I have a 1988 tour glide with 25,000 mi on it. I bought it almost two years ago with 22,000 mi on it. This is my first harley and I really enjoy this bike. Since I have had it it will leave a small spot on the garage floor (not a big deal) about the size of a quarter maybe bigger. On a trip up to salt lake (about 700 mi one way) I stopped to get some gas right before I got into utah and ate some lunch and before i got on the bike I noticed a large pool of fluid under the bike. Unfortunaetly i really could not see where it had been leaking from. The engine oil was full and when i checked the primary it took about a quart. Since this happened I have probably put another 1500-2000mi on the bike and this has not happened again.

I am puzzled, any ideas on how this could have happend, what may be some things to check or look out for?? I have the service manual and enjoy working on my bikes. Thanks in advance guys!

 

So your primary was a quart low......it only holds one quart, ya know?

Its either leaking from the derby or inspection cover, the outer primary/ inner primary gasket, the drain plug, the inner primary bearing seal or the starter jackshaft seal or the inner primary/engine O-ring.

 

The clue is your gas. Gas is stored underground in most places, so it is quite cool when you fill the tank. Then the bike sits in the sun (doesn't have to be hot) and warms up, expanding. The fluid was probably from your gas tank overflow pipe, which comes out somewhere behind the transmission, in the area of the swingarm axle.

 

As grbrown replied, it was probably gasoline (unless you swiped it with a finger and can verify otherwise).

A bigger concern would be to check the primary chain for stretching, since there wasn't any oil in there to speak of. My 93 takes 'around' 40 oz, depending on how long I let it drain, before refilling.

 

I know now it only holds a quart (after this happened) Thanks for the tips. I am gonna really clean the engine spotless and always carry a quart and tools with me till i figure it out.

I wish it was gas, unfortunaetly it was oil. I used paper towels to clean up the mess.
I know first hand about the gas overflowing. On the ride back I figured i will keep it the petcock on the "on" position and see how far i get before i hit the "reserve". Well as my bike begins to sputter coming into zion I switch it over to reserve and look at the trip meter and think ok about this many miles. Then i procede to make it 2 mi further and the bike dies, luckily i was able to pull off at an exit, the exit was downhill and i coasted the bike to a stop and the end of the offramp (next to zion HD dealership) I was able to fire it up and it poped and sputtered about 100 ft to die at the entrance to the shell station where i push it uphill about 50' to the pump. I of course filled the bike up more than i ever have, parked the bike and got a drink/restroom break. when i came out yep fuel on the ground from the overflow/vent. I was so happy that it was not primary fluid. It was almost 100 deg out so i figured it would evaporate quickly. Lessons learned, dont fill to the top and dont trust the reserve. lol

 

You're lucky, in a way. On my 1996 FI bike, I have no reserve petcock. Just a sketchy analog guage and the trip meter. I've been filling at 110 to 120 miles, at that time, the guage reads in the "red" zone and it takes around 3 gallons. As has been stated, the primary can leak out of the inspection cover, the derby cover or the drain plug. On an earlier EVO like yours, you may want really watch your engine oil level versus the primary level. Some people have reported seal leakage between the two.

 

Something you might check also is that the primary cover bolts are properly torqued and on my 98 fxd, they have to be torqued in a sequence per the manual. Might as well take them and the primary cover off, check your gasket and put the bolts back on correctly.

good luck

 

thanks guys will do, i will also order a new primary gasket, and deffinaetly keep an eye on the oil levels.

 

After a long ride mine will drip alitte from the drain plug.

 

My drain plug leaks too. I've tried teflon tape, pipe sealant , gasket silicone and still no luck. I even bought a new drain plug (wasted my money). I changed out all the gaskets and I'm pretty sure it's the drain plug. I use ATF in the primary, RP in the trans and Mobil1 in the engine so I know it's coming from the primary. This is really pissin me off. Any ideas?