"Factory trained" techs are a thing of the past. Most dealer techs, bike and car, are not properly trained and actually don't know how to do things right. I've worked on cars and bikes professionally over 40 years and never went a full year without some type of training and refresher courses as bikes and cars progressed into better machines. Great video, it's good to see young folks take pride in their work.
The EPA made harley davidson run the engine blow by back into the throttle body . You dont have to leave it like that. Run it to the ground or a catch can. No more dirty air cleaner.
Start with their engeneers, when you still build crap after 120 years, something is real wrong. Why not hire Japanese ingeneers like they once did for the "German" V Rod? Be honest, the quality difference is visible.
Do not feel bad for that dealership. This is probably not the only person as you mentioned that has been burned by that place. Hack work is hack work. The service manager is not doing his job and obviously neither is the tech's. I am the senior tech at an independent Harley Davidson shop in Detroit. We see this crap all the time. We don't do the ten year garbage either. We work on any year or model Harley. I've been a master tech with over 43 years experience. I make it my mission to give the best service possible. We can't fix stupid, but we can fix their dump mistakes. Keep up the great work.
Wow, just wow. How do they miss that! I mean Jesus Christ, that's a huge oversight. Nice catch man! And from what I've seen since I've started watching ur channel, u do great work man. Very capable mechanic and your attention to detail is spot on. I'd totally trust u to work on my bike any day!
Awesome job finding and fixing the issue! I hope the owner of the bike let the shop in question know their mechanic made a mistake just so it doesn’t happen again to someone else.
Your work proves your better then what they say they are bro, don’t feel bad for calling these guys out who will fuck you over time and time again your work proves it you don’t even have to say shit about it. Keep doing what your doing .
Hey, Gilstrap. Great video and a spot-on diag. We too are a small shop comprised of people who are not down with the average (at best) service that our motorcycle manufacturer's service departments are putting out. Your dialogue on the test ride echoes our sentiments exactly. Keep up the good work, bro!
My man! Thank you 🙏🏻 I’m focused way more on over all quality than I am on getting work in and out. Unfortunately, that’s how the dealers value their time.
I’d be showing this video to the HD dealership who initially installed this and get my money back! That’s just frickin wrong 🤬 Tech didn’t forget!! If one cover was on and the other cylinder’s wasn’t, then I’d say they “forgot” it. But both not having the covers, just solidifies the tech didn’t know what they were doing. I would also let others know which tech/dealership did this. Customers can decide the fate of the dealership with their wallets, since obviously HD corporate won’t do squat. IMHO
You have very real, very valid points. I have had a few people request that I expose the dealership that did the work, but I will still chose to remain silent on that issue because 1) my impact on the platform is very small, and the people who do watch my videos are very seldom local to my area, and would not benefit from a warning to “stay away” 2) if some how I was able to expose the sub-par quality to Southern California, it would only make things difficult for me, because i personally know owners of growing independent shops that have been turned away at parts counters because they are seen as “competition” And lastly 3) the dealership was informed of what was found after their “repair” because the customer requested a refund on the unused part of the extended warranty, and he said explained why. So I hope that the tech was able to learn from the mistake, and will strive to do better. We all started at the bottom, and unfortunately the best learning experiences come at the expense of mistakes. I truly do appreciate the feed back, I appreciate the interaction on my page here. And if I ever have the opportunity to help you personally, I look forward to it.
It is a shame today when you go some where to get a problem fixed and you pay out of the ass for it and all you get is a good fucking and have to go some where else. so much for the qualified mechanics at some of these dealerships. get you money back for time wasted and the amount plus of what he paid to have it done the wrong way. pain and suffering added on to the total bill. fuck em stick it in their ass like they tried to stick in yours. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
@@GilstrapGarage well at least the guy who bike this is knows now who to bring his bike to to get properly fixed instead of whatever dealership it was he had working on it before. Always good to gain a new loyal customer 👍🏻
I agree with you 100% I’m not the best and I don’t claim to be, but I have been a Harley Davidson Tech for going on 5 years now and it is crazy the stuff I see that comes to my shop from a dealership.
Awesome job fellow. Thanks for correcting the problem . It sucks that dealers don't have any experienced help. Putting on accessories is to the extent they can do. SMH
Thanks for posting and very informative. Was having a similar issue with my 2018 107 M8 and think the issue was fixed. However, I’m going to explore some other options and upgrades to keep the bike running as long as possible. Was mostly in the hotter weather (95 plus degrees in the Southwest) and one HD dealer in California was suggesting I replace the oil pump which I declined. Potentially going to upgrade to Fueling Parts oil pump (if needed) and their breathers. Thanks again. PS, no,issues currently
Great helpful video my brother. I'm new to Harleys and just got a nice 05 electra glide with a 95ci I noticed it puking oil terribly. If I change those breathers will I still need a catch can or external vent? I don't want it sucking this crap back into the throttle body. Thanks man
I have a 2003 Road King Classic. I am losing oil through the air filter. It happens when I mainatin a speed of 80-85mph for a long period of time. This happens more since I had a hydraulic oil pump installed. Do you think this may be related to the same issue you corrected?
