Crack in engine case-primary flange

[jdmboyd]

Hey folks,
Hope everyone's doing well.
Found something new today: there seems to be a crack on the engine case where it mates the inner primary. Is this serious/any ideas?

As always. Thanks for your help.

[JBinNC]

That is a common problem. Comes from loose motor mount bolts, loose or missing or stripped primary screws, or using a chromed or aftermarket inner primary where the machining at that interface is bad, or the chrome has built up on the edges.

It will leak despite almost anything you can do with it. Sure fix is to take the motor apart, weld it up, and machine it back to original configuration.

Lots of bikes get converted to belt primaries so no oil is needed and that eliminates that crack as the source of a leak.

I have contemplated cleaning a crack like that really well with acetone, lacquer thinner, and/ or brake cleaner and then filling the crack with Loctite wicking threadlocker. But I have not tried that yet.

Jim

[7and7is]

On that note what about JB Weld?

[Dragstews]

Ron Trock use to made a steel ring, installs into a machined cut ...



I've installed a few, they work really well ... "No welding" is needed for install ...



VT is making them now ..





Alternator Repair Ring ... Price: $145.31
IN STOCK NOW!
VT No 16-0692

( JB is a lot cheaper, but, will not last very long or 609 Green)

[JBinNC]

Cheaper to weld it up and machine it. The ring works, but it's a lot of expense for no better outcome.

Jim

[confab]

Mine has that crack and someone attempted a welding repair that isn't very good.

I like to run ATF in my primary, so I isolated it from the engine oil and sump and blocked the lines, cleaned it really well with brake cleaner and blew the crack out good.. Then rubbed some permatex "ultra" silicone into it really well with a rag.

With no pressure, it works fine and it has for several years now. Silicone is flexible and works well for such things where a hard material like JB Weld might blow you shit after several heat/cool cycles.

You would be amazed at the casting porosity you can fix with a good cleaning and forcing silicone into the affected area, provided there's little or no pressure involved.

Warning: If you do this, it will probably hose up attempts to weld it properly in the future.

Mine was welded on the inside and then ground for clearance. A top notch welder might be able to do something with it on the bike.

Good luck!!

[jdmboyd]

All, thanks for the input. Also, sorry about the newby mistake (6 yrs?!?), this is my 1980 FLH 80, but you new that.

My primary is also sealed. I had been running 20W50 in there since I've had it and decided to try ATF after the rocker cover gasket R&R in last month. I don't think it's been leaking here; I've been slathering that shoulder seat and o-ring with gray form a gasket and it has seemed to work in the past.

I took the primary back apart yesterday because a drip seems to be coming from the inside primary, about half way back where the front trans bolts and a case plug are; I re-teflonned the plug yesterday. Can't see the best from the bottom looking up, even with it hoisted up, but the leak seems to be coming down from that neighborhood.

I'm waiting for a new gasket and o-ring for the starter gear mount. When I put it together I'm thinking about temporarily extending the the oil lines to mount that pesky oil tank up above the frame so I can get a good look down from behind the primary and see any leaks from there. Couldn't ride it that way of course, but could run it there on the stand and see what I could see.

If this continues to be an issue I may have to bone up on the dry primary belt option. Question: can you run a dry belt inside a closed primary, or does belt width force you to an open primary? The thought of tearing the motor apart and getting that flange welded and machined sounds like a long winter job and we've past that for this year up in VA.

[confab]

They make narrow primary belts and kits to run inside housings.

In fact, I believe the Sturgis was a factory, version of that.. Wasn't it?

[docmel]

[QUOTE=confab;856113]They make narrow primary belts and kits to run inside housings.

In fact, I believe the Sturgis was a factory, version of that.. Wasn't it?[/QUOTE

Yep The "B" in the model stood for belt (Primary) Lotsa folks run belts inside both tin and aluminum primaries

[confab]

They make narrow primary belts and kits to run inside housings.

In fact, I believe the Sturgis was a factory, version of that.. Wasn't it?

Yep The "B" in the model stood for belt (Primary) Lotsa folks run belts inside both tin and aluminum primaries

Yeah, I thought I had seen them like that. They recommend the thinner ones.. 3/4 Inch, maybe?

I'm sure I've seen 3/4 inch setups in the stock primary..

[JBinNC]

[QUOTE=docmel;856117]

They make narrow primary belts and kits to run inside housings.

In fact, I believe the Sturgis was a factory, version of that.. Wasn't it?[/QUOTE

Yep The "B" in the model stood for belt (Primary) Lotsa folks run belts inside both tin and aluminum primaries

I believe the "B" in the model designation stood for the belt final drive, although the Sturgis and the belt WideGlide had both belt primary and final drive.

Jim

[JBinNC]

Yeah, I thought I had seen them like that. They recommend the thinner ones.. 3/4 Inch, maybe?

I'm sure I've seen 3/4 inch setups in the stock primary..

A 1 1/2" wide belt primary drive will fit within either tin or aluminum primary covers. The aluminum primary covers need to be well vented, or the belt life will be short. (I have had that sad experience.)

Jim

[jdmboyd]

Oh, good, so a stock primary can hold a belt drive inside; good/great to know. For some reason when I think of belt drive I see a 3" wide, open primary set-up, which isn't the look I'm after with this Electra Glide.

Jim, if my plumbing efforts fall short I may want to pursue that 1.5" set-up. If so, what would qualify as adequate ventilation, multiple 1/2" holes on the inside?

Thanks again; y'all's knowledge here is spectacular.

John

[JBinNC]

Vented inspection and derby covers should suffice. There are also outer covers with large vent windows.
The inner primary cover can be left as is.

Jim

[Dragstews]

https://jamesgaskets.com/products/jgi-11125-xmsf-kit-crankcase-saver-foamet-shovel?_pos=1&_sid=42074fb91&_ss=r

NOTE: Here's another common sealing problem with a James Gaskets cure.
How often have you found a broken sealing groove between the engine case and inner primary cover?
Over time that lip gets bent, broken or damaged and the result is a nasty leak past the O-ring.
Repairing the groove itself is difficult at best and complete case replacement is out of the question. Enter the James Crankcase Saver Kit.

The James Gaskets Crankcase Saver Kit is a neat fix-all gasket to solve this problem. It'll work regardless of the condition of the lip.
The lip can be completely removed if you want. Using a rubber-covered steel base material, James came up with a gasket to seal the two units at the flange surfaces. The gaskets are coated with a micro sealant.

Installation requires no additional sealers and each gasket includes all the required lock tabs for the primary installation.The Crankcase Saver Kit is available for Evos, Twin Cams and Shovelheads.