Oil Tank Caps

Production K Models

Oil Tank Caps

Postby EKHKHK56 » Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:17 pm

I was wondering when the K Cap with Knurled Edge and No Dipstick morphed into the Smooth Finished Dipstick type...Erik.. also, without really examining, why does one have the hold down tabs through the windows and other in other spot?
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K XL Oil Caps
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Re: Oil Tank Caps

Postby GaryM2 » Fri Jan 04, 2019 3:41 pm

Hi Erik,

Part of your answer might be in this attached thread.

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=660&p=4673&hilit=knurled#p4673
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Re: Oil Tank Caps

Postby EKHKHK56 » Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:26 pm

Ahh, yes we need to nail this. So Knurled, Smooth, Smooth w Dipstick versions are there under my same part # till -65...
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Re: Oil Tank Caps

Postby strong56KH » Fri Jan 04, 2019 5:45 pm

The part number for the cap locking nut, 62612-52, doesn't appear to show up until the 1956 parts catalog, but it has a -52 ending. The part numbers for the dip stick and oil filter parts all have -53 endings indicating that they were introduced in 1953 and they are in the 1953 parts catalog published in Oct. 1952. Erik, does your 52 K cap nut have the threaded provision for the dip stick? If not, it would be a one year only part. I suspect that it does because of the -52 number, and the oil filter and dipstick were sold as an accessory rather than standard equipment (see the 1954-56 order blanks under K accessories). On the 1957 order blank, the oil filter for the Sportster is listed under "Deluxe Group" and is no longer an accessory. The part number for the knurled cap was carried over for the later smooth version as you note. The part number for the cap screw was also applied to the later version that has shorter arms.
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Re: Oil Tank Caps

Postby hennesse » Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:33 pm

strong56KH wrote:The part number for the cap locking nut, 62612-52, doesn't appear to show up until the 1956 parts catalog, but it has a -52 ending.


The 1953 and 1954 Spare Parts Catalogs only list the 62610-52 Oil tank cap, chrome, and the 62617-52 Oil tank cap washer. You had to buy the whole cap.

In the 1956 catalog, they list the 62610 cap [complete], but also the constituent parts: 62611-62 Top only, 62612-52 Nut, and 62620-52 Screw, as well as the washer. However, the illustration does not show the "nut".

In the 1959 catalog, the 62612-52 "nut" is finally illustrated.
oil-tank-cap-1.jpg
1959 Spare Parts Catalog
oil-tank-cap-1.jpg (50.56 KiB) Viewed 9617 times

Nothing seems to have changed -part number-wise, for the oil tank cap from 1952 through early 1966. In late 1966 (reported in the 1967 catalog) the 62610-52 Top changed to -52A, and the constituent parts all changed to -66. Also, a 11012 retaining ring and 11105 o-ring were added.

Just a thought: I wonder if the "Screw" with the short arms is the 62620-66 version?

The oil filter changed a bit in Late 1967, but the changes are not listed until the 1969 Supplement.


Yes, Virginia, there was a 62610-53 Oil Tank Cap, not polished, as part of the 1953-only Standard Solo group.
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Re: Oil Tank Caps

Postby EKHKHK56 » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:47 am

Here is the cap off my #RioBluePaint 52K. Doesn't mean it's original, but only K around here. And was chained up 40 years...
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52K Oil Cap
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20190105_225446_resized.jpg
Oil Cap
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Re: Oil Tank Caps

Postby strong56KH » Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:46 pm

Yes, I think you are right Dave that the part number for the short arm version of the screw is 62620-66. There is a picture in Hatfield's book from the 1965 Cycle World magazine road test of the 65 XLH. It clearly shows the long arm earlier version, 62620-52, on the tank cap. So all K and Sportster used 62620-52 to 1965-early 1966. I have one parts book that lists the 62620-66 as being introduced in late 1966. As for the knurled cap, The 1954 yellow Harley Museum bike has it, but several original 54's in the gallery section have the smooth version. It appears that the smooth version started to be consistently used as early as 1955.
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