2008 Nightster Oil Leak Question Options

[ogizzle]

Hi, new here. Gotta question about my bike. It seems to have sprung a leak. From the looks of it, the oil is coming from the shifter, but there is some oil residue around the shifter (yellow arrow), looks like some maybe coming from the plate above the shifter (red arrow). Don't know the technical terms. Wondering if anybody has had an issue like this. Kinda frustrating because the bike is an '08 with under 2k on it (don't get to ride as much as I want or should, was looking to remedy that when the oil started showing up). Bought the bike in March of 08, so I'm guessing the stealership wouldn't let this slide in under warranty. Thanks and such.

-Ogizzle
NOVA

This post has been edited by ogizzle: Jun 2 2010, 06:42 AM

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[ErnieS]

First thing I'd do is replace the gasket behind the inspection cover and hope that the oil around the shifter is coming from there. Replace the gasket, clean it up real good and drive it for a couple of days. If the leak is gone, consider yourself lucky and move on. If not, you'll need to replace the oil seal on the shifter shaft. That requires removing the primary cover. It seems like a big job, but if you're reasonably handy, you should be able to do it yourself. BUY A SHOP MANUAL. It will have good step by step instructions. The manual can be had from a dealer's parts department and if you do the seal yourself, the guy in Parts can tell you what gaskets and such you will need to do the job.

This post has been edited by ErnieS: Jun 2 2010, 07:17 AM

[ogizzle]

Which manual seems to be the preferred? One from the dealership or a Clymer's or Hayne's version? Lookin' at the HD online store, it shows the '08 Sportster manual as a supplement, is that an issue or is it just labeled weird?

Thanks for the fast response. Let's hope it is just the inspection plate gasket.

[screwball]

Same thing happened to Dirty Harry. We rode to Las Vegas and his bike developed a major oil leak at the "O" ring seal for his shifter. I believe his was an '08 1200 Low. Took the dealer about an hour to replace the seal, wash and detail the bike, UNDER WARRANTY, during Las Vegas BikeFest with bands, vendors, and a zillion people partying in the parking lot. I HIGHLY recommend L.V. Harley Davidson!

Oh, if you plan on doing any work to your bike, get the FACTORY manual. I have all 3 (factory, Clymer, and Haynes) and my scoot is still under warranty!. The C and H manuals are mostly reprints of the Factory, but you can never have too much information. Good Luck!

[wholehog]

buy the HD manual only....get it at 20% off, no tax plus shipping by calling Jenni at TriCounty HD...but you have to ask for her

before you do anything wrap a strip of cotton cloth or gauze around the shifter shaft and ride it for a while....you'll see if it's leaking from there if it starts soaking through

[ogizzle]

Can't make it to Vegas to let them work on it. :( Would be a long ride, and I don't get that much off time.

Cleaned it off and went for a ride, looks like everything is coming from the primary chain inspection cover. Got the HD Service manual. Can't find any mention of O-rings or Gaskets on the chain inspection cover, am I missing something, or is it just a bolted on plate with no seal? I guessing I will need to pull off the off the clutch inspection cover to verify I have the proper amount of trans fluid in there. So I would need to replace that seal on the clutch cover. Or, I could drain it and put the 32oz back in.

Any recommendations on this?

Thanks for the fast responses last time.

Cheers!

[ogizzle]

Never mind on the gasket question...

[ogizzle]

Primary Inspection plate gasket replaced. Interesting thing, if anybody else is out on a sportster, apparently HD changed from a rubber gasket to a paper gasket on all but the nightster models (from what I've found elsewhere). Looks like the dealership that I used for 1k service put a paper gasket in instead of the rubber one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/banghead.gif)

So, problem solved, thanks for pointing me in the right direction. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bike.gif)

[Bamsambo]

Real glad you got if fixed.

RTR