Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Dan_Lockwood]

Well I made it through all the '08 SERK issues with my '08 SERK and now with one week on the new '09 SERG, I have an oil leak.

My wife pointed it out to me this morning.  I didn't have a filter wrench so went to the dealership and bought one.  I'll be doing my own changes on this one.

I bought the filter wrench because I found oil on the bottom of the filter and that's as far as I went.  I put the wrench on it and gave it a bit of a twist tighter, it moved pretty easily.

I rode a couple hundred miles today and when I got back home the oil was still a drip or two off the bottom of the filter.

I'll call the dealership tomorrow and set something up, but has this happened before on the '09s?  I've not seen any major leak problems with any of the '09s to date.

If anyone has had this happen or something similar, please let me know.  Other than that, I'll let you all know as soon as I get it back to the dealership.

Thanks.

     

[HDDOCFL]

Only 3300 miles but no problems at all with this my second one for 09.  Doc

[sadunbar]

Well I made it through all the '08 SERK issues with my '08 SERK and now with one week on the new '09 SERG, I have an oil leak.

My wife pointed it out to me this morning.  I didn't have a filter wrench so went to the dealership and bought one.  I'll be doing my own changes on this one.

I bought the filter wrench because I found oil on the bottom of the filter and that's as far as I went.  I put the wrench on it and gave it a bit of a twist tighter, it moved pretty easily.

I rode a couple hundred miles today and when I got back home the oil was still a drip or two off the bottom of the filter.

I'll call the dealership tomorrow and set something up, but has this happened before on the '09s?  I've not seen any major leak problems with any of the '09s to date.

If anyone has had this happen or something similar, please let me know.  Other than that, I'll let you all know as soon as I get it back to the dealership.

Thanks.

     

When I picked up my 07 SEUC (when new), it had a couple of drips on the oil filer also.  I found the filter was not at all tight...  I tightened it and the drips stopped.  Then I did my normal "nut and bolt" routine on the entire bike and found about 20% of the fasteners I checked were not tight.  One floorboard was about ready to fall off...  So I got my manual out and checked every nut or bolt I could get a wrench on - and the ones with a torque spec got checked against the spec.  I do this routine on every new bike - I have found all previous new bikes to have a few loose fasteners - but the 07 SEUC was extreme.

[GregKhougaz]

Dan, try changing the filter.  It may have been dropped before they installed it or the o ring may have been crimped.  I had an amsoil filter that leaked like your describe.  Swapped it out and no leak. 

GK

[grc]

Dan, try changing the filter.  It may have been dropped before they installed it or the o ring may have been crimped.  I had an amsoil filter that leaked like your describe.  Swapped it out and no leak. 

GK

Only one week old, let the dealer change it.  And while he's doing that, tell him to check the adaptor for the oil cooler.  Those have been known to come loose (or in this case maybe never really tight?) and create a leak as well.

Jerry

[Dan_Lockwood]

It's really a minor leak that is more of a cosmetic issue for me right now.  It leave a few drops on the floor under the filter area and is not leaking any amount to speak of.

I have just under 800 miles on this bike already and will schedule the 1000 mile check up probably for the weekend after next, out of town next weekend.

I'm sure it's probably just a bad filter, but I don't have the setup yet to drain the oil out of the filter without making more of a mess than it just leaking a bit.  What do you guys recommend for the "funnel" to catch the oil and the filter during removal?

As some of you know, I have the ability to do all this, but so far just not done it.  I had the "tires for life" with the '08 SERK as long as you service with the dealership.  Okay, I probably paid more for the tires than if I did the service myself, but it was nice time to hang at the dealership on a Saturday morning eating their donuts etc.

So after the 1000 mile check up on the new SERG, it's back to my place for all the service except for the warranty stuff.

I'll get on the nuts/bolts thing probably this weekend after we back home Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for the replies.

[Highwaystar]

I know from changing oil myself that no matter how careful you are, oil gets down around the cooler and frame. It seems to drip no matter how much you clean. A loose filter could have dripped over time, saturating around the wires,cooler and frame and may drip for some time. 

[GregKhougaz]

What do you guys recommend for the "funnel" to catch the oil and the filter during removal?

Loosen filter, put a ziploc bag over it, then disconnect filter and allow to drain until it stops, then remove filter in bag.  Works as well or better than the $20 tools they sell for the same purpose.

[Dan_Lockwood]

Only one week old, let the dealer change it.  And while he's doing that, tell him to check the adaptor for the oil cooler.  Those have been known to come loose (or in this case maybe never really tight?) and create a leak as well.

Jerry

Jerry, I thought I would bring this thread back to life.  I think you might have hit the nail on the head in your suggestion.

I'll bring everyone back up to speed.

I've had the new '09 SERG for about 5 weeks now and have been able to ride it a few times back and forth to work, but mainly just weekend riding.  I had an appointment a week ago yesterday to do the 1k mile service.  I had complained to them prior to and also again when I brought it in for the service that it was leaking oil at the filter area.

I went back to the station where the guy was changing the oil and asked if he saw anything that might be suspect.  He said that he thought it was just the filter.  Before I had taken it in for service I purchased a filter wrench/socket and tried to tighten it up a bit, but that didn't do anything to help it.

So AFTER the service Linda and I rode for a couple hundred miles and the oil leak was still there.

I've got it up on the bike lift now and there is fresh oil on the bottom of the filter after riding today and yesterday.  Right now if I ride for even 20 miles it will leave its mark on the concrete.  It's getting to be a big pain now.

