Interesting topic. If the cooler is thermostatically controlled, it wouldn't open up for circulation until the oil reaches the set temperature. Once open, the cooler would fill and hold oil. If a you did not monitor your level you could be riding with very low oil.
On a vertical cooler mounted above the sump, without an anti-drainback valve in the system, you could check your oil and be fine but actually have low oil once the engine is running and refilling the cooler. The premium filters have this. Good question.

 

The oil cooler will fill right away, although relatively slowly. Every thermostat that I know of works at roughly 95/5, percentage wise, and I've researched quite a few of them. The bi-metal can't ever be truly fully open or fully closed. It just doesn't work like that. When cold, 95% of the oil bypasses the heat exchanger with 5% still going to it. At "full open" the percentages are reversed. 95% of the oil is directed to the heat exchanger, with 5% bypassing it. Again, these percentages are approximate, but close enough for practical purposes.

 

Good info thanks.

 

I don't know maybe it's just me but every time I change oil and filter on my Electra Glide I always end up with the bike dripping oil right under the filter area. The oil seems like it runs down on the wires and oil cooler and about the time it quits dripping its time for another oil change and it starts all over again. I even tried stuffing rags under the filter but I still end up with oil running down in that area anybody know of a cleaner way to avoid all the mess?

 

Its the HD oil cooler for softail. It mounted vertically midline right behind the front fender. I got 2 qt. oil today and will see if I can get it filled to appropriate level.

 

Bob, I've sent you a PM. I hope that's okay.

Dan

 

I saw a funnel once that was cut to go under the filter in the void and ran long enough to place a catch pan under it.

 

There are about as many ways to get the oil out of the filter as there are people on this forum.
I buy cheap place mats and cut them into 3 sections vertically. That way they are long enough to go from under the filter to a small oil bucket and not so long as to be in the way. I then take a small metal punch and punch 2 holes in the end of the filter...first one at 12 o'clock and another at 6. If I let it drain all night, usually the filter won't have any left in it by morning, so no mess to clean up. If I'm trying to hurry it up, I blow compressed air in the top hole to evacuate the filter.
I hate leaving oil on the front motor mount or using brakleen to get it off...neither of which can be good for the rubber in the mount.

 

Thanks for your replies to my oil drip problem--I accidently put this new post in the wrong place. I didn't mean to high jack this oil cooler and dipstick oil levels post. SORRY

 

There is so much wrong in this post I'm just shaking my head.

1) You trusted the tech. First mistake.
2) You don't know how to check oil levels, proven by your word "assumed." When you assume, you make an "***" out of "u" and "me." By your post we can "assume" you went 5000 miles, over a period of time of 5 months, not only between oil changes, but in checking your oil level?