I guess not, I put in 2 quarts then add as needed until I reach the correct level. Which for me is halfway between the lines.

 

That's they way I do it. Usually is roughly 2.5 quarts, but I'm more concerned with how much is actually in there than how much I'm pouring.

The filter can be fun. It's really not that hard to get off, but getting if off without making a mess is a different story. I use a piece of V-shaped flashing to direct oil into a bucket, then pop a couple holes in the end of the filter. Let it drain a while, then pull with little mess.

 

I use 2 1/2qts. doing a oil change

 

I have never understood the reason to run the engine lower than full.

The HD engine is not just an air cooled engine it is a air/oil cooled engine.

The oil gets sprayed on the bottom inside of the piston to cool it, the oil cools the cylinder walls and then the oil dissipates that heat through the pan and engine cases.

Since the oil pump is a defined capacity the less oil in the engine the more times it is circulated giving less time to loose the heat it picks up. So with less oil the engine will run hotter and the oil will be hotter.

Did anyone ever wonder why an air cooled engine will only last about half as long as a water cooled motor? It is because the air cooled runs hotter. The hotter metal gets the softer it gets. The softer it gets the sooner it wears with the friction of the piston moving up and down.

If the bike does not come with an oil cooler I will add one immediately. Again a cooler engine runs stronger and lasts longer.

The XR1200 is the only Sportster that came with a standard oil cooler. I have added them to my 1200T and the 1200L when I got it.

Does anyone remember the ad in 04 when HD announced one of the improvements with the 04 over the 03? It was that they made the fining larger to help cool the engine and make it "LAST LONGER".

I think some believe that filling less than full will reduce the amount of engine venting that HD feeds into the intake. If you could really see in the engine you would find that that half quart will not reduce the mist being splashed by the crankshaft is not reduced at all. It is a false belief. The same amount of crankcase mist is drawn into the intake. May be if over filled it would increase but not at the level that it has been engineered for.

 

The service manual specifies wet 2.5 qts and dry 3 qts.

 

It's not just about having the service manual, it's about knowing to read it!

From the Service Manual:
7. Fill oil pan with the correct amount of oil. Use the proper

grade of oil for the lowest temperature expected before


next oil change. Refer toTable 1-2.
a. Use 2.5 qt (2.4 L) of engine oil for a wet capacity refill.

b. Use 3.0 qt (2.7 L) for a dry capacity refill.

NOTE

Use wet capacity for engines that have just had the oil

drained. Use dry capacity for engines that have been disassembled,

cleaned in solvent and dried.

 

After a few folks suggested pouring in 2 quarts even with a filter change that is what I followed. It put the oil level dead where is recommended. This was on a '14 LR.

 

Keeps oil from blowing out the air filter when ridden hard.
But guys with garage queens don't need to worry about this.

 

Ranger73...

Son, I ride over 30,000 a year. I am at 34,000 this year and may hit 40. I have 19 HD's in the garage from a 99 FXRS to a 16 Heritage. I ride from ocean to ocean and from Key West to the Arctic Circle rotating the bike that I use. As I have done since 1956 when I got my first machine, I do all the services on them. The dealer never sees them unless there is a recall or rare warranty issue.

I don't know what your riding resume is but before you cast aspersions maybe
maybe your should as least know something about what you are talking about.

Possibly my avatar and signature maps would have been a clue.

 

I do 2 qts and a bottle of Lucas Motorcycle Oil Stabilizer which is 12 oz. Then warm her up and if I need more pour it in.