Hi all... let me again just comment on what a great board this is. Got a quick question about my trans.:

I started getting ready for training this coming weekend by changing out the fluids and doing the factory checklist for startup this year. Honestly, I didn't get to the primary or trans fluid last year, and I'm now at 6,700 miles, and overdue. (Dealer took care of 1k maint. with full changes.)

Transmission: WHOA! Drained the fluid, and it looked like silver metallic pancake syrup! HUGE flakes (relative to the oil plug magnet) on the drainplug magnet. Replaced fluid with 650mL of Mobil-1 75W90 gear oil, but... I've only heard one other person comment on this. Is this normal?!? Was it from being cold? It was just above freezing when I changed it, but the bike was warm, and there sure seemed to be a lot of metal there...

Oil change: no issues. Switched in 3.5qts of Mobil-1 V-Twin 20W50, and am good to go. Minor, smallflakes on drain plug magnet. Outgoing oil looked normal.

Tonight, it's clutch adjustment, and primary fluid time. I'm going with Mobil-1 10W40.

Any feedback on my transmission or heads-up on tonight's adjustmentand fluid change (already read both tacked threads--thanks) would be apreciated.

 

I was a heavy equipment mechanic for 20 years. We always inspected the oil and drain plugs when we drained oil. Note that I was not a HD mechanic.

What you found is not normal. From your description, the oil was full of metal and the plug was covered with flakes. The flakes are obviously metalic (magnetic). The silver color in the oil could also be very fine metal or it could be aluminum. If you still have the oil, you should be able to determine that with a magnet. If it's aluminum, it would have to be from wear into the transmission case.

Regardless, things do not look good for your transmission. Even with nearly 7000 miles on the oil, it shouldn't be silver.

You can either have it looked at by a HD mechanic which will cost you.

OR

You can run it for a 1000 miles or so and check the oil again for metal. Often time there will be initial wear that will decrease in time. If you continue to find metal, of course you have an issue that will require the transmission to be opened up for inspection.

If your bike is still under warranty, I would not hesitate to take it in for repair.

This is just my opinion.
Steve

 

I have to ask this- is Mibile 1 10w40 all rightr for the primary? I thought automotive synthetics would make the clutch slip. ??? Your tranni doesn't sound too good to me.

 

Aint no certified mechanic but silver color to oil with lots of metal flakes on drain plug = trouble to me, I would take it in have it looked at before bigger issues arise. Just my 0.02

 

While it would be a good idea to be proactive in any case where you could advert a potential problem, the MOCO will usually opt to wait until there is a component failure....and not just evidence of abnormal wear. I would still take it in and have it documented that there was excessive particulate in the tranny fluid.

 

What is an appropriate amoount of particulate? My tranny fluid was pretty much dark brown when I changed it and the plug magnet had what appeared to be a small amount of metal on it but it just a dab and had the consistency of toothpaste.

 

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm yeah, what he said................

05 bike "should" have had the tranny oil changed by now, so this should not be initial break-in wear... mine would already be at the shop.

 

Hubby just drained the transmission to change the clutch cable and didn't find anything like that.

He did however make note that on the inside of access for the clutch cable the case had bubbled Chrome...he thought it was very poor workmanship. Saw the same bubblingaffect on the inside of some of the heat shields too.

 

That sounds about normal to me.

 

I have been using SYN3 for the last few years. 30k on the road King, and 8k on the Electra Glide. When I change fluids the engine oil is always black, and the primary and trans oil look as clear as when I put them in.

Something is radically wrong with your trans.