I can't find my drain valve to save my life ('90 883)

[yummy22543]

So as the topic title says, I can't find the drain valve to let the oil out of the bike for the life of me. I have looked high and low, and it's just not in plain sight, and I don't know where it's at. This was a used bike obviously, but where the (EDIT) is that thing?


It's a 1990 Sportster 883. I have watched numerous videos and pics with the drain hose pretty out in the open. I also don't have a manual. Is the drain hose attached underneath my battery or something? Because that sucker was mega hard to get on when I replaced it. Don't really want to take it off again.


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Thanks.

 

[fin_676]

The oil drain pipe should be just below the battery tray and secured on to a bung by a spring clip it should be very easy to find if it is not there then the bike may have been modified
As the battery tray is mounted to the oil tank and the 2 together are mounted as a unit to the bike on rubber mounts it was found that there was a weak point on the mounting of the battery tray to the oil tank so this was redesigned for the 94 model year
A retro fit kit was available to upgrade the pre 94 sportsters to the same oil tank hose routing and battery tray
This kit relocates the oil drain hose to a bung on the right side of the bike frame just behind the gearbox easiest way to find it is to lay down on the left side of the bike look up under the frame and on the lower frame rail just behind the gearbox should be the hose terminating at a bung
If you do have this setup after refilling the oil tank you need remove drain hose from the bung to allow a wee bit of oil to drain this prevents air bubbles in the main oil line

Brian

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

Yes, the signature "Oil Tank with Dry Sump" oiling system takes a bit of getting used to. There is no sump drain for the engine oil (there is a drain plug, but it is for the tranny/primary case lubricant which is combined on the Sportster). There is oil tank plumbing that is hard to see, and way underneath the engine attached to the frame via an integral clip is the "infamous hose with the plug end bung" that Brian in the previous post referred to. Sorry I don't have a true picture...being on the run, but be patient and watch the language...it is easy to get frustrated with something new, but things will get better. If you had the owners manual or better yet, the H-D service manual you would be better served. Yeah at $65 it is expensive...but then again, how much is your aggravation and time worth...? (it does pay for itself the first time you use it).

 

[lordharold]

I thought the drain hose was located just to the rear side of the primary and attaches to the underneath on the frame usually with a worm drive clamp.

 

[yummy22543]

Wow, super thanks guys. I kept looking under the bike where the seat would be, but there was nothing there and it was so frustrating. I came back today with better daylight and could clearly see the oil line connected to the oil tank going to the right side of the bike near the back break where you both said it would be. Changed my oil like a boss, haha.

I'll probably do it again in a month considering this was my first oil change on the bike by me, and it wasn't perfect, so I will try again now that I know where the dang thing is at.


Thanks again!!! :bigsmiley12:

 

[garystrat]

ah ha...now that you got that figured out, try and find one on a softail...ah youth and the frustrations and the annual pipe burns...remember those days well...

 

[fin_676]

As the oil drain has been changed from the stock location for a 1990 sportster then i would suspect a previous owner has done some upgrades to the bike depending on what changes have been made the correct service manual for the bike may be a wee bit misleading and the clymer manual that would cover the oil tank and hose routing would cover from 1991 - 2003 so you may need more than 1 service manual to cover everything the hd service manual and parts list will cover 89 & 90
Be prepared for confusion in the future when trying to service or buy parts you may need a lot of cross referencing to work it all out

Brian