Joe garcia a few mons ago helped by giving me a few tips on changing the oil tank lines. I started doing the job today I got the bike all pulled apart and wow was easy till now. I seem to have trouble with the lines they go under the starter theres just no way I can run them with that starter there. How many lines are there ? I seem to see 4 lines go under the starter so I guess 4? Now lets see if I pull the starter to make life easy how hard is that to pull? I see i need to pull off the primary cover. I need to change my clutch cable anyways so maybe it will make life easy. I have a few ? 1. Do I really need to pull the primary cover to change the clutch cable on a 89? 2. How hard is that cover to pull? 3. whats under that cover that I dont no about just the chain?

 

i did it all without removing the starter or primary but thats becuase im a determined sunuvabitch

i have some links with good pics that might be helpful

http://gastiresoil.blogsome.com/2006...tch-as-a-unit/

if anything you can see the inside and the work involved before you actually do it

ill post the rest soon

 

Ok I pulled the starter off and now have a easy shot at the lines. I had to pull the cover anyways to change the clutch cable. So what size lines should I pick up ? They look like 3/8s line but theres 4 lines, 3 look like 3/8s line and the other one u can see is smaller thats the one that goes right under the starter it looks like a vent line. that line does not look the same size. Im going to try going to auto zone they sell nice goodyear oil line on a roll looks like nice stuff

 

if it is the rubber covered fiber re enforced stuff from a good manufacturer, you can be sure that it is good. just use quality hose clamps to go with it

bring one of your old oil lines to the store and have them match up the size, then measure (to the best of your ability) the length of the lines on the bike, but dont remove them to make the 1 by 1 installation of the new lines easier, and just buy 3-4 feet more than your calculated length. that gives enough wiggle room for error for each of the oil lines.

or you can buy a kit of steel braided lines that are pre cut into the required lenghts required by your year and model bike, these are sold in aftermarket catalogs, but its not worth it unless you want a show bike and you are hot rodding the motor.

 

The steel braided is nice, and it looks great, but a lot of older sportsters have shorts in the starter, so if you run steel braided up against the starter, be prepared to possibly have some electrical issues, I had to replace the solenoid to get the short to go away.

 

ok thanks guys