Been a long since posting, been busy putting 11k miles on my bike :D.

It's overdue for my 10k service. I have the service manual and a few of the items say I need to have the bike straight up not on the jeffy stand. I am particularly concerned about the Transmission fluid refill. Any suggestions how I can get this done right? I was thinking putting a block of wood underneath the jeffy stand to equalize it until it was straight up.

Also, who recommends I switch to synthetic at this time?

Also also, I seem to get a bunch of oil leaking from my air cleaner onto the transmission. The levels seem to be fine for oil, as not overfilled. Any ideas what could be causing that?

Fish

1. Wooden block works fine, just be careful you don't tip it over while it's like that. As for transmission oil level, don't get too worked up over it, honestly it's not an exact science, nor does it need to be.

2. I love synth, others don't. Lots of threads on it, most are just opinions, so do what you want.

3. Oil in the AC is from your breather system. Lots of threads on it and lots of solutions, first one is DON'T OVERFILL OIL TANK - keep it about halfway up the dipstick, engine warm, bike on sidestand.

Kev

I use wood blocks under the frame rails up front. I slide a 4x6 about 2 feet long under the frame rails and it barely clears. Now I get 4 one in thick boards about a foot long and place one under the right frame rail, inside edge in the under the center of the engine. Stradle the bike and raise the stand. Lean the bike to the right. Place a one inch board under the left side. Lean to the left, one under the right, then another under the left. Now the bike is jacked up slightly and is very stable if you used wide 4 or 6 inch wide boards. Be careful you dont drop the bike if you place a block under the jiffy stand. This raises it enough to allow a one gallon oil jug on it side to be used as a catch pan.

I switched to synthetic to (amsoil 20w50 vtwin) and it improved shifting and noise.

Follow Kev recommendations for filling, running hard wot for periods of time can cause this as well.

hold bike up straight theirs a bolt under on primary take it off it drains their should be 1 quart in their..depending on the year of round or oblong take off the inspection cover and dont forget to replace the bolt on the bottom... replace with your choice of oil be it synthetic or what ever.. 1 quart is all it takes.. no science to it.

Just lean the bike up against a wall then it definitely can't fall over.

Thanks everyone. I was able to do it all. Definitely not as scary as the book made it seem. Though my Harley parts guy was kinda a snob when I didnt know I had to replace the gaskets when I took off the inspection plate. The manual didn't say it.

Thanks everyone. I was able to do it all. Definitely not as scary as the book made it seem. Though my Harley parts guy was kinda a snob when I didnt know I had to replace the gaskets when I took off the inspection plate. The manual didn't say it.

That's cause he is an A$$HOLE and you DON't "HAVE TO".

Nine out of 10 times you can reuse the old gaskets for the inspection covers.

I keep a full set of them in the shop in case one weeps afterwards, but I have yet to have one weep.

I have replaced a couple of the clutch cover O-rings over the years, but only because once the old one comes loose it can be a bitch to get it to seat again, so it's just easier to throw in a new one for a buck or whatever they cost. Still though, as long as I don't disturb it, I can usually reuse it.

Kev

When changing my gearbox/chaincase oil, I drain it on the jiffy stand and then sit on the bike while holding it straight up to get the rest out. I then close the drain and fill it up. If you want to visually check the level you can enlist a buddy's help by asking him to sit on it straight up while you fill it. You'll only have to do that once as you can then remember how many ounces it took to reach that level for the next time. My rubbermount 1200R takes 28 ounces to reach the recommended visual level in the manual and not the full 32 ounce quart, but adding the rest, as so many do, likely isn't enough overfill to affect anything. I just don't do it as it is overfill, it isn't needed and I don't want to drown my clutch.

I run H-D Formula + which is a gear/chaincase specific lube strictly designed for that purpose but I suppose a synthetic 20W/50 motor oil is about as good as H-D allows you to use theirs. They both seem to be of similar viscosity but the gearbox doesn't really need all of the extra additives specific to a motor oil.

One thing I would like to put in here is use the same oil all the time.If you change brands or types you will get sludge and such.Different brands are made from different sources and chemicals.After all it isn't a big truck using 10 quarts!

That's cause he is an A$$HOLE and you DON't "HAVE TO".

but only because once the old one comes loose it can be a bitch to get it to seat again, so it's just easier to throw in a new one for a buck or whatever they cost. Still though, as long as I don't disturb it, I can usually reuse it.

Kev

Amen to that brother!!!! I don't even try anymore....a new one is cheap and well worth the $1.50 or so to avoid the hassle. I just go ahead and buy it when I get everything else. :doh

I always put a quart in thru the chain inspection cover. I never had any problems in 35k miles. Only twice did I have to open the derby cover. Once on my first primary fluid change, when I didn't know I could use the inspection hole instead, and once when I had my indy do a visual inspection on all the primary/clutch components at 30k. It's advisable to change the quad ring if you do open the derby cover as this thin ring has a tendenacy to stretch.

I just did as you said... I poured 1 qt of HD Formula + thru the inspection cover....