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[mrdinny]

Just returned from the dealer with my 10 sesg ( about 35 miles) after having the 1000 mile service done.Got in the garage and checked fluids.Oil over full and trans only up to add.Manuel says 3.5 quarts initially after changing oil.To get it down to what stick says is correct level I pulled out  3/4 so they probly added the full 4 quarts. Switched to Redline in all three holes and everything is noisy now which I geuss is the nature of the beast but should i be concerned at all?  

[grc]

Just returned from the dealer with my 10 sesg ( about 35 miles) after having the 1000 mile service done.Got in the garage and checked fluids.Oil over full and trans only up to add.Manuel says 3.5 quarts initially after changing oil.To get it down to what stick says is correct level I pulled out  3/4 so they probly added the full 4 quarts. Switched to Redline in all three holes and everything is noisy now which I geuss is the nature of the beast but should i be concerned at all?  

I wouldn't be concerned about the overfill, since you fixed it almost immediately.  Probably the worst that would have happened is the bike would have puked the excess out into the air cleaner until the level dropped to normal.

I would say that your experience is just one more example of why folks should either service the bike themselves, or find a good independent you can trust to do it for you.  Way too many Harley shops seem to let untrained kids do all the "service intervals", so consider yourself lucky if you get it back with nothing worse than a high or low oil level.  Kind of the same reason I would never let a Jiffy Lube type of operation change the fluids in my autos.  Stripped drain plugs, loose oil filters, fluids not installed, wrong fluids in the wrong holes, etc. are more common than folks might think (a friend who used to go to Jiffy Lube reported that trans fluid doesn't work all that well in the engine, btw).  I guess when I get too old to do it myself I'll have to track down some other not-quite-as-old codger to do it for me. 


Jerry

[mjb765]

Just returned from the dealer with my 10 sesg ( about 35 miles) after having the 1000 mile service done.Got in the garage and checked fluids.Oil over full and trans only up to add.Manuel says 3.5 quarts initially after changing oil.To get it down to what stick says is correct level I pulled out  3/4 so they probly added the full 4 quarts. Switched to Redline in all three holes and everything is noisy now which I geuss is the nature of the beast but should i be concerned at all?  

Strange that things would be noisier after switching to Redline. Dumb question--but I have to ask---you did use the different Redline fluids for each hole right?

[mrdinny]

Strange that things would be noisier after switching to Redline. Dumb question--but I have to ask---you did use the different Redline fluids for each hole right?

yeh i purchased the v-twin power pak with the tran oil and gear oil for the primary. i might be over stating the noise overall but there is definitely more clanking and clicking in the primary

[mjb765]

Weird--switching to Redline actually made mine less noisy compared to the stock Syn3

[cahdbiker]

mrdinny,After reading your post I pulled out the list of what a dealer does at the 5k and 10k service. I would think that most guys on the sight are quite capable of performing all of the tasks. I would suggest getting a service manuel and checking it out. You will save a lot of money and then you will know that you have the correct amount of fluids. The only thing I would let the dealer do servicewise is adjust the drive belt since I don't have those tools,but they have to do that when you get a new back tire anyway. I have noticed at a couple of dealers I have been to lately that  have posters up promoting all the things they do and it sayes somethng like " it is not just an oil change". All that tells me that they are beginning to realize that a lot of people are doing their own services. If they would drop the price to what it is really worth they would probably make more money in the long run. I hate to pay for items labeled "inspect", and with all the problems people on this great site have had with dealers doing their services I can understand your frustration. The service manuel is definitely worth the money. CAHDBIKER

[mrdinny]

mrdinny,After reading your post I pulled out the list of what a dealer does at the 5k and 10k service. I would think that most guys on the sight are quite capable of performing all of the tasks. I would suggest getting a service manuel and checking it out. You will save a lot of money and then you will know that you have the correct amount of fluids. The only thing I would let the dealer do servicewise is adjust the drive belt since I don't have those tools,but they have to do that when you get a new back tire anyway. I have noticed at a couple of dealers I have been to lately that  have posters up promoting all the things they do and it sayes somethng like " it is not just an oil change". All that tells me that they are beginning to realize that a lot of people are doing their own services. If they would drop the price to what it is really worth they would probably make more money in the long run. I hate to pay for items labeled "inspect", and with all the problems people on this great site have had with dealers doing their services I can understand your frustration. The service manuel is definitely worth the money. CAHDBIKER

I will preform future maintenance but i wanted the dealer to do the first one just for liability thanks for the advice.

