Hi all,

I know my posts have become sporadic but I have been separated from my bike for about a yr. When I last posted, I was having clutch issues but unsure of how to diagnose them. I was a newb wrencher then.

Most recently, I have started the process of replacing my clutch assembly.

Background:
Drove the bike from DC to GA after a carb replacement,oil change, etc
Arrived in GA and got 2 flats, a week a park, decided to park the bike-noticed clutch slippage around this time ie no power to accelerate and began posting.

Today:
I work for Eaglerider/HD and have the ability to bring my bike to work to work on it.
I have it up on the lift and am now rehabbing her.

I have pulled the exhaust, clutch case cover, carb, battery, oil and air filters.

My air filter smelled of gasoline.
My oil filter needs replacing.
My oil pan which was drained a yr ago when I first open the clutch case was 90% full of water 10% oil.

At this moment, my stomach sank. I went to talk to the techs at Hellbender.
"There is sludge in my clutch case, rust on the top half of the gears, oil pan was full of water. Is my engine done? "
I was told to pull the spark plug, run new oil, and start her up.

I am the only metric rider here. I trust his knowledge but I prefer the opinions of fellow savage enthusiasts. What should I do here guys?
My boss is preaching hellfire and brimstone,telling me that my bike may be done.
I have just ordered a complete clutch assembly and new tires. I really hate the idea that something more and much worse could be wrong.

Any steps for diagnostics?
Any suggestions to assuage my fears?

The bike is currently not running as I have pulled everything off to get it ready for the new clutch assembly and I want it to start properly the first time.

Also, for those who may be curious-the clutch is fried and needs to be replaced. A complete basket assembly was cheaper than the barnett kit.
The tire had a nail dead center and is being replaced with a dunlop 404g.
The battery is on a tender until reassembly.
The gas has been drained.
So, right now unless I pull the engine-I'm not sure how I will test to be sure there was no real damage.

A third opinion was given that a brass brush would take care of the rust on the gears in the clutch case.
My boss is saying that my oil pan and engine head prob have rust as well. Likely?
When I pulled the muffler I ran my hand along the inside of the head and  felt no moisture. so, idk.  


Thanks guys,


Jaye

Here is where I think the water entered. I’d drained the oil and started prepping for the clutch repair but moved for work and had to leave the bike.my Vindictive ex cut my cover and my clutch case wasnt air tight, gasket is/was done and so, here we are.

The oil pan had almost a quart of water inside.

The bottom of the clutch case was full of oily sludge. Rust is as appears in picture.

Hoping my engine is ok. I love this bike. Shouldn’t have left it  :'(

How long did it sit with all this water in there?  BTW, your cam chain tensioner looks to be at the end of it's useful life.  It's waaaay out there.

I would try the diesel flush.  Then put it back together without changing any parts except for a new oil filter and new oil.  Use a cheap brand of 10W-40.  Start it up.   If it runs, warm it up and ride it around at very, very low speed (like in a parking lot).  Repeatedly shift it through all five gears, up & down.  After about 30 minutes of operation in this fashion, drain the oil and take a look.  The oil will probably be full of rust debris.

Refill with fresh cheap 10W-40 and repeat the warm up and slow drive process.  Then drain the oil again.  It should look a lot better.  If it looks pretty clean, fill it with a fresh batch of cheap 10W-40 and go for a short ride.  If it runs OK and isn't making any horrible noises, it's time to decide if you want to take a chance on investing any cash in the new tensioner and fixing the clutch (you can still e-Bay the new clutch assembly you bought).  

Of course if you decide to keep it, you want to get that cheap 10W-40 out of there and refill with some good oil and a new filter.

Hope rings eternal.

Although, you guys are making me wonder if this is worth the investment. This is my baby and I won't be selling her.

Emotions and economic decisions are not the smart combination.

The rusty surfaces don't worry me as much as what the water may have done to the bearings , that might be the limiting factor for continued investment in restoring the bike. During the final  flush  , you could try running the bike through the gears rotating the motor by hand ,by jacking the bike and using the rear wheel.

I brought the carb home to clean it today and will be back at work tmrw to put it back together for the flush. The general consensus among the techs over at HD is the diesel will dry out my seals but that MMO would be a good bet. Justin-o-guy has never steered me wrong before tho so I am going to attempt the diesel flush. Should I mix it with the 10w-40 or just a straight shot?

The carb has some green liquid in the float bowl-I'm assuming this is from the old gas.
I pulled the carb to clean it and was intending to run seafoam through it and the tank when i put the new basket in. I can't ride it until I install the new basket.
I am pretty certain the water got in through my clutch case bc it wasn't watertight nor was it covered. The sludge was around the bottom of the clutch basket and not really anywhere else. As stated, the oil pan was full of water just a few drops of milky oil floating in the mix.
I rode the bike to GA, picked up a nail, had the tire repaired and then picked up another. I rode it home from the tire place and noticed the bike would not accelerate going uphill-it took my a few wks to work up the courage to remove my exhaust and pull the clutch cover.
It took us a while here on the forum to figure out what was going on prior to me pulling the cover and sure enough, it was fried.
I can disassemble the bike and take pics of whatever is needed. Just tell me where to start. Once the spark plug is out, I should pull the belt off of the belt drive? Is this to turn the gears and essentially move the oil through each in lieu of riding it?

The plan was to replace the clutch basket, tire, and filters;change the oil and clean the carb-inspect it for anything further since it has been sitting. I wasn't expecting a possible engine overhaul.  

The carb has some green liquid in the float bowl-I'm assuming this is from the old gas.



I've seen that. Yes, evaporated gas leaves that green gobooger.


I pulled the carb to clean it and was intending to run seafoam through it and the tank when i put the new basket in.

Nah,clean the carb, every tiny passage and jets. Clean the tank. If you don't have a Raptor Petcock, do that.
If you do, put gas in the FLUSHED tank, and let it flow into a clear catch. Note flow and clarity.

I don't understand why the Harley boys think that diesel will dry out your seals, it's oil! It's not gas or a harsh cleaning fluid. It should not damage your seals, ( seals are rubber-most rubber is made from oil )I've soaked  O-ring drive chains in it to remove rust and dirt many times in the past ,with no hint of damage to the O-rings. Diesel is just thin oil and should not effect your clutch ,I'm not sure what's in MMO,read the can ,if it does not have JASO MA1-MA2 certification then it's not approved for use with a wet clutch. (trucks ,cars and big Harley's have clutches separate from the engine) .Bottom line ,HD boys only know HD's,take their advice with a grain of salt.