Hey bud, I got a 2005 Road King classic with the same problem,... highway speed for 2-3 hours and she starts dripping bad. Another thing, My engine oil always reads high on the dipstick? Does your eng oil read high? My oil is always over the mark, hot or cold. I do all that myself so I know it's got the right amount in. I'm wondering if the oily filter and the high reading on the dipstick are related.
I think where the problem lies is that they went from being hourly technicians to commission technicians, and now they get paid on how many bikes they can shove out the door. Less pride in the work they do. But they aren’t the only local dealership in my area putting out poor quality work.
I truly believe that word of mouth is the best advertisement and I would bet you are as busy as you want or can handle but the more times you fix a simple screw up like this the more work your going to get! I hope you get to ride more than just test rides but that's more than I have been able to do lately keep the rubber size down much respect
I want you working on my bike. Just because you seem to enjoy what you do and it shows in your work. You want happy customers. I'm hitting the subscribe button and look forward to your videos.
Nice video, now I know about those head breathers. My 07 Ultra just has some seepage coming from that rubber crossover hose externally. Guess those breathers could be clogged?
Not necessarily. A little oil venting out is normal. They come stock vented in to the intake for emission purposes, so a lot of the time you’ll see the butterfly valve on the throttle body oily. Quickest, easiest way to check the integrity of the breathers (didn’t talk about it in the video) is to drain your engine oil from the bike with your fill cap still secured/tight. If the oil flows freely, you need to change the breathers. If it gurgles back at you, you’re likely in good shape.
In my experience, authorised dealers offer poor service, are not intelligent when it comes to issues described by a customer, make idiotic mistakes like this (and often refuse to accept they got it wrong, let alone refund). I have no HD dealers in my local area. The nearest, which wasn't very near, recently closed anyway. Where I live is classic country riding roads, and I see hundreds of Harleys every day (a popular destination for groups). But, if I canvas the riders over a drink, there are no good words for any of the dealers that I might reach within a few hours of riding. I even had to go across country to pick up my softail, because none of those dealers nearer were even interested enough to call me back. These dealers have gone soft on what they make and are not hungry enough to offer a decent level of service. Sadly, my local independent shop has just closed (was only a mile from my house), their site was bought by developers (more houses), and I have yet to find another shop like them. DIY seems the only choice right now.
You are a class act. But I hope you reached out to the service manager at the dealer in question and notify him of the many issues you're aware of following repairs made at their dealership. It may be just one mechanic that's making these mistakes. In any case notifying the dealer will hopefully prevent others from experiencing substandard maintenance and repairs.
A major miss on the dealers part! I would be more than a little upset and would never trust them even with a simple oil change. I love the local small shops! better quality less money. Great video!
Thanks for sharing. I was kinda wondering why I had oil in my filter. This is my first Hallrley. Not first bike. I do enjoy working on it my self. Quality and honest work is hard to find these days. Have a good well bro 🤙🏼
Oh man. I picked up a '99 FXDL in the spring with 25k miles on. Log says it's had 7 owners that barely used it, still got paper labels inside the fenders. I declined a test ride until I'd been through it enough to call it safe to take around the block. It ran like crap and the brakes were unsafe. Spent a shed load of time trying to get it to run properly. Turns out someone long ago fitted an EFi non venting cap on a carb TC88. The symptoms are obvious once it's nailed down but that cap must have been on there through a bunch of unlucky people who still think a Harley is a temperamental piece of junk with bad brakes. The rear wheel was a mile out making left bends scary, front discs had wavy wear from the top slide pins being seized. Rear brake had EBC pads that were incompatible with the caliper. All topped off with fueling 525 and Vance and Hines straight shots and a big sucker. How it didn't dump someone off is a mystery. Going with S&S 509g and hopefully put big miles on it. 3rd Harley since 1988. Good luck with the channel. The list of faults caused by just about everyone that touched this one is too long to be interesting.
thanks man...just bought a 2010 ultra classic....vance hines slip ons...air breather...and fuel pack...spitting out out some oil inside the air breather...will certainly check out your recommendations
Took my 2015 SGS to Atlanta Harley for a safety inspection. After done drove home and saw the front brake reservoir cover was just sitting there not bolted down. I was able to just pull it off. With the bike having custom paint I was lucky not to have any fluid drip on the paint. I was pissed to say the least.
Great video. Nice work. Good to see a conscientious, knowledgeable indy. Wish I had one around me here in N Fla.Question...how can I know if my Automatic Compression Release valves/solenoids are working? I've got a terrible rattle/knock for the first 20 or so seconds of start up. Once running, great! No knocks/rattles. Had rocker lockers installed a year ago with new gaskets.
