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water inside frame

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garyhdxlc

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I also had this on a different forum...




On my 06 1200-C I got last month, I went to put in new fluids, Amsoil in the motor, and Mobil 75-90 in primary. I got it hot and after I changed the fluids, I started it back up [in storage cant drive it] I put it in gear and took off across my garage as fast as I could safely, to work in the gear lub.
I look back and see a long strip of what looks like oil on the floor. I know I had the drain plugs back in tight. I go into a 'PANIC' turn off the motor and touch the fluid on the floor 'it's water' I could not believe it. I dont mean just a drop or two, the strip of water was about 10 ft long. I had my wife come out and watch me run my bike back and forth and she cuuld see the spot it came out.
On the left side bottom of the frame just as it starts to curve back up at the rear, there is a factory hole about 3/16" in the frame, thats where it pukes out under forward motion.
So, I drill a 1/8" hole in the very bottom of the frame and out comes more water, all together I would say about 3-4 oz came out. Now just to be safe I drill a hole on the right side frame and out comes water, but not as much maybe 1/2 oz. I cant see a factory hole on the right side, to much parts in the way.
So how did the water get inside the frame?

I did wash it good about 2 weeks befor, the guy I got it from said he did get caught in heavy rain in August. I can tell it never set in water, I took off some parts on the bottom and reinstalled, did the same with some bolts there was no sign of water or rust anyplace.Very clean and dry.
Do all of you think this is a problem unique to my bike? Sportsters? or all Harleys. Is this a common thing? No one in my Harley group has seen this befor. Some of them are about ready to drill drain holes in ther frames.

So has any one of you heard of this?...

By the way, I know this guy, and it's not a flood bike, but I did pull off a lot of parts from the bottom, just to make sure he didn't have it setting in a water hole or something...

Gary.
 
I'm certainly not an expert on this type of thing, but maybe condensation build up from being stored. I know that in a humid area garages are notorious for condensation, being why you would want metal gas cans sealed as tight as possible. **Ammo box's are made to be water tight because of situations like this. Maybe it's the new way not to rust your bike from the inside out?
 
This is what a guy that powdercoats bike frames said...
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That's not a new, or uncommon problem. The water can get in the frame tubes through either existing holes for wiring or hardware, OR, through "pinholes" in welds.

We powder coat motorcycle frames all the time and find water in a lot of them. Dilling a little hole in the bottom to drain it out will not harm the integrity of the frame at all but I wouldn't plug it up again. Leave it open to keep it dry in there but touch up the bare steel with a little paint to prevent rust where you drilled through. Check those drain holes from time to time to make sure they aren't plugged up an you won't have any problems...
 
you can also try useing an air hose to blow the water out just stick it in the highest hole you can reach and turn on the air that should remove most of the water...
 
Only need 1 small hole on each side.
My self, I'm much happier with a small drill hole, then having about 5 oz of water splashing around inside the frame. Now I will alwas know the frame is dry inside. From now on, when ever I get a new Harley, it will have a drain hole in the frame...
Gary.
 
I can't believe someone else had the same problem!! My wife's '07 1200L went in for the 1k mile service. We rode to the dealership, parked outside, service manager told us to pull it into the shop, she rode it in and was followed by rusty looking water! One of the owners (whom I have know for 35+ years) came over with a really astonished look on his face! I just laughed and said it must be a leaky radiator! Not sure where the water was coming from but, we had just returned from a 700 mile round trip ride and the remaining 300 were all in rain - ALOT OF RAIN! Go figure....
 
That is the same way I found out I had water inside the frame. Believe me, I had a astonshed look on my face too. My bike had not been in rain for over 6 weeks.
At least now, I can keep it dry inside the frame...
 
Hey ya big dummy! That ain't the frame, that's your freakin' radiator! Now your sporty's gonna run hot like the rest of our bikes. Sheez, some people.

:D
 
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