Hi All,

 

My first HD and it is a 1979 FXS, been setting in the shed for 4 years and I have had to do the normal work.  I have pulled the carb (s&s B Super) down 3 times each time to clean out blocked jets.

My first question is there is no oil switch on this unit as it looks to have a later oil pump, has anyone got some suggestions on howto / were to fit one?

Second question is under the speedo cluster on the tank, which wire is the neutral light wire?

I have only taken the bike down the street and back and wow, I can see why every one loves them. 

I can upload images if this helps?

 

Thanks again

Troy

I have never seen any pump that doesn't have a port for the oil switch aftermarket or otherwise.

Has it just got a blank grub screw in there????

Show us a pic of the pump!

More info needed about the neutral light, are you looking for the socket, a wire colour ???

Get yourself a factory (genuine) manual as they are great and although exy it will pay for itself in no time.

I would have a wiring diagram if that would help, let me know.

Thanks for the quick replies... I have picked up a PDF from the USA that covers my bike, however I am finding out that they are not very standard.

Here are the pics,

With regard to the neutral light, here is an image of the speedo setup,

 

I understand the button on the right is for high beam, what is the one on the right?  Afer looking all through the wiring setup for this bike I see that the oil switch wire (green) and I think the neutral wire is Yellow?

 

Again thank you for all your support.

 

Regards,
Troy

Looks to me that the oil cooler is plumbed wrong,  seems to have the pressure port that should be for your sender sending oil to the cooler but I can't see where the oil cooler return line is.

I'm not an expert here and some of the aftermarket pumps/covers are different but try to get an idea of where the oil cooler line is returning to. 

Looks to me that the line from the lower left side of the pump cover is going under the motor to the front but we need to find out where is comes back to.

Oh now I am stumped as after looking at your pics some more I noticed that there is no return fitting from the top of the cover (the chrome bit). I'll have do do some investigating!

As far as the indicator lamp it's anyones guess as the original setup had only the high beam indicator on the dash and the oil and neutral lights were in the headlight eyebrow.

being that there is no oil sender maybe the lamp on the left is the neutral light.

Tis gonna take some investigating for sure.

And yep according to the manual the wire colours are as you said.

Thank for you advise,

Regarding the dash lights,  I have converted the light on the left to be the neutral light and worked out the wiring to now work. (thanks for the advise)

 

>Looks to me that the line from the lower left side of the pump cover is going under the motor to the front but we need to find out where is comes back to.

Yes correct the right line ( is from the bottom of the oil tank and the left goes to the oil cooler, the return from the oil cooler goes to the top of the tank.  The line at the top looks to be a blow back line and there is a line at the bottom that I can not work out where it goes, may have to pull the oil tank out to work that out.

It seems that the oil cooler is an after maket item, do you think that I should put T peace in the line and connect the oil switch to that?  what kind of oil switch should I use, I have a number of differnt ones left over from other jobs.

Thanks again.

 

Regards,
Troy

As I am trying to put this bike back to as original as I can,

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170281689106&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

 

would this be the right one to get ?  If so what is a good price to pay?

 

Thanks again, for you help every one.

Troy

Troy,

That cover is an S&S not  a stocker so may not be compatible with your pump.

I'm not sure if the "T" will work as there may not be enough pressure due to the oil having a path through the oil cooler etc where when just the switch is fitted there is no path so the pressure is fully against the switch.

I'm not an expert at pumps so hopefully someone else may chime in but if not join the US shovel forum and you will get help for sure.

http://shovelhead.us/forum/index.php

Mark.

 

 

 

Hi Troy,

Had a set up like yours on my 81 FXEF, you can retrofit an oil pump outer that has the correct holes for the oil switch, primary chain oiler etc. I'll rummage around, I'm sure I've got one somewhere in the garage. let me know if you want to go that way.(you said you wanted to go back to stock). If you dont, put an oil gauge on the tappet screen plug. You retain the filtering screen and have a gauge to boot!

The Don.

Yes, I would be interested in your offer The Don, PM me so we can discuss.

I thought I was pushing my relationship with my wife getting the bike, however last night was almost the end.... I had to make the dreaded phone call, Dear can you put the trailer on the car and come get me! Took me over 20 min to sum up the courage to make that call! Seem my S&S B carby is stuffed, is it worth getting a carby kit or should I look at the CV carby?

As I am quite new to all this, should this be a new subject post?

Thanks again every one for all the help, the short ride I had was soooo Coooool.

Troy.

Hi Troy,

found a cover with all the right fittings , it's off an 81 pump but there's no diff between 79 and 81 outer covers. unless it's a Sturgis in which case there's no primary oiler fitting. Had a look at your pics and noticed the current set up does not have the chain oiler set up either. are you running a primary belt? or a sealed primary.  Some people ran the primary as with the Evo's, sealed and not part of the oil system. This was not a bad idea as it didn't allow all the muck that a primary can produce to be part of the oil system and it's inneficient (original) filtering set up. Camel hair filters were only good to stop rocks and not much else. Contact me by email or mob (in profile) if you  want the pump cover.

