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I was chatting with a dealer tech yesterday and he mentioned an issue with the new Softtails: they were seeing a lot of complaints for oil blow by even when the dip stick wasn’t indicating over filled oil.
HD recently released a replacement dip stick for these models. Apparently the original dip stick was marked wrong and indeed people were over filling their bikes. Additionally, checking the oil level is now done with the kickstand up and engine warm. Checking on the kickstand, as we have done forever, will give a low oil indication.
Check your owner’s manual for the process and inquire about the new dip stick.
Just how far up on a dip stick does oil have to be that the engine would get enough oil to make it sump and vent oil into the head breather with a oil sump under a transmission?
When you check the transmission fluid on the 2015 TCb Softail, do you screw the stick in or rest it on top of the casting? How do you do it on a 2025 M8 transmission?
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Jun 14, 2026 at 07:18 PM.
But I don't want to measure it upright. What does it show on jiffy stand full hot. Surely it's not off dipstick? Should be like halfway. I'll have to see for myself.
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2025+ Softtails oil blow by