I got a 2005 Road King, 96 cube, with a carburettor. I got oil coming out the air filter, not much, usually just a bead. But after about 2-3 hours at 120-140 kph it'll start to drip. Also, a while back, the eng oil started reading high on the dipstick. I do all the oils and most other stuff myself, so I know I'm not overfilling it. But I also know bikes don't make oil. Any ideas would be appreciated.
I’m having a similar issue with my M8 Softail. About a week ago it started puking oil through my air cleaner. Never had any issues with it before. 2018 FLSB with just under 50k miles. Oil consumption has almost doubled from 1/2qt every 750-100 miles to 1/2qt every 400 miles. And of course it happened when I was on trip and 2000 miles from hours. Hoping the breathers are just jacked up. That’s what a different dealer shop thinks it is
When I do the breathers on engines that have higher compression & bigger cylinders... I drill those little drain back holes with a .062 drill bit... CrazyHorse Speed Shop NJ usa
Great video and yea the STEALER (aka dealer) are good for one thing, oem parts. The techs are lacking. Unless it’s an old dude in the service department. I have two, FLHTCUI-99 and a 2002 FLHTCU carb. And I wrench in my own. Service manual and some specialty tools and time and patience. But great catch on the problem.
"They" being the Harley dealer, did that so he would bring the bike back in and they could charge him even more money for a "difficult" job knowing full well what the issue was.
A local HD dealership where I used to live at in Florida sent Panhand Shovelhead and even Evo work to me since there techs don't know these old scooters.
I wish you were closer! Had blow back on a bike that recently had cam replacement and feeling gear drive kit to replace worn out tensioners.. Refused to bring it back and had another indy look at it and it was a shotshow. He also said it was overfilled and it sumped. 6 months last Friday to be exact, I was taking same bike( 01 Fatboy) to a Rally, Same highway noticed smoke in my rear view then got off the next exit and AGAIN Oil spewed all over right side of Bike! Any thoughts? Great Video!!!
It’s f….. unbelievable how some jerks think they are pro-mechanics if they just were a Shopshirt with their name on it, talk about giving the profession a bad name…. a broken snout should keep them away ✊🏻☠️
I am trying to find these parts online for a sportster, 2017 xl1200cx to be exact. I would like to refresh them as I notice a decent amount of oil condensate in the air cleaner. Having trouble finding the part number, as I would like to stay oem.
He took it to the dealership and they found the problem: the emblem on the tank. 😂😂 On the other side, AGAIN a home wrencher that found problems that a dealership could NOT find. Says a lot about HD, not? Same here in the EU, some official dealers call the home wrenchers when they have real problems. A shame, a huge shame.
cmon, now. i distrust dealers as much as anybody, but this is unbelievable malpractice. My gut tells me this was a home repair by a random idiot. I just cannot believe that a certified HD mechanic would be guilty of this ridiculous bullshit
Those Techs need to stop calling themselves "Harley Wizards" and learn 2 concentrate on their work. There's no excuse for not installing those cover plates. He had to remove the old ones first. I wonder if your buddy really needed fork seals. I changed out my brake fluid and bled the brakes my self. The brakes were fine. 6 months later, I took my bike in to a dealer and they checked my brake fluid while they had it and said that it was brown and needed changing. I told them not to change it, and when I got the bike back, the brake fluid was fine. Clear purple! I'm just saying, that people aren't concentrating on their work anymore. Maybe even doing too quick an evaluation and recommending service that is really not needed, and then performing sub par service.
Yet one more reason to avoid the McDealerships like the plague. As much as I can, I do repairs myself. But when I need to go to someone I always worry.
Harley dealerships especially Sacramento Harley the service members are like talking to a high school student working at oreillys or autozone…they fix the shit that’s not even the problem just to Cause more
Great Video. Im having similar issue but it started after sitting and now it keeps leaking even after running it for awhile. 8o in EVO. does that wear out in the head over time?
I have a brand new 22 fat bob that is also spitting more than normal oil out the air cleaner where it’s dripping down and I can see a lot of it in the clear glass air cleaner I empty the bottom I believe sump screw and got about 12oz of oil what could be the issue ? Any help would be appreciated thank you
Dealer ships are a joke. I have zero respect for any of them. They all rip people off. U work on my own shit with the help of utube. Ty guys for ur videos. Save me to of money
I have this problem and I'll check the head breathers tomorrow...but just took it out of a local shop and they couldn't figure it out so I brought my bike home
That's beyond careless. That's intentional. Seems too me like the dealer was trying to have another comeback to bend the dude over for another $500 too do nothing.
What's up brother Brandon, bro you're a pissa, you tell us and all of TH-cam that the motorcyce is hot ,three times, then you turn around and burn yourself lmao ..who loves you!
