Got a problem with your stock H-D that your local dealer can’t fix? Well, put away that hammer, grab a pen, and let our resident pro get you back on the road! That’s right, frustrated ones. You can now get your perplexing problem answered with a simple snail mail or e-mail to
AIM.
Summer riding season is nearing its Sturgis peak, and we’ve got a whole new batch of inquiries to answer. Jim Coslove starts us off, explaining that there’s sumpin’ oily happening with his ’92 FLHS. Sounds like you need to check the ball, Jim, then double-check it. Dave Mesich follows, aboard a 2002 Road King with a speedo that’s just not up to speed. Melvin Robertson tells us that his own Road King has got a pulse, and then some. Dan Barlow is next, writing in that his 2009 Electra Glide Classic is sounding like a barnyard full of animals. Not exactly the grunt he’d dreamed of from his touring machine. And Bob Foley closes the show with his 2008 Dyna Low Rider. Bob yearns to be a beach boy on his bike, but he’s definitely needing some good vibrations.
Anyone wishing to submit a question to our H-D expert should send in as much info about the problem and bike as possible, which definitely includes the bike’s year, model, and mileage to Hog Helpline, c/o
American Iron Magazine, 1010 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06905, or e-mail it to
ChrisM@AmericanIronMag.com. Ready for the disclaimer? Unfortunately, we can’t answer all of the questions that we receive or respond directly to the submitter, owing to volume. Select questions will be answered only through this monthly column.
Q:My 1992 FLHS Evo is stock, except for rejetting and a Rev-Tech air filtration system, and has 45,000 trouble-free miles on it. For the past few winters, I’ve put the bike up for three to four months. The first time (three years ago), upon start-up, I heard a strange noise. The motor, under the air cleaner (to say nothing of the garage floor), was inundated with oil. After cleaning everything up, I restarted the motor and all seemed okay. The next two years, the same scenario occurred, but I was ready. I pulled off the breather hose from the air filter backing plate, started the motor, and held a baby bottle to the end of the hose and out the oil came. Still, nothing was amiss with the motor. Now, after sitting in the garage for several days, leaning on the kickstand, the bike leaves just a spot of oil at the base of the rear cylinder. There’s no oil anywhere else, no spitting while starting or riding, and at the end of the day, everything is bone dry. I’m told this is called wet sumping, where the check valve in the oil pump is pitting, or maybe the aluminum case is pitting/cracking. It’s a minor problem now but will surely get worse, and the oil pump itself will have to be changed. The pump plus labor will be $700-$900. I see that I can buy a ball for 99 cents from a leading cycle supply catalog. My H-D service manual shows the ball (and spring) are easily accessible from the top of the oil pump. But how would I get it out? Should I just wait until the oil becomes a sloppy mess, then get a new pump? How about one of these breather kits with the pleated paper filters? Would that keep the oil inside?
Jim Coslove
Southampton, NJ
A:Every spring we get a rider just like you, Jim, with a mature Evo that just puked oil into the air cleaner and down the side of the engine. Ah, the rituals of Road Day! You’re right, the check ball just isn’t sealing as well as it used to. Maybe the spring has lost its tension, or there may be dirt or pitting on the seat in the pump. I’ve had some luck with removing the ball and spring, and running the bike without it until hot. This might flush any debris off the seat. You can remove the ball with a small magnet, but make sure to replace it. Don’t put the magnetized ball back in! Install a new spring also. If this doesn’t help, you need to replace the pump body. I’ve tried lapping the seat and tapping the ball against it to reseat it. Never had any luck. But I’ve also gone a long time with the baby bottle to save the expense. I’d say wait until you need a rebuild, or go for a reman engine from Harley.
Q:At the beginning of last riding season I began to experience an issue with my 2002 Road King’s speedometer and the turn signals shutting off automatically. Things would stop working once the bike heated up. I took it to my local dealer, and after a couple of days I was told that the battery connection was loose, and it was causing a spike in the electrical system, thus causing the speedometer to cut out. I didn’t ride it much over the next month or so, but later in the season, I rode on a 300-mile trip to the Outer Banks. About 70 miles into the trip, I lost the speedometer again. No one that I talk to can identify what the problem is. While in the Outer Banks, I went to the local Harley shop. The service tech thought that it was possibly the TSSM. I’ve been riding for the last year with the speedometer working sporadically. I would like to be able to fix the problem so my mileage is correct, not to mention the fact I’d like to know how fast I am going. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Dave Mesich
Via Internet
A:Does the horn work when the speedometer doesn’t? Does the speedometer face back lighting and odometer go out? You may have a bad connection in the accessory circuit. The horn, signals, and brake light are on the same circuit, so if they all don’t work, you should look into the wiring. Check the plug on the back of the speedometer. Look for power on the orange wire. Wiggle and tug the wiring harnesses to see if the voltage changes. Look for points along the harness where a wire could be pinched and broken inside its insulation. If the speedometer stays lit when it fails, you could have a bad sensor. Your dealer has a speedometer tester that can be used to see if the speedo head or sensor are at fault.
