.
There is no guarantee to seal oily Neoprene or any other polymer with RTV without a sophisticated surface treatment. Only a complete encapsulation done by a new silicon molding over the 3 wires would be viable.
There is a saying: "the end justifies the means", so perhaps someone will propose such a kit one day
There is no guarantee to seal oily Neoprene or any other polymer with RTV without a sophisticated surface treatment. Only a complete encapsulation done by a new silicon molding over the 3 wires would be viable.
There is a saying: "the end justifies the means", so perhaps someone will propose such a kit one day
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
This dang minor oil leak is driving me nuts!! I tried the O-Ring trick but it didn't work for me ...can someone tell me if where the wires enter the engine, is that in the Primary or the Engine Block? It looks like the Engine itself but I know the wires connect to the Stator which is behind the Compensator in the Primary so it doesn't make sense to have the wires in the Engine???
My concern is that when I go to clean the area with the Brake Cleaner, it going to contaminate the oil. I just changed the Engine and Primary oil and don't want to dump both again. Which oil will get the contamination, Engine or Primary?
My concern is that when I go to clean the area with the Brake Cleaner, it going to contaminate the oil. I just changed the Engine and Primary oil and don't want to dump both again. Which oil will get the contamination, Engine or Primary?
As for contaminating the oil I wouldn't be concerned. You'd have to have a gaping hole to get any significant amount of whatever cleaner you use, or other contaminants, into the oil.
Like I've said in some of my previous posts, the most important step in this type of repair is the initial cleaning. For all the naysayers, or those who have unsuccesfully tried this repair, I'd be willing to bet that the cleaning process was not done adequately and that was the cause of the repair failure. My repair was done approximately 2 1/2 years and 36,000 miles ago and hasn't shown the slightest sign of failure to date.
For cleaning solvents, although brake cleaner may work, I prefer mineral spirits to clean away the gross contamination, followed by carb cleaner for the final cleansing. Both of these solvents are better at disolving oily residues than brake cleaner.
And finally, here's a link to another thread I started on the same subject that describes in a fair amount of detail the repair I did to my bike... https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...il-leak-3.html