Author Topic: Cracked case (Read 1419 times)

fdrdr1 · « **on:** Sunday, August 05, 2012. 05:07:08 PM. »

91 FXR - I have read posts regarding cracked cases on certain year HD and was hoping someone has info regarding just exactly where to look. The other day I noticed engine oil in a well behind a front motor mount bolt. When I cleaned it up it appeared bone dry below with no weeping and no leaking from the above base gaskets. I have attached a photo - seems like an odd location and there is no visible crack on the exterior. Does anyone have any input regarding where HD cases were cracking. Thanks

Mark222 · « **Reply #1 on:** Sunday, August 05, 2012. 05:09:59 PM. »

The ones I have seen from that era cracked between the lifter blocks. There may be other issues, but if so, I have never seen them in person.

Mark

CraigArizona85248 · « **Reply #2 on:** Sunday, August 05, 2012. 05:18:55 PM. »

Two weeks ago I found oil in the same place on my panhead. The crack was clearly visable when I removed the generator.

FLH124 · « **Reply #3 on:** Sunday, August 05, 2012. 05:51:35 PM. »

Yep,have heard of this as it tends to be the nature of the 90, 91, some 92's evo beast. Sometimes due to hi-revving/shifting and flexing of primary to engine/tranny connection to the motor. But mostly due to weak engine castings of those years. Sorry to here, but may be an excuse to go to an S&S replacement.
Good luck in your choices.

fdrdr1 · « **Reply #4 on:** Sunday, August 05, 2012. 06:17:32 PM. »

CraigArizona - I assume that photo you posted is a photo of your new cases and the red lines indicate where the old cases were cracked? I have cleaned up my area real good and there are no visible signs of cracking. Thanks

Pilgrim · « **Reply #5 on:** Sunday, August 05, 2012. 06:44:47 PM. »

1984 FXRT - first-year Evo.

At about 90k miles I started out on a trip to the east coast from Washington State. I'd had oil on the floor under the engine before I left but thought it was just a drip from the crank vent hose.

As the trip went on it got worse and worse. I washed the engine fully several times but could never find the source. By the time I got to South Dakota on the return I was adding most of a qt of oil at ever fillup and my chaps and the whole right side of the bike were getting oil-coated. Still couldn't find the probelm crawling around the bike at car washes.

Got home and finally found the problem. The whole darn oil scraper chamber (that longitudinal bulge behind the crankcase) was about to fall off. When I split the cases and took 'em to a professional friend he popped it off completely with a screwdriver and a little twist. Got it welded back on (a sensitive job if you don't want to warp the case) and it was good for another 90k miles.

Why was it so hard to find? Because it only leaked (and man, oh, man did it ever leak as time went on!) when the engine was running. Crankcase pressure would make the split pop open and pump oil out with every down stroke but it would close back up when off. Wash it off and the evidence disappeared and it stayed oil-tight until the next start-up. I never thought to look for the leak with engine running until I got home. Obviously, the crack had been there, very small, when I lelft and then grown longer and longer, around the chamber, a little bit with every downward stroke of the pistons.

Pilgrim

fdrdr1 · « **Reply #6 on:** Sunday, August 05, 2012. 06:55:12 PM. »

Good advice - I will ride tomorrow and see if there is any oil after the ride, clean it up while it is idling and see if there is any seepage at that point. Thanks - I'll give it a try

swas · « **Reply #7 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 04:17:28 AM. »

fdrdr1,
My 91 fxr case cracked behind the lifter blocks,apparently this is a big problem with our era motors.
I asked on here a couple months ago after finding out this problem was well known to the MoCo,the thread is under '1990 crankcase' ,with some really enlightning answers.About 3-4 month ago.
Apparently there was a silent recall on these cases at the time,ive contacted Harley over here in the uk but they plead ignorance,Harley in the u.s.a dont have an email address but I will be taking this further . I'd be interested how you get on.I dont think theres a reason to try ignoring the fact the cases were weak and leaving it to a 'silent recall' thats bull,alright these are old bikes now but that shouldnt be a problem they could have gone at any time even after going thru the strip down and welding up it could still go again,again I dont think there is any excuse for this total ripoff by the company.

hd06myway · « **Reply #8 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 06:12:08 AM. »

I've posted this before, had a '89 Softail, you'll find crank case oil in your primary, open up the primary ,if your cases are leaking, fluid, oil, primer fluid will come pouring out... it happned to me in '94, but the MoCo gave me new cases and paid for the labor, 0$ cost to me... 5 yrs after the Warranty had expired, it was a silent recall. Of course time has run out now, I'm sure they don't still cover expenses. You won't see any poil leaking, you'll notice your down on oil, and it because it's seeping into the primary chest.

