OIL Pressure/Temperature: how much is "right" and how hot is "hot"?
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OIL Pressure/Temperature: how much is "right" and how hot is "hot"?
Hello all,
My ride is a 1995 Dyna Superglide Sport with the 80cu.in. Evolution motor.
I am considering fitting oil pressure & temperature gauges BUT need to do my homework before I buy stuff.
Observations:
1. I do not like the Mo.Co. style oil temperature gauge sticking out from under my knee - I'd much rather have it dash mounted.
2. Ditto the oil pressure gauge, I found an oil cooler with biult in pressure gauge but it is sooo expensive !
3. I already have a big&bad down-to-earth oil cooler from (my) wrecked BMW, so I do not really intend buying yet another oil cooler...
Quesitons:
1. How much is "maximum oil pressure"? 60psi? 80psi?
2. How much is "normally healthy oil pressure"? 50psi? 60psi?
3. Where do you suggest I plug in the oil pressure bulb/sensor?
4. I am comfortable with the obiquitous "oil cooler adapter plate" sandwiched between engine case and oil filter, but is there any room to fit an oil temperature sensore there somewhere anywhere?
There are the instruments I am looking at for fitment.
I can only caution you against fitting them! My local friendly indy reckons an oil pressure is the worst thing the MoCo ever installed, simply because Evo oil pressures change so much while they are running.
My own d claims the only one reliable source of information is the red idiot light "low oil pressure" which, according to him, is on the "safe side" (still gives you time to pull over and switch off)
My own d claims the only one reliable source of information is the red idiot light "low oil pressure" which, according to him, is on the "safe side" (still gives you time to pull over and switch off)
What about running temperatures ?
None of my Harleys or Buells has had oil gauges, just the red light. I've only ever bought new ones, but have owned them since the 1970s and have never had any worries about either oil pressure or temperature. The later bikes are bound to be better made and more durable than my first one, a shovelhead, but even that ran with no problems! I've never had to pull over on any of my bikes, of any brand, due to concerns about the engine and oil. That is in over half a million miles. Same comment applies to my many cars.
Unfortunately the internet seems to have made us more nervous about things like our bikes, despite the advances in quality and engineering of them over the many years I've been riding and driving. As an engineer I find that rather frustrating! I also live just a few miles from an industry vehicle testing establishment, where new cars and bikes etc are rigorously tested to their limits. I have several friends who work there and the testing that goes on blows the socks off all the concerns we see expressed on popular sites like HDF.
As for running temperatures, the above comment applies to the latest Harleys. They have been thrashed to death during development and we should have no concerns about them at all. It is us, the owners and riders, sitting on top of them, that get worried! That is entirely understandable, but we have various things we can do to make our ride more comfortable, to reduce the heat coming off our bike. I personally would spend money doing that, rather than on guages! I'm disappointed that anyone in the trade thinks you will benefit from installing them.
None of my Harleys or Buells has had oil gauges, just the red light. I've only ever bought new ones, but have owned them since the 1970s and have never had any worries about either oil pressure or temperature. The later bikes are bound to be better made and more durable than my first one, a shovelhead, but even that ran with no problems!
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Saaay Whaaaat? To not be concerned about oil pressure and temp on your bike is like saying, "I have a fever of 102 degrees and my blood pressure is 85/55 but I'm not that worried about it."
See, many of us yanks have always had a love affair with our machines. We want to be involved with every facet of their operation and like to be informed about their operational status. Personally I like gauges. I like seeing the lights at night, I like seeing the needles move, I like the instant feedback as to what is going on at all times. I want to know! Most Harleys are almost totally devoid of gauges. Oh sure they may have a few idiots lights and they are called that for a reason, but I prefer a little more advance notice of an impending problem. Right now my '93 FLSTC has a speedo and a tach. I am in the process of acquiring what I need to add a volt meter, an oil pressure gauge and an oil temp gauge. I just want to know.
As far as the newer bikes being much more reliable and durable than say the Shovelhead era bikes? Not necessarily. More technical? More complicated? More expensive to own? Yes to all three. More user friendly? No. All the crap the moco puts on their bikes these days is designed to do two things. Attract new buyers and put maximum revenue in the bank. The bikes get bigger and heavier and require more powerful motors to move them down the road. That costs money.
You mentioned that "....we have various things we can do to....reduce the heat coming off our bikes" and then left me hangin'. Well, whatcha got for me? I'll give it a shot then use my gauges to determine if it worked.
Saaay Whaaaat? To not be concerned about oil pressure and temp on your bike is like saying, "I have a fever of 102 degrees and my blood pressure is 85/55 but I'm not that worried about it."
I have a red light to tell me if there is a problem! And in over half a million miles of riding bikes I never have had. Bikes these days are far better made than when I started riding, so we have less need to be bothered than fifty years ago. Chill out man!
See, many of us yanks have always had a love affair with our machines. We want to be involved with every facet of their operation and like to be informed about their operational status. Personally I like gauges. I like seeing the lights at night, I like seeing the needles move, I like the instant feedback as to what is going on at all times. I want to know!
I'm not a Yank, but have owned Harleys since before they became popular - long enough to wonder what all the fuss is about. They're just bikes, which I happen to be having a long-running love affair with! Recent Harley riders here in the UK also tend to get their knickers in a twist about such stuff, but there is no need to.
Most Harleys are almost totally devoid of gauges.
