Oil from trans to primary......

[vito]

I hope it does not come to a terrible accident when a tranny locks up for the MOCO to fix these

Not knocking it but is that even remotely likely to happen? The tranny is lubed by oil splashed up onto the gears and bearings IIRC. So the level can drop with no real effect. I don't have a clue how low it can get before there is a chance of damage. Does anybody? Does the MOCO? I'm adopting a <grin> "What! Me worry?" attitude until then.

 

[MDO]

I would think that when it's low & no longer splashing/bathing the gears to lube & cool them, the friction would build up an excessive amount of heat that could not be good.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Not knocking it but is that even remotely likely to happen? The tranny is lubed by oil splashed up onto the gears and bearings IIRC. So the level can drop with no real effect. I don't have a clue how low it can get before there is a chance of damage. Does anybody? Does the MOCO? I'm adopting a <grin> "What! Me worry?" attitude until then.

The transmission depends on a splash true, once the gears cannot pick up enuff lube bad Ju Ju

I know in the old days the 4 speeds were pretty primitive , you could run a couple hundred miles before the tranny would grenade

I am saying and this may be a BIG if, What happens when a new to Harley's does not check the fluid?

Is Harley going to tell everyone to check their fluid every couple hundred or 1 thousand miles?

I have ridden a lot of miles with NO catastrophic tranny problem YET

The key word here is yet

I aint preaching gloom and doom, I just want HD to fix this

WE should NOT have to check and or top off the fluid every so many miles JMO

 

[rhino 2]

The transmission depends on a splash true, once the gears cannot pick up enuff lube bad Ju Ju

I know in the old days the 4 speeds were pretty primitive , you could run a couple hundred miles before the tranny would grenade

I am saying and this may be a BIG if, What happens when a new to Harley's does not check the fluid?

Is Harley going to tell everyone to check their fluid every couple hundred or 1 thousand miles?

I have ridden a lot of miles with NO catastrophic tranny problem YET

The key word here is yet

I aint preaching gloom and doom, I just want HD to fix this

WE should NOT have to check and or top off the fluid every so many miles JMO

And if someone doesn't realize where the trans fluid is going ,And keeps on adding [toping off] Thats where the serious damaged can occur...

 

[Jack Klarich]

I keep a close eye on my fluids out of habit

I don't want to have to check my fluid every time I gas up like some are doing right now, there is NO good reason these bikes are transferring gear oil , none of my past bikes ever did. I am so anal I measure what comes out during fluid changes, SOOOOO Hd cannot tell me I am wrong, I will document this when mine starts to transfer

IMO, with the money all have spent on the NEW M8 platform, I feel we should not have to be subject to tests by the MOCO for a non fix to date. JMO

( I have seen damaged bearings, seals and shifter forks from the wrong type of lube, never mind being low on lube) If the gears spinning cannot pick up enuff lube guess what is going to happen

The proper amount of lube in the tranny will also help transfer heat from critical parts

These are my own thoughts here, not supported by nuthin but what I see in real time

 

[droptine42]

Losing Transmission Oil

I have a 2016 Tri-Glde and here is my story.

1st time at 10,000 mile oil change mechanic put red=line oil in my primary case

2nd time 20,000 mile warranty clutch seal is bad

3rd time 800 miles later transmission dip stick is on add.

Guess where I am going tomorrow?

 

[Jack Klarich]

I have a 2016 Tri-Glde and here is my story.

1st time at 10,000 mile oil change mechanic put red=line oil in my primary case

2nd time 20,000 mile warranty clutch seal is bad

3rd time 800 miles later transmission dip stick is on add.

Guess where I am going tomorrow?

Good Luck, keep all documents and let us know what happens

 

[vito]

The transmission depends on a splash true, once the gears cannot pick up enuff lube bad Ju Ju

I know in the old days the 4 speeds were pretty primitive , you could run a couple hundred miles before the tranny would grenade

I am saying and this may be a BIG if, What happens when a new to Harley's does not check the fluid?

Is Harley going to tell everyone to check their fluid every couple hundred or 1 thousand miles?

I have ridden a lot of miles with NO catastrophic tranny problem YET

The key word here is yet

I aint preaching gloom and doom, I just want HD to fix this

WE should NOT have to check and or top off the fluid every so many miles JMO

I agree. My questions are "how low can you go" <g> and "how long would it take to reach that point?". IOW, if I check/change the oil every 5000 miles, would the level ever drop to the point of causing damage?

