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Broke down Yikes!

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RoadApe

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Got a 2001 Ultra Classic. On my way home from Bike Week at 3:30am, running about 80mph on I-95 and my bike just decided to shut down. Barely got it of the road before getting obliterated by the traffic coming up behind me. After that it would turn over but not start. I did notice a puddle of fluid under the bike and fluid all over the outside of the right side motor.

It was very dark and very cold and it was 6:30am before I actually got myself and the bike home. First thing I did was hit the sack and now...still groggy I could use some ideas of where to start.

Thanks in advance.:newsmile08:
 
I have managed to stumble out to the garage and removed my air cleaner......seems to be excessive amounts of oil in the fuel intake ( what would be a carb if it wasn't fuel injected) just checked the oil level and barely on the stick.....was fine when I left the house
 
You can take a look at your spark plugs, they might be oil soaked from sucking alot of oil through the intake, sounds like the oil pump could be out of alimenment. This is a common problem with the Twin Cams, might be good time to upgrade to the new pump if this is your problem.

It has been observed that some TC-88 engines are experiencing oil in the air cleaner when the vehicle is driven at high speeds. The correction for this condition is to align the oil pump using the EVO tappet block alignment screws, P/N HD- 33443.

1. Loosen all pump assembly mounting screws

2. Remove two screws diagonal to each other

3. Install tappet block alignment screws in these two positions, jack the rear wheel off the ground and torque alignment screws to 40 in. lbs. while turning the rear wheel in sixth gear with the spark plugs removed.

4. Torque the remaining screws

5. Remove alignment screws

6. Install previously removed screws and torque
 
Chopper,

Thanks a bunch for your quick and thorough response. You have given me a great place to start...
 
Mine did that once while extended riding at 75+ MPH. Once the oil cleared from the plugs it ran like a champ all the way home. The bike is sumping and collecting excess oil in the engine. After it pukes, run it easy for a while and recheck the level, it likely will pump the excess oil back into the reservoir.

Remember you only have a 5-speed and with MM injection a higher ratio primary gearing. The motor winds very tight at highway speeds (3500 RPM @ 75 MPH). Time to slow down, take the back roads and enjoy the ride.

Before opening up the engine try running a quality 20W60 synthetic oil. It will not thin as much at high temps and make it easier to pump back into the reservoir.
 
What you describe does sound like a sumping issue. I believe these bikes are designed to run highway speeds all day long without this happening, so when it does, something is wrong. I'm with Chopper on this. My 2000 Ultra did this until I aligned the oil pump and the problem was solved. Has not done it since.:D
 
RoadApe said:
I have managed to stumble out to the garage and removed my air cleaner......seems to be excessive amounts of oil in the fuel intake ( what would be a carb if it wasn't fuel injected) just checked the oil level and barely on the stick.....was fine when I left the house
Click to expand...
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ALL THE INFORMATION GIVEN YOU BY THE OTHER MEMBERS HERE IS SPOT ON......

BUT (there I go again), I would go the EXTRA distance and DO AN UPGRADE while apart! if you think APART is necessary.........

The old OIL PUMPS DID have an alignment problem....AND ,, MOSTLY,,, THE old pump NEEDED MORE VOLUME on sump oil return.

The NEW HD KIT changes out MOST of the troubled parts on that OLDER VINTAGE BIKE (like mine) that had SHORT-COMINGS in MANY things:

The POTENTIAL Shoe Tensioner problems, and the OIL PUMP lacking return volume ,,,, CAN be replaced to IMPROVE your bike to the standards on the 96 inch bikes of today at a VERY LOW PRICE for ALL the parts... un-available back when I changed out mine....

If doing the work yourself, it may cost 429.99 for the KIT and a little more for other NEEDED parts...

I AGREE with OIL PUMP miss-ALIGNMENT BUT,,,, I think YOUR PROBLEM is with the OLD style oil pump NOT BEING ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE OIL SUMP RETURN.......

If you clean you bike(air filter) and start it (if oil on stick) let it run for a couple of minutes, TURN it off THEN check the LEVEL and add oil IF necessary..RIDE IT AND IT SHOULD BE FINE....... a little oil MAY still come out but will CLEAR-UP SOON....

If you ride the bike UNDER the SPEED you PUSHED it to on the way home...... I would BET that it will be okay NOW........

THE BIGGEST problem is like mentioned above and I SEE: Running at a very HIGH RPM and HOT oil NOT GETTING pumped back OUT OF SUMP, (OLD PUMP= NOT ENOUGH VOLUME OUT).....

THE flywheel is SWAMPED in oil,,,, WHIPPING it up into the heads thru the lifter tubes and pushing oil OUT into the air-cleaner at intake....
causing YOUR PROBLEM.

THE NEWER MUCH NEEDED OIL PUMP has MORE oil volume IN engine and OUT..... out the SUMP (back to oil tank) I THINK being your problem.

I replaced my oil pump(2000 dyna) at the time in 2001 and paid 450$ just for the fueling oil pump n lifters....(went gear drive cams as NEWER style HYD. KIT was not available then) with MANY other HOT parts on that build also....

HARLEYs replacement KIT not only address the OIL PUMP problem but the ISSUE with the CAM chain/SHOE tensioner system in the PRE 07 big bikes... THIS (hydraulic) tension conversion ALSO a MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT.. AND at a very good price for ALL the parts needed.(KIT)

YOU can tear it down and align the pump(good suggestion as always from chop) but I THINK IT NOT TO BE THE PROBLEM here....

The LARGER gearotor gears on the NEW oil pump = larger VOLUME IN and OUT...
I think that is what is needed here... GREAT IMPROVEMENTS!!!

JUST MY WAY

signed....BUBBIE
 
RoadApe
Keep us posted on what you find!
Good Luck...and hopefully it will not cost you an "arm and a leg".........if that possible!
 
First of all thanks to all who have posted suggestions.....so far what I have found is that the oil I lost seems to have only come out of my air cleaner. I added some oil and have tried to start the bike....for some reason I'm not getting spark at the plugs. Weird thing is that my guages show a lit up key icon which makes me think that the factory security is on. Funny cuase I never use it. Anyway I have played with the key FOB and think I have the security off but still no spark at the plugs.

I do not have an owners manual for this bike and I'm unfamiliar with the security system and how it works. I know their are settings where you can keep the engine from even turning over and another setting where it will turn over but not crank.

Getting ready to get on some old clothes and go to work on it.....any additional suggestions would be appreciated.
 
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