Oil leaking from primary

75sporty · #1 07-02-2008, 04:47 PM

When my 75 XLCH is warmed up, it leaks oil BAD from the Primary chain tension inspection plug.&nbsp\\; It leaks enough out of the center hole of the plug to cover my kickstand and leave a 12" puddle when idling for a minute.&nbsp\\; I have 20W50 oil filled almost to the full mark on the dipstick.

Horse13 · #2 07-02-2008, 08:26 PM

BUT&gt\\; if you hold the bike level.........and take out the "FILL LEVEL PLUG" which is next to the kickstand...............does oil run out?
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If it does..........catch it in a pan.............tell us how much runs out.
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The fill level plug...........by the way.............is how one makes sure the primary has enough oil or too much.
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You hold bike "level"...........remove plug.........if no oil runs out............you ADD OIL until it does starts to run out. Then replace FILL LEVEL PLUG (by kickstand)...........the FILL PLUG is the one on top of the Primary.( the one that is seeping oil)
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A FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL explains these elementary things EVERY Ironhead owner NEEDS TO KNOW.

&nbsp\\;GET ONE or if you have one.........PLEASE READ IT.

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SO...............let us know what you get as it will "MAYBE" help explain the issues you are having.
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75sporty · #3 07-03-2008, 02:50 PM

I held the bike level and took out the "Fill Level Pllug".&nbsp\\; Only a little oil came out, then I took out the drain plugs on the bottom of the engine, it looks like about 1.5 litres are in the drain pan.&nbsp\\; The oil in the oil bag is down to the add oil mark, and it has not moved since the primary drain/fill level plugs have been removed.&nbsp\\; I filled it on Tuesday when I rode last\\; the engine is newly rebuild and does not smoke.&nbsp\\;
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Let me guess: the oil pump does not pump unless the engine is running, so an internal seal could still be gone and it only leaks from the engine to the primary when it is started.
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The oil in the primary/tranny was dirty, the oil that is in the oil bag and leaking is clean.
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I don't have a Factory Service Manual, only a Haynes repair manual.&nbsp\\; I guess I will look on Ebay...
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Thanks

Horse13 · #4 07-03-2008, 06:03 PM

Well for ONE THING............. YOU NEVER REMOVE THE PLUGS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CASES-&gt\\; NEVER EVER!!!!!!
THEY WILL STRIP AND THEN YOU WILL BE SCREWED. They are not made to take out and there is no reason to do so.
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So.......if very little oil came out of the primary..........then the primary is not over filled.
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Sounds strange that the primary would bleed this much oil out of the inspection plug....&nbsp\\;yet have the correct oil level in it.
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You say the engine is "newly rebuilt"??? By who? You or a shop?
If it was rebuild by a shop..........I'd be asking them why this is happening first.
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75sporty · #5 07-03-2008, 10:34 PM

It was rebuilt by a reputable shop (supposedly).&nbsp\\; I had to remove the plugs in the bottom of the engine because oil was&nbsp\\;dripping from them as well.&nbsp\\; Guess what, the Fill Level threads were stripped... Should &nbsp\\;be fun to Heli-coil that without putting any filings in the primary.

Horse13 · #6 07-04-2008, 11:09 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: 75sporty

It was rebuilt by a reputable shop (supposedly).&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; I had to remove the plugs in the bottom of the engine because oil was&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;dripping from them as well.&nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\; Guess what, the Fill Level threads were stripped... Should &nbsp\\;\\\\\\;\\\\\\\\\\\\\\;be fun to Heli-coil that without putting any filings in the primary.

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Well, now ya know why the plugs should not have been removed. And a "reputable shop" would not have done that or left it like that. A FACT!
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You will have to remove the primary to fix the stripped threads in the "fill level&nbsp\\;plug" correctly!
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I'd tap it out to the next size thread.........the cover is too thin for a heli-coil to work right without constantly threading out when you remove the plug. ( something you will do a lot as you keep an eye on fluid)

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As far as the bottom plugs.......two ways to go there without splitting case........
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Drain engine of all oil, gas....
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Lay on&nbsp\\;\\\\\\; cam side on pile of blankets, old mattress...etc.......
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Remove plugs.......then find and buy tapered plugs that will thread in ( auto store)...clean holes....thread in plugs ( carefully and slowly a little at a time...backing them back out as you go every 1/2 turn or so.) Then after turned in all the way apply JB weld around edge of plugs.......let dry at least 1 day.
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Or if not stripped too bad..........remove plugs.......clean plug and hole........apply JB weld to plug......screw in........apply more JB weld to edge of plug........let dry a day or two.
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And fix the primary level plug while you have it down.
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Yer never going to pull the case plugs again...........and it on the biottom.........so JB WELD will do the trick nicely!
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Just do not get globs of it inside your engine.
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You can also LIKELY re-use your primary gasket by wiping it down and them applying a few coats of spray copper gasket sealer by Permatex that you can find everywhere. Let it set up before putting gasket back on.
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AND REMEMBER..........ALUMINUM does not get torqued like some iron chevy engine........lol
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Treat it like a woman...........firm.....yet gentle.
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best of luck &amp\\;\\\\\\; happy JULY 4TH to all!
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75sporty · #7 07-06-2008, 11:28 PM

Well I took the primary off and fixed the fill level hole.&nbsp\\; The transfer valve appears to be missing...&nbsp\\; I see the screen, not the valve.&nbsp\\; I ordered a new valve on Friday just in case though.&nbsp\\;

75sporty · #8 07-07-2008, 02:36 PM

Well, here's where my thoughts are now...
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The transfer valve must be behind the screen, not the other way around... so it is there.&nbsp\\; If it was not there, the oil level would not be high enough in the primary to leak through the chain tension inspection plug.
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The bike sat for a few years, then was started in April.&nbsp\\; It sat again until June when I kicked it over a few times and it puked out of the breather tube...&nbsp\\; I started it just last week and it puked again and started having the leaking primary problem.&nbsp\\; So...&nbsp\\; after reading some other posts and doing some research, I think that the check valve ball and spring in the oil pump are NFG, allowing too much oil in the crankcase, and that transfered over to the primary.&nbsp\\; There were so many leaks on the primary side, it all leaked out before I could check the fill level.&nbsp\\; I am not going to replace the primary valve yet, just going to fix the leaks and already fixed the Fill level threads.&nbsp\\; I have ordered a new oil pump check ball and spring and will fix that when the parts come in.&nbsp\\; After a short ride, I will check the primary oil level to see what it is doing.