Have a 2005 EFI Fatboy with 6300 miles on it. Bought it last Sept. and it hasn't used oil until it got hot outside here in Dixie. Has anyone noticed more oil usage with hotter weather arriving? I have used HD synthetic since the 1000 mile check up. I just put a pint in it after 1300 miles since the last oil change. Thanks.

 

Hey dude, is your bike still stock? Are you running an oil cooler? I have heard that the cylinders can distort under heavy heat due to metal differences in cyls and studs. I run 2 oil coolers here in the sweltering 110 Arizona heat, keeps oil at 150-160 in the tank, about 220 in the sump before it is scavenged to the coolers, and no oil usage....and I am not running the stock pipes or air cleanner or fuel mixture. Even in the winter, I ran 240 underload in 45 degree temps, so I think anyone who says a TC88 motor does NOT need an oil cooler is nuts. My right leg and my family jewels are NOT synthetic!

Steve

 

Keep an eye on the usage. As has been reported in here on other forums, some 2005s are starting to use lots of oil due to faulty valve stem seals, IIRC.

 

Anything about a recall on the valve stems on the 2005, I am very interested in this issue.

 

Thanks Skip. My semi-local dealer told me just to keep an eye on the consumption but he felt it really wasn't going to be a problem. After rolling it around in my mind, I really don't think it will end up being a problem for many reasons...time will tell. As an adder, I asked the owner and my mechanic, who is a HD Master Certified Mechanic, to show me the plugs. They looked very normal to me but he said he would replace them anyway so I went back in the show room and teased the girls. Somebody has to do it.

Neat story here...after I drove off with my new rear tire which was the real reason I was there this morning, I noticed my Fatboy running incredibly better with a sh-t load of more power. I couldn't stand it and turned around after about three miles and went back to the dealer. I asked the owner/mechanic what he did besides change the plugs. He hem-hawed around and said "just a little tuning maybe". I asked him if he richened the mixture and he admitted it. This is an EFI Fatboy that I had a Stage I put on when new.

He also said he had "tweeked" the ECU. I said "fine, wave your magic wand any time you want to on my bike". Well the 75 mile ride home was a new found fun. I had to do it...ran the Fatboy up to 105 and it was still climbing faster than I ever thought it could. Who would have ever thunk it but this mechanic messes around with race bikes on his time off and it seems to have paid off for me. Told the Missus, I felt like I had a new bike....there is that much difference. The exhaust even has a lower pitch now. Me thinks Harley keeps things lean even with the Stage I reflash and, contrary to what most people think, remarkable things can be done to tune an EFI bike. OK, finished typing now. Ride on brothers and sisters.

Howl,

Wolf