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General Topics/Tech TipsDiscussion on break in periods, rider comfort, seats and pad suggestions. Tech tips as they become available will be posted here.
Welcome to the HDFORUM. What year? Did it do that on startup? Assuming it was OK when parked. That's some dirty oil. Might want to do a bit less miles between maintenance.
You didn't happen to add oil before a proper warmup drive, to get any oil that drained down from tank from setting, back in oil tank?
Over engine oil tanks on Softail and Sportster have a special routine for checking oil level.
My Softail would drain the whole oil tank in 6 months. I just took it very gently keeping rpm 2k or so till it got back and normalized. Took a little while since it's only recovering 10-20% more than it's pumping back thru motor.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Feb 23, 2026 at 03:33 PM.
Have you started it since it was parked?
I would change the oil and filter and "detail" clean the thing and then let it sit there an idle until very hot to touch, then take a spin stopping @ 2 miles then 5 miles and then back to garage to inspect.
Definitely don't like the oil @ the cylinder base gasket.
I asked about starting, because too many people start their bikes and instantly start playing with the throttle (VERY WRONG).
These evo style and up engines have very little tension on the head and base gaskets when cold.
The torque is set to have correct tension @ normal running temperature, due to the metal expansion.
Not supposed to rev engine cold and or put engine under a heavy load until hot to the touch (good way to blow base and head gaskets).
As was just mentioned about the oil draining from tank to engine case, it could very well had too much oil and once started, reved rpms could have pushed oil out.
My old shovels will most definitely mark their once they sit long enough.
Last edited by Bayou FLHR-M8-128"; Feb 28, 2026 at 07:12 PM.
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Oil leak