Ran into similar issue on my dyna Wondering if my dyna has head breathers as well? As dumb as it sounds Before I go in there and check? I notice a small leak in the air intake took it apart Cause I’m going to clean it Bike stalled on me for running hot today I even put an oil cooling system but now I have this small issue Wondering if it’s even normal Thanks hope to hear back N dope video bro keep up the great content
Yeah, all twin cam models will have this same style breather. If the problem started happening significantly after the bike got hot, you may have another issue. When you take apart your rocker covers, look for any parts that have a gold tint to them and that will be an indication of excessive heat
You’re doing us a disservice by not telling us that dealer’s name that did the work in this case. You’ve been burned, your new customer was burned by them. You don’t have to slam them, but just make mention so people who care about their bikes can avoid, thanks!
Just out of curiosity , I have a 2011 street glide 20,000 miles seem to be having the same problem not a lot of oil but a little bit , I thought because I put a stage 2 air cleaner on maybe something is different fro the stock one, Are those part numbers hundreds of dollars I’ll try it myself 🤑
Nowi have to tear mine down i had a shop rebuild my motor awhile back from 96 to 103 with 574 cams and new breather now it leaks same spot as that im guessing it is the same issue or something simular
Hi Brandon, Daniel here from South Africa. Thank you for your excellent and informative video. I ride a 2016 H/D Sporster iron 883. Also experienced oil leaking from the head breather, seems to be on the back head. Thought it was a major issue, however, after watching a few clips I realised its a 'normal' procedure for the excess oil to be expelled into the air filter system. On stripping the housing I noticed theres a gap between the housing and the breather.... Will sort it out, thank you for sharing your knowledge, very much appreciated.
WOW, just another reason to stay away from the dealerships for service. When we find tech's like yourself it's like finding gold. I live in New Orleans and still use a guy in Burleson Tx. Well worth the time to travel for service above my pay grade. Thanks for the tip on the oil breathers.
Doing work through and paying attention to what you do is well above what these dealers do to bad your to far away im in fargo nd and there dealer service wont listen to there bike owners 10 fffffn weeks i waited to get a warranty job back that they installed wrong
This just might be the answer I've been looking for. I seem to go through a quart of oil every couple of rides. Thanks, Brandon!! Wish you were in Arizona!
"Factory trained" techs are a thing of the past. Most dealer techs, bike and car, are not properly trained and actually don't know how to do things right. I've worked on cars and bikes professionally over 40 years and never went a full year without some type of training and refresher courses as bikes and cars progressed into better machines. Great video, it's good to see young folks take pride in their work.
Thanks for the kind words! I love turning wrenches and expanding my skill set. I definitely try to keep myself humble as well
Kind of sounds like someone I've heard of in Cherry Valley, Ca.
I hope the owner used your video to go back to the dealership and get every dime they charged him... Good work Sir.
Good luck getting your money back.
Video is a year old but I hope the bike owner did use your video to get at least some of his money back.
@@bogiewheelman71they’ll just say this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
I'd be checking fork seal install!
People entrust their life to those who work on their bike. One loose bolt, one missing part can get you KILLED.
Good old Harley Davidson in Victorville fuck that place
The EPA made harley davidson run the engine blow by back into the throttle body . You dont have to leave it like that. Run it to the ground or a catch can. No more dirty air cleaner.
Solid work my brother! I wish Harley had more thorough techs like you.
Thanks man! I’m far from what HD would consider a tech, but I’m capable of keeping bikes running lol
Same reason I started working on my sportster…
Start with their engeneers, when you still build crap after 120 years, something is real wrong. Why not hire Japanese ingeneers like they once did for the "German" V Rod? Be honest, the quality difference is visible.
Do Evolution motors have a head breathers?@GilstrapGarage
Do not feel bad for that dealership. This is probably not the only person as you mentioned that has been burned by that place. Hack work is hack work. The service manager is not doing his job and obviously neither is the tech's. I am the senior tech at an independent Harley Davidson shop in Detroit. We see this crap all the time. We don't do the ten year garbage either. We work on any year or model Harley. I've been a master tech with over 43 years experience. I make it my mission to give the best service possible. We can't fix stupid, but we can fix their dump mistakes. Keep up the great work.
Wow, just wow. How do they miss that! I mean Jesus Christ, that's a huge oversight. Nice catch man! And from what I've seen since I've started watching ur channel, u do great work man. Very capable mechanic and your attention to detail is spot on. I'd totally trust u to work on my bike any day!
That’s much appreciated! Thank you for watching
@@GilstrapGarage where are located.really enjoyed your video first time watcher thanks
@@louisvilla6312 I am in Southern California. About 40 miles south of Barstow. Thanks for watching!
Awesome job finding and fixing the issue! I hope the owner of the bike let the shop in question know their mechanic made a mistake just so it doesn’t happen again to someone else.
I’m living in your town is there a way I can get my bike to you.
Your work proves your better then what they say they are bro, don’t feel bad for calling these guys out who will fuck you over time and time again your work proves it you don’t even have to say shit about it. Keep doing what your doing .
Hey, Gilstrap. Great video and a spot-on diag. We too are a small shop comprised of people who are not down with the average (at best) service that our motorcycle manufacturer's service departments are putting out. Your dialogue on the test ride echoes our sentiments exactly. Keep up the good work, bro!
