Primary oil/clutch issue

[Paulie Hotnuts]

The clutch on my xb12x loosened on my last ride so I went to make an adjustment. What I found looked like the consistency of ice cream on the back of the cover and the oil looked like chocolate milk. I assume moisture got into the case, maybe from cold starts and a lot of riding this winter. Has anyone else encountered this?  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Kyle401]

One possible culprit is the clutch cable adjuster boot at the front of the engine.  Water can enter through the rubber boot and drain down the cable into the primary.  I had a minor amount of milky oil at the 10K change.  When I pulled the boot back on the front of the cable there were a few drops of water on it.  

Most Buellers recommend using a zip ty or silicone to seal the top of the boot between adjustments.  Leave the bottom of the boot open to vent any moisture that might make it's way in.  I use black high temp RTV silicone and haven't had issues since.

Other than that, try to ride long enough to allow the engine/transmission to reach operating temperature.  Especially during the winter.

[Paulie Hotnuts]

The rubber boot makes a lot of sense, I found it slightly torn at the top.   Thanks for the info!

[Kyle401]

No problem.  This thread got me thinking, I wonder if there's a clip like this that would fit at the top of that boot?



It would be nice not to have to replace the silicone after adjusting the clutch.  I may take some measurements and see what I can find on my next trip to O'Reilly.

[scottzilla]

I'm almost positive the rubber boot is a recall item. You should check with your local HD dealer as they have a redesigned version.

[Kyle401]

The wireform clutch cable guide has a redesigned formed plate replacement.  I'm not aware of a revised design for the rubber boot but, I'll look into it.  Thanks!

[Bueller]

When the wireform failed the boots often burnt on the header.  This should have been good for a new cable under warranty, but they wouldn't change my burnt cable just the broken wireform.

The boot comes with the cable and isn't a separate part.