I pulled of the derby cover today to adjust my clutch. I figured I would change the primary oil while I was down there. To my surprise the primary oil came out black with only 6,000 miles. Service manual says change every 10k. I also noticed some metal shavings covering the drain plug magnet. Not bad, but more than usual.

I'm not having any issues shifting. No slipping or anything. I adjusted my clutch because I like to keep my friction point close to the middle of my clutch pull.

Last time I changed my primary oil I had 3,000 miles on it and it looked new. Any ideas?

 

I just did my 10k check and replaced oil in all three holes. I had a free 1k checkup and they supposedly replaced oil in all 3 holes. Like you to my surprise the primary was pretty darn black. I measured all my fluids when I drained them and there was much more than 38oz iI drained from primary. I got to thinking maybe they didn't really drain primary at 1k. Anyway like you I thought it was awfully discolored.

 

I was changing the primary oil on my '06 Road Glide every 5000 miles due to the dark color.
I thinks its normal.
I will do the same on my new Limited.

 

I just attended a "seminar" at my local dealer where I asked the question about what the fluids should look like when servicing. They explained that the primary will be darker than the tranny with some shavings due to the clutch disks surfaces wearing over time. It is normal for the engine and the primary to be darker and the tranny to be fairly clear when changed.

 

Hate to revive a "dead" thread, but I have a question along these same lines. Just did a full fluid change and when changing the tranny fluid (Formula+) at about 8500-9000 miles, the fluid is pretty much like it went in as far as color, but I had a small amount of "gray mud" around the drain plug magnet. I know this is a collection of small metal particles, but is this normal? Had the same thing in the primary, but the primary fluid had gray streaks in it and there was a little more material on the magnet than in the tranny. Is this normal as well? Also running Formula+ in the primary.

Shifting is smooth, neutral is easy to find, primary doesn't whine - no noise change with the clutch in or out when in neutral. 5th gear whine is present but none of the various drive train noises have changed over the last 15K miles or so. The primary does make a "whirring" noise when the bike is running and you are kneeling next to it listening, but it doesn't sound like a bad noise - there is a chain in there running at engine idle speed so it's bound to make some noise at least...

 

Expect some of that "gray mud" on your drain plug magnet, it's normal. Notice Kuten's explanation concerning clutch wear, thus the reason for more shavings on the primary drain plug magnet instead of the tranny.

 

OK, that's what I thought. There were no metal chunks, just an extremely fine collection of gray material, which I knew was metal. Thanks for the answer, appreciate it.

 

Mine was dark also and usually always is for the last 6 changes with plenty of crap on the magnet....Never really worried about it and chucked it to clutch wear...

 

The clutch is bathing in it to stay cool. Just like changing dirty bath water.

 

I do all holes 2500 miles with amsoil no problems