If you’re enjoying working on your own motorcycle and maintaining it, there might be additional things you could do other than oil or fluid change.

Guys I ride with, all younger, casually were talking about pride in changing their own oil and filter. But there’s so many things they didn’t check.

As a general maintenance item, I always remove my Top end Feed screen.. you know, the Witch’s Hat. I thoroughly inspect and clean it along with my plunger spring, plunger and check ball spring and check ball. Personally I do this with every oil change while oil is draining.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, follow along.

1) First blow the oil pump off Thoroughly and wipe good with a rag. Get all the nooks and crannies, so that no debris could possibly drop in when you remove the caps.

2) Start first with the witches hat.



Remove Cap.. carefully so if the spring has any compression it doesn’t fly out



See the top of the Witch Hat

3) very gently pull the witches hat, and spring out.

4) inspect them thoroughly. I like to stick a small magnet down inside and see what debris I can pull out of the interior of the hat, and down in the chamber that the hat rests in.

5) I like to really soak the witches hat with WD-40, and then use an air compressor to blow both into and from the outside to remove any and all debris from the hat.

 

6) Next I’ll very gently, wipe out the chamber and the hat with a couple of Q-tips being careful not to leave any cotton residue behind. Then I blast everything one more time with WD-40 and blow out with compressed air before reinstalling.

Now repeat the process for the check ball in spring, and then the plunger and plunger spring.




Checking these things can reveal engine problems early and also prevent greater expense.

 

Wow, this is all news to me! What does it do? How does it fail?
What does everyone else think?

 

Ssarcasm has more beauty when it’s face-to-face. I didn’t say this wasn’t rudimental and entry-level stuff. I just know there’s a lot of people that come on here and obviously know little about maintenance or upkeep on a motorcycle. So I thought I’d share.

As far as What does it do… the witch hat or screen protects your engine from debris getting into your oiling system any farther.. it’s a filter. If you have a part going bad you don’t want metal circulating into your tappers, cam chest, breather gear, bearings… checking the hat may provide you with early warning something wrong. Minimizing the spread.

‘How does it fail.. actually the springs can lose their tension over time and heat cycles. Check ***** can get clogged or even out of shape not sealing causing your bottom end to be over loaded with oil.

What everyone thinks is their own business.

 

What year bike?
I don't think I have that.

 

I do check and clean mine on my EVO but have found very little metal but I have seen a tiny bit over the years, Do be careful as I somewhat stripped the treads using a Harley chrome replacement screw many years ago, what a mess as now I can get it to screw in but its not a perfect situation.
I always use a battery acid suction pump ( big rubber ball on the end you squeeze and suck any oil out the hole) ) but I remove the screen and use carb cleaner or whatever I then use that battery acid thing.Over the years I have found so little in the screen I only do it every few years and still don't see much if anything, I did see more metal when the bike was newer...

I don't think I would use q-tips as the cotton shreds and once coded with oil I would think hard to see whats left behind. I would think cotton in lifters would not be good. Cotton would stick to the threads, everything...
I would suggest those foam Q-tips from Harbor Freight or Parts Express ( online ) made from foam, if I used anything, as its not cotton and will leave nothing behind.
That cotton for sure would not work for me as my threads are not smooth ( damaged ) and would grab the cotton and never let go...

 

.. I think you missed that one by about 26-28 years

 

I have a 2002... mine doesn't have that.
and my 2017 doesn't either.
Good to know for those that do have that.

 

Never knew this.... I will head out shortly and check my 2021 Street Glide for this. Next oil change this will be done.
Thanks!

 

I don`t think so...

The only engines that have the screen are Shovelheads and EVO`s, the sky is not falling.

In 36 years owning a 1989 FLSTC (EVO), I have never found a spec of debris on that screen, I stopped routinely checking it years ago.