Actually, 40 years ago Harley introduced the 1965 Panhead. The last year of the Panhead and the first year of the electric start. A closed oil bath primary. Every Harley primary since (except the twin belt drive Sturgis) has had oil leaking from the primary......... Did I say that out loud

 

1965 panhead electra glide was 50 years a go....not 40 according to where I went to school. But they still had a dry clutch. I thought the topic was wet clutches and how different DAYUM! oil affected the wet clutches. I was just making a point that 40+ years ago H-D had dry clutches in the 1200 cc bikes that were not affected by primary oil, unless they accidently got oil on them.

 

My ex-wife is a klunk named Brenda.....

 

Sorry, "50" years ago. Scribner's error. With the electric start came the wet clutch. The switch from the "Tin" primary to the "Sealed" primary came the wet clutch.


But no matter HOW you slice it... 40 years ago EVERYTHING was a wet clutch.

 

Bikerlaw you might want to do some research. Dry clutches from the factory in my opinion unless you put after market wet clutches in. You did not put separate oil in the primary as we do now. The oil was slowly dripped on the primary chain and suctioned/evacuated out the bottom rear of the inner primary. I have been known to be wrong a time or two!

 

That is correct, for the TIN primary. The sealed primary's had oil in them. At least both my 1970 and 1975 Shovels did. BOTH being 40+ years old. And both leaked with regularity.

 

Like you said they both 1970 and 1975 had oil in them. There was an adjustment on the oil pump that allowed a drip on the primary chain and there was a suction on the bottom rear of the inner primary. That suction returned the oil to the tank. You never added oil to the primary at an oil change like we do now. If you accidentally got oil on the clutch plates the clutch would slip like hell. I don't want to argue, but I did spend some time at Harley's service school in Milwaukee in January and February of 1974. I worked in a dealer service department from 1971 until 1979. I will be the first admit memory is not what it once was. Betting a beer that I am right on this one.

I understand your sealed primary comment, but on the 1970 and 1975 1200 cc did not have a capacity for oil... like 20oz. 28oz, 32oz or 38oz. For instance if the seal on the clutch hub nut leaked transmisson oil where the clutch rod came through oil would get on the DRY PLATES and slip like hell.

 

OK, I surrender. Clearly you are better schooled than I.

 

I wish my wife would let me "win" a discussion. Be safe and enjoy your ride. I rode 175 miles yesterday in the humidity and heat of 95 degrees..... enjoying the A/C and keyboard today.
Take care.

 

RIP says add 6 tablespoons of this to the ATF should make it go down better.