2005 RoadKing using oil

[tgd61]

My 05 Road King is using/burning, definitely not leaking oil. It uses about 1qt. every 500 miles. I spoke with a service manager at Sacramento Harley. He tells me the 05's had some issues with the valve seals and or guides. The plugs foul badly at 1000 miles. He claims a new seal and guide design was done on 06 models. He said no service bulletin, campaign or recall were issued. I asked what are people doing. He replied just dealing with it or getting it fixed at customers expense unless is was discovered under warranty period.

This is sorta of a shitty deal. This began at 8500 miles. I know I should have been riding it more so the problem came up under warranty. But, moved, new job etc prevented that. Seems unreasonable that the customer has to fork out $$ for a major repair at due to bad design or parts.

Has anyone else dealt with this problem? Anyone have any luck with recourse through Harley?

[jasilva]

The service thief, er ah, I mean manager is right about it being a common 05 problem. However there was a service bulletin about it and Harley was fixing bikes that had the problem. Try a different dealer and see if they are more willing to fix it and get the MoCo to pay. If not I'd call the HD customer service number and start complaining. This is a known problem. If you have no luck with getting it taken care of I'd find a good reputable independent shop and get it fixed or if your comfortable working on your bike do it yourself. Not a lot of work involved in pulling heads and some place like Big Boys can street port and replace seals for $300-400. This would be a good time to bore it out to 95" and put in the hydraulic tensioner/roller chain conversion and get a nice set of Andrews conversion cams. You can also go to gear drive cams and go with Woods or S&S. Personally I'd avoid Sac HD, Eagles Nest in Lathrop has a couple of good mechs.

[tgd61]

great, I really appreciate your advice. and yes, I did consider the "upgrades" you had mentioned if I have to start taking things apart anyway.

[20538]

I rode across Michigan and back with a friend who was in from out of state. he rented a 05 touring bike and that sucker used so much oil in 1000 miles he was almost down to 1 quart on the dip stick. they don't rent bikes anymore after that year, go figure. I've heard from my dealer I go to in Ohio they fixed those who brought their bikes back with a problem. after that many years I know is the real question.

[Shed]

Write to corporate and ask for a good will gesture / extension of warranty. If not independent shops are normally cheaper.

[Anthony8858]

Here's what I found regarding the service bulletin:

August 10, 2005
Valve Seal Updates
• 2005 models and early production 2006 vehicles use a one-piece valve seal and
lower spring seat design (p/n 18094-02) that can cause oil leakage between the
guide and the seal when side loaded or miss-installed. These can be identified by
the silver seal ring and black rubber material.
• A new version one-piece valve seal and lower spring seat design (p/n 18094-02A) is
being implemented into service parts to improve sealing properties and minimize
installation issues.
• The first batch of this new seal can be identified by a green seal ring as shown
below. Towards the end of the month 18094-02A seal kits will change to an orange
colored rubber material to improve visual identification of the new parts.
• Twin Cam 88/88B production will be moving to this design in the near future with
middle-weight powertrain and service parts to follow shortly thereafter.
• Please utilize this new design during any future top end services.
Warranty and Service Procedures
• Any individual 18094-02 valve seals in your inventory may be used on Middle-Weight
Powertrain repairs.
• Current engine gasket kits may be used on 2004 - 2006 Sportster and 2003 - 2006
Buell engines.
• Current gasket kits (top end p/n 17052-99B and engine p/n 17053-99A) may also be
used on 2004 and earlier Twin Cam 88/88B engines without any special steps.
• When using current gasket kits (top end p/n 17052-99B and engine p/n 17053-99A) on
2005 and 2006 Twin Cam 88/88B models discard the 18094-02 valve seals included
and use part number 18094-02A in their place, and the included seal protector during
installation.
• For warranty repairs that involve the use of these engine gasket kits (p/n 17052-99B &
17053-99A), you may also claim 1 valve seal kit p/n 18094-02A as part of the repair.
These additional parts will only be allowed on MC warranty claims filed against your
existing inventory of gasket kits used to repair 2005-2006 Big Twins.
• Future kits will have the new valve seals included so additional parts should not be listed
on warranty claims.

