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103 top engine oil leak

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by dmassey, Jun 16, 2011.

  1. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    Anybody heard about or experienced an oil leak from somewhere in the top of a 103? The service tech noticed one on mine at the 15K check. I was getting ready to do the "Run to the Wall" so I didn't do anything at the time. I thought that it had stopped but then I noticed a drop on the bottom pipe of the V&H Power Chamber and was wondering where it came from. I ran my finger along the inside of the heat shield (after the engine had cooled of course) of the rear exhaust pipe up towards the cylinder and noticed a bit of oil on my finger. I'm going to take the bike back Saturday to let them see and set up the repair but I wanted to throw this out to the group to see if anyone had heard of any probs with the 103 such as leaking head gaskets or cracked heads. I can also run my finger between a couple of the fins and get just a bit of oil too. Anyhow, any info appreciated.:(:confused:
    Danny
  2. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    I've got a 103 to and have not heard of any issues with a oil leak such as that. Take it in right away before it gets worse.
  3. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    Planning on taking it to the dealer tomorrow but I wanted to get any "ammo" that I needed before I went. Thanks FLHTbiker for the come back. It's reassuring to know that this is hopefully just a random situation rather than a weak point.:D
    Danny
  4. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    check to see if the oil is from the aircleaner box..............
  5. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    I reckon I was hoping against hope becasue that was one of the first places I checked and it was dry.

    On closer inspection it looks to be coming from the head gasket area. Going to ride up there this morning and see when they want to tear into it. HOpefully it's only a head gasket and not a cracked head (always thinking the worst - that's me). Anyhow it looks like there is a thin seam of oil in the gasket area and that is tracking back along the air fins and dropping off to the header. Wish me luck!!!!!!!!!1
  6. JohnnyBiker

    JohnnyBiker Well-Known Member

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    Good Luck and wee are looking forward to the report.. :D
  7. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    Good news, I reckon or at least it sounds better than a cracked head or head gasket. I had the tech look at it that normally does my service and he feels like it's the ACR (Automatic Compression Release) gasket. Says that from the oil trail that's what it looks like anyhow. So I have an appointment for next Saturday at 11 to "get er done". That also explains the oil smell that I smell when I pull in on the carport and shut the bike down. I've checked it several times in the past but could never see any signs of leakage especially onto anything hot. Anyhow thought I'd bring everybody up to date.:D
    Danny
  8. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Sounds good, what kind of setup do you have on your bike.
  9. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    SE breather, SE Fatshotz, V&H Power Chamber and SE Super Tuner.
    I just got a new issue of Hot Bike and there is an article about a mod that was done on a 96 incher. Among other things they used some Kuryakin .510 cams and an S&S gear drive cam plate. The test numbers were pretty impressive. I saw the the cam plate at the S&S tent in DC this year and the gear drive turns a lot easier than the chain drive plus I like the idea of the extra set of shaft bearings too. Oh well it'll be at least a week or two before i delve ainto anything like that. Warranty doesn't run out until around the middle of November.
  10. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Let me know what they find and did they say anything about others having an issue.?
  11. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    I'll post the results (if I can remember). Anyhow he said that this was really rare. He didn't remember seeing this before on any of the Harleys.:confused:
  12. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    i just did a front head gskt. it was also leaking oil. not a bad job. pretty quick.
  13. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    That's encouraging. Is there enough room to get the bolts out and the rocker box & head off without lifting or removing the tank, etc?
  14. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    Removing the tank is easy and would make the job easier to do.
  15. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    So you probably don't want to start the job just after coming from the gas station - unless you have a good can to store the fuel in????:roflmao:
  16. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    :D Yea would be easier to not have a full tank. Full tanks are heavier anyway.:)
  17. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    Dropped the bike off yesterday afternoon for 9A appointment this morning. Anyhow it turned out as expected - the ACR gasket was leaking. I picked the bike up this afternoon and took a good sniff of the engine when I got home and NO oil smell. Now if I can just talk myself out of the 255 cams............
  18. FLHTbiker

    FLHTbiker Moderator Staff Member

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    I like my 255 cams in my 2011 103 Limited.
    I thought the ACR was new for 2012 bikes???
  19. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    The first time I took the bike to have the oil leak checked, the tech told me that from the oil trail and location he felt it was the ACR gasket and I think I read in the Owners Manual about the ACR. I'll check again when I'm up there for the HOG meeting Saturday.
  20. dmassey

    dmassey Active Member

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    Did you put you cams in with the fuel tuner, etc? I'm wondering how much difference I should notice adding the cams to my setup.

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