Where did it all go?
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
It should be mandatory for people who operate motor vehicles to take and pass a general maintenance course of study. Or maybe a common sense class.
Your V Twin is nothing more than a machine using oil as a lubricant and cooler. Without it your expensive motorcycle becomes nothing more than a boat anchor. Taking care of it consists of more than just putting gas in it and parking it when done riding. You need to occasionally check your bike-fluid levels, tire air pressure, lights working, nuts and bolts not coming loose and falling off. Occasionally does not mean every 5000 miles, but instead like maybe whenever you go for a ride, or every other time. Any of those things failing for you can mean death or dismemberment for you and your passenger. See the importance? **** the book saying every whatever miles. Use your head. As for other maintenance issues, those periodic mileage servcies are good to go by. If you hear or see other screwy things going on in between, do'nt ignore. Look into them. Might save you some big $$$.
Your V Twin is nothing more than a machine using oil as a lubricant and cooler. Without it your expensive motorcycle becomes nothing more than a boat anchor. Taking care of it consists of more than just putting gas in it and parking it when done riding. You need to occasionally check your bike-fluid levels, tire air pressure, lights working, nuts and bolts not coming loose and falling off. Occasionally does not mean every 5000 miles, but instead like maybe whenever you go for a ride, or every other time. Any of those things failing for you can mean death or dismemberment for you and your passenger. See the importance? **** the book saying every whatever miles. Use your head. As for other maintenance issues, those periodic mileage servcies are good to go by. If you hear or see other screwy things going on in between, do'nt ignore. Look into them. Might save you some big $$$.
Banned
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 7
From: Southwest Florida
My wife and I went for a ride yesterday and about 15 minutes into it the bike started to make a clicking noise. We looked it over and it looked ok but went home anyway. On the way back the oil light flickered so I check the oil (hot and cold) and there was none on the dipstick. No leaks, no smoke...where did it go? The manual says not to mix oils so should I only put in the same thing I had before? I am about 1000 miles short of my 10K service so I just want get some in it so I can get a few rides in before then. Any thoughts on this scenrio. Thanks.
You might also want to check your plugs to see if they're oil soaked and check your exhaust to see if the ends are sooted up or even have raw oil on them. That could be a problem if there's raw oil on the exhaust tips. Or if they'e super blackened.
I'll put my money on the valve stem seals. No biggie. They get hot, they get old and they leak. Unless it gets to be a quart or more every 1,000 miles, I wouldn't get too excited about it. Just keep an eye on your oil level.
I'd put enough oil in it to get it to the shop (if you're not into doing the work yourself) and get the oil changed pronto. Old, contaminated oil burns and leaks more than fresh oil. Especially if/when it gets contaminated with water, which is a natural by-product of any internal combustion engine. If you're not riding your bike every day, if you're not putting a 1,000 miles or so on it every 6 weeks, then I'd alter my oil change program. A little more often.
I doubt you hurt your motor. If all the oil light did was flicker and you babied it on the way home? You're prolly okay.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 460
Likes: 1
From: Western KY
I would suggest getting a magnetic drain plug too, if you don't have one.
or maybe get some of those big magnets that are supposed to change stop lights.
I bet you can find some on here cheap
don't sweat it dude... you got low on oil. I don't think you did any real damage at this point, but the magnet might help get any small stuff out of the engine if there is any.
Change that oil, and keep an eye on maintenance from now on, and enjoy your bike.
or maybe get some of those big magnets that are supposed to change stop lights.
I bet you can find some on here cheap
don't sweat it dude... you got low on oil. I don't think you did any real damage at this point, but the magnet might help get any small stuff out of the engine if there is any.
Change that oil, and keep an eye on maintenance from now on, and enjoy your bike.
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ
There is absolutely nothing wrong with mixing synthetic with dino. In fact there are "blends" on the market -- Motul has been making a blend (dino + synthetic) for over 25 years.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
From: Mountaintop, PA
thanks for all the help. just to answer the question above, the light did just flicker and then went out. The sound only happened for about a minute until I had a safe place to pull over and that actually stopped. No oil in the garage and no black on the pipes or smoke that I have seen or been told about.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
You most likely did no damage. Just because no oil showed on the dipstick does not mean no oil in the motor and running them low doesn't mean the motor is ruined....as long as it hada couple of qts in and you ran it easy and for just a short bit til you shut it down. If you are running SYN 3 its a partial sythetic and it should not fail you even being a qt low under the conditions I mentioned. UNLESS you had 9000 miles on it. Oil does break down after an excessive number of miles.
Personally I prefer a 100% synthetic oil like Mobil 1 V Twin....but Amsoil is great just like Redline. Better lubrication at higher temps.
Anyway, just change your oil and take note of how much oil comes out, and how black (dirty) the oil is. Change the filter and after putting a new one on and putting the drain plug back on (check the condition of the 'o' ring on the drain plug and replace if damaged) then fill her back up with fresh oil. And check it after every ride for a while, see if it uses any. Let it sit for about 10 minutes after shutting it off and check the oil level.
Personally I prefer a 100% synthetic oil like Mobil 1 V Twin....but Amsoil is great just like Redline. Better lubrication at higher temps.
Anyway, just change your oil and take note of how much oil comes out, and how black (dirty) the oil is. Change the filter and after putting a new one on and putting the drain plug back on (check the condition of the 'o' ring on the drain plug and replace if damaged) then fill her back up with fresh oil. And check it after every ride for a while, see if it uses any. Let it sit for about 10 minutes after shutting it off and check the oil level.
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 316
Likes: 2
it's possible the bike could have wet sumped into the crank.
it can happen of the bike isn't ridden for extended periods.
I always check oil hot. never cold because of this reason.
I would pop the inspection or derby cover off and see just how much oil
is in the primary.
it's possible that the crank seal on that side is bad and the engine oil
is leaking into the primary.
it can happen of the bike isn't ridden for extended periods.
I always check oil hot. never cold because of this reason.
I would pop the inspection or derby cover off and see just how much oil
is in the primary.
it's possible that the crank seal on that side is bad and the engine oil
is leaking into the primary.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 323
Likes: 0
From: Mountaintop, PA
Update: Changed the oil last night. pretty dark and got about a quart and half plus what was in the filter. Checked the spark plugs and they looked good. Checked the transmition fluid and that was full and looked clean. Ran the bike after the change for a little and rechecked the level and it looked good. No abnormal noises. It was pouring rain last night, but hope to get out for a test ride tonight. Thanks again for all of the input people have had on this.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,360
Likes: 4
Just a note that all these HD engines have some blow by that mixes with the atomized oil in the crankcase and then is sucked up through the breather to the intake, burned, and out the exhaust. Some suck oil more than others. You can easily lose a quart every 1000 miles or so like this, sometimes it happens all of a sudden. There is no external indication of leaks and you wonder where it went. Just a quirk of the HD design.