oil on spark plugs : V-Twin Forum: Harley Davidson Forums

DR Ransom · 10-31-2009, 08:26 PM

Greetings:

I might buy a 75 FXE shovel.
I checked the spark plugs, and they had oil on them,
not fouled the bike ran good.
Would I need to do a top end on this bike or could I ride it some &
do the top end later?
Maybe I could use this fact for bargaining.

Any advice would be helpful

Thanx in advance

ultraplusrotax · 11-01-2009, 05:58 AM

It could be that the owner put oil through the sparkplugholes for long time storage.
If that is not the case then you have worn oil-scrape rings ( and all other rings... and probably all moving parts!!!) or worn-out valve seats.
Ride the FXE "hard and fast" for an hour, if it still responds to your commands you shouldn't be worried to buy it if [after the engine has cooled down] the spark-plugs aren't oiled anymore. Good luck.

Ed Y · 11-01-2009, 09:15 AM

On the older shovels, it's also always nice to know if valve seats have been changed for unleaded fuel. If I remember correctly, it was late 70's before HD made the change at the engine build plant.

rosascycle · 11-01-2009, 03:19 PM

Shovelhead engines didn't come with valve seals until early 1980's in 1975 they had the first long reach spark plugs. Most of them after about 15K miles needed top end upgrading no lead conversion valves & Guides.You can get by with changing spark plugs when they foul, and they are more likely to foul in stop and go traffic more often than highway running. How many miles are on the bike and what type carb is on it? give a call if you wish I'll tell you all I can from 35yrs Shoveling

DR Ransom · 11-11-2009, 08:36 PM

Hi
Thanx for the info.
I got the 75fxe.
It does not smoke, it starts up ,I started it with kick and electric.
I rode it some Fri, I need to rebuild the brakes before I ride it on the road much.

It still has the dry clutch system, I have a Karata primary belt kit for shovels.
I would like to isolate the primary & install this kit later.
Right now works ok with the original set up, I don't like the clutch debris in the oil though.
Believe it or not it does not leak oil, it seeps some around the rocker boxes.

Is there a simplified written instructions for rebuilding shovels?
I will do this myself later.
D