Hey everyone, question for you all. I just did an oil change on new to me 2018 heritage 107. I’m new to changing oil on a motorcycle, but I’ve done plenty of cars. Here was my process:

1. Start bike and let it idle for 5-10 minutes.
2. remove dipstick
3. remove oil plug and drain
4. remove oil filter
5. Replace o-ring on drain plug
6. Reinstall plug
7. Install new filter
8. fill with 4 qts of synthetic

so I think the problem is, I should not have just added the 4 qts. I should have added some, ran the engine, added more. 4qts was way too much oil. I siphoned some out using a turkey baster, but when I took it for a quick test ride, oil spit out the AC and maybe from somewhere else, but not sure. When I got home, I was going to redo the whole thing, but when I went to drain the oil, very little came out. The dipstick was still showing overfilled, so I removed even more with the turkey baster. It’s not spitting oil anymore and everything seems fine, but I’m not sure if there is something else I should be looking at or if any damage was done. Any suggestions?

 

Running the engine for 5 or 10 minutes is not going to get your oil up to temp, however it may over heat the engine, go riding for about 20 to 30 minutes, and yes 4 qts is way to much, I believe it calls for 3.5 qts, I put 3 in, then ride for a bit and top off to where the oil is about halfway between the add and full mark. You don't want to run these engines at the full mark, they will throw up oil likes yours did.

 

Get a factory service manual ASAP!

 

I could have sworn the service manual said 4 quarts, but I am realizing that may have been on a bone dry engine.
So should I just pull the AC, clean it and go about my day? Is there anything else I need to do? Is it possible any damage was done?

 

1. If very little came out the second time
2. And dip stick is still overfilled
3. One hole is empty
4. do not start
5. read manual

Don

 

The oil tank was full; you pulled a drain plug but very little oil came out?

Which drain plug did you pull?

There are 3 drain plugs on that motorcycle...

 

Welp, I’m an idiot. Thanks for the help, hopefully the short drives with little to no transmission oil didn’t do too much damage.

 

Your transmission is OK. Clean your air cleaner.
BTW, on an oil change I put 4 quarts in and do a quick ride, then top off, usually just add 1/2 quart more to get the oil to show mid-way on the dipstick.

 

This! Listed system capacity is FIVE quarts. I drain the oil immediately after a ride so the system is HOT. I drain the oil and change the filter. I add four quarts then start and run the engine for a couple of minutes, then shut it down and add about a half quart which will bring the level to midway on the stick when hot (which is how the oil should be checked).

 

I also have an 18 106 mine takes anbout 4.5qts with filter change. About 50k miles my rings took a crap. Needed motor rebuilt. Started the exact same way. Started puking oil out of air cleaner, even with hot level at bottom of dipstick.
I’d have compression and leak down test done.