 

[rhino 2]

I agree. My questions are "how low can you go" <g> and "how long would it take to reach that point?". IOW, if I check/change the oil every 5000 miles, would the level ever drop to the point of causing damage?

It varies , When i first notice it went below the dip stick at 45 hundred miles , The second time it went below at 9 hundred miles.. I only have about 150 miles since the [Wink-Wink] fix.....And it hasn't dropped, Yet.......How long can you go before any trans damage...Thats anyones guess...

 

[Old Road Dog]

I agree. My questions are "how low can you go" <g> and "how long would it take to reach that point?". IOW, if I check/change the oil every 5000 miles, would the level ever drop to the point of causing damage?

Don't know about these new fangled 6 speeds.But I know of a certain moron that changed all the fluids on his '76 Superglide and forgot to refill the tranny.I- um he, didn't realise it till returning back to the garage and seeing the drain plug laying on the oil drain pan.Rode just over a 100 miles that day.Boy what a dummy.Oh- that tranny is still in service.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Once your tranny starts to whine, you will know your fluid is low and bearing damage has started

I dunno about the 6 speeds, I do know the 4 speeds on Shovels and Pans could take a hundred miles and more with No lube before locking up

 

[vito]

Once your tranny starts to whine, you will know your fluid is low and bearing damage has started

I dunno about the 6 speeds, I do know the 4 speeds on Shovels and Pans could take a hundred miles and more with No lube before locking up

Reason I asked is that my 1990 FLH came with porous cases. The vacuum in the crank case would suck oil out of the primary while running, making the oil bottle over full. So when I restarted the pump would pump the excess into the air cleaner. But if it sat the oil would migrate back to the primary. Flagstaff HD discovered the primary dry at 90 - something thousand miles while I was on a trip. There had been no damage to the chain, clutch, etc.. So I wonder if the tranny/primary oil transfer would stabilize at some level that still provided adequate lube to the former.

BTW, the reason HD hadn't issued a recall was that they had no idea which bikes were affected and didn't want a panic. They replaced the cases and all bearings when my problem was diagnosed.

 

[Jack Klarich]

HD had some problems with the 5 speed cases as well as the Evo crank cases

Guess the supplier had some bad aluminum?

I dunno 4 sure, most of the cases replaced that I remember were good willed by Dealers tho they were most all out of 2 year factory warranty

There was also a lot of bad crank case studs then also

 

[rhino 2]

Fix didn't work.....

After 5 hundred miles the kit to stop the oil transfer from the trans to the primary didn't work.....Back to the dealer next Wednesday...I Called Harley today and all i got out of that was their engineers are working on the problem, And they also said they have a few reports on this problem...For what thats worth......Whats next i'll know by next Wednesday...Maybe the Trans will burn up by then running that low on fluid ...

 

[Sidecarbill]

Ya know rhino with a sense of humor like yours, I'm surprised you don't overfill the trans and drain some out of the primary. Watch the look on their face when they discover its now goin in the opposite way!

 

[rhino 2]

Ya know rhino with a sense of humor like yours, I'm surprised you don't overfill the trans and drain some out of the primary. Watch the look on their face when they discover its now goin in the opposite way!

I did that the first time I thought they forgot to fill it so I just filled my self�� And and that's screwed up thier calculations ! So they had to put in the right amounts then let me drive another thousand miles so they can measure it ! My mistake was being a nice guy and not calling about it saying hey guys you forgot to fill up my transmission Instead of doing it myself '����If I did that then it would have been in caught right away ��

 

[ultrafxr]

After 5 hundred miles the kit to stop the oil transfer from the trans to the primary didn't work.....Back to the dealer next Wednesday...I Called Harley today and all i got out of that was their engineers are working on the problem, And they also said they have a few reports on this problem...For what thats worth......Whats next i'll know by next Wednesday...Maybe the Trans will burn up by then running that low on fluid ...

Why am I not surprised that this 'band aid' type fix didn't work? I feel for you as I went through all the 'growing pains' with the 2007 model year with the 110" motor. Lots of companies make motorcycles but it seems Harley knows how to screw up the best of all, lol. Sure hope they find the root cause of the problem and get you fixed up . . . and oh yeah, sure hope my 2018 TG doesn't develop the problem.

 

[rhino 2]

My guy says he has at least 3 other M8's with the same problem... Two other dealers i talked to don't know nothing about it......And like i said before [Post#44] , I called Harley and they said they have had complaints about it...

