When changing oil, why take off primary cover?
#22
10-08-2010, 07:06 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
I saw the post that threw you off.......iclick just kind of changed gears in the post and quit talking about oil filter mess to "think I will try this" about primary oil change.
Took me a little while to get used to the 3 oil areas vs a metric and then the added debate on whether to use three different types of lube (I do) vs one grade in all three "holes." Keep searching the posts and you will hit on a combo that makes sense to you.
#23
10-08-2010, 07:44 AM
#25
10-08-2010, 11:24 AM
Just wondered, seems on the oil changing forums, they mostly talk about how to stop the oil spills when changing the filter. Then everyone talks about when they refill the oil they have to take off the primary cover to pour the new oil in. Why not just pour the new oil through the dipstick hole like on every other metric motorcycle I've owned???
To refill the motors oil bag you do pour the oil through the dip stick hole. If you change the primary, a separate sealed unit, you drain it via a drain plug at the bottom back of the primary and refill through the derby cover hole. On earlier bikes you could refill the primary from the primary chain inspection cover or the derby cover hole, but the derby is the easiest. The later 96, 103 and 110's no longer have primary inspection covers so you must fill through the Derby cover hole. You can't refil the primary without the outer primary cover in place. The tranny is yet another separate unit with its own drain plug and fill hole.
#27
10-08-2010, 01:24 PM
As already stated you can (and many people do) put 20W50 in all three "holes" (also called bags or boxes). There are discussions for years on what is the right thing to do. You do what you feel is necessary. Redline makes a V-Twin power pack which has 3 different oils for engine/tranny/primary. If your bike is newer (not sure when this started, maybe 2010) you need an extra qt. of primary oil b/c it calls for 38oz. The Owner's Manual will give you a good idea of where the drain plugs are and how much oil to replace with. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can save a great deal of money doing the oil service yourself.
#29
10-08-2010, 01:53 PM
#30
10-08-2010, 02:01 PM
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+1 on the manual. Look around the threads to decide what you may want to use in each hole (like A$$#@!es, everyone's got an opinion). Fix my Hog DVDs were also very helpful to me when I started doing my own maintenance a couple of years ago when I bought my first Harley. Combined with the manual, you'll be saving a ton of $$