Motorcycle Repair: Shifter pawl return spring, oil tank, return spring

Question
The spring I'm refering to is the one on the shifter shaft.  I'm curious as to why the oil tank has to come off as it is no where near the tranny.  My main concern is how much of the tranny has to come apart in order to change this spring.  It is the one the returns the shifter shaft and drum to center after shifting, not the small one on the pawl cam.
-------------------------------------------
The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
The internal return spring on the shifter pawl broke on my 90 FLHS. Fortunatly the piece was collected by the magnetic plug.  At the moment I have to heel/toe it to shift.  Does replacement of that part require a tranny teardown to pull the shaft for relacement.
-----Answer-----
You can replace it by removing the top cover on the trans. Unfortunly you will have to remove the inner primary and the oil tank to get to it.
Good luck and happy riding
Mike

Answer
Sorry, I was thinking of a softtail Thats why I said you ahve to remove the oil tank. Misread the model.
The top cover will have to come out so you can slide the shifer shaft out. The problem you are going to run into is you are going ot have to remove the inner primary to remove the shifter lever. Behind it there is a seal that you need to replace when you remove the shifter shaft.
Good luck and happy riding
Mike