My man! Thank you 🙏🏻 I’m focused way more on over all quality than I am on getting work in and out. Unfortunately, that’s how the dealers value their time.
Are you in Victorville area ?
That is disgusting,paying good money for a slack ass job.
the guy had to had part on his tabel when he was done right the top part had to buy a newone????
I’d be showing this video to the HD dealership who initially installed this and get my money back! That’s just frickin wrong 🤬 Tech didn’t forget!! If one cover was on and the other cylinder’s wasn’t, then I’d say they “forgot” it. But both not having the covers, just solidifies the tech didn’t know what they were doing. I would also let others know which tech/dealership did this. Customers can decide the fate of the dealership with their wallets, since obviously HD corporate won’t do squat. IMHO
You have very real, very valid points. I have had a few people request that I expose the dealership that did the work, but I will still chose to remain silent on that issue because
1) my impact on the platform is very small, and the people who do watch my videos are very seldom local to my area, and would not benefit from a warning to “stay away”
2) if some how I was able to expose the sub-par quality to Southern California, it would only make things difficult for me, because i personally know owners of growing independent shops that have been turned away at parts counters because they are seen as “competition”
And lastly
3) the dealership was informed of what was found after their “repair” because the customer requested a refund on the unused part of the extended warranty, and he said explained why.
So I hope that the tech was able to learn from the mistake, and will strive to do better. We all started at the bottom, and unfortunately the best learning experiences come at the expense of mistakes.
I truly do appreciate the feed back, I appreciate the interaction on my page here. And if I ever have the opportunity to help you personally, I look forward to it.
It is a shame today when you go some where to get a problem fixed and you pay out of the ass for it and all you get is a good fucking and have to go some where else. so much for the qualified mechanics at some of these dealerships. get you money back for time wasted and the amount plus of what he paid to have it done the wrong way.
pain and suffering added on to the total bill. fuck em stick it in their ass like they tried to stick in yours. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
@@GilstrapGarage well at least the guy who bike this is knows now who to bring his bike to to get properly fixed instead of whatever dealership it was he had working on it before. Always good to gain a new loyal customer 👍🏻
Its great to see an independent mechanic doing his best to help other's. Wish you lived in Dallas Texas. But all the best to ya.
Much appreciated! Thanks for watching.
I agree with you 100% I’m not the best and I don’t claim to be, but I have been a Harley Davidson Tech for going on 5 years now and it is crazy the stuff I see that comes to my shop from a dealership.
Awesome job fellow. Thanks for correcting the problem . It sucks that dealers don't have any experienced help. Putting on accessories is to the extent they can do. SMH
* non-engine related parts... like a phone holder. 😂😂
In the great sea of sketchy dealer operations it's good to see some honesty, good on you Sir. Cheers.
Thank you 🙌🏻
Thanks for posting and very informative. Was having a similar issue with my 2018 107 M8 and think the issue was fixed. However, I’m going to explore some other options and upgrades to keep the bike running as long as possible. Was mostly in the hotter weather (95 plus degrees in the Southwest) and one HD dealer in California was suggesting I replace the oil pump which I declined. Potentially going to upgrade to Fueling Parts oil pump (if needed) and their breathers. Thanks again. PS, no,issues currently
'Certified Harley Mechanics' ...top of the food chain, lol!!! This guy here - efficiency is the key!
Great helpful video my brother.
I'm new to Harleys and just got a nice 05 electra glide with a 95ci
I noticed it puking oil terribly.
If I change those breathers will I still need a catch can or external vent?
I don't want it sucking this crap back into the throttle body.
Thanks man
I've got the same prob, gonna go with a catch can.
I have a 2003 Road King Classic. I am losing oil through the air filter. It happens when I mainatin a speed of 80-85mph for a long period of time. This happens more since I had a hydraulic oil pump installed. Do you think this may be related to the same issue you corrected?
Hey bud, I got a 2005 Road King classic with the same problem,... highway speed for 2-3 hours and she starts dripping bad.
Another thing,
My engine oil always reads high on the dipstick?
Does your eng oil read high?
My oil is always over the mark, hot or cold.
I do all that myself so I know it's got the right amount in.
I'm wondering if the oily filter and the high reading on the dipstick are related.
I think you should say the name of the dealership toward other people and hopefully someone will do something about it
I think where the problem lies is that they went from being hourly technicians to commission technicians, and now they get paid on how many bikes they can shove out the door. Less pride in the work they do. But they aren’t the only local dealership in my area putting out poor quality work.
I truly believe that word of mouth is the best advertisement and I would bet you are as busy as you want or can handle but the more times you fix a simple screw up like this the more work your going to get! I hope you get to ride more than just test rides but that's more than I have been able to do lately keep the rubber size down much respect
I want you working on my bike. Just because you seem to enjoy what you do and it shows in your work. You want happy customers. I'm hitting the subscribe button and look forward to your videos.