Yeah - great isn't it?! Switch on, fire up - head for the horizon......
Oh sure they may have a few idiots lights and they are called that for a reason, but I prefer a little more advance notice of an impending problem. Right now my '93 FLSTC has a speedo and a tach. I am in the process of acquiring what I need to add a volt meter, an oil pressure gauge and an oil temp gauge. I just want to know.
As far as the newer bikes being much more reliable and durable than say the Shovelhead era bikes? Not necessarily. More technical? More complicated? More expensive to own? Yes to all three. More user friendly? No. All the crap the moco puts on their bikes these days is designed to do two things. Attract new buyers and put maximum revenue in the bank. The bikes get bigger and heavier and require more powerful motors to move them down the road. That costs money.
Why so cynical? You missed out emissions controls, which affect vehicles all around the world, including the vehicles we all drive when not riding. Unfortunately we can't avoid them if we buy new.
When the first auto regulations were introduced during the late '60s IIRC, the Porsche 911 had a 2 litre engine. Then it was increased to 2.2, 2.4, 2.7, 3.0 etc. What's the problem with that? Is a current 911 a worst car now than way back then?!
You mentioned that "....we have various things we can do to....reduce the heat coming off our bikes" and then left me hangin'. Well, whatcha got for me? I'll give it a shot then use my gauges to determine if it worked.
That's worth posting a fresh thread about. A simple answer is to remove the catalytic converter(s) and install a suitable tuning device, to restore fuelling to old fashioned levels, so the engine and exhaust run at cooler temperatures. No need for gauges, your legs will thank you!
I had a 1995 SuperGlide for 21 years. During that time, I rode it a lot of miles. A lot. Anyway, I had an oil pressure gauge on the case. It was a HarleyD piece. Oddly, the HD piece has a plastic lens that is known for cracking. It may leak the clear fluid thru that crack.
Being in the oil industry for those years, I paid special attention to the pressures & temperatures. So, here goes~
I have a red light to tell me if there is a problem! And in over half a million miles of riding bikes I never have had. Bikes these days are far better made than when I started riding, so we have less need to be bothered than fifty years ago. Chill out man!
I'm not a Yank, but have owned Harleys since before they became popular - long enough to wonder what all the fuss is about. They're just bikes, which I happen to be having a long-running love affair with! Recent Harley riders here in the UK also tend to get their knickers in a twist about such stuff, but there is no need to.
Yeah - great isn't it?! Switch on, fire up - head for the horizon......
Why so cynical? You missed out emissions controls, which affect vehicles all around the world, including the vehicles we all drive when not riding. Unfortunately we can't avoid them if we buy new.
When the first auto regulations were introduced during the late '60s IIRC, the Porsche 911 had a 2 litre engine. Then it was increased to 2.2, 2.4, 2.7, 3.0 etc. What's the problem with that? Is a current 911 a worst car now than way back then?!
That's worth posting a fresh thread about. A simple answer is to remove the catalytic converter(s) and install a suitable tuning device, to restore fuelling to old fashioned levels, so the engine and exhaust run at cooler temperatures. No need for gauges, your legs will thank you!
He's from Florida. I just relocated here from NY I don't ever remember being this hot in my life. I myself am a mechanic by trade, ford certified diesel tech. Ask the ford fan boys if oil pressure or temperature is something to be monitored and that the idiot light comes on only when there is a concern present... I have no clue what the climate is like in the Uk never been... But I myself am concerned with my bike and the heat. And I can also give you quite an insight as to what happens inside an engine that sees high temperature and low oil pressure. There were reasons ford had constant PCM and FICM updates in their diesels and a lot of the reason was due to oil temperature related failures that cost them a lot of money to fix under warranfree.
As for the Porsche yes it's a piece of crap **** wagon. As is BMW Mercedes and Audi. I can think of plenty other vehicles I would much rather own than a 911.
The climate in the UK is plenty similar to that in New England BUT Europe is far more urbanized and crowded.
Add to that that the average town is an easy 1000 years old, and that neighborhood streets are in the "NYC alley" class,
so you will understand traffic is an issue...
In Southern Europe (Spain and Portugal, southern france, Italy and the Balkans and Greece) population density is even greater
and summers are just as hot as you have in the South (Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama) Central Spain is just as bad as Arizona, trust me.
Cervantes had his Don Quixote go crazy in the summer heat of "La Mancha" (Spain's central plateau) for a reason.
I do not know what oil weight you use over in the US but I use 10W50 in the winter and 20W60 in the summer.
The days of my Beemer using 0W40 for winter riding are long gone and Harley engines run hotter than BMWs or Guzzis, regardless their relative lack of power.
I'm surprised the Harley EVO engine runs on such low oil pressure - I guess the oil pump will throw oil by the bucketload.
That means the average oil pressure gauge will actually have a hard time even giving a readout !
BUT
using a 15W40 oil may be the reason, as a 40weight oil runs very thin at those temperatures.
Multigrade oils are just the thing on a water-cooled engine but you need 50/60 weight oil in an air-cooled motor.
I think putting an oil pressure gauge on will just cause unnecessary worry. These engine run on roller bearings as opposed to the typical automotive plain bearing. Roller bearing could nearly get by with splash oiling alone. Nearly.
I think if you wanna worry about something, put a head temp gauge on!
06-01-2016, 08:58 AM
OIL Pressure/Temperature: how much is "right" and how hot is "hot"?
