hey guys my 03 fxd is not even contacting the dipstick with oil except maybe just a bit can I add a quart or is there oil? bike is definitely getting hot and mpg is ****. leaving for a bike trip friday please help. going to change the oil when I get to my destination but need help for getting there

 

put sum oil in the dam thing. what's wrong with u

 

No no I understand that but like how does this happen why did this happen there are no leaks or anything where the **** did my oil go

 

Do you ask the same question when your fuel gage reads empty?

Here’s a thought. Put oil in the damn thing and check it more often. They you will see if is is losing a quart every 200, 500, 800, 3000 miles.

If the oil is touching the dipstick “maybe just a bit” then obviously there is some oil. The difference between add and full is about a quart, so it sounds like you’re a quart and a half low. Which is about half your oil capacity.

This reminds me of a girl I had when I was in my 20’s. She had a newer z28 Camero her daddy bought her. One day I drove it and stopped for gas. As I did with cars I didn’t know, I checked the oil. I was shocked to see a dry dipstick. Three quarts later, and I gave her hell when I saw her later. She just looked me with not much going on behind her eyes and said “I have to check the oil?”

Jesus. Thank God she was hot. That’s all she had going for her.

 

Maybe it burns oil. You don’t need clouds of blue smoke for that to be happening. It’s a 2003. You didn’t say how many miles. Maybe the previous owner beat the living **** out of it and your rings or valve seals are shot. Maybe the last person who serviced it underfilled it. Maybe you haven’t checked it in 3000 miles.

HD has some crazy spec that 1qt of oil burning in 1k miles is within spec...

 

When was the last time the oil and filter was changed?
Maybe you also beat the crap out of it. Heavy throttle usage will go through more oil. Like recommended above, fill it to the right level and check it every couple hundred miles.

 

What type of oil do you use? We need to start a new thread.

 

I'd put in 1 1/2 qts., start it, let idle for a few minutes. Turn off let it settle for about five minutes and drain the oil out. Change filter, pour in 2.5 qts. of 20w50 oil, start bike, let it idle a couple of minutes, shut it down, wait a couple of minutes then check level. Develop a habit of checking oil more often, say before every ride at home.

 

If it was low enough on oil to heat up & loose power it could have caused some internal damage. I would cut the old filter open & look for metallic particles. If there is evidence of metal it needs to be checked out before the engine turns itself into junk. The magnetic drain plug will collect steel bits but not bronze & aluminum.

Do you have AAA?

Jack

 

I wouldn’t add oil. I’d change it & filter. Use GOOD oil. How much oil is in your air filter?