That’s awesome man, thank you for that. And thank you for watching!
Nice video, now I know about those head breathers. My 07 Ultra just has some seepage coming from that rubber crossover hose externally. Guess those breathers could be clogged?
Not necessarily. A little oil venting out is normal. They come stock vented in to the intake for emission purposes, so a lot of the time you’ll see the butterfly valve on the throttle body oily. Quickest, easiest way to check the integrity of the breathers (didn’t talk about it in the video) is to drain your engine oil from the bike with your fill cap still secured/tight. If the oil flows freely, you need to change the breathers. If it gurgles back at you, you’re likely in good shape.
In my experience, authorised dealers offer poor service, are not intelligent when it comes to issues described by a customer, make idiotic mistakes like this (and often refuse to accept they got it wrong, let alone refund). I have no HD dealers in my local area. The nearest, which wasn't very near, recently closed anyway. Where I live is classic country riding roads, and I see hundreds of Harleys every day (a popular destination for groups). But, if I canvas the riders over a drink, there are no good words for any of the dealers that I might reach within a few hours of riding. I even had to go across country to pick up my softail, because none of those dealers nearer were even interested enough to call me back. These dealers have gone soft on what they make and are not hungry enough to offer a decent level of service. Sadly, my local independent shop has just closed (was only a mile from my house), their site was bought by developers (more houses), and I have yet to find another shop like them. DIY seems the only choice right now.
You are a class act. But I hope you reached out to the service manager at the dealer in question and notify him of the many issues you're aware of following repairs made at their dealership. It may be just one mechanic that's making these mistakes. In any case notifying the dealer will hopefully prevent others from experiencing substandard maintenance and repairs.
A major miss on the dealers part! I would be more than a little upset and would never trust them even with a simple oil change. I love the local small shops! better quality less money. Great video!
Thank you!
The indie shops definitely tend to care a little more about the bike and the customer. It’s not just a numbers game for them
WTF, was the dealer's mechanic drunk?
Either drunk or new, idk 🤷🏼♂️ 🤣
Good call nice job stay humble 🤙🇺🇸
Mechanics are like doctors. When you find one you have faith and confidence in, never let him/her go!
🙌🏻🙌🏻
Thanks for sharing. I was kinda wondering why I had oil in my filter. This is my first Hallrley. Not first bike. I do enjoy working on it my self. Quality and honest work is hard to find these days. Have a good well bro 🤙🏼
Oh man.
I picked up a '99 FXDL in the spring with 25k miles on.
Log says it's had 7 owners that barely used it, still got paper labels inside the fenders.
I declined a test ride until I'd been through it enough to call it safe to take around the block.
It ran like crap and the brakes were unsafe.
Spent a shed load of time trying to get it to run properly.
Turns out someone long ago fitted an EFi non venting cap on a carb TC88.
The symptoms are obvious once it's nailed down but that cap must have been on there through a bunch of unlucky people who still think a Harley is a temperamental piece of junk with bad brakes.
The rear wheel was a mile out making left bends scary, front discs had wavy wear from the top slide pins being seized.
Rear brake had EBC pads that were incompatible with the caliper.
All topped off with fueling 525 and Vance and Hines straight shots and a big sucker.
How it didn't dump someone off is a mystery.
Going with S&S 509g and hopefully put big miles on it.
3rd Harley since 1988.
Good luck with the channel.
The list of faults caused by just about everyone that touched this one is too long to be interesting.
you're awesome, good dude as well. Really hard to come by these days.
Awesome words, thank you for watching!
thanks man...just bought a 2010 ultra classic....vance hines slip ons...air breather...and fuel pack...spitting out out some oil inside the air breather...will certainly check out your recommendations
Took my 2015 SGS to Atlanta Harley for a safety inspection. After done drove home and saw the front brake reservoir cover was just sitting there not bolted down. I was able to just pull it off. With the bike having custom paint I was lucky not to have any fluid drip on the paint. I was pissed to say the least.
Great video. Nice work. Good to see a conscientious, knowledgeable indy. Wish I had one around me here in N Fla.Question...how can I know if my Automatic Compression Release valves/solenoids are working? I've got a terrible rattle/knock for the first 20 or so seconds of start up. Once running, great! No knocks/rattles. Had rocker lockers installed a year ago with new gaskets.
I got a 2005 Road King, 96 cube, with a carburettor.
I got oil coming out the air filter, not much, usually just a bead.
But after about 2-3 hours at 120-140 kph it'll start to drip.
Also, a while back, the eng oil started reading high on the dipstick.
I do all the oils and most other stuff myself, so I know I'm not overfilling it.
But I also know bikes don't make oil.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
I’m having a similar issue with my M8 Softail. About a week ago it started puking oil through my air cleaner. Never had any issues with it before. 2018 FLSB with just under 50k miles. Oil consumption has almost doubled from 1/2qt every 750-100 miles to 1/2qt every 400 miles. And of course it happened when I was on trip and 2000 miles from hours.