[hardwork2]

my 05 ultra used about 1 qt every 1500 miles or so.but I ride it its never been really babied. I figure alot has to do with the way I ride.

[road_king]

Originally Posted by hardwork2

my 05 ultra used about 1 qt every 1500 miles or so.but I ride it its never been really babied. I figure alot has to do with the way I ride.

No matter how you ride, it shouldn't burn a qt of oil that frequently.

[jasilva]

Originally Posted by hardwork2

my 05 ultra used about 1 qt every 1500 miles or so.but I ride it its never been really babied. I figure alot has to do with the way I ride.

Originally Posted by road_king

No matter how you ride, it shouldn't burn a qt of oil that frequently.

Yep, my high comp 95" gets ridden hard every time I get on it and I don't even use 1/2 quart in 3k miles between oil changes.

[tgd61]

Thanks again for the other feedbacks. I did contact the dealer in Vacaville where I bought the bike. Service manager was aware of the mentioned tech bulletin. He is putting in a Goodwill repair request for me. We'll see what happens....

[ChopperDude]

Originally Posted by tgd61

Thanks again for the other feedbacks. I did contact the dealer in Vacaville where I bought the bike. Service manager was aware of the mentioned tech bulletin. He is putting in a Goodwill repair request for me. We'll see what happens....

I wrenched in a dealership for 4 years, left in late '07. Yes, somebody did post the correct Service Bulletin when the MoCo found the problem.

However, what is missing is that sometime after that, they sent out a communication saying that they would NOT be fixing these under factory warranty. Why? Because the factory warranty is only 2 years, and all '05 bikes are older than that now. Even those who bought the Extended warranty may be out of luck. Many don't know it, but the extended warranty is NOT through the MoCo, but instead a different company. It's been awhile, but I seem to recall the extended warranty company denying some claims in this regard, saying it should have been found/fixed earlier? (And therefore fixed under the factory warranty?).

I'm a little vague on that last part, as it has been 2 years since I left. But I do remember there being issues. And our dealership was honestly one of the ones that tried to do the *right* thing but our customers.

Anyway... I feel your pain. I bought an '05 EG Classic that had the same problems. I knew to be on the lookout for it, and sure enough, by my 5000 service (first year), my plugs were getting semi-fouled. So I got to have mine fixed under warranty, and I got to do the work myself. Bonus. Wish I had the money to install a big-bore kit, but was too strapped at the time. Oh well.

Good luck... hopefully you'll get it taken care of and not on your dime.

[jasilva]

Originally Posted by tgd61

Thanks again for the other feedbacks. I did contact the dealer in Vacaville where I bought the bike. Service manager was aware of the mentioned tech bulletin. He is putting in a Goodwill repair request for me. We'll see what happens....

The VV dealership has improved lately. New owner last year and they're trying to erase the bad rep. the old owners had earned. Don't know about the service dept. but parts and sales have definitely improved.

[RK05]

If you have been thinking about going to a 95ci setup now is the time to do it. When I had my seals changed the dealership did my bigbore kit for free since they were already half way there. I would ask them what they would charge if you were to buy a BB kit from them?

[emirharley]

I had similar problem on my - at that time - three years old HD RKC, including blue smoke and the smell of oil from the mufflers. I had been maintaining my bike on regular basis, taking care of bike, careful driving/riding et cetera, so I approached my HD dealer in neighboring Croatia, they approached HD European Head Office in Belgium, so finally they approved and showed so called "Good Will" and fixed the bike on their expenses. I think they changed pistons and piston rings (they told me that unofficially), but actually and officially, they did not want to tell me what they really had done.

Since that time, bike runs like charm.

[tgd61]

Well, all your advice helped. The dealer I purchased the bike from put in good will request. He said Harley offered to pay 350.00 toward the repair. He expressed he was surprised as they are really tighten up due to the economy etc. I think this is when they need to step up for the customers as they can't afford to loose any more or bad word of mouth. He says the seal replacement, assuming that's the problem, is about a 580.00 job. I guess I'm OK with that plus I got some Harley points on my HD credit card.

I did consider doing the 95" since this is being done and will see what they would charge for that.

Thanks guys for your help!!