How to Change the Oil for your Harley Davidson Dyna

While many people take their Harley Davidson Dyna
in to a service station to have the oil changed, those who find that
they do it themselves oftentimes have a much easier time of it and end
up saving both time and money in the process. It’s crucial that you
change the oil in your motorcycle every 3000 miles or so in order to
properly keep the engine lubricated and to make sure that all of the
various systems work as they should. This will help to prevent the
engine from overheating and melting, which causes serious and
irreparable damage to it. The oil should be changed about every 3000
miles or so. If you take the hour or so that it will cost you to change
the oil at home, you’ll find that you have a better working knowledge of
how your Dyna works as well as the peace of mind that comes from
knowing that the job was done well.

Step 1 — Gather Your Materials

You’ll need the following materials in order to change the oil in your Dyna:

• New oil filter
• New oil (several quarts)
• Oil collection pan
• Jack stand
• Cardboard piece
• Wrench set
• Funnel
• Newspaper
• Paper Towels
• New gasket system (optional)

Step 2 — Prep the Bike

Place the motorcycle up on a jack stand so that you’ll be able to
have better access to the oil container. This will allow you to drain
the oil more easily. The engine should be slightly warm while you work;
don’t let it cool down completely, but leave the bike sitting for a
while after the engine has been running to allow it to cool off. Also,
lay down a set of newspapers underneath where you’ll be working to catch
any oil that spills.

Step 3 — Drain the Old Oil

Place your oil collection pan underneath the oil container in the
bike. Unscrew the filler cap at the top of the container to force the
oil down into the base of the container. Then carefully unscrew the
drain plug. This will allow the oil to come pouring out of the
container. Be sure to catch it in the collection pan, and hold the pan
in place for several minutes until all of the oil has flowed out. Use a
cardboard piece to help channel the oil into the pan, if that helps.
After the oil is removed, clean out the entire container with a set of
paper towels.

Step 4 — Check and Change the Filter, if Necessary

Remove the oil filter with a socket wrench and allow it to drain into
the collection pan. Examine it for signs of damage or corrosion. If it
does seem to be damaged at all, replace it with a new filter. Otherwise,
reattach the old filter in place and then check on the gasket, if you
wish. Both of these items will not need to be changed out as frequently
as the oil, but it’s good to check on them anyway.

Step 5 — Add New Oil

Close up the drain plug and place the funnel into the top of the oil
container. Pour in as many quarts of new oil as are recommended by the
Dyna owner’s manual. Be sure to allow the oil to fully drain into the
container before you close it up and remove the bike from the jack
stand.

Before you start up the engine once again, examine the oil with a
dipstick to check the levels by hand. Adjust the levels as necessary
before you start up the engine at all.

All of the different materials that you’ll need for this project can
typically be found at your local hardware store or in a motorcycle or
auto body repair shop. Ask a mechanic for advice on any part of the
process that may be unclear to be sure that you complete it properly.