Good afternoon. My 2020 street glide had 2400 miles on it when I noticed that it had a very strong oil smell only when rolling off the throttle. It had used over a quart of oil in 500 miles. The local dealership identified that the rear wrist pin bushing was binding and the ring gaps were nearly lined up. They said the engine needed to be replaced, so they offered me a brand new 2020 street glide to replace mine with 7 miles on the clock.
I had already ordered the HD 122" kit for the first bike, so they installed the kit in the 2nd bike and ran auto tune with the SE tuner for 100 or so miles. The bike runs flawlessly, but this bike has the same decel oil smell that the last one had. No oil consumption yet, but the same oily smell.
The bike is a 122", SE high flow header (no cat) Rinehart 4" cans with the DBX baffles and TTI baffle plates. It has the SE tuner and auto tuner. No heat, great fuel mileage, and runs like a champ.
Any ideas about the oil smell?
What's the oil level reading on the dipstick? I would run it no more than half way between add and full. It may be sucking oil through the breathers on decel....
Maybe the residual oil is still cooking out of the exhaust :wink:
Mine has the smell when coming to a stop I contribute it to the trans and primary vents. Not sure that is what you are smelling.
Quote from: HD Street Performance on May 16, 2021, 06:43:35 AM
Maybe the residual oil is still cooking out of the exhaust :wink:
I don't think it was that bad LOL. Its odd that I have a totally different bike, with the same smell. It has to be something that is "In common" like a vent or something? Strange that I only smell it on decel... I'd guess valve seals or guides, but 2 bikes same problem?
I have a 21 street glide an ive smelled it a couple times only when at a stop at a red light when real hot . i just chalked it up as hot oil venting thru vent hoses trans etc ! Just an observation did realy concern me .
Been riding on and off for 50 years now. I've noticed that smell on several bikes over the years and never really thought anything of it. A Triumph and a Sportster I had both really had the smell but so did the Yamaha's and Honda. And it was really strong in a classic 911 Porsche I once owned. I actually like the aroma. It says "motors be here".
My advice is as long as you're oil level remains consistent, i.e. not using any, don't worry about the smell. Adds character! :)
My '12 Ultra has always had a feint wiff of oil occasionally as well. I have looked for leaks, rerouted the breathers to external thinking it might be that, no change, I still get a feint smell now and then. Reading this thread gives me a little peace of mind. F it, ride it. I figure if it's a real problem, eventually it will show.
I'm thinking valve guides.
Quote from: HD Street Performance on May 16, 2021, 06:43:35 AM
Maybe the residual oil is still cooking out of the exhaust :wink:
Very good point!
After I smelled the same thing I found the valve guide seals bad and changed them....exhaust valves were soaked.
It took like 3 weeks to burn it out of the mufflers....after I came back from a ride with everything hot I could rap the throttle hard and even see a slight puff of oil smoke.....almost tore into the rings....glad I waited a couple of weeks.
Reading this thread brought back an old memory of when I noticed this smell. Back in the early 80's a friend of mine had 79 1/2 FXE. Every time he pulled up beside me I smelled what seemed like oil dripped on a hot exhaust manifold while adding oil to a car engine.. The cause.. He just put on a new set of slash cut pipes a few weeks earlier, before he did that he filled them with drain oil and let them sit over night before installing.. Why ??? he claimed that it would prevent bluing..Off topic Yeah.. Point.. It took months before that odor went away..
Quote from: motorhogman on June 16, 2021, 09:24:46 AM
Reading this thread brought back an old memory of when I noticed this smell. Back in the early 80's a friend of mine had 79 1/2 FXE. Every time he pulled up beside me I smelled what seemed like oil dripped on a hot exhaust manifold while adding oil to a car engine.. The cause.. He just put on a new set of slash cut pipes a few weeks earlier, before he did that he filled them with drain oil and let them sit over night before installing.. Why ??? he claimed that it would prevent bluing..Off topic Yeah.. Point.. It took months before that odor went away..
More importantly, did it prevent blueing?
Quote from: Hossamania on June 16, 2021, 09:50:40 AM
Quote from: motorhogman on June 16, 2021, 09:24:46 AM
Reading this thread brought back an old memory of when I noticed this smell. Back in the early 80's a friend of mine had 79 1/2 FXE. Every time he pulled up beside me I smelled what seemed like oil dripped on a hot exhaust manifold while adding oil to a car engine.. The cause.. He just put on a new set of slash cut pipes a few weeks earlier, before he did that he filled them with drain oil and let them sit over night before installing.. Why ??? he claimed that it would prevent bluing..Off topic Yeah.. Point.. It took months before that odor went away..
More importantly, did it prevent blueing?
I honestly don't remember.. it was almost 40 years ago. This was a 94 inch stroker and he was always changing things on it..