Hello,
I have an 07 Sportster that has sat dormant for three years. I just changed the oil in preperation of taking a class and getting my licence. I changed the oil per instruction. After starting the bike to do a pressure check, I shut it off then proceeded to check oil level. The level was very high light brown in color and smelled a little like gas. What is wrong with my bike?

Details:
Mileage 1,400
Put in 3qts. 20W50 oil

 

A friend had a similar problem and it turns out her float bowl valve and petcock were the problem.The valve didnt shut and gas leaked into the cylinder when the bike wasnt running.It then seeps down into the crank case and mixes with the oil.A new petcock and a good carb cleaning did the trick.

 

+ 1 on stokes answer. Clean the carb, lines and tank. Get a new gas line filter. After that change the oil again.

 

Hmmm is'nt the 07 sporty injected. last i checked it was

 

Where waas the oil when you smelled it? Were you within 5 feet of the gas tank?

 

Yep. Carb cleaning and float bowls and petcocks ain't the answer.

I think this is the point where I say - "that's why I don't want a fuel injected Harley" but it could turn out to be nothing major. Could turn out to be oil that's the color new oil should be and the OP is just worrying too much. 07, 1400 miles, haven't ridden in 3 years - first time changing the oil?

 

The oil gets frothy as a matter of use... to really check it out, you need to ride it long enough to bring everything up to temperature. While riding watch your exhaust to see if it is burning oil... grey smoke. If it isn't blowing smoke the seals should be OK. Riding it around will also give you a measure as to fuel supply problems... rubber fuel hoses tend to rot when left sitting full of fuel for three years. If it were me> I would replace all the rubber components of the fuel system just to be doubly sure that there are no leaks.

 

Change the oil and filter and see if it happens again. Just make sure you changed the engine and not the primary. You need to be changing the oil by draining the oil tank via the hose. Your engine may have sumped some oil into the crankcase by sitting and you didn't get it all out. Now you are overfilled. Warm the oil and change it again using the oil tank hose to drain it. But make sure the oil is at operating temperature before you try again.

 

_______ yep !

 

If its been sitting for a long time it could have a bunch of moisture in the oil. Change out the oil and ride it for awhile and you should be good to go.