Hoping the breathers are just jacked up. That’s what a different dealer shop thinks it is
When I do the breathers on engines that have higher compression & bigger cylinders...
I drill those little drain back holes with a .062 drill bit...
CrazyHorse Speed Shop NJ usa
Great video and yea the STEALER (aka dealer) are good for one thing, oem parts. The techs are lacking. Unless it’s an old dude in the service department. I have two, FLHTCUI-99 and a 2002 FLHTCU carb. And I wrench in my own. Service manual and some specialty tools and time and patience. But great catch on the problem.
I have a 2021 FXLRS 114 recently took it to a shop they replaced gaskets and o rings now mine is doing the same thing and ticking and pinging
Ty for the video.
I have revolution x 2015 street 750 spurting oil after 9yrs.
"They" being the Harley dealer, did that so he would bring the bike back in and they could charge him even more money for a "difficult" job knowing full well what the issue was.
Great video !!! Thanks. How can I tell the rocker box torque specs ? Should I use loctite ?
A local HD dealership where I used to live at in Florida sent Panhand Shovelhead and even Evo work to me since there techs don't know these old scooters.
Yeah, I don’t think they even take 88” twin cams anymore either.
@@GilstrapGarage Really want to confuse HD techs show um a set of points and condenser in a old bike.
I wish you were closer! Had blow back on a bike that recently had cam replacement and feeling gear drive kit to replace worn out tensioners.. Refused to bring it back and had another indy look at it and it was a shotshow. He also said it was overfilled and it sumped. 6 months last Friday to be exact, I was taking same bike( 01 Fatboy) to a Rally, Same highway noticed smoke in my rear view then got off the next exit and AGAIN Oil spewed all over right side of Bike! Any thoughts? Great Video!!!
Good job. That sucks that the dealership scammed him. My 2010 Fatboy has a little film of oil in the air cleaner too. Doesn’t leak though.
It’s f….. unbelievable how some jerks think they are pro-mechanics if they just were a Shopshirt with their name on it, talk about giving the profession a bad name…. a broken snout should keep them away ✊🏻☠️
I am trying to find these parts online for a sportster, 2017 xl1200cx to be exact. I would like to refresh them as I notice a decent amount of oil condensate in the air cleaner. Having trouble finding the part number, as I would like to stay oem.
He took it to the dealership and they found the problem: the emblem on the tank. 😂😂 On the other side, AGAIN a home wrencher that found problems that a dealership could NOT find. Says a lot about HD, not? Same here in the EU, some official dealers call the home wrenchers when they have real problems. A shame, a huge shame.
I have a 2017 Ultra. What is the best cure for oil blow -by, and dripping oil from the air cleaner?
cmon, now. i distrust dealers as much as anybody, but this is unbelievable malpractice. My gut tells me this was a home repair by a random idiot. I just cannot believe that a certified HD mechanic would be guilty of this ridiculous bullshit
A bunch of certifications to actually start working at the shop and then, look what they do. Lame.
Those Techs need to stop calling themselves "Harley Wizards" and learn 2 concentrate on their work. There's no excuse for not installing those cover plates. He had to remove the old ones first. I wonder if your buddy really needed fork seals. I changed out my brake fluid and bled the brakes my self. The brakes were fine. 6 months later, I took my bike in to a dealer and they checked my brake fluid while they had it and said that it was brown and needed changing. I told them not to change it, and when I got the bike back, the brake fluid was fine. Clear purple! I'm just saying, that people aren't concentrating on their work anymore. Maybe even doing too quick an evaluation and recommending service that is really not needed, and then performing sub par service.
Quite clearly the shop that worked on it initially is completely incompetent and should really be named and shamed. Quite disgraceful.
My bike will do what I call a " Fart Start" then blows oil out of air filter and leaks out while riding. Thanks man, I suspect this is my problem too
Yet one more reason to avoid the McDealerships like the plague. As much as I can, I do repairs myself. But when I need to go to someone I always worry.
Maybe those caps they didn’t put back on sell for big bucks on eBay
Harley dealerships especially Sacramento Harley the service members are like talking to a high school student working at oreillys or autozone…they fix the shit that’s not even the problem just to
Cause more
Great Video. Im having similar issue but it started after sitting and now it keeps leaking even after running it for awhile. 8o in EVO.
does that wear out in the head over time?
I have a brand new 22 fat bob that is also spitting more than normal oil out the air cleaner where it’s dripping down and I can see a lot of it in the clear glass air cleaner I empty the bottom I believe sump screw and got about 12oz of oil what could be the issue ? Any help would be appreciated thank you
Dealer ships are a joke. I have zero respect for any of them. They all rip people off. U work on my own shit with the help of utube. Ty guys for ur videos. Save me to of money
I have this problem and I'll check the head breathers tomorrow...but just took it out of a local shop and they couldn't figure it out so I brought my bike home
That's beyond careless. That's intentional. Seems too me like the dealer was trying to have another comeback to bend the dude over for another $500 too do nothing.
