1997 Vulcan ?

[Top Cat]

Would a 1997 Vulcan 1500 have a Plastic oil gear ?

[gv550]

Yes.

[recumbentbob]

Yes.

Are you sure?
I thought it was just thw 1999 models.

[gv550]

All vn1500 from 1987 through 1999 had the POG, except Drifter.

[Peg]

Are you sure?
I thought it was just thw 1999 models.

'99 was the only Nomad with a POG. As Garry says, all the other models bar the Drifter had it too, but rarely seem to have had a problem with it.

It's a bit of a head-scratcher... that?

[Top Cat]

Here is a PM I got from Dragon Lady.
For some reason she couldn't post on this thread at the time.



Well TC, It has a plastic one, but they have had no problems. Heres the kicker, even in 99, all the 1500s and the 800s had plastic gears, only the nomads were having problems. The classics had them, also the drifters. BUT, only the 1500 nomads had the problems.

[gv550]

All 1500 Drifters had steel oil pump gears, including 1999.
All models of vn800 had chain drive to the oil pump, no gears and no plastic.

[rolfe]

It was the 98 and 99 years. "RED" is a 99 model but mfg date is 98. The best way is just pull the cover and look.

[DragonLady58]

I gotta jump into mirky pool here.....hahaha.....most all vulcans had the plastic gears, they changed up some with the chain drives, but almost all had the plastic....
Now, only the Nomads had the problem with the plastic gears. Why? Could've been the plastic made especially for the Nomads....????

I think because of the Nomads being the touring bikes, people ran a heavier oil to protect their pride and joy, this along with idling down the big 1500s to sound like a HD, to get that lopeing HD idle, really stressed that plastic gear.

Alot of HD fans were going to the smoother running, torquey Nomads, which could run all day, all night, 2 up, full touring gear, pulling a trailer.

HDs ran a heavier oil to lube that hotter running rear cylinder, plus on occassion, you were suppossed to let off the throttle occassionally to throw oil up on the rear cyl. walls to help cool it. Thats why the Power Blend HD oils along with oil coolers, and rear cylinder air scoops were popular....to cool that rear cylinder. The rear piston clearance also changed dealing with heat, to avoid piston seizure.
The big 1500s were watercooled, so they had no such problems, also, oil jets to throw oil directly onto the rear cylinder walls....


MaKawa had such a headache with the plastic oil gear on the Nomads, it was just easier to switch over to the metal gear and be done.
Remember all the gm cars in the 70s/80s, if you drove your car at all, at 45K you were replacing that nylon timing gear set that came from the factory because it jumped time.
If you drove gingerly, changed the oil every 3 months, nary a problem. Drove the car any at all, they stripped or wore down....
I was a still a HD mechanic back in the early 2000's, and there were several trade-ins, I redid the oil pump gear on one bike, it rode it, and after a week of negotating with the srv. dept. mgr, she was mine. About 6 mo's later, I sold my famed 'Blackie'....my early totally blacked out Electra Glide. MaKawa was printing lit. on the Vulcans, some of it of course incorrect....ie....plastic oil pump drive gears....(sorry, my bad).
Anyway, When I got my Nomad, guess what, I thought I was getting a 5.0 gallon tank.....(another MaKawa deception).

Anyway, this is just my 2 Pecos on it....


Regardless, the Nomad in a Helluva Bagger!

[Top Cat]

I was wondering if you were going to show up DL.
Hope you didn't mind me sharing your PM on the forum.

[DragonLady58]

I was wondering if you were going to show up DL.
Hope you didn't mind me sharing your PM on the forum.
Oh, thats cool, TC! I know on my BUBF 1500, Got her all stripped down, a bobber if you will, she has a plastic oil gear, running 20w40 diesel oil, not nary a problem....I've even got the engine hot-rodded pretty good....and has a pretty decent lope at idle at 760-825 rpm....
She had 38k on her when I got her, I've put around 25k myself....

[Top Cat]

Can you post a pic of that 1500 bobber DL ?

[DragonLady58]

Now has 8" Harley pullback risers (black), drag bars (black), heavier rear struts (black), up front mini boards (blacked out)....and yes, all black drag pipes with hollowed out sportster mufflers....will wake up the dead....


https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.v-ToK_dtjxkBF_92KtiAawHaFh&pid=15.1&P=0&w=213&h=159

[Top Cat]

Couldn't find any black mufflers huh :D

[DragonLady58]

Couldn't find any black mufflers huh :D
I have since on the left side pipe, just run it back on the left, as to have a pipe in each side. I bought a set of old harley mufflers with fishtails on the ends. The chrome was peeling off good, got them for $25 at the swap meet....had them sand blasted, heated them up and sprayed with VHT black.
Just put them on....they are extremely obnoxious, sound wise....when I jump off the throttle, theres a really loud Bbbbblllla Bbbbblllla Bbbbbllllaaaaa as the engine winds down....
Sounds like a big block chevy with straight open headers.....they know I'm there....
Folks heard me going thru Olympia/Tacoma....they get the hell off the cell phones....
Burned the regulators up on the Nomad, cheap caltric crap....wires were about 18 or 20 ga. chinese ripoff junk....so I'm on the BUBF for this next week....maybe 2 until I get parts in.

Just started her up in the shop, damn shes loud, rev it a little, the tin on the roof starts to rattle....Puts a grin on my face! Safety first!