Oil Level weirdness
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 148
Likes: 38
From: Freehold NJ
Oil Level weirdness
I noticed this on my M8 Road King. I check my oil all the time, just because. The first 1000 miles, the levels never changed. I had the dealer do the first service.
The next 1000 miles the level seemed fine but then I noticed after a 300 mile ride in 95 degrees all of a sudden I was down a quart. Oil was still clean with slight discoloration. I check the AC and it was dry. So I call the dealer and ask if they have seen this before, they said if its really hot out it will burn more oil. Of course, but a quart? Something didn't seem right. So I go out on another 200 mile ride the following weekend and noticed after adding the quart, I'm down a third again. I changed to a K&N AC at this time and noticed a little oil on the intake, but the stock AC itself was dry. So, Im saying ok, when I added the quart maybe I over filled it a little.
Another weekend of riding this time around town, maybe 120 miles all weekend and now Im down about a half a quart.
This week out of boredom from the rain, I check my oil. It FULL and BLACK. It was a half low about an hour after riding. A few days sitting and its full. I've checked it cold plenty of times and havent seen this before.
am I
The next 1000 miles the level seemed fine but then I noticed after a 300 mile ride in 95 degrees all of a sudden I was down a quart. Oil was still clean with slight discoloration. I check the AC and it was dry. So I call the dealer and ask if they have seen this before, they said if its really hot out it will burn more oil. Of course, but a quart? Something didn't seem right. So I go out on another 200 mile ride the following weekend and noticed after adding the quart, I'm down a third again. I changed to a K&N AC at this time and noticed a little oil on the intake, but the stock AC itself was dry. So, Im saying ok, when I added the quart maybe I over filled it a little.
Another weekend of riding this time around town, maybe 120 miles all weekend and now Im down about a half a quart.
This week out of boredom from the rain, I check my oil. It FULL and BLACK. It was a half low about an hour after riding. A few days sitting and its full. I've checked it cold plenty of times and havent seen this before.
am I
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 148
Likes: 38
From: Freehold NJ
Thats just it, all of a sudden the oil is full again, it didnt eat it, its just not circulating and draining.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 13,674
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From: State of Confusion
'sumping' sounds terribly wrong here..jk, not really even sure exactly what sumping is..probably a stupid question..but are you checking it exactly the same way Hot each time, immediately upon shutdown and don't worry about the bubbles/frothing. it gets lower even after waiting just a few minutes..forget about relying on Cold check, other than to make sure there is oil..check it Hot immediately a few more times times and see if there's consistency..short of that it's time to report to dealership imo
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2017
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From: Illinois
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From: Freehold NJ
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That's what is referred to as sumping. Hope they get you fixed
HDF Community Team
Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Texas
I noticed this on my M8 Road King. I check my oil all the time, just because. The first 1000 miles, the levels never changed. I had the dealer do the first service.
The next 1000 miles the level seemed fine but then I noticed after a 300 mile ride in 95 degrees all of a sudden I was down a quart. Oil was still clean with slight discoloration. I check the AC and it was dry. So I call the dealer and ask if they have seen this before, they said if its really hot out it will burn more oil. Of course, but a quart? Something didn't seem right. So I go out on another 200 mile ride the following weekend and noticed after adding the quart, I'm down a third again. I changed to a K&N AC at this time and noticed a little oil on the intake, but the stock AC itself was dry. So, Im saying ok, when I added the quart maybe I over filled it a little.
Another weekend of riding this time around town, maybe 120 miles all weekend and now Im down about a half a quart.
This week out of boredom from the rain, I check my oil. It FULL and BLACK. It was a half low about an hour after riding. A few days sitting and its full. I've checked it cold plenty of times and havent seen this before.
am I
The next 1000 miles the level seemed fine but then I noticed after a 300 mile ride in 95 degrees all of a sudden I was down a quart. Oil was still clean with slight discoloration. I check the AC and it was dry. So I call the dealer and ask if they have seen this before, they said if its really hot out it will burn more oil. Of course, but a quart? Something didn't seem right. So I go out on another 200 mile ride the following weekend and noticed after adding the quart, I'm down a third again. I changed to a K&N AC at this time and noticed a little oil on the intake, but the stock AC itself was dry. So, Im saying ok, when I added the quart maybe I over filled it a little.
Another weekend of riding this time around town, maybe 120 miles all weekend and now Im down about a half a quart.
This week out of boredom from the rain, I check my oil. It FULL and BLACK. It was a half low about an hour after riding. A few days sitting and its full. I've checked it cold plenty of times and havent seen this before.
am I
Proper procedure is to check it at ambient temperature and make sure that the level is halfway between 'add' and 'full'. Then, get the bike to operating temp, which is around 10 minutes of riding, then let the bike idle on the jiffy stand for 1-2 minutes. Shut it off, check it.
I find that idling on the jiffy stand allows the oil to drain down into the pan after riding. My level is different if I park the bike and immediately check vs. idling on stand for a couple minutes then checking.