oil light and first start up of the year.
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 587
Likes: 199
From: Danbury Connecticut
oil light and first start up of the year.
I gave my service manual to a friend to borrow, so I cant check exactly were the oil pressure switch is in the oil line loop.. But maybe someone here can tell me why??????
At the end of the last riding season I changed all my fluids. I even took my bike on a quick ride to check the oil level. Then I put it away for the winter. Today I decide to take the bike out for a shake down and see if any problems come up before I go riding with my friends in a week or two.. Oil tank is empty {I know why} it happens every year... so I start my bike and the oil light stays on for a good ten seconds!!! The engine sounds fine and I was about to shut it down when the light went out.... Now it goes out immediately.. But my question is even if the oil weeped down into the crank. shouldn't the oil pressure switch still see the oil pressure??? BTW bike is a 2014...swifty
At the end of the last riding season I changed all my fluids. I even took my bike on a quick ride to check the oil level. Then I put it away for the winter. Today I decide to take the bike out for a shake down and see if any problems come up before I go riding with my friends in a week or two.. Oil tank is empty {I know why} it happens every year... so I start my bike and the oil light stays on for a good ten seconds!!! The engine sounds fine and I was about to shut it down when the light went out.... Now it goes out immediately.. But my question is even if the oil weeped down into the crank. shouldn't the oil pressure switch still see the oil pressure??? BTW bike is a 2014...swifty
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Road Captain
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 587
Likes: 199
From: Danbury Connecticut
Thanks for the response.. But the question is WHY so long on the oil light??????
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,577
Likes: 138
From: South of Dallas Area, Texas
All of your oil drained into the sump. Its called wet sumping. It takes a few seconds for it to pump back up into the system. Seems to be common on Softails. The oil pump allows oil to seep into the crank case. Doesnt see to bother the HDs. I have a Norton Commando that does that after a week or so. If you dont drain the sump and put the oil back into the tank it will find its way out somewhere. Usually through and past the rings or weak seal or gasket. Can make a big mess. Start your bike and dont push it until the oil goes back to where it belongs. As long as the light goes out its all good. Last year I changed the oil and only put one quart back in the tank. When I start in in the next couple of weeks I will put in the 2 quarts I shorted it back into the tank.
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 36
From: Alberta, Canada
No, as soon as the pump starts to turn the oil is cycled through the motor and back into the tank and back into the motor. All the oil is in the sump rather than being in the tank. This is common on Softails. Same procedure every spring, fire it up, let it idle and warm up, shut it down, check the oil, fire it back up and ride.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 413
Likes: 12
From: St Louis
I think I'd be a little concerned why the oil is seeping out of the tank into the case? I'd tend to think this shouldn't be normal. My bike just sat for four months and the oil level in the tank never changed.
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Devil's Advocate
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Alberta, Canada
It is gravity. This is a common occurrence.
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Devil's Advocate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 36
From: Alberta, Canada
Not sure why yours doesn't do it. Mine has done it after sitting the last two winters (it is only a 2014). This has been discussed several times over several threads.
I asked why after the first winter. There was no oil on the dip stick. Found out from discussions, research and HD Techs that this was normal on a Softail. The oil tank drains into the sump. When you fire it up, the pump starts to circulate the oil, the oil pumps back into the tank. There is no harm to the motor as the oil is just pumping from the sump rather than the tank.