[Occam]

mrdinny,After reading your post I pulled out the list of what a dealer does at the 5k and 10k service. I would think that most guys on the sight are quite capable of performing all of the tasks. I would suggest getting a service manuel and checking it out. You will save a lot of money and then you will know that you have the correct amount of fluids. The only thing I would let the dealer do servicewise is adjust the drive belt since I don't have those tools,but they have to do that when you get a new back tire anyway. I have noticed at a couple of dealers I have been to lately that  have posters up promoting all the things they do and it sayes somethng like " it is not just an oil change". All that tells me that they are beginning to realize that a lot of people are doing their own services. If they would drop the price to what it is really worth they would probably make more money in the long run. I hate to pay for items labeled "inspect", and with all the problems people on this great site have had with dealers doing their services I can understand your frustration. The service manuel is definitely worth the money. CAHDBIKER

I too got my bike back from the dealer with the engine oil overfull.
I regret having paid for a bunch of advance maintenance (as well as the extended warranty BTW).
I will indeed pick up a copy of the Maintenance Manual for my scoot so I can check the little MMI graduate's work when I get my baby home.
How in the hell do you get an oil change wrong, especially on a $25k bike that is part of your top offerings?

 

[grc]

I too got my bike back from the dealer with the engine oil overfull.
I regret having paid for a bunch of advance maintenance (as well as the extended warranty BTW).
I will indeed pick up a copy of the Maintenance Manual for my scoot so I can check the little MMI graduate's work when I get my baby home.
How in the hell do you get an oil change wrong, especially on a $25k bike that is part of your top offerings?

 

First, what makes you think the kid that did your $400 oil change went to MMI?  Much more likely that he was the wash boy last month, and got promoted after the last kid quit to get a better job at McDonald's.

How do you screw up a simple oil change?  Real easy.  The parts guy handed the kid four quarts of motor oil, he dumped all four quarts in because he didn't know what to do with the extra pint.  Based on that scenario, I'll bet your primary oil level isn't exactly up to snuff either, since they no longer take one quart exactly.  Do you really think these clowns actually check the level at the clutch spring, or that they fire the bike up to circulate the motor oil and then recheck the level?  Some might, many don't.

Now, ask yourself this question.  Seeing how they did the easy part (fluid change), how confident are you that they did the critical fastener checks and all those other inspections and adjustments? 

IMHO, taking your bike to the typical Harley dealer for this stuff is like trusting your new $70,000 Corvette to the kid at the Jiffy Lube.  I guess if you're a trusting soul, it won't bother you.  If you're like me, you'll wind up redoing the whole thing again to make sure it was done right, so why let them do it?  Ask for a refund on the remaining prepaid maintenance plan and do it yourself.


Jerry

[CVOfan]

These posts have convinced me that the welfare of my bike is better in my own hands.  I'm not much of a mechanic, but I think I could follow the instructions from a service manual.  If I'm doing my own maintenance, does this render my warranty void?

[grc]

These posts have convinced me that the welfare of my bike is better in my own hands.  I'm not much of a mechanic, but I think I could follow the instructions from a service manual.  If I'm doing my own maintenance, does this render my warranty void?

Absolutely NOT!  And you don't just have to take my word for it, you can refer to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 (Federal law).  Unless the manufacturer provides the parts and labor at no charge to you, they cannot make the warranty dependent on having the service performed at a specific place, or restrict you from using parts and lubricants other than their own.  Last time I checked, H-D was way too cheap to provide free parts and service.


Jerry

[tennisman]

How many people does this have to happen to before they understand?!?!?  Yes, get the service manual and DIY!!  You'll be miles ahead and you'll learn more about your scoot, too, which may help you at the side of the road one day.
This so-called "service" is a huge racket for the unsuspecting consumer.  It's one thing buying the Harley-hype but another buying into the service scam.

[CVOfan]

How many people does this have to happen to before they understand?!?!?  Yes, get the service manual and DIY!!  You'll be miles ahead and you'll learn more about your scoot, too, which may help you at the side of the road one day.
This so-called "service" is a huge racket for the unsuspecting consumer.  It's one thing buying the Harley-hype but another buying into the service scam.

Ordered the service manuals yesterday...

[ultrafxr]

How many people does this have to happen to before they understand?!?!?  Yes, get the service manual and DIY!!  You'll be miles ahead and you'll learn more about your scoot, too, which may help you at the side of the road one day.
This so-called "service" is a huge racket for the unsuspecting consumer.  It's one thing buying the Harley-hype but another buying into the service scam.

That is what it is imo.

[grc]

For those who don't wrench on anything, and have no desire to start, you still have options other than the Harley dealership.  Check around your area, almost any town that is big enough to have a Harley dealer is very likely to have a few independent shops that work on Harley's.  Find a reputable place/person and see what they can do for you.  Same thing goes for installing accessories, new tires, etc.  If you actually have a good dealership service department (yes, there actually are a few out there), support them with your business.  But if you have a real clunker for a dealership, don't encourage mediocrity or worse by supporting them.  I look at it this way, screw me once, shame on you.  Screw me twice, shame on me for letting you do it.  If you went to a local restaurant and got food poisoning plus the waiter skimmed your credit card, would you ever go back there again?  And yet tons of folks let their local Harley dealer bend them over on a regular basis and then keep going back for more.  Why?


Jerry