I can see the oil filter case housing and like you said, there is a thin, about 1/4" thick, sandwich adapter between the filter case boss and the oil filter.  If I wipe my finger along the bottom of it I get fresh oil.  You guys that have been reading my old Shovelhead restore and the new boardtrack project, you know that I have a certain amount of mechanical skills, but I'll be damned I've never changed a filter yet on an EVO or later HD.  I've read all the do's and don'ts about the filters, but I think I really need to remove the filter to check out the adapter plate.  I really don't want to make a big mess of it though.  On my '08 SERK I let the dealer do all the work as it was free tires for life as long as they serviced the bike; got three tires out of them for that.  Can't say that I'm ahead or not, but they did do great work and the bike was always cleaned afterwards.

So guys, I saw the "slip the baggy over the filter" process, I've seen people cut down PET pop bottles and use them for an elongated funnel, but for the rookie that I am, what is the best way to get the filter off without ruining it by punching a hole in the end to drain it before spinning it off?  I only have about 300 miles on the fresh filter and Amsoil and I plan on just reusing the filter after I get it off.  Of course I'll need to top off the oil gain for the pint or so I'll lose, but that's not a biggie.

Let it rip guys, you've got a virgin filter guy at your mercy........

   

[sem_bunda]

I now have over 7k on mine and have not had a drip even after 3 oil/filter changes.

[Dan_Lockwood]

I now have over 7k on mine and have not had a drip even after 3 oil/filter changes.

My '08 SERK 110" had almost 8k miles on it when I traded it in and I never had a leak on it either.  This has to be a small gasket issue of some type, but because it just had a service two weeks ago and during that time they were supposed to "fix" the oil leak, I'm taking it back this Saturday and have them ruin the filter and then add back in the oil, not me...

I love this bike and I'm sure it will be fixed, it's just a pain in the arse right now because its marking its spot wherever I park it.

I'll let you all know what it was after Saturday.

    

[bribe36]

I had 09 SERG in for the 8000 km service. A day after I picked it up from the dealer I discovered an oil leak on my garage floor. I didn't think much of it at the time so I let it slide. I also discovered a slice in the rider back rest and the tank emblem had been pulled out from the tank slightly when they washed her. I went in the next day to sort out the back rest and emblem issue and as a side note I mentioned the oil leak. Sure glad I did because it is now three week and 4000km later and the leak continues. It could be from the oil filter, it's in that area. Since I paid big $$$ for the service I'm going to let them sort out the problem.

[Dan_Lockwood]

I had 09 SERG in for the 8000 km service. A day after I picked it up from the dealer I discovered an oil leak on my garage floor. I didn't think much of it at the time so I let it slide. I also discovered a slice in the rider back rest and the tank emblem had been pulled out from the tank slightly when they washed her. I went in the next day to sort out the back rest and emblem issue and as a side note I mentioned the oil leak. Sure glad I did because it is now three week and 4000km later and the leak continues. It could be from the oil filter, it's in that area. Since I paid big $$$ for the service I'm going to let them sort out the problem.

That's right, I also told them about the oil leak prior to the 1k mile service and the leak is still there.  Now could I fix it myself, probably.  But I don't feel that I should have to buy another quart of Amsoil and possibly another filter to fix something that is under warranty.

Good luck on your issues.  I've read here that the tank emblems are nasty to clean around.  I found that out myself with a towel drying the bike one day.

    

[LarryB]

ok, here goes, I got 17k on my SERG and I am the only person to touch the filter since it left YORK. When I change the filter, I first lossen it slightly with the wrench and then slide a manilla folder around it, making a funnel. position a drain pan at the end and then finish off the filter removal. have paper towels ready and jamb a wad in there once the filter and folder are removed. since i wash the bike after service, I spray a little extra degreaser down there
I change mine pretty often, 3-4k and use full synthetic. the HD chrome filters are very basic in design, you should crack one open sometime. I do it on every bike that has the old cam chain tensioners.
whoever said "re-use" the filter, why not strain the oil through a Mr Coffee filter and re-use that too.
Don't go Cheap, replace the darn thing, 13 bucs. I get them by the dozen and keep on the shelf at 20% off, but I work on many bikes.
If you have a leak, 3 things cause it, under tightened, over tightened, crossthreaded/damaged. you see Ole Skippy was setting out stock and he happened to drop one of the oil filters, he picked it up and put on shelf. Tim the Techman grabs it and puts on your scoot and Viola' it leaks.
couple tips on filters, before you install, fill the filter with CLEAN, FRESH oil and run a bead of it around the rubber seal, let it soak up a couple minutes, now work fast and install. this stops dry starts.

[Dan_Lockwood]

ok, here goes, I got 17k on my SERG and I am the only person to touch the filter since it left YORK. When I change the filter, I first lossen it slightly with the wrench and then slide a manilla folder around it, making a funnel. position a drain pan at the end and then finish off the filter removal. have paper towels ready and jamb a wad in there once the filter and folder are removed. since i wash the bike after service, I spray a little extra degreaser down there
I change mine pretty often, 3-4k and use full synthetic. the HD chrome filters are very basic in design, you should crack one open sometime. I do it on every bike that has the old cam chain tensioners.
whoever said "re-use" the filter, why not strain the oil through a Mr Coffee filter and re-use that too.
Don't go Cheap, replace the darn thing, 13 bucs. I get them by the dozen and keep on the shelf at 20% off, but I work on many bikes.
If you have a leak, 3 things cause it, under tightened, over tightened, crossthreaded/damaged. you see Ole Skippy was setting out stock and he happened to drop one of the oil filters, he picked it up and put on shelf. Tim the Techman grabs it and puts on your scoot and Viola' it leaks.
couple tips on filters, before you install, fill the filter with CLEAN, FRESH oil and run a bead of it around the rubber seal, let it soak up a couple minutes, now work fast and install. this stops dry starts.

Thanks for sharing your technique on this Larry.

I have an appointment for 9:00 am tomorrow morning and we'll see that comes of it.

Thanks again.