help needed - 09 oil leak. Primary??
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 2
From: Australia
help needed - 09 oil leak. Primary??
Hey my 09 has sprung a leak and started marking her territory at work and at home.
There is oil all over the left pipe too.
I thought it was the primary gasket, but when you reach up behind the primary next to the belt there is loads of oil up there. There is no oil on the belt tho, so to me that says its primary oil because if it was coming from the tranny then it would be on the belt.
I can see oil in the primary when I pull the cover, and the tranny oil level is spot on.
Anyone seen this before and got any suggestions??
I am worried that the dealer will baulk at fixing it because of the small mods to the engine...
There is oil all over the left pipe too.
I thought it was the primary gasket, but when you reach up behind the primary next to the belt there is loads of oil up there. There is no oil on the belt tho, so to me that says its primary oil because if it was coming from the tranny then it would be on the belt.
I can see oil in the primary when I pull the cover, and the tranny oil level is spot on.
Anyone seen this before and got any suggestions??
I am worried that the dealer will baulk at fixing it because of the small mods to the engine...
Last edited by kingkingking; Nov 3, 2009 at 04:51 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
From: Heritage Park - Friendswood, TX
Brother that LOOKS... like it is right below your drain plug. Looks like a super simple fix to me. I'm no expert but you may just need to pull your plug - drain your fluids - replace the drain plug or seal it by any of a few different methods. and refill your Primary.
This may give you a better idea of the mechanics of it all:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ul-videos.html
And this one IS about the Primary Drain:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...n-too-far.html
This may give you a better idea of the mechanics of it all:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...ul-videos.html
And this one IS about the Primary Drain:
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...n-too-far.html
Last edited by usmcbay; Nov 3, 2009 at 05:06 AM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,783
Likes: 10
From: Oh
It could be the rear gear drive seal, they replaced mine under warranty. It leaked in the same spot. Feel the oil, is it thick (tranny) or thinner (primary). This seal can be replaced by pulling the primary. Agree with post above, check that primary drain plug first but, there should be a drop of oil on the plug if it is leaking.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 2
From: Australia
Sorry, should have mentioned that I re torqued the drain plug and all the primary bolts a few days ago (none were particularly loose), wiped all the oil off and it is all back again. If it was just the drain plug there wouldnt be oil up on the back of the primary.
The oil is thick, I think it is gearbox oil, but it is hard to tell. there is no gearbox oil missing, the level has not dropped at all since the leak started.
How could the gearbox leak and oil get on the inside of the primary cover and not get on the belt??
The oil is thick, I think it is gearbox oil, but it is hard to tell. there is no gearbox oil missing, the level has not dropped at all since the leak started.
How could the gearbox leak and oil get on the inside of the primary cover and not get on the belt??
Last edited by kingkingking; Nov 3, 2009 at 05:56 AM.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,639
Likes: 2
From: Australia
If it is the drive gear seal wouldnt there be oil on the belt??
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,184
Likes: 0
From: The Peoples Republic of Massachusstts
First have the dealer dye the primary. It saves them time and money. Trust me on this. There are a few more seals then the ones we all grip about. Mine had a aweful time and went back 5 times till they got it right. They had the factory rep look at it and he proclaimed that it was the primary case was porus. Any way I ended up with a new chome primary AND a new starter. Its an 08 ELC with 24 k on her at the time. Any way when I picked her up they tell me new case and new starter No leaks. Great but WHY the new starter ...it starts fine. The tech told me that when he took the starter off to change the primary inner that oil poured out of it. It seems that there is a seal behiend the gear and the oil then runs down between the tranny and gear case. Just and FYI to have them check it and dye the primary FIRST. Once they dye it they will have you run it for some miles then check it with a black light. No dye shining back then its the tranny. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,783
Likes: 10
From: Oh
NO, mine had no oil on the belt. Some things that can cause a rear drive gear seal to leak, over filling the tranny causing to much pressure or using too heavy of an oil. I was told they have had some leaks by others, not just mine. Just to refresh, the tranny oil is checked while on the jiffy stand and just put the stick in, not threaded in. What weight tranny oil are you running? Do you have a shop manual to look at?
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 578
Likes: 0
From: Tea, SD
When the seal went on my 03 softail(3times in 1.5 years and within 4K miles). There was never any oil on the belt. The only oil residue I found was on the back side and the shaft seemed to sling it everywhere but the belt. Then when it would sit gravity would do its job and it would puddle on the floor. The dealer tech finally replaced the bearings with the 3rd seal and problem was solved and the vibration I had since the bike was new was gone also. Of course I do realize that was a 5 speed and yours is a 6 speed but not that much difference in design.
Last edited by 88racing; Nov 3, 2009 at 07:30 AM.