2020 Softail Oil Usage Question
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 865
From: SW Ohio
Not sure if I can contribute anything not already said, but...
2019 Sport Glide, bone stock engine, 16.2k miles on the clock: no perceivable oil consumption between 5k mile services. My air filter had a good bit of oil residue in the bottom of it when I changed it at 15k miles. I keep my oil level at the half-way mark. I run my engine up in the 5k RPM range often.
2019 Sport Glide, bone stock engine, 16.2k miles on the clock: no perceivable oil consumption between 5k mile services. My air filter had a good bit of oil residue in the bottom of it when I changed it at 15k miles. I keep my oil level at the half-way mark. I run my engine up in the 5k RPM range often.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 1,985
From: Cleveland Zoo
I don't think the hot / cold thing is as important as just been ridden / been sitting, either way it's close enough to call it halfway.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 10,734
Likes: 3,755
From: SWFL
Half cold will equate to full when hot. Oil expands when hot. My objective is a tick or two above "add" when cold, which will be about half way to full when hot - which means no carryover. Ever. At least in my experience.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 1,985
From: Cleveland Zoo
I thought you went to Florida
HDF Community Team
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,371
Likes: 2,339
From: Wisconsin
Here's a chart showing typical volume increase due to aeration from a paper titled "Engine Lubrication Oil Aeration".
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 100
Likes: 40
From: merrillville, in
Assuming that your bike is actually burning oil versus leaking, theres only really two possibilities for yours, and I hope its the first.
1. You have too much oil in the bike. Could be that accidentally its overfilled or the dipstick is wrong. The easiest way to check is when the bike is cold, have it at the add mark. See where that puts it when oil gets hot, should be about half way. Try that and see if consumption gets better or worse.
2. Your rings didnt seat properly and youre getting a lot of pressure that should be contained in the cylinders that is coming into the crankcase. This is commonly referred to a blow by. To test this, you need to do a blow by or crankcase pressure test.
To fix the first issue you can either remark your current dipstick or get a new one. The second is much more time (and money) consuming, as if the rings didnt seat right, the engine is going to have to be completely torn down and rebuilt.
1. You have too much oil in the bike. Could be that accidentally its overfilled or the dipstick is wrong. The easiest way to check is when the bike is cold, have it at the add mark. See where that puts it when oil gets hot, should be about half way. Try that and see if consumption gets better or worse.
2. Your rings didnt seat properly and youre getting a lot of pressure that should be contained in the cylinders that is coming into the crankcase. This is commonly referred to a blow by. To test this, you need to do a blow by or crankcase pressure test.
To fix the first issue you can either remark your current dipstick or get a new one. The second is much more time (and money) consuming, as if the rings didnt seat right, the engine is going to have to be completely torn down and rebuilt.
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Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,642
Likes: 1,985
From: Cleveland Zoo
Assuming that your bike is actually burning oil versus leaking, theres only really two possibilities for yours, and I hope its the first.
1. You have too much oil in the bike. Could be that accidentally its overfilled or the dipstick is wrong. The easiest way to check is when the bike is cold, have it at the add mark. See where that puts it when oil gets hot, should be about half way. Try that and see if consumption gets better or worse.
2. Your rings didnt seat properly and youre getting a lot of pressure that should be contained in the cylinders that is coming into the crankcase. This is commonly referred to a blow by. To test this, you need to do a blow by or crankcase pressure test.
To fix the first issue you can either remark your current dipstick or get a new one. The second is much more time (and money) consuming, as if the rings didnt seat right, the engine is going to have to be completely torn down and rebuilt.
1. You have too much oil in the bike. Could be that accidentally its overfilled or the dipstick is wrong. The easiest way to check is when the bike is cold, have it at the add mark. See where that puts it when oil gets hot, should be about half way. Try that and see if consumption gets better or worse.
2. Your rings didnt seat properly and youre getting a lot of pressure that should be contained in the cylinders that is coming into the crankcase. This is commonly referred to a blow by. To test this, you need to do a blow by or crankcase pressure test.
To fix the first issue you can either remark your current dipstick or get a new one. The second is much more time (and money) consuming, as if the rings didnt seat right, the engine is going to have to be completely torn down and rebuilt.
Stage I
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: San antonio texas
2020 Dina low rider s 114 oil usage
My 2019 Low Rider with the old style oil pump used more oil than any other Harley I've owned, my 2014 Street Glide didn't need oil added between changes. I also noticed a lot of oil from the breathers going into the throttle body and onto the air filter of my 2019 Low Rider.
1) How is the new 2020 Softail's oil consumption doing?
2) How is the breather discharge? Is the air filter and throttle body staying dry? If you did a breather bypass, are you collecting much oil?
I'm not hearing bad reports so hoping all is OK with the new oil pump, breather system and cylinder sealing.
Thanks,
Mike
1) How is the new 2020 Softail's oil consumption doing?
2) How is the breather discharge? Is the air filter and throttle body staying dry? If you did a breather bypass, are you collecting much oil?
I'm not hearing bad reports so hoping all is OK with the new oil pump, breather system and cylinder sealing.
Thanks,
Mike