Q:I have a 2008 SE Road King with 5,500 miles that is giving me some problems. When I apply the front brakes, there’s vibrating and pulsing. The left front disc and pads were replaced first, which decreased the vibration; then the right front disc was replaced, but with no change. My dealer spoke with someone at H-D and said the front wheel had been machined incorrectly. The wheel was replaced, though the problem has continued. I’m waiting on a reply from H-D for a fix. I’ve spoken to other dealers’ service departments around the area, and they haven’t had any similar problems with any bikes.
Melvin Robertson
Via Internet
A:Are you sure the pulsing is coming from the brake? Have you tried stopping with just the rear brake? Check your engine mounts and alignment. If the engine is bouncing around excessively, it may transmit the movement to the chassis when the engine drops forward as you slow down. The normal pulses of the engine can make the whole bike shudder as you come to a stop.
Q:I have a 2008 105th Anniversary FXDL (Dyna Low Rider) with 9,200 miles on it. I ride 64 miles round trip five to six days per week. At approximately 3,000 miles, the chrome cover located above the headlamp started to rattle. I brought this to the attention of the dealer and was informed that my bike was a poor design. The mechanic stuffed the cover with double weather strip tape. At roughly 5,700 miles, the headlamp shell assembly fell apart and was replaced due to excessive vibration. The vibration problem was explained away as being normal for a Dyna. At 7,800 miles, the hand brake master cylinder cover was replaced due to peeling/leaking. At 8,360 miles the indicator lamp bezel assembly was replaced due to damage from excessive vibration. At 8,700 miles the front tire was balanced, and the steering head adjusted due to excessive vibration. I tried to get the dealer to balance the front tire at 3,000 miles, but for some reason balancing the tire didn’t make sense to the mechanic. He advised me that he rode the bike over the H-D four-mile road test route, and it runs like a typical Dyna. At 9,000 miles I returned the bike to the dealership once again due to the ongoing issues. The service department suggested that I schedule the 10,000-mile service. The mechanic discovered that my tire pressure was low, and the drive belt was a bit loose. After I arrived home, I checked the tire pressure (front and rear: 38 psi), and topped both off according to the Dunlop code. My drive belt was fine according to the owner’s manual. On page 142 of the Dyna owner’s manual, there’s a list of seven things to be checked by the dealer, some of which aren’t listed in the 10,000-mile service chart. I have approximately one year of warranty remaining. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
Bob Foley
Bossier City, LA
A:I’m curious as to what cover above the headlamp you’re referring to, and where the indicators are located. The headlight on your model should be bolted through a bracket to the lower fork tree with nothing above it. Was the bike customized? The first thing Harley will ask is if the bike is completely stock. The Motor Company won’t warranty any changes or
accessories that have been added. You need to determine if the vibration is in fact excessive, and what the cause is. Your dealer seems to be giving you more opinions than facts about your bike. Were the engine mounts or the top stabilizer checked? How about the torque on the pivot shaft, or the mounting of the exhaust system? Your front tire should have 30 psi not 38. Harley can provide a list of things to check and adjust to minimize vibration to an acceptable level. If all else is good, the flywheel run-out may have to be checked. Maybe you should call H-D and see if the service rep for your area can stop by the dealership to test ride your bike. He’ll make the call as to whether the vibration is excessive, and how to proceed with the repair.
Q:I have a 2009 Electra Glide Classic. Once the bike warms up, and ambient temperature is usually over 70, I get a strange sound as I slow down. It literally sounds like pigs grunting, or small ducks quacking. While slowing with the clutch in, it’s most noticeable. The sound decreases with the speed of the bike, and it seems to me like it’s coming from within the
driveline. The dealer has checked the pulleys, the belt, and alignment of the wheels. H-D technical assist was contacted, and advised to check the rear wheel assembly (bearings, damper). All that is okay as well. My brand-new bike sits in the shop, as the techs are stumped. In my opinion, this could even be a safety issue, that’s why I told them to keep it until they figure it out. Any thoughts?
Dan Barlow
Via Internet
A:How many miles do you have on the bike, Dan? Sometimes on new bikes the rubber isolators in the rear pulley will make some noise. As the rubbers seat into the hub bowl, they should quiet down. Try dismantling the pulley assembly and spraying some glass cleaner on the rubbers. This will temporarily lubricate the rubbers and stop the noise. The glass cleaner will dry out quickly and won’t damage the rubber.
AIM 
Sept.09-hog Helpline-IT’S ALWAYS SUMPIN’ 
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