I have an 08 Electra Glide with 12,500 miles.
When I change the oil, I notice what looked like copper in the oil when I poke a hole in the filter to let the filter drain before taking it off.
Have been seeing color in the oil for about the last 4 or 5 changes, so I did the used oil analysis on the 9th change at 12500 miles.
When I got the analysis back, everything was ok, except it had high copper in the oil.
Anybody have any ideas what is going on?
Crank end-play washers? From twisted crank?
Do the 96 in. motors have any problems like this?
Thanks

 

Sounds like wear from bushings.Not much you can do except change oil brand and ride.

 

Could you post your UOA or tell us all of your wear numbers.
My 33,000 mile uoa had a copper of 6 PPM with 4755 miles on oil.
Had an 02 that had 37 PPM of copper at first cam bearing failure. Second cam bearing failure had 61 PPM copper with 4650 miles on oil.

 

OK, I'll ask...an '08 with only 12,500 miles and this is your 9th oil change??? Why so often???

 

This comes from wrist pin bushings, pinion bushing , valve guides and rocker bushings. These will continue to supply copper content into the oil and show up in UOA tests. For what it's worth in my engine at about 3k on the oil and with the pleats of the filter spread out there will be 10-20 small flakes of bronze . This amount should dimminsh with miles, but since my crank is pooched anyway I don't care or check any more since it will be tore down in three months. Generally engines make more metal when new, then mid life make less, and close to worn out make more again.
Ron

 

Are you running high valve spring pressure? If so, it's nothing to worry about...It's part of normal wear on an H-D engine....When the motor starts to clatter loudly after dropping in SAE-50W then be concerned....Otherwise it's just normal!

 

The oil report said most wear levels were below average.
Copper read quite high.
The copper showed 123 PPM (the universal average is 27 PPM)
The motor is all stock.
It does not make any ticking noises or knocks.

 

I haven't seen the UOA but did Blackstone do the UOA? Lab can be called and asked to rerun sample. Labs can make mistakes.
I would resample and if number is still high bring bike to dealer with UOA. They may or may not do anything. Most people don't have any idea how important UOA's are including dealers. If dealer or dealers do not want to do anything, drive the hell out of this bike because a failure is in the near future.

 

Does this bike have an oil cooler? Copper can come from oil coolers.

 

Blackstone did the sample.
The bike is all stock except, SE slip on mufflers and Nightrider Xied.
No oil cooler or any other add-ons.
I think the UOA is good because I can see copper color in the oil from the filter.
I talked to a mechanic at a HD dealer and he thought it might be a twisted crank eating the end play washers.
I think he wants to tear my motor apart and make me pay for it.
Are the outer cam bearings bronze?