should a 50 FL primary not return its oil to tank

[woodrell]

I have a 50 FL I picked up a couple of years ago and the primary has no return tube or a place for one. Should it just "free drip"? If so how much. Is it legal (or advisable) to Put a belt drive on the primary and shut the oil off completely?

Thanks for any help.
Woody

[Guest]

no it doesn't return .. it just makes its way out by the numerous routes available!

belt drives are good for a whole range of reasons, they are smooth and quiet and generally worth having. They don't need lubrication. You will need to check whether your drive fits inside the case, sometimes you see panheads with the outer primary spaced a few mm apart from the inner for this reason; this also does the belt good, because they need ventilation to provide cooling

[FlatHeadSix]

Woody,

There is no scavenger pump for the primary on your FL. There shouldn't be that much oil in there to begin with if the chain oiler is adjusted properly and nothing else is leaking. There should also be a draft tube but most of the oil that accumulates in there will drip out along the seam between the inner and outer tins.

Belt primaries are common and available from many sources, they even have some that will fit inside the stock tins. The conversion will replace all of the original chain components so be prepared to pull everything off and replace it, the motor sprocket, the clutch hub, etc, etc. Good luck finding stuff that bolts right up and fits and works right out of the box. See Kurt's thread in the flathead forum about clutch hub woes.

I saw the pictures you posted in the gallery, beautiful bike! Surely that can NOT be your garage or shop! If that's your garage I can see why you would be concerned about a few drops of oil.

good luck

mike

[fourthgear]

I have a BDL , 1 1/2 " , 11 MM . belt drive system and it fits in the steel primary , no problem and I don't use a gasket between the inner & outer, so air can get in and circulate in there . It comes with a clutch shell ( drum ) drive pulley and two belts( yes I said ,two ) All you have to do is remove your chain drive ( drum , drive sprocket ,clutch assem., chain ) and replace it with the belt system , no need to remove your clutch hub. I have found that you will need to re-lubricate the bearing on the clutch hub on a regular basis because, if left too long, it will fling any grease you put on it out over time .

This is what I used the last time , I am waiting to get more miles on it before inspection to see how it does . ( I had a lot of miles on it before I found it was about dry in there )

[FlatHeadSix]

Fourthgear,

That Lucas Red & Tacky #2 looks like it might be the hot setup for the "Big Fix" long roller conversions on my flathead clutches. The Big Fix kits come with a tube of what looks like white lithium but it always seemed a little thin to me. It gets just as hot here in Arkansas as it does in Florida and I've had to re-lube a couple of mine after they started "singing" when they threw all the grease out. Thanks for the tip!

Woody, here's a complete 1 1/2" set up that sold on fleaBay this morning for $86.00 , They're out there, you just have to watch for them.



mike

[john HD]

mike

that primary set up looks exactly like the one i got rid of years ago because of it's attraction to bits of gravel and the results it had on the belt.

i was never so happy as the day i reenclosed my primary and went back to a chain and compensating sprocket.

my bike never shifted better when i went back to stock.

i use white lithium grease on my rollers too.

john

[woodrell]

As always I can depend on the the forums for great advice.

I wondered about the shifting issue.


What is NORMAL oil for it sitting over night.
I get probably about a 6 inch or so "pancake" of oil
I have tried turning my adjustment all the way in and it does not seem to change.

Thanks again guys,,,,,,,,,,,,,looking forward to the advice

[FlatHeadSix]

Woody,

The length of time it takes for the oil to appear on the floor will tell you where it is coming from. If you get the 6" pancake the morning after a day's ride, clean it up, and don't get another one (or a much smaller one) the next day, that's normal.

If the bike sits for a week or more with no leaks and then begins to leave puddles which re-appear daily without riding or starting the bike, then it is probably "sumping", the check valve in the oil pump is seeping oil into the crankcase which eventually fills to the point where it drips into the primary and then to the floor. If its sumping it will continue to do so until it drains the oil tank.

If sumping is the problem you can sometimes correct it by a thorough cleaning of the chamber above the seat in the oil pump and replacing the ball bearing and spring. If you have a swaging tool you can dress the seat. Avoid trying to lap or grind the seat as this seldom stops a leaky check valve and, in fact, usually makes it worse.

mike

[woodrell]

Flatheadsix,
Thanks,
Sounds like the seat is the issue. It will leak the whole darn tank out allbeit slowly.

I will get it apart soon and take pictures and repost the solution(s)


Thanks to ALL on the Forum

Woody

[jellero]

harley davidson stuck with the "total loss" oiling systems for a long time. all the old cars and trucks i've owned had open breathers so sucked in a lot of road crap and wore out fast. at least harleys had a "breather filter" in the form of a primary case. the truck i drive now with a closed system is almost 4 times as old as the clunker i had when i was 18. j