HarleyTechTalk

Just bought a 2018 road glide special with 1200 miles. Changed fluids all three holes primary got formula+, engine got bel ray 20w50 dino oil, and transmission got 75-140 synthetic bel ray. Rode it about 30 mikes and noticed a whine when i let off the throttle to slow to turn. Got home and the whine was noticeable at idle and went up and down with engine rpm. Any ideas?

If it's the internal balancer in the crankcase it can do that. There's a two piece scissor gear that's supposed to reduce meshing clearances with the drive gear on the crankshaft. Maybe better than it could be if only a straight toothed gear - don't know. Did it whine before the oil change? Could be the lube.

An A-hole would say get some cheese to go with that whine but not me.

Mine has the whine as well

Both my M8 Softails had a slight whine, and the M8 Street Glide I test rode did. Adds character and a small price for balance. It's in the crankcase so engine oil lubes that gear. There's also a second scissor gear in the Softail crankcase and a third on the end of the transmission secondary countershaft for both engines.

did you check and see if you wife is still on the back seat and whining

My M8 softail does the same.

Quote from: moose on September 13, 2018, 02:55:36 AM
did you check and see if you wife is still on the back seat and whining

Quote from: moose on September 13, 2018, 02:55:36 AM
did you check and see if you wife is still on the back seat and whining

:potstir:still there

Well the whine on my bike seemed to be going away . It was getting quieter as the miles past on the way to the Bring it home rally in Paris Texas . Pulled into the shell station three buildings before the dealership for fuel . Went to leave bike started to rev as normal then fell on itself as was still leaned over accelerating. Felt like a tow cable was hooked to bike and greyhound bus. Limped into dealership . Service writer came look at bike checked oil level and nothing on dip stick . Started to piss me off about if I was qualified to do an oil change on a Harley . I told him I have worked more years behind tools than he has on this earth and paid to .

      He said if it sumped there would still be some oil on dipstick. My old tired ass plopped down on the hot oily asphalt and check Harley filter dry no leak plug dry no leak and no wet stack exhaust. They got my bike in service and pulled sensor and it filled their drain bucket . Mechanic didn't tell me how much exactly came out but said he never seen one this bad also said saw no glitter or shavings .

       Mind you this is at 3pm Friday Saturday is the bring it home event they are busy hundreds of bikes there. And it is a small to average size dealer. I am 400 miles from home don't have that warm fuzzy feeling from service. Was thinking about trading in this new bike ,made 5000 miles on trip .now was told they would have to tear down engine and wait mothership reply more tha likely new engine. But when .

      So I traded my 18 rgu on an 19 rgu . Took a butt whooping financially ,participated in event finished trip and came home

When will my luck change ? Totaled my 13 rgu February. Sumped new bike Friday. Now own 2019 bike Saturday 

Quote from: 319fatboy on September 12, 2018, 06:10:07 PM
Just bought a 2018 road glide special with 1200 miles. Changed fluids all three holes primary got formula+, engine got bel ray 20w50 dino oil, and transmission got 75-140 synthetic bel ray. Rode it about 30 mikes and noticed a whine when i let off the throttle to slow to turn. Got home and the whine was noticeable at idle and went up and down with engine rpm. Any ideas?

Have to tell ya, I had a 17 M8 107 and changed to Syn 3 at the 1,000-mile service.  The engine was noisy after that.  Fast forward as I now have an 18 M8 107, at the 1,000-mile service, kept HD 360-20W-50 in, the engine is quiet as it can be. As a matter of fact, I had them put HD Formula + in the trans and primary.  Keeping the same fluid type that came from the factory in all three holes.  Plus I have a fan assisted oil cooler.  If its good enough from the factory, its good enough for me. 

Does Harley sell a fan for the cooler? Hope I am not hijacking here?

https://www.harley-davidson.com/store/fan-assisted-oil-cooler-kit

Thanks but wont fit a Softail.

Quote from: sandrooney on September 25, 2018, 03:51:03 AM
Does Harley sell a fan for the cooler? Hope I am not hijacking here?

As you can see, the kit is a new cooler and fan. They do not offer just the fan, and the fan cooled cooler appears to be slightly smaller than the stock "air" cooled cooler. Was that enough coolers??? I felt like a Budweiser commercial, rolling cooler, cooler roller ..

 Google Harley oil cooler build, using your stock M8 oil cooler you can build a fan assist that plugs in to your stock connection. Wish I found this before I bought mine 

 We sure got off subject on this one   

 Helm, Both are same size.

Quote from: hd06 on October 05, 2018, 06:38:16 PM
Helm, Both are same size.

Thanks for the clarification. Going to check out the "Harley Fab Build" link to see what that is all about.