A wee pool....

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Apr 23, 2021
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A wee pool....


Anyone have an idea where this might be coming from? Air box is dry and can't see any drips.... Starter gasket?
 
A wee pool....


Anyone have an idea where this might be coming from? Air box is dry and can't see any drips.... Starter gasket?
I had similar on my 2013 Sport after a few weeks after delivery. It was a faulty seal or bearing I believe from within the starter motor…..apparently some early starter motors were ‘not up to spec’.
I stand by to be corrected!
 
I had similar on my 2013 Sport after a few weeks after delivery. It was a faulty seal or bearing I believe from within the starter motor…..apparently some early starter motors were ‘not up to spec’.
I stand by to be corrected!

Same with my 2013.
 
Install Harley sealed starter and poof problem solved.
Are Harley replacements available in the US? I went to my local HD dealer here in NZ and was told that the part number was obsolete but that they could supply a genuine 3rd party aftermarket item.
 
Yes available everywhere on line etc . Any one of these Harley Sportster have the starter you need . Don't focus on one part number go instead for a year and model Harley Sportster . Buy OEM HD if you can . Clive bought a "DB Electrical" brand starter and their website claim new manufacture and a warranty.

HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200V Sportster Seventy-Two20161200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20101200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20111200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20121200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20131200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20141200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20151200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20161200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20171200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20181200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20191200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight Anniv.20181200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200XS Sportster Forty-Eight Special20181200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200XS Sportster Forty-Eight Special20191200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 50 Sportster 50th Anniv.
 
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Thanks for the replies guys... mines quite a late model Nov '17... Buying a whole new starter seems a bit extream to cure a leak from a gasket. What is the problem with the starter and or gasket?
 
In my case the starter ring gear has been ruined by the starter motor not engaging properly and graunching its way into the ring gear. I am replacing both the ring gear and the starter to be on the safe side.
 
Yes available everywhere on line etc . Any one of these Harley Sportster have the starter you need . Don't focus on one part number go instead for a year and model Harley Sportster . Buy OEM HD if you can . Clive bought a "DB Electrical" brand starter and their website claim new manufacture and a warranty.

HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200V Sportster Seventy-Two20161200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20101200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20111200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20121200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20131200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20141200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20151200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20161200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20171200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20181200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight20191200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200X Sportster Forty-Eight Anniv.20181200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200XS Sportster Forty-Eight Special20181200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 1200XS Sportster Forty-Eight Special20191200cc
HARLEY-DAVIDSONMotorcyclesXL 50 Sportster 50th Anniv.
Great info thanks, i had given the "up to 2012" description to the dealer but hadn't realised the more recent ones worked too.
You would hope that the HD parts guys would know of the interchangability with later years, i'll have another go.
 
Thanks for the replies guys... mines quite a late model Nov '17... Buying a whole new starter seems a bit extream to cure a leak from a gasket. What is the problem with the starter and or gasket?
My 16 commando has been leak and trouble free.

my 17 domi naked is another story. Has had a starter gasket leak since day one. And the cam cover gasket had a tear in it. Shitty assembly work.
 
Thanks for the replies guys... mines quite a late model Nov '17... Buying a whole new starter seems a bit extream to cure a leak from a gasket. What is the problem with the starter and or gasket?
Hi Gazz , Just trying to explain something here. Sometimes the starter is leaking from inside out and not through the mounting gasket. You may have a mounting gasket leak OR it may actually be leaking through the starter housing seams. When the primary is spinning up all that oil onto the starter gear , oil gets into the housing where the starter gear comes out of and finds its way out through the starter especially if you don't have a transmission/primary vent . So try the gasket first and see ?
There are 4 places that I know of capable of leaking oil in the starter and only 1 of them is the mounting gasket .
1. Mounting Gasket
2. Sealed bearing behind starter gear (this must be a sealed bearing)
3. Shaft o-ring seal that starter gear rides on/from (this shaft must have this o-ring type seal)
4. The starter housing that contains these parts must be sealed with silicone RTV before final assembly. (Says so in H-D service manual)
 
In my case the starter ring gear has been ruined by the starter motor not engaging properly and graunching its way into the ring gear. I am replacing both the ring gear and the starter to be on the safe side.
Yikes, that's a very unpleasant and costly experience!
 
Hi Gazz , Just trying to explain something here. Sometimes the starter is leaking from inside out and not through the mounting gasket. You may have a mounting gasket leak OR it may actually be leaking through the starter housing seams. When the primary is spinning up all that oil onto the starter gear , oil gets into the housing where the starter gear comes out of and finds its way out through the starter especially if you don't have a transmission/primary vent . So try the gasket first and see ?
There are 4 places that I know of capable of leaking oil in the starter and only 1 of them is the mounting gasket .
1. Mounting Gasket
2. Sealed bearing behind starter gear (this must be a sealed bearing)
3. Shaft o-ring seal that starter gear rides on/from (this shaft must have this o-ring type seal)
4. The starter housing that contains these parts must be sealed with silicone RTV before final assembly. (Says so in H-D service manual)
Hi Tony,

As usual a great explanation, thank you for making that clear. As my bike is later I am keeping my fingers crossed its just the gasket. There is only one way to find out )).

As the primary cover has to be removed I may require a primary gasket too... As the factory spares ate still closed I think the fix will have to wait for a while.. Thanks again...
 
Hi Tony,

As usual a great explanation, thank you for making that clear. As my bike is later I am keeping my fingers crossed its just the gasket. There is only one way to find out )).

As the primary cover has to be removed I may require a primary gasket too... As the factory spares ate still closed I think the fix will have to wait for a while.. Thanks again...
Waiting for gaskets?
Call Thiel Motorsport, Ollie has the biggest stock of parts in Europe.
 
Not the starter gasket but an O ring inside the started which was faulty since day one. Took forever for that info, so after cracking open the cases and resealing, installing a new starter gasket......changed the started and the problem ceased. This is when Norton factory was in denial and US dealerships didn't have a clue. Thanks to Matt Capri of South Bay Norton, no defunct, for sharing the info on faulty starters and telling me it was probably the most misdiagnosed problem on the bike.
 
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