Thanks for the show on your workmanship and seem like an honest dude wish there were more peeps like you on this planet thanks again u f**ken rock!!
Thank you! I definitely don’t take on work to give people a bad experience. I just want everyone to have as much fun with their bike as I do
Dang great video..Hope that Dude got his money back..
Not so fast. It was leaking oil BEFORE he took it to the Harley dealership.
What's up brother Brandon, bro you're a pissa, you tell us and all of TH-cam that the motorcyce is hot ,three times, then you turn around and burn yourself lmao ..who loves you!
Ran into similar issue on my dyna
Wondering if my dyna has head breathers as well? As dumb as it sounds
Before I go in there and check?
I notice a small leak in the air intake took it apart
Cause I’m going to clean it
Bike stalled on me for running hot today
I even put an oil cooling system but now I have this small issue
Wondering if it’s even normal
Thanks hope to hear back
N dope video bro keep up the great content
Yeah, all twin cam models will have this same style breather. If the problem started happening significantly after the bike got hot, you may have another issue.
When you take apart your rocker covers, look for any parts that have a gold tint to them and that will be an indication of excessive heat
@@GilstrapGarage thanks man will check it out
You’re doing us a disservice by not telling us that dealer’s name that did the work in this case. You’ve been burned, your new customer was burned by them.
You don’t have to slam them, but just make mention so people who care about their bikes can avoid, thanks!
Just out of curiosity , I have a 2011 street glide 20,000 miles seem to be having the same problem not a lot of oil but a little bit , I thought because I put a stage 2 air cleaner on maybe something is different fro the stock one, Are those part numbers hundreds of dollars I’ll try it myself 🤑
Harley Dealerships across the country and the staff are a joke. They charge you so much money and they half ass everything.
I think you've answered my problem. Can this be done at home?
the wrong spark plugs can cause this issue also, trust me… I found out the hard way
Nowi have to tear mine down i had a shop rebuild my motor awhile back from 96 to 103 with 574 cams and new breather now it leaks same spot as that im guessing it is the same issue or something simular
Good Job... sad to see this was down to the bike from a Dealership...
Thanks for this video brother. I just bought a 2014 fat bob that is doing this 🤘
Nice video I live in apple valley and just got a fat boy do you have a contact info for some questions about it
Shocking seriously
Yes it is, sadly.
Hi Brandon, Daniel here from South Africa. Thank you for your excellent and informative video. I ride a 2016 H/D Sporster iron 883. Also experienced oil leaking from the head breather, seems to be on the back head. Thought it was a major issue, however, after watching a few clips I realised its a 'normal' procedure for the excess oil to be expelled into the air filter system. On stripping the housing I noticed theres a gap between the housing and the breather.... Will sort it out, thank you for sharing your knowledge, very much appreciated.
Good find! Thanks for watching. Glad you found the issue
I had that problem but it’s gone i make sure I don’t overfill with oil
The difference is you care about your work quality!
WOW, just another reason to stay away from the dealerships for service. When we find tech's like yourself it's like finding gold. I live in New Orleans and still use a guy in Burleson Tx. Well worth the time to travel for service above my pay grade. Thanks for the tip on the oil breathers.
That’s awesome you show your support to someone who isn’t very convenient to get to. Sounds like he does a knock out job! 🤘🏻 thanks for watching
I say CALL OUT THE DEALERSHIP.. THey should be OUT OF BUSINESS. What a bunch of thieving scumbags. Good work...
By the way. .The way you laughed when you took off the rocker cover told the whole story right then and there!
and thats why i hate main line dealerships, charge top money and let the newbies on it, at a low rate, IMO fred uk
Doing work through and paying attention to what you do is well above what these dealers do to bad your to far away im in fargo nd and there dealer service wont listen to there bike owners 10 fffffn weeks i waited to get a warranty job back that they installed wrong
Wow, just goes to show you, you can’t trust the dealerships.
Good diagnosis. Nice attitude to customers. Best from NZ
Thank you!
👍👍👍👍👍👍
Bottom line the steeler sucks homie joe down the road will do a better job for cheaper is always my choice
The only H-D dealer I trust is Moonshine HD.
Other than that they all suck
Do I need to Torque the bolts putting the head breather cover back on
Wish I knew you were in the HD when I lived there would’ve went to you
This just might be the answer I've been looking for. I seem to go through a quart of oil every couple of rides. Thanks, Brandon!! Wish you were in Arizona!
I hope so, I always wish for the easiest fix haha. If there’s anything I can help with, let me know! I wish I was in AZ too lol
@@GilstrapGarage are you in minnesota by chance...?!
@@johngonzales2416 nope. We just moved from Southern California to Omaha NE
I have some questions about my bike and same issues and the people at my nearest dealership are useless
That’s pretty shocking!!! 😎
Your awesome. Wish u was around my block
This is why I fear getting a Harley. It's bull