Oil drain plug location? : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

JamieWG · 10-13-2005, 09:09 AM

I've got an '06 Dyna Wide Glide. I'd planned to do it's first oil change today, but I found something interesting....

I have the Harley Davidson service manual for the bike, and on page 1-10 there is an illustration showing the bottom of the oil pan. It shows the transmission drain plug as being on the bottom of the pan (facing the ground) and the oil drain plug as being on the side of the pan (facing 9 o'clock when viewing the bike from the rear).

The problem is, the owner's manual shows exactly the opposite. On page 102, there is a photograph of the oil pan. It shows the oil drain plug as being on the bottom of the pan and transmission drain plug as being on the side.

Which one is the oil drain plug??

JamieWG · 10-13-2005, 09:43 AM

I called a Harley Davidson factory warranty representative at HD headquarters. He looked it up on the computer and talked to a factory tech. The owner's manual for '06 Dynas is incorrect. The oil drain plug is on the side and not on the bottom as the owner's manual states.

I wonder how many people who own new '06 Dynas will inadvertantly drain the transmission and wonder why the engine oil didn't drain out?

atimberwolf · 10-13-2005, 11:05 AM

Thanks for doing the research and posting it.

trooper113 · 10-13-2005, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieWG

I called a Harley Davidson factory warranty representative at HD headquarters. He looked it up on the computer and talked to a factory tech. The owner's manual for '06 Dynas is incorrect. The oil drain plug is on the side and not on the bottom as the owner's manual states.

I wonder how many people who own new '06 Dynas will inadvertantly drain the transmission and wonder why the engine oil didn't drain out?

That's really uncool. I'll bet many folks who change their own oil haven't bought the service manual and rely on the owner's manual to be correct. I know I used the owner's manual the first time I changed fluids.

T113

JamieWG · 10-13-2005, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trooper113

That's really uncool. I'll bet many folks who change their own oil haven't bought the service manual and rely on the owner's manual to be correct. I know I used the owner's manual the first time I changed fluids.

T113

Yeah, that's what I thought too. The HD rep couldn't believe it either. He pulled up both the service manual and owner's manual on his computer and he kept saying, "Wow, I am amazed that no one else has ever noticed this." He said they had not received one call about this and it really surprised him. I wonder if HD will send out the info to people who already own '06 model Dynas.

azrider · 10-13-2005, 11:43 AM

OK, now I can post about this. I was too embarassed before.

I did this EXACT thing on my first oil change. Follow the owner's manual instructions and drain what I thought was the oil. Out comes 1 quart that hardly looked used.

I drain what I thought was the tranny fluid, out comes about 2.5-3 quarts of dirty oil. Hmmmm. "I must have looked at the manual wrong." This puzzled me for WEEKS.

I told my wife that I really think something is wrong here.

Vindicated. They need to clear this up in a hurry.

trooper113 · 10-13-2005, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azrider

OK, now I can post about this. I was too embarassed before.

I did this EXACT thing on my first oil change. Follow the owner's manual instructions and drain what I thought was the oil. Out comes 1 quart that hardly looked used.

I drain what I thought was the tranny fluid, out comes about 2.5-3 quarts of dirty oil. Hmmmm. "I must have looked at the manual wrong." This puzzled me for WEEKS.

I told my wife that I really think something is wrong here.

Vindicated. They need to clear this up in a hurry.

Perfect example. I hope they send a correction sheet out for all sold/distributed bikes.

T113

PowerCobra98 · 10-13-2005, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamieWG

I called a Harley Davidson factory warranty representative at HD headquarters. He looked it up on the computer and talked to a factory tech. The owner's manual for '06 Dynas is incorrect. The oil drain plug is on the side and not on the bottom as the owner's manual states.

I wonder how many people who own new '06 Dynas will inadvertantly drain the transmission and wonder why the engine oil didn't drain out?

WOW!!! I'm SO glad you noticed this. I bought the service manual the same day I picked the bike up but I have yet to look at it. I did however read thru the entire owner's manual and according to it, like you stated, the oil plug is on the bottom. I even looked under the bike to see it "in person" just so I would know where it was. If I hadn't have read this thread I'm positive that I never would have looked in the service manual and I would have followed the owner's manual. This seems like a pretty big screw-up to me, or at the very least a big oversite on fact checking.

Now I'll have to find the correct plug on the bike so I know which plug you're talking about for the oil.

azrider · 10-13-2005, 06:12 PM

Here's the pics from the '06 Dyna Manual.

The transmission plug is actually the oil plug. The oil plug is the transmission plug.

azrider · 10-13-2005, 06:18 PM

Here's the diagram from the '06 Dyna Service Manual:

Notice the difference.

JamieWG · 10-13-2005, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PowerCobra98

WOW!!! I'm SO glad you noticed this. I bought the service manual the same day I picked the bike up but I have yet to look at it. I did however read thru the entire owner's manual and according to it, like you stated, the oil plug is on the bottom. I even looked under the bike to see it "in person" just so I would know where it was. If I hadn't have read this thread I'm positive that I never would have looked in the service manual and I would have followed the owner's manual. This seems like a pretty big screw-up to me, or at the very least a big oversite on fact checking.

Now I'll have to find the correct plug on the bike so I know which plug you're talking about for the oil.

The correct drain plug is easy to find. Get down under your bike on the drive belt side. Look up underneath the primary cover. You'll see a 5/8ths hex head bolt that's mounted sideways into the oil pan. If you look a little further under and forward, you'll see the transmission drain bolt that faces the ground. If you're going to change your own oil, you'll need a short 5/8th socket to pull your drain plug. You will also need a strap type oil filter wrench, a 1/2 in and 3/16 in open wrenchs to remove the shift linkage (at the shifter) so you can get the old oil filter out. I highly recomeend stuffing a sheet of thick paper under the oil filter or the front of your engine will be covered in dirty oil. It's not a bad though, took me about 20 minutes. I used just under 3 qts of oil.

PowerCobra98 · 10-14-2005, 09:45 AM

This thread needs to be made into a Sticky as I'm sure the info contained in it is of substantial knowledge for those with '06 Dyna's who will do their own maintenance.

grnwng · 10-14-2005, 10:40 PM

When ya read the owners manuel, look at the street bob illistration. Ya, many things are not what they should be.

fsemeraro · 10-24-2005, 01:57 PM

Ok, now I have a stupid question.

I went to the Harley dealer and asked for Synth oil for my 03 FXD and he said I need 3.9 quarts.

The Service manual for my 03 FXD calls for 2.5 quarts for a regular oil change and 2.9 quarts for an engine rebuild.

This is the first time I am trying this myself and don't want to screw it up.

By the way, my 03 Clymer manual shows the same diagram.

Thanks guys!

azrider · 10-24-2005, 06:58 PM

The dyna does not take 3.9 quarts for an oil change. 2.9 is more like it.