 

[ultrafxr]

Deny, deny, deny and if you do that long enough maybe it will go away. Seems to work for politicians, lol.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Good point, I get it

But I bet the general public aint buying it

H D sales are way down, add this controversy It aint looking good for The MOCO

IMO, they need to come clean and publicly say so and offer a fix as soon as they have one JMO

 

[luzierg]

Hi Guys,

Any update to oil problem? I've got a 2017 Triglide with 9000 miles. Just got back from Laconia and changed all my fluids before I left. I read this problem and decided to check things out. 2400 miles on the speedometer.

Transmission was down to 20 ounces

Primary was spilling out of the top when I removed the cover

Called my dealer and naturally he has never heard of the problem. July 12th before I can get it checked at HD. Any advice so I can fix it myself........

Thanks Gary

 

[Jack Klarich]

Any advice so I can fix it myself........

Keep an eye on the fluid, document every time you add to it

Your dealer for lack of a better term is not telling the truth

They have had eyes and hands on an internal memo leaked to the internet that has been removed Imagine that

This memo goes back to 2014 models so you decide who to believe

Ask him about this bulletin

Moderators, This bulletin should be a sticky

HD has seen fit to play dumb over this when it is clear they have this in hand

 

[rhino 2]

Hi Guys,

Any update to oil problem? I've got a 2017 Triglide with 9000 miles. Just got back from Laconia and changed all my fluids before I left. I read this problem and decided to check things out. 2400 miles on the speedometer.

Transmission was down to 20 ounces

Primary was spilling out of the top when I removed the cover

Called my dealer and naturally he has never heard of the problem. July 12th before I can get it checked at HD. Any advice so I can fix it myself........

Thanks Gary

Gary, There isn't a fix....Harley is stonewalling the problem....Iv'e been back 3 times once Harley sent my dealer a kit to fix it...Didn't work...I have lodged a complaint [2] with Harley Tech service....That and 20 cents will get me a ride on the subway...

My Dealer says, And he's the only one that will say there is a problem.. that they have quite a few M8's with that problem, And suspect there are more out there but the owners don't know it yet..

The Complaint number is 1-414-343-4056...Give them a call..

As of now i will ride it till the Trans burns up , Or when the warranty is up..

 

[Jack Klarich]

Gary, There isn't a fix....Harley is stonewalling the problem....Iv'e been back 3 times once Harley sent my dealer a kit to fix it...Didn't work...I have lodged a complaint [2] with Harley Tech service....That and 20 cents will get me a ride on the subway...

My Dealer says, And he's the only one that will say there is a problem.. that they have quite a few M8's with that problem, And suspect there are more out there but the owners don't know it yet..

The Complaint number is 1-414-343-4056...Give them a call..

As of now i will ride it till the Trans burns up , Or when the warranty is up..

Bob Be careful Bad JU JU if your tranny locks up The shifting will get harder along with a lot of noise That will be the bearings heading South Then Kablue eee

The 6 Speed is a GREAT tranny, but not long for the world with repeated being low or out of lube JMO I have seen a few 4 and 5 speeds blown wide open

 

[rhino 2]

Keep an eye on the fluid, document every time you add to it

Your dealer for lack of a better term is not telling the truth

Jack....Harley Tech Services said DONOT Add fluid to the trans if it is low, Bring it back and the dealer will level the fluids out, No charge..

 

[rhino 2]

Bob Be careful Bad JU JU if your tranny locks up The shifting will get harder along with a lot of noise That will be the bearings heading South Then Kablue eee

The 6 Speed is a GREAT tranny, but not long for the world with repeated being low or out of lube JMO I have seen a few 4 and 5 speeds blown wide open

Then they have to fix it....

 

[Jack Klarich]

Jack....Harley Tech Services said DONOT Add fluid to the trans if it is low, Bring it back and the dealer will level the fluids out, No charge..

Yeah I don't trust them .How are we going to get it to them with no lube in there?

Wait for them to dispatch some one?

I for one will document every time mine is low ( @ 18k miles I do not have this problem YET)

I do NOT want HD putting ANY thing but REDLINE in mine

And I bet you they will NOT, instead they will most likely put Formula + in, Not my choice of lube

I have used Redline since my first service @ 500 miles Documented every time and backed up with receipts My dealer sells Redline Imagine that

 

[Ray55]

I had a dealer in Arizona service writer tell me that it was impossible for the tranny oil to leak into the primary case. So I thought to myself "OOOOkay".

 

[Jack Klarich]

I had a dealer in Arizona service writer tell me that it was impossible for the tranny oil to leak into the primary case. So I thought to myself "OOOOkay".

See post 53