Not another bloody oil question... but rest easy as I'm not re-opening the philosophical can of worms about whether you use recycled frying oil or John Deere's finest in there.

But why on earth is there no single proper method of checking the level on the primary?

Workshop told me the quart I got from them is all it needs. Clymer cites varying quantities depending on model; I have a '91 FXR & even the measurements for this one model vary (but all agree it's more than the ol' quart).

Clymer photo to check level looks like the photocopy of  a photocopy of a 0.1 megapixel shot.

Somewhere I read to add oil until it touches the black outer clutch ring (bike upright).

Somewhere else to add until it almost runs out the large clutch cover (bike on side stand).

Youtube shows to add until level is 2 3/4" (7cm if I'm not mistaken) off the central clutch nut (bike upright).

Can it really be this hard? What do you guys do?

Drain every 8k. replace with 900ml.(1litre bottle is OK) bike upright thru your inspection plate or Derby cover. Replace with new drain plug on old models.

...& ignore all those doomsday messages, promising fire & brimstone if I over-/underfill...?

time to harden up I guess; thanks buddy

 Used to fill the '85 wideglide standing upright, till oil was just about to overflow out derby cover hole.

Burto.

Dutch, I had my 91 FXR rubberglide for over 17 years and when I changed the primary oil every 6 months i would leave the bike on it's stand and fill it too just before it sills out of the derby cover.

Never had a problem with it.

Cheers.

thanks guys, threw in the whole quart now on the weekend & hope for the best.

given the drained qty I would have to be better off now as it would have struggled to come to 1/2 litre I reckon & not looking too flash either.

it's not overly close to the derby cover opening but it appears to just dip the outer disc (which btw looked completely different to the shot in my Clymer but I'm over worrying....) so ultimately I followed some advice while having to disregard other's.

 

did the tranny straight after & while Clymer reckons between 600-700mls I had to remove some out again to reach ~ 500ml to mark the max on the dipstick (thank God for dipsticks...).

 

there you have it, nothing makes any sense & the manuals are way off but at least I now know what to do next time. neat measurements too: 3 quarts engine oil (to use 1/2 the carton I had to buy of the Mobil 1 V-twin), 1 full bottle (quart) primary and 1/2 bottle (1/2 litre) of tranny. will make my life much easier for the next service. I always hate doing services for the first time on a new vehicle...