A Question for the experts

[Trampas]

Had a group of friends left for sturgis awhile back, spent 3 days there and then off to Idaho and other states site seeing, some of them had trouble with their bikes, I know my best friend had to put a new primary chain, a shoe and other parts for his ultra, $1100 worth while in Rapid City. This was a group of 5 bikes and their wives, 2 of them were trikes, others 2 wheelers.

Ok, one of the trikes, a 2014 started getting transmission oil in his engine oil, he would dump out a quart every morning out of the crankcase then add oil to the transmission then continue on the way for the day. They all came back early but still mangaged to put on 2,900 miles.

There were only 2 bikes between the 5 that didn't have any trouble, I won't name some of the trouble they had with their bikes, I did mention the one above, the most costly expense of all of them.

Ok now what would cause the trannie oil to go into the engine oil. I do know on the way back home they stopped at the dealer the guy got the 2014 triglide and looked at some 2017's. The owner/salesman told him to wait for the 2018's since their is some changes to them for the better from what he said. Don't know what he going to do yet.

All for now Trampas

[Jack Klarich]

That is strange, the oil pan is segregated, the tranny oil and the engine oil is suppose to be seperated, I dunno how unless there is a leak between the pan the wall between the oil and the tranny

[trikermutha]

you sure it wasn't primary oil versus trans gear lube??

[vito]

you sure it wasn't primary oil versus trans gear lube??

I had that (Primary oil -> engine) on my 1990 FLHTC. Turned out that a few H-Ds had porous cases and H-D didn't know which ones. Crank case is a vacuum sometimes to pull oil down from the heads. Could be that the partition between tranny/crankcase is also porous or leaky. In my case H-D replaced the cases and bearings as a 'recall' - I paid a few $$ to replace the rod bearing and got a new lower end at 90,000 miles.

[trikermutha]

I had that (Primary oil -> engine) on my 1990 FLHTC. Turned out that a few H-Ds had porous cases and H-D didn't know which ones. Crank case is a vacuum sometimes to pull oil down from the heads. Could be that the partition between tranny/crankcase is also porous or leaky. In my case H-D replaced the cases and bearings as a 'recall' - I paid a few $$ to replace the rod bearing and got a new lower end at 90,000 miles.

I have heard of shaft seals going bad causing oil to move to the primary and or transmission too

[Trampas]

Thanks for the replies so far, I forgot to mention that he uses the same oil in all 3 holes, he would check his oil every morning and it would be a quart high and the transmission would be a quart low, not sure how he drained a quart or if he sucked it out or what. He might have some passages that caused this, I'm not a mechanic but it sure would be alarming in my book. Not sure what he going to do yet, I know he did looked at some 2017's at the dealer he got his 2014 at, the dealer also told him to hold off for the 2018 with some changes, what changes I don't know.

All for now Trampas

[trikermutha]

I wonder if it is migrating from the trans seal thru the primary back to the engine??

Has he checked the primary levels yet?

[Jack Klarich]

There have been lots of poor castings lately

I know of 1 the MOCO never did figure out very similar, The dealer finally took the bike back and gave the guy a NEW bike

The primary was constantly empty with NO signs of leaks even with dye in the fluid Go Figure

[trikermutha]

Well I know one thing I like to hear what the issue ended being?

[Trampas]

I will try to report what I hear from my friend on this when he talks to the guy with the triglide, just going by what he told me. Like I said he looked at some 2017's at the dealer he got the trike from so I don't know if he going to trade up or find out what is wrong with his.

All for now Trampas

[Jack Klarich]

All ears, waiting 2 hear so we can learn

[Trampas]

I talked to my friend today, he said it looks like he going to trade for a 17 or 18, I will let everyone know if he decides to get it fixed or what caused this, but if he trades I doubt if he will tell the dealer about it, I'm sure curious about it myself, I might just go to my harley dealer and see what they say about this.

All for now Trampas

[Trampas]

Guess we will never know, he traded for a 2017 and told the dealer what was happening to his triglide when coming back from his trip. I guess they are going to look into it, not sure if they would tell you what was wrong or not with it. I know he told the dealer that he wanted his lift kit, trailer hitch and the wiring put on the new one and that it was the deal breaker, do it or lose a sale, guess they did it, didn't know dealers could install a trailer hitch and wiring without getting into trouble, guess if no one was around do it.

Sorry about this, I was just as curious as the rest of you what caused this.

All for now Trampas

[Jack Klarich]

Trampas,Nah don't beat yourself up

I don't believe many dealers would say any thing other than the infamous THEY ALL DO THAT JMO

[Peter A.]

Trampas,Nah don't beat yourself up

I don't believe many dealers would say any thing other than the infamous THEY ALL DO THAT JMO

Yea, dealer talk leaves something to be desired!

THEY ALL DO THAT, ha......let's see, I just turned 84 thou. on mine.....ahh THEY ALL DO

THAT......my other ride, 1988 FLHS (I bought new) just turned 274 thou....but THEY ALL DO THAT.....

[rhino 2]

There have been lots of poor castings lately

I know of 1 the MOCO never did figure out very similar, The dealer finally took the bike back and gave the guy a NEW bike

The primary was constantly empty with NO signs of leaks even with dye in the fluid Go Figure

Honda had a casting ( porous ) problem way back when with the 1800 VTX...Things happen ' Sorry to say 😱😱📞