And the silliest question of the year award goes to...

Me.

I had my 06 Sportster Custom serviced recently and purely out of interest opened the oil tank cap to have a look. I had opened it in the past to check the oil after 100 miles or so but this time I cannot get the feckin thing back on right. It turns and pops down but I cannot get it flush, no matter how many times I try it always ends up uneven.

Help?

Jase

[kiltbill]

Originally Posted by HarleyJase

Me.

I had my 06 Sportster Custom serviced recently and purely out of interest opened the oil tank cap to have a look. I had opened it in the past to check the oil after 100 miles or so but this time I cannot get the feckin thing back on right. It turns and pops down but I cannot get it flush, no matter how many times I try it always ends up uneven.

Help?

Jase

Nope it aint you Jase... I had the same F ng problem every time I checked the oil! (Came out fine, getting it back in was a Bitch! Every time) So what's the answer? I have no bloody idea...

I would fight with the bloody thing for 30 minutes then on the next try it just clicked right in! I would then stand there just staring at it, then i did the dumb thing and pulled it out again assuming I was being "Blonde" (Bald and fat maybe, Blonde no!) and did it just pop right in? No It ******** didn't! another 30 minutes wasted...

The bike was an 05 883. I Hated that oil cap so much!

[Folkie]

With my pop up cap, the problem wasn't getting it back in, it was getting it out in the first place! That pop up cap is just so difficult to grip. Watch out for the sharp edge at the bottom, people have sliced their fingers open trying to shift that sucker! I got to the stage of using a soft jawed pipe wrench to turn it! Apparently it can help if you put some grease or oil on the O ring.

For me the solution was to fit the temp gauge dipstick. Pricy for an oil tank cap, but I think it's worth it. This one doesn't pop up, it's got a raised bit that's much easier to grip. It's metal too, not plastic. There were some problems with some of the early ones (made in Taiwan I think), but the later ones are made in Germany and are fine. Here it is:

(click the pic)

Cheers Folkie,

That cap costs £40.44 from guernsey, funny exchange rate thing going on there but I suppose two lots of postage! Might consider it if no one comes up with a solution!

Jase

[Folkie]

I've bought a fair lot of stuff from Guernsey, but I get all my H-D parts from Zanotti in the States these days. That oil temp dipstick is $36.06 at Zanotti, which with today's exchange rate is £18.32. OK, you've got to pay postage on top of that. With such a small value item you'll probably get away without having to pay the VAT and, more importantly (in this case) the Parcelforce clearance fee. Usually that's what happens. If you do get stung, it still only costs about what it would from Guernsey anyway.

It's even better if you're ordering several parts at the same time, mainly because the postage is (relatively) cheaper. I recently bought the complete chrome engine kit from there, and even with postage, Excise duty, VAT, and clearance fee, it cost half what it would from the dealer (and still a lot less than Guernsey).

If you think about doing this, don't pay for UPS or Fedex shipping (which costs), make sure they ship using USPS. Ordinary Airmail Letter Post is cheapest but for larger parcels it has to be Airmail Parcel Post.

[Mr M]

If it doesn't sit right first time have you tried rotating it 180 degrees? I dont think it is 'rotationally symmetrical'. (I don't think I made that phrase up, but I'm not sure...)

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by Mr M

If it doesn't sit right first time have you tried rotating it 180 degrees? I dont think it is 'rotationally symmetrical'. (I don't think I made that phrase up, but I'm not sure...)

There's a long tab and a short on opposite sides; there's no way you can put it in at all if it's 180° out of kilter.

[tatmac]

guy's, guy's, simply rotate clockwise AS you are applying downward pressure, you will then feel it get tight and at this point its just a quarter turn using a bit more effort, and as they say bob is indeed your uncle. never had a problem with mine. cheers steve.

[Folkie]

Originally Posted by tatmac

guy's, guy's, simply rotate clockwise AS you are applying downward pressure, you will then feel it get tight and at this point its just a quarter turn using a bit more effort, and as they say bob is indeed your uncle. never had a problem with mine. cheers steve.

You're very lucky then! Turn it while applying downward pressure? I think we all know that's the way it's supposed to work.

Totally agree, what a pain in the arse to do a simple thing like check the oil.

I think (sometimes, honest) that it is the subby 'thread' that gets stuck so I use the oil off the dip stick to lube the thread and the 'O' ring then push down and turn at the same time, if you can't get good enough grip try wearing a rubber glove......oh er misses.