my 1st M8 tear down for a 124 bolt on kit

[No Cents]

  well men...I had my 1st learning experience today tearing apart a M8...which I have been looking forward to. Randy and I tore down a 2018 Road Glide to install a Fuel Moto 124" bolt on kit. The bike has just a tick over 7K miles on it.
  The Fuel Moto kit is very nice. It came with new cylinders and CP pistons with all needed Cometic gaskets. Bob Wood supplies the cam and lifters for the kit. It came with new Smith Brother p/rods and a new Torrington 168 cam bearing.
   Tear down was a learning experience when it came to removing all the plumbing on the M8 with the oil lines running over top the rocker boxes. We had to bend a 7/16" wrench to be able to remove the back two rocker box bolts. Beyond that...just the basic hand tools let us get it down to looking at the tops of the pistons in four hours.
   For my own curiosity I wanted to see how much fluid came out of the bike. The tranny dip stick was bone dry upon removal. 
  Here is how much fluid came out of this bike.
Primary= 45+ ounces came out.
Engine sump plug= 12 ounces came out.
Tranny= 15 ounces came out.
I didn't take the time to see how much motor oil came out...but it was filthy.
   So...it looks like this bike has a sumping issue and it is transferring tranny fluid over into the primary. The customer does have a new S&S cam plate and oil pump for it. The intake and heads are being sent out to be massaged on.
   After my experience today from what I seen leaves me with even less of a desire to buy a M8.

[TXChop]

I had similar thoughts of staying with my old faithful. However i see 160ci will be possible with the M8 soon and i immediately started saving.

[No Cents]

   Dan....I agree...the potential is definitely there for a big inch monster with all the meat in these cases. 
I just don't know how well they will hold up with the sumping issue and the tranny fluid transferring issue going on. I about "Potty mouth" when I seen all the fluid that came out of that new style skinny primary. Before measuring it I knew the bike was transferring fluid over to the primary with how much drained out into the pan...that was even before I pulled the tranny dip stick out and seen it was bone dry.
  These two issues will make me wait to buy one. Hopefully someone will find the needed fix for these problems. So far all I see are attempts for the cures...but no definite fixes yet.

[VDeuce]

There is a guy on Facebook selling the fix for the transfer issue; its a thicker clutch pushrod. I went with the 3-piece 2014 CVO pushrod and it seems to have fixed mine. Either way, its cheap fix.

[hd06]

     I been having transfer problems start 9/23/16 and fought with Harley till 9/26/18. A Harley rep. put a breather tube on primary and problem solved. Bike is stock I have the first oil pump no sumping problems.                                 
  M8 is a good motor just a few tweaks need to work out. Could you imagine the problems with the Twincam when it came out if the internet was as strong as it is now the Evos and Shovels would be doing the same thing some true some crap.                                   

[Durwood]

I had similar thoughts of staying with my old faithful. However i see 160ci will be possible with the M8 soon and i immediately started saving.

[No Cents]

   I hope that is the fix for your transferring issue.  Did you ever post a picture of what this Harley rep. did to your bike? 
   My thoughts all along have been it was a venting issue with the tranny fluid being sucked over into the primary. I assumed the thinner primary compartment might of had something to do with it because it apparently is building a vacuum pulling the tranny fluid over.   ...but I had no way of testing that thought. It would make sense that relieving that pressure would slow down or stop the transfer of fluid. The p/rod fix is interesting. It seems that idea came originally from a kid that stuck his finger in the hole of the dam to stop it up. Plug the hole up and less fluid can come thru. I'm not 100% convinced on that fix. But time will tell.
    As far as the sumping issue goes...I think it is happening a lot more than most M8 owners know. Why would it only be happening to just a few bikes? My guess is most M8 owners just hit the starter button and go. Totally unaware if their bike is sumping until it falls flat on it's face and it won't go.
   I have been watching to see what kind of cures are being done to fix this problem and I'm not convinced on a cure for it yet. You shouldn't have to be a beta tester for the MoCo. They should not have offered the M8 for sale to the public with these kinds of issues we having been seeing. Another year of testing by them should of showed them the problem areas that needed to be addressed before rushing it out to the public for sale. 

[IronMike113]

Hey Ray,,,,,,  Keep us posted as for your First Time LOL 😂,,,,,,,  All kidding aside they do look like a mess on the Top End, I myself have not entered the twilight zone with the new M8's other than a few oil change services which I will not comment about oil transfer, I did inform the owners of what was taking place,,,,,,,,,,

[rigidthumper]

Throw a 36300026 (oil deflector) in the end of the mainshaft while you're in there- that's the official fix for the 19s and carryover.

[No Cents]

   Mike...I'm treading new waters here.    I had never put a wrench on a M8 until yesterday.
Let's just say it was an interesting day yesterday and I'll leave it at that. Just getting the rocker box covers off was a chore. The bolts were smothered in a thread locker from the factory and it felt like you were pulling the threads out while you were removing the bolts.

   Robin...thanks I'll pass that info along to the owner.    I'm sure when Randy let's him know what we got out of the holes he will be wanting to address the issues. Money is no object to him. He just wants it right...and he is shooting for 150 hp out of this M8.

[NCTURBOS]

I had similar thoughts of staying with my old faithful. However i see 160ci will be possible with the M8 soon and i immediately started saving.

It's definitely getting hard to resist the urge to do it!! 

K.

[Eccool]

No Cents, what year is the bike you are working on?

[No Cents]

 2018 Road Glide

[crewchief25H]

There is a guy on Facebook selling the fix for the transfer issue; its a thicker clutch pushrod. I went with the 3-piece 2014 CVO pushrod and it seems to have fixed mine. Either way, its cheap fix.

2014 CVO push rod fixed mine also.

[les]

Curious if you'll be installing the Feuling rocker studs and S&S lifter cuffs.

[No Cents]

Curious if you'll be installing the Feuling rocker studs and S&S lifter cuffs.

   ...if it was mine...yes I would...but I don't think that is in the owners plans.
I did suggest for Randy to run it by him...but I think that feel on deaf ears.