M8 trans fluid leaking in primary

[HD/Wrench]

The one I had on the drum on Sat did it as well..  One might also look at the machine work on the shaft.. IF the inner part is spiral cut in any way for some odd reason ( accidental) it will auger the fluid right on through..  It is going to be a huge issue as 5000 mile will have a trans with almost no fluid.. And I can see the fix now and they tell you that the trans really had no worn anymore than one with lube so its all good.. 

I think back to the clutch issue on the 14+ bikes that they are still dealing with problems.. and now we have a trans that pumps all the lube into the primary ..  What about the million mile testing that HD stated was done?   

[Hossamania]

I've always thought that if a company wants to truly test their new machines, give them to a cross section of regular riders. They will break things previously thought bulletproof.
I think test riders have a good idea of how to ride a motorcycle properly. Many regular riders do not. That will find odd weak points.
Throw in a couple cocktails (which test riders normally don't do...) and you add another dimension to the test, the "Watch this" dimension.

When testing automobiles, to simulate winter conditions the cars are put in a freeze chamber, started, run, maybe put on a shaker. Fine. But Mercedes (and others I'm sure) found out that that wasn't a real world test. When they were used in below zero conditions, the door handles would break off even when used properly. Oops.

[rigidthumper]

"What about the million mile testing that HD stated was done?    "

It was all done below 3500 RPM
Had they done any steady state testing from 4500 and up? They might have found it before we did.

[HD/Wrench]

Toyota just did a huge write up on a truck that had over 1 million real world miles on it.. Very good read..

[hd06]

Put some dye in transmission fluid.

[PoorUB]

Put some dye in transmission fluid.

Why??
We know the tranny fluid is going into the primary. What will the dye solve?

[rbabos]

Put some dye in transmission fluid.

Why? It will just end up in the primary. Crap, PoorUB typed the same thing,same time.
Ron

[FXDBI]

Put some dye in transmission fluid.

Why??
We know the tranny fluid is going into the primary. What will the dye solve?

Using the florescent oil dye that requires a black light to see might pinpoint the source if put in and run up for a short run then drained cover removed and inspected.  stuff works pretty slick and wont hurt anything. Found a few machinery oil leaks with it.   Bob

[hd06]

 

[Durwood]

We believe we have found the source and fix for this phenomenon.

I will post pics and information as soon as we have verified our current findings.

Daren

[FXDBI]

We believe we have found the source and fix for this phenomenon.

I will post pics and information as soon as we have verified our current findings.

Daren

         Bob

[PoorUB]

Using the florescent oil dye that requires a black light to see might pinpoint the source if put in and run up for a short run then drained cover removed and inspected.  stuff works pretty slick and wont hurt anything. Found a few machinery oil leaks with it.   Bob

I am well aware of the value of florescent dye when you can not find a leak. In this case we know where the "leak" is already, so what value is the dye? There is only one passage between the transmission and the primary, through the hollow mainshaft along the clutch push rod.

The problem is not finding the leak, the problem is stopping it.


As for stopping it I wonder if just a simple o-ring slid onto the end of the push rod on the slave cylinder end would take care of it, if there is room. As the rod spins the oil would have a tendency to fling off the o-ring, stopping it from creeping along the shaft.

[RXBOB]

 

We believe we have found the source and fix for this phenomenon.

I will post pics and information as soon as we have verified our current findings.

Daren

[RXBOB]

As for stopping it I wonder if just a simple o-ring slid onto the end of the push rod on the slave cylinder end would take care of it, if there is room. As the rod spins the oil would have a tendency to fling off the o-ring, stopping it from creeping along the shaft.
[/quote]

Had that same thought

[HD/Wrench]

Spoke to the dealer I do work with and they have repaired a few. They are going to get back with me on what it was the tech that did the work was not handy to talk with at the time

[HD/Wrench]

As for stopping it I wonder if just a simple o-ring slid onto the end of the push rod on the slave cylinder end would take care of it, if there is room. As the rod spins the oil would have a tendency to fling off the o-ring, stopping it from creeping along the shaft.

Had that same thought
[/quote]


You cannot block that off. The primary has no way to vent pressure as it vents through the shaft into the trans and out the cover on top of trans.

[rbabos]

As for stopping it I wonder if just a simple o-ring slid onto the end of the push rod on the slave cylinder end would take care of it, if there is room. As the rod spins the oil would have a tendency to fling off the o-ring, stopping it from creeping along the shaft.

Had that same thought

You cannot block that off. The primary has no way to vent pressure as it vents through the shaft into the trans and out the cover on top of trans.
[/quote]
True, but the right shape of ring will sling and vent when needed. Idea is to prevent accumulation down to a dull roar. Then transfer is minuscule probably not even measurable.
Ron

[HD/Wrench]

It has been tried in the past where a guy installed a dry clutch set up or better to say one that can be used as dry or wet. He left the seal in the set up and it puked oil every where out the primary.  I do understand what you are saying but lets say that there is more to this than using a seal. 

[rbabos]

It has been tried in the past where a guy installed a dry clutch set up or better to say one that can be used as dry or wet. He left the seal in the set up and it puked oil every where out the primary.  I do understand what you are saying but lets say that there is more to this than using a seal. 

Agreed.
Ron

[PoorUB]

I am not saying to seal the rod to the shaft. What I mean is if the rod sticks out of the main shaft enough to slip an o-ring over the rod, but there most likely doesn't have room.

[Bike31]

Anything more on the cause and fix?

[YPD485]

 
  What about the million mile testing that HD stated was done?   

I'm sure most if not all of that alleged million mile (which has to be bs) testing was done using hand built parts which were all hand assembled and were made to strict tolerances that they would never use on production engines.

[1FSTRK]

We believe we have found the source and fix for this phenomenon.

I will post pics and information as soon as we have verified our current findings.

Daren

?

[Sunny Jim]

On HD forum, under the M8 subtitle ' adding oil to the transmission', on page 20/21. An M8 owner has allegedly got the MoCo to come to the party with a new teansmission. Steve Cole is trying to fix the problem also.

[Durwood]

We believe we have found the source and fix for this phenomenon.

I will post pics and information as soon as we have verified our current findings.

Daren

?

Still in the testing mode with the modification we made and so far so good, I just performed another complete tune, with over 30 max power runs along with spirited riding thereafter and thus far no transfer.

As soon as we feel like we have it nailed down, I will post what we did.