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Excitement Causes Brain Damage

Zamadan

Zamadan

Active Member
Just finished doing my first oil change on the 07 EG. Read the manual ten times, looked the bike over, found the plug, looked over the tight fit on the oil filter (Had a cooler installed) and was very careful with the filter wrench so I didn't damage the CKP sensor. So I drained the oil, installed a new o-ring on the plug, removed the filter and replaced with a Premium 5. Installed the plug and torgued to 18 foot pounds. Put in 3 1/2 quarts of oil.

Really excited, went to start the bike as normal saw the oil light was on pressed run and it wouldn't start, darn oil oil light didn't go out and just stared back at me, mocking me. Thought for sure I broke something, ran and read the manual, read the oil change tips in the forum and started to panic. Ran back out to the bike tried to start it again, no go, darn oil light laughing in my face, jiggled the ignition switch, sometimes it has a dead spot, bang my bike jumped forward. As a thousand thoughts went through my head I realized when I removed the oil filter I had to lift up on the shifter peg to move the lever back to get the filter out. The Darn Bike Wasn't in Neutral. So I say (As I'm sitting here red in the face) Excitement Causes Brain Damage. PS, Oil light is out, I won.
 
Glad you conquered that bike:D

Retrace your steps and you will usually find the problem every time.
 
The neutral safety switch was a welcome addition to the 07 bikes . Now imagine if it weren't there and your bike started in gear like the older ones did. My neghibor has a older bike without one and one night after replacing the grips on it he didn't realize he had left it in gear. Well he also had the throttle cable on a bind and when he hit the starter button while standing beside it. VROOOOOM it took of in the garage and didn't stop until it hit the wall and flipped over. He wasn't a happy camper.
 
Forgive me for stating the obvious but wouldn't starting your bike with the clutch disengaged negate any problems with whether the bike was in gear or neutral?
 
From 2006 and back you can start harleys with the bike in gear and the clutch out. More than once on my Night train I forgot it was in gear and hit the starter . The bike didn't start but it did lurch forward.
 
great story zamadan... it's fear of doing something stupid that keeps me from attempting even the simplest of task ...like changing the oil:D
 
readski said:
great story zamadan... it's fear of doing something stupid that keeps me from attempting even the simplest of task ...like changing the oil:D
Click to expand...

Take it slow, use the right tools, ask for help if needed, and the joy of a job well done trumps the fear of messing up every time! :)
 
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