54 FLE primary

[snyder3244]

How much fluid should be added to the primary of a 1954 FLE? My drive chain broke and it took it to a local shop. After replacing the chain they added primary fluid. I was told that the primary must have been bent when the chain broke because it is leaking an excessive amount of oil. It did not leak "excessive" oil when the chain broke or while it sat until I took it to the shop. I know it is a partial loss oiling system and I'm wondering if they have added too much to the primary. Any help would be appreciated. Thank You.

[46EL]

Please do yourself a very big favor and purchase and read the riders manual. service manual, parts manual etc. etc. before you go any further on working or let anyone else work on your Panhead.
And you might want to get one of each mentioned above and give it to the guy/mechanic who added oil to your primary????. 46EL

[snyder3244]

Thank you very much. Once of the reasons I joined the AMCA is so that I could learn. I appreciate your suggestion on buying and reading the riders and service manual and will do so. However that is not going to help me now!

[larry]

Your local shop has never before seen a Panhead. Please listen to 46EL. The service manual can be viewed online for free and it will help you right now.

[exeric]

Snyder3244; you don't add oil to a tin primary as used in 1954. There is a breather pipe, and an accessory oiler for pre 1965 Big Twin Harleys. There are aftermarket belt drive assemblies available that eliminate the noise, and oil dripping of a chain drive, but chain drive is usually more reliable than the belt. Out of curiosity, is your primary cover assembly stamped steel, or an aluminum casting? I ask because it's not unusual to see early motors in swingarm frames with the late trans, and primary. A picture of the primary side would help.

[snyder3244]

You are right it is a tin primary and no my shop has never worked on panhead before. It was a mistake for him to add primary fluid. Thank you for the help. They were under the impression when the chain broke it bent the primary causing it to leak. They were suggesting that I buy a new inner and outer primary! Once again thank you very much for taking the time to explain this to me!

[Steve Little]

Hi snyder3244
The following description may not be the cause of your current over fill, but it may help you understand the basic principle of the tin primary

Tin primaries for all Big Twins were designed to hold a small sump of oil at the back section “under the clutch”. That amount of oil is supposed to be held in the primary and the level is regulated by a drain pipe which screws to a fitting on the inner primary. The drain pipe “on a rigid bike” leaves the inner primary in a downward direction, then the pipe is bent upward to a height which is slightly higher than the drain fitting then
through the 2 rear transmission support posts and finally exits on the right hand side of the bike...just beside the front of the tyre.
I have fitted my bikes with a small section of black rubber tube on the end of the steel pipe to take it a bit further away from the track of the tyre.
The oil reserve is only deep enough for the primary chain to sling through, when the bike is level and running.
If a bike has a wet sump problem, the primary may over fill when on the side stand and stationary. It may leave a puddle of oil in your shed. The size of the puddle is dependent on the level of wet sump problem.
In a normal working situation, the oil level in the tin primary will self level (drain out) through the pipe. My observation is that most of my friends don't have the fitting or the drain pipe on their bikes. It is very common for the fitting to be missing in action.
The results of not running the fitting and pipe:
Dry primary chain.
Over adjusted primary oil feed to drip on the chain.
Short primary chain life.
Uncontrolled mess down the left side of the bike and rear brake.
Constant puddle of oil under primary.

[snyder3244]

Hi snyder3244
The following description may not be the cause of your current over fill, but it may help you understand the basic principle of the tin primary

Tin primaries for all Big Twins were designed to hold a small sump of oil at the back section “under the clutch”. That amount of oil is supposed to be held in the primary and the level is regulated by a drain pipe which screws to a fitting on the inner primary. The drain pipe “on a rigid bike” leaves the inner primary in a downward direction, then the pipe is bent upward to a height which is slightly higher than the drain fitting then
through the 2 rear transmission support posts and finally exits on the right hand side of the bike...just beside the front of the tyre.
I have fitted my bikes with a small section of black rubber tube on the end of the steel pipe to take it a bit further away from the track of the tyre.
The oil reserve is only deep enough for the primary chain to sling through, when the bike is level and running.
If a bike has a wet sump problem, the primary may over fill when on the side stand and stationary. It may leave a puddle of oil in your shed. The size of the puddle is dependent on the level of wet sump problem.
In a normal working situation, the oil level in the tin primary will self level (drain out) through the pipe. My observation is that most of my friends don't have the fitting or the drain pipe on their bikes. It is very common for the fitting to be missing in action.
The results of not running the fitting and pipe:
Dry primary chain.
Over adjusted primary oil feed to drip on the chain.
Short primary chain life.
Uncontrolled mess down the left side of the bike and rear brake.
Constant puddle of oil under primary.

That was very helpful. Thank you very much!