JBarrettB · « **Reply #9 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 06:41:11 AM. »

Don't over look the clutch cable or the regulator/stator plug. If the clutch cable sheath has worn enough riding on the edge of the engine mount, trans fluid can leak from it If the trans vent is clogged trans fluid will get pushed up the cable and it will weep at the adjuster or even at the lever perch. Need to keep an eye on the stator plug easy to see.

JB

88fxstc · « **Reply #10 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 07:19:42 AM. »

Cracked cases on my 88 too. Mine cracked around the stator nscrews if I remember right, I'm talking 20ish years ago. HD's fix was to try to seal it with RTV first and then if that didn't hold they would then they would replace the cases. The service manager I dealt with told me he would make sure they didn't work with the RTV and wound up getting HD to replace the cases for me. Bout 10 years later my cases cracked again , that time they cracket thru the wall on one of the spigot holes . That was back round 02 and at that point I just said FK it and dropped a crate motor in with merch cases.

fdrdr1 · « **Reply #11 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 08:47:31 AM. »

After cleaning everything up real good I have found oil leaking from the stator plug. If this is indeed where the oil is coming from it is odd that it is finding it way over to the right of the plug especially if when the bike rests to the left. The primary level is just where it should be and no loss of engine oil at this time. Will continue to check further after a ride today. Thanks

88fxstc · « **Reply #12 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 10:22:27 AM. »

Is it oil or primary fluid leaking?? Seems to me if it is in fact motor oit then you do have an issue somewhere with oil entering yer primary.

fdrdr1 · « **Reply #13 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 12:25:50 PM. »

Hard to tell - when I attempted to grab a sample there was too much dirt and grime mixed in and I could not really tell if it was primary or engine oil. But, there is clearly a leak below the stator plug - still need to get it out to see what it looks like after a ride.

mp · « **Reply #14 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 03:21:00 PM. »

I use red ATF in the primary so I can tell what's leaking.

jsachs1 · « **Reply #15 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 04:12:30 PM. »

The way I check for a crack is :
Remove timing hole plug. Wrap a rag around an air gun to somewhat seal, and blow through timing plug hole. Do this when engine is warm.
If you have a crack it WILL show up.

Bad gasket or seal, that's gonna show as well.

John

evo58 · « **Reply #16 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 04:19:08 PM. »

i would like to have a color to put in the primary oil case and another color to put in the tranny oil, so would very easy to figure out were the oil is coming, maybe aviatiion industires would have this .
evo

Sixspeed · « **Reply #17 on:** Monday, August 06, 2012. 04:46:03 PM. »

Quote from: fdrdr1 on Monday, August 06, 2012. 08:47:31 AM.

After cleaning everything up real good I have found oil leaking from the stator plug. If this is indeed where the oil is coming from it is odd that it is finding it way over to the right of the plug especially if when the bike rests to the left. The primary level is just where it should be and no loss of engine oil at this time. Will continue to check further after a ride today. Thanks

Did not see that you had recently changed the oil filter. Could it be left over from a filter change?

Old Crow · « **Reply #18 on:** Wednesday, August 08, 2012. 04:06:47 AM. »

Evo, they make a dye for the engine oil just like they do for a/c systems. Add some dye, ride the bike then use a black light to find the leak.

fdrdr1 · « **Reply #19 on:** Wednesday, August 08, 2012. 07:25:54 AM. »

Thanks for all the input on this - went for a long ride today and found when I got back no oil in the area where I posted a pic. The only oil leak is from the bottom of the stator plug - will work on that come this winter. Thanks again

jclark311 · « **Reply #20 on:** Friday, August 31, 2012. 07:04:14 PM. »

I had a similar problem, and wanted to fix it right, so I bought a new stator, it didn't work, I ended up using RTV

fdrdr1 · « **Reply #21 on:** Saturday, September 01, 2012. 06:56:18 PM. »

jclark - are you saying that the RTV sealed it up better than the new stator plug and did you seal it from the inside or outside? Thanks

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Author Topic: Cracked case (Read 1419 times)