Proper Exercise is Critical - Not you, Your Harley

[TonkaDriver]

Early this year I got in a rut where for a couple of months I was only riding to and from work. The trip one way is less than 5 minutes. I probably did 30+ round trips without going for any out of town rides. In early April I started noticing some lifter noise. Keep in mind Kerrville was coming up. I took it into my Indy shop and they discovered what looked to be evidence of water in the oil. I had just done a 3 hole oil change so they did another engine oil and filter change. A few days later it started having lifter noise again. At this point I decided to change the lifters and bought a set from the Harley dealer in Phoenix. The photos below show what I found when I pulled the rocker covers.







I went ahead and replaced the lifters and put it back together. After reassembly things got interesting. It would only run on one cylinder and was blowing air out of the throttle body. This is when I learned some very important information. Exhaust side push rods are slightly longer than Intake rods. I had reversed one cylinder causing this problem. Once I got things put together correctly everything smoothed out.

After much discussion with Kevin of DK Custom Products we decided that Condensation had accumulated over time from so many short trips. Since I live in a desert I had never given it any thought. February and March were fairly wet months but still a desert.

If this can happen here, just think how fast this could happen in wet climates. I am now making absolutely certain that a ride of at least 100 miles will happen every month.

Hope this helps someone avoid this condition.

Kurt

 

[LadyonaMission]

So, my theory "if it's not at least 200 miles, it ain't a ride" is not a bad thing?

 

[Jack Klarich]

Short mileage runs on any engine develops condensation

The key is getting the engine up to normal operating temp so the condensation from combustion gets burned off and not carried over to the oil tank to be recirculated

In older cars and trucks there was a tube ( road draft tube) coming out of the side of the engine. This was at the time a poor ( but the only way) to keep the crankcase pressures from getting too high and to help exhaust the condensation

The streets were all lined with an oily patch from this discharge, you may remember this

 

[dlpuette]

So, I live in northern Ohio. I take a lot of 15 - 30 minute rides. Almost every day in season, But only occasionally bigger 100+ mile rides. Are you telling me me that the machine was ill designed to accept this kind of riding without major issues?

would love to hear an HD motor engineer weigh in on this

btw - northern Ohio would certainly classify as a very wet climate

 

[Jack Klarich]

So, I live in northern Ohio. I take a lot of 15 - 30 minute rides. Almost every day in season, But only occasionally bigger 100+ mile rides. Are you telling me me that the machine was ill designed to accept this kind of riding without major issues?

would love to hear an HD motor engineer weigh in on this

btw - northern Ohio would certainly classify as a very wet climate

If you are getting your engine up to normal operating temperature you will not have any problems.

All internal combustion engines need to operate at the proper temperatures to insure proper lubrication and expulsion of condensation( a by product of the combustion)

 

[Burnerboy]

Thank you folks,

I believe this is what is happening to my wife's jeep Cherokee.......... The mufflers keep rotting out every season.... She only works five minutes from home, (a whopping two minute drive)

so her engine does not get enough heat built up to remove all moisture... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm thank's again

Ronnie

 

[ISP-FL]

Even though we travel most of the year with the trike (RV Toy Hauler) in warm climates, I will use it for short rides a lot. Might run to a local store, out to dinner, or maybe a trip to a hardware store. About once or twice a week we are probably on it for a 80 mile ride or longer.

My point is these are still mostly air cooled engines. As such wouldn't they get up to operating temps within 10 minutes of riding if the ambient air is 70 degrees or above?

 

[Jack Klarich]

Even though we travel most of the year with the trike (RV Toy Hauler) in warm climates, I will use it for short rides a lot. Might run to a local store, out to dinner, or maybe a trip to a hardware store. About once or twice a week we are probably on it for a 80 mile ride or longer.

My point is these are still mostly air cooled engines. As such wouldn't they get up to operating temps within 10 minutes of riding if the ambient air is 70 degrees or above?

As long as you are confident the oil temp is up to operating temperature to burn off the water vapor you should be good to go. If in doubt, pull the hoses off the head breather bolts after the engine cools down from a short ride. See if the hoses are milky white with water/ oil mess.