Nil Desperandum (don't let the bastards get you down.)

Cris aka The Don

Thanks Cris, I can not seem to find your email or phone number on your profile, I may not have the right access?

I am running a sealed primary, re the chain oiler, this could be the line at the bottom of the motor? (see top photo)

My email address is : troy@dangerfieldonline.com

Regards,
Troy

Sounds like Cris will get you sorted as far as the pump goes but don't asume the S & S is "stuffed" as it is more likely just "maintence challenged"!!!

S & S are great carbs and simple to boot, why do you think that just about every early bike has one!!!! They are not cheap so don't discount it. Your breakdown may have nothing to do with the carb itself.

Like most older machines, Harleys rarely get the maintenence they need especialy when they are old, for some reason people will pay big bucks to get newer machines serviced by someone else but when it comes to older iron they have the attitude that "It's not worth spending the money on" but of course the older ones are the ones that need and deserve more maintenance.

Check out the S & S website, they have great maintenance and tuning tricks so do yourself a favor, do some research, learn some stuff and get the satisfaction of fixing it yourself and saving some cash in the process.

Ok I got the hint... Thanks very much for the push I needed.

I pulled the carb off again and this time did it right, even sand basted the inside and out to remove any built up gunk, then socked it over night and used compressed air to clean out all holes and jets. The carb looks like new now. Next I pulled out the fuel tank tap... That was full of gunk and had not internal filter! So cleaned this out and put one of the wife's stockings cut up as a temp fuel filter.

Put it all back together, and it starts on the enrichment open (up) but then when I warm the bike up and turn this off it will not idle and back fires through the carb. From the S&S site this tells me it is too lean?

Now I back to where I started with it not running unless it has the enrichment level up.

I do not mind giving it a go, but I am out of ideas.

Thanks again for all the support! It makes it a lot better knowing that others can help.

Regards,
Troy

Hi Troy,
Will send you the cover Wed or Thurs (depends on time to go to town). In regards to your problem with idling, check if you have an air leak at the manifold to cylinder gasket. It was common for either a slight misalignement there ( or the need for either a new rubberband or O ring gasket. I think 79 had the rubber band type) or the join between carb and manifold.
Squirt some WD-40 carefully on the manifold joins while the bike is running and see if the idle changes. If it does you have found the culprit. Install new rubber bands if that's the case and make sure you don't overtighten the clamps. Usually the things distorted because the " if tight is good, then tighten it to the shithouse must be better" rule was applied.
Regards,
Cris.

Thanks Cris, please let me know how to compensate you for your generosity.

I have a feeling that the tank still has gunk in it, so I am going to now pull off the tanks and flush them out with kero.

The bit about the sucking air, it runs great with the enrichment open, so if it was sucking air I would think it would play up in both positions.

Regards,
Troy

Hi Troy,
When at idle, and having an air leak the mixture is lean. That's why the enrichener conpensates and makes the bike run OK, the problem is that you can stuff the motor and burn the top of the pistons as this causes a lot of heat. When vacuum pressure in the manifold increases with engine RPM the leak increases and even though the bike runs like a scalded cat it's no good for the motor. I may be wrong, but it's a possibilty worth checking out as it will cost less than a new carby.
By the way, make sure you check the tappet filter screen. It's usually one of those items seldom checked and if it clogs up you have no oil to the top end.
Regards, Cris.

See that is why it is great to have this kind of help...

It will be some time before I can test this idea, as I have pulled the fuel tanks off and need to clean them out. I have also ordered a master carb kit to see if that fixes the air leaks.

Thanks for the hint on the tappet filter screen, I will look that up in the book and take a look.

Be back soon to give you all an update.

Regards,
Troy

Hi Troy,
The third picture down shows me your oil pump and cone viewed from the back, the tappet screen plug is the one next to the lifter block (on the case, not the pump). This is usually mangled pretty badly as nobody uses the right size screwdriver to undo it. I'll send you a PDF file with a tech tip about it.
By the way, if you want to send me a copy of the PDF Manual for the Shovel. I've still got my Hardcover Clymer Manual,
but its handy to have it in the computer.
Regards,
Cris.

This it the plug that Cris is talking about.

If it hasn't been removed for a long time which is entirely likely they can be a bitch to get out but don't be tempted to use a too small screwdriver as you will mangle the slot as Cris mentioned.

I made a tool which fits the slot closely and allows good leverage.

You may be lucky.

 

Thanks TC, yes just removed this using an impact screwdriver and some light taps with the hammer. Looked okay but gave it a good clean while I had it out, was not that hard to get out with the correct size screw driver and the tanks removed.

I am now working on the tanks, going to plug up the holes and runs some kero and bolts around to clean up the inside.

Will keep you all posted, on this long then expected project 'FXS on the road'

Regards,
Troy