Can I Use Brake Fluid To Clean A Harley Shovelhead Oil Pump Cover

bleeding motorcycle brakes

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Modern applied science is great and all, but there was once a time when you couldn't just Google something or lookout man a 'How to' video on YouTube demonstrating the proper technique to practise whatever it was yous were trying to exercise. In that location were books back then, and these places chosen libraries were total of them. Fortunately, printed, hard-copy books are still around, and there'south a sure variety of them chosen manuals that any motorcycle, or vehicle owner for that matter, must own to accompany whatever type of bike they take.

A Clymer manual is a great improver to your bookshelf or garage that will provide y'all with reliable information required to perform just nigh any task you can imagine. From simple routine maintenance, such equally oil changes and brake service, to more complicated and all-encompassing repairs involving engine or transmission disassembly, a Clymer manual has articulate and curtailed, step-by-step procedures with detailed illustrations to assistance fifty-fifty the almost novice mechanic service, troubleshoot and repair their motorcycle. Plus, a repair manual doesn't need WiFi and it doesn't listen getting a fiddling oil or grease on it like a computer would.

There she is, all cleaned up. Ain't she purdy?

I of the many bikes I own is a 1978 Harley-Davidson FXS Low Rider, a motorcycle that was already a teenager long earlier the World wide web fifty-fifty became a real thing – Google wasn't created until September of 1998 and YouTube not until February of 2005. And so, every bit you lot tin imagine, there's non a whole lot that comes up when you lot search a 'How to' procedure for a 40-year-old Shovelhead. Too, at that place's hundreds of Clymer manuals for various bikes of all makes and models, including yours – we can nearly guarantee it.

The cycle has been in the family since '78, seen all the major shows, parties and rallies from Sturgis to Daytona and is mostly all stock, with the exception of a few changes and upgrades. I've owned the bike for about iii years now, but it hasn't been on the road since '03. It'southward been sitting back in Pennsylvania until nearly six months ago when I drove cantankerous-state to bring it dorsum with me to California. Every bit y'all tin imagine, charging the battery and hitting the starter wasn't going to miraculously bring it back to life. Information technology was going to require a picayune more that.

That'southward a valve stem roach prune from Daytona of '87. If only bikes could talk…

And then, in my free time, I've been tinkering and slowly rubbing on information technology, addressing what I need to restore this matter dorsum to its former glory. Helping me along in addition to my factory manual has been my Clymer transmission. The first matter I did was wash and shine off all the grime that had accumulated over the years and then I could have a make clean slate to come across what I'k working with.

Getting the motor running has been my starting time priority, and while I'm still working on that and trying to figure out what's upward with the solenoid and why the starter isn't engaging, I figured I'd go through and replace the fluids. So I started with flushing and haemorrhage the front end brakes.

Cracking the forepart brake principal cylinder reservoir open, this is what I establish: Congealed and discolored brake fluid with a bunch of sediment at the bottom – no bueno.

After pumping the fluid down the line and out of the reservoir, leaving merely enough in there not to permit air into the line, I cleaned out all the sediment so that there'south nothing to get the master cylinder piston or seals to jam up or work improperly.

Brakes are arguably the virtually important system on any vehicle, and then why not kickoff there. Haemorrhage them and making certain you accept a solid lever or pedal with no air in the airtight system is vital to ensuring they work properly and as effectively every bit possible. Although there'southward a couple different ways to do information technology, flushing and bleeding brakes is basically the same process no matter the type of bike. Being an older bike, the brakes (though disc) are pretty rudimentary and like shooting fish in a barrel to work on, and and then were the Clymer manual's instructions.

MO Wrenching: How To Install Steel-Braided Restriction Lines

Just considering you think yous know how to do something, no affair how uncomplicated, it's never a bad idea to give the manual a read-through. More than often and so not, there might be one key pace or trick that you lot may be unaware of that tin be the deciding cistron between a 15-minute quickie or a botched job that'll toll y'all an hour or more than. You lot don't want to retrace your steps looking into the manual to see where y'all went wrong when you could have avoided it all in the first place. I've been there…

Because in that location was still fluid in the lines, I used the main cylinder push-through technique. Though, filling and haemorrhage dry out lines is much easier and faster using a vacuum bleeder from the caliper side. The push button-through technique is the 1 the manual suggested, and also the method I'm most familiar with, so that's how I did it. If flushing or bleeding brakes is something completely new to you lot, or maybe you could utilise a refresher, we have a fully detailed explanation and 'How to' correct here:

MO Wrenching: How To Bleed Your Brakes

Fresh DOT 5 fluid from an unopened container and a whole bunch of pumping and bleeding, and we shortly had ourselves a solid lever. For bikes with dual-disc front ends, you'll want to kickoff bleeding the line/caliper that is furthest abroad from the primary cylinder first, and and then repeat the same process with the other. *Also, roofing the area is a good idea. Pumping the lever with the reservoir embrace off tin can shoot out little spurts of restriction fluid, which can damage paint and what not.

In the picture above, y'all tin can see what color the restriction fluid should exist. Here, I'1000 about half-way through haemorrhage the correct-hand line/caliper. You tin can tell because the the fluid is starting to turn purple, but there's still old fluid and air in the line. Side note: I withal take to take the rotors off and striking them with Scotch-Brite to clean up the rust. Equally simple as the chore is, I can even so check the manual to make sure I torque downward the bolts to their proper values.

Nosotros live and we learn, and the next time is that much easier. My front brakes are now bled and it's on to the rear, then whenever I get the motor to turn over, I know I can become it on the road and actually stop – well, maybe that should expect until I hitting the front end rotors with Scotch-Brilliant to get rid of the rust. One thing at a fourth dimension, though, and this bike will exist running and riding in no time. Sitting as long equally it has, I volition also eventually take the calipers autonomously to run into how they expect and replace the seals and brake pads. For at present, changing the fluid is a good place to offset without having to order parts. A chief cylinder rebuild might be required down the line too, but I had a really solid lever, so I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

MO Wrenching: How To Supplant Brake Pads

MO Wrenching: Brake Caliper Rebuild

This is what a fully bled restriction line should look similar. Don't exist surprised if you have to bleed the take hold of-container a few times to get here. The fluid (although purple) is completely clear and free of whatever air or imperfections. Time to clean upwardly, replace the master cylinder reservoir gasket if yous need to (I did), fill it to the right level (found in your transmission) and button her upward.

P.S. – A vise can be used as a bully holder for quick reference to your transmission when you're not using information technology for something else.

Riding motorcycles is evidently a ton of fun, but that's only office of it. The human relationship between you and your bike(s) goes beyond just the miles you lot share. Working on your wheel brings a whole other level of intimacy to the relationship – later all, don't you want to see what it looks like with its clothes off?

Additionally, a lot of riders accept erstwhile bikes, bikes that not every shop can or will work on, so the more familiar y'all are with yours, the better. To meridian information technology all off, wrenching isn't just about saving some money. Working on your own motorcycle is fun, rewarding, and fifty-fifty therapeutic, depending on who you ask. A manual like a Clymer volition assist any motorcyclist become to better know their motorcycle and become a improve motorcyclist, and this isn't us trying to push a product on you. Information technology'south just manifestly old tips and advice from one motorcyclist to another. Restoring an old motorcycle adds new challenges to bones maintenance, and keeps things interesting.

I hope to do more than posts like this one as I slowly-merely-surely get my Shovel dorsum on the route. Join me on this project. I'yard certain we'll all larn something in the process. Exist safety, have fun and enjoy your motorcycles.