*I have bought a 1985 flhtc and love it. This is my first Harley and have spent the last 1st month riding and diagnosing a primary/tranny leak. We have changed all the primary gaskets (I have a nonmechanic for a friend that is helping me/tools). I am still leaking about a quarter size spot a night. I am thinking about using some die to drop a few drops in the tranny and see if that is where the leak is coming from. Thoughts?

*I am going to collect the parts to do the job. From where is the problem? I have spoken to some techs and they say the is a bushing, spacer or something that can get pushed and it will leak. They say that if the shaft is able to move I have a bigger problem than gaskets or bushings. Any knowledge out there on this issue? any othe post will do. Thanks

 

are you using the old style "paper" style primary gasket?

the new HD gasket for the twin cams ( plastic over steel) can not deform enough to plug up the gaps between the cases- the twin cams have better quality machining and cases than the evos.

warping is checked with the case laid on a sheet of glass and work around the edges with a feeler gauge

try a paper style gasket with a smear of rtv gasket maker on each side ( let dry to beyond tacky) will seal that up.

pt 2.

fluids run to lowest point...a harley on jiffy stand puts the primary case as the lowest point

you can spray with foot powder from 99¢ store and any seep will be revealed. wipe down the area (s) first. then spray and wait.

pt 3 steal a cookie sheet from the kitchen


mike

 

Yes I am using the paper gaskets.

 

I chased an oil leak on my Road King for over a year, replacing every gasket I could think of. Turned out to be an inner shift seal bearing. Picked up the Road Glide a few months ago and immediately developed a leak. Got the ESP so it is in the shop now getting the tranny and clutch cable replaced. They think the leak was from the cable????

Check for what might be excess play in your shift linkage as that was how I determined the tranny issue. That and the fact I couldn't downshift unless I had the RPM's revved...

 

could be the tranny- you could swap to a colored tranny fluid like redline ( which is about the only advantage to using that fluid IMO).

or use a dye like you proposed.

dye the tranny first.

if the drips are clear of dye, go to the primary.

on the 85, the breather is on the oil pump and stock has a tube or hose going to the air cleaner.
if a previous owner rerouted the breather, like just tucked the tube down between the motor and tranny, that'll mist some oil as you run down the road.

on those models with the oil tank above the motor, if the bike sits for a few weeks, oil may fill the motor cases and on start up you'll get a foamy mess of oil out of the breather.
the fix for this is reseating the check ball.
the breather valve has a plastic gear and can wear or break...brittle with age- these are things to look at if you have an unusual amount of oil mist or liquid oil out of the breather.

these are the types of things an Indy will know through experience

mike

 

I suggest you visit the Evo section, where you will find fellow Evo owners who can help you with problems. Most of the Touring members own much later bikes.

If your bike has, or had, the enclosed rear chain drive, you may still have the oil supply to that chain in place, which will almost definitely feed oil and leave drips. In addition the oil seal behind the trans pulley is known to leak, after a few years. So they are other possible sources of your problem.

 

Thanks all!