Low Oil on Sporty
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 73
Likes: 0
From: Belleville, IL/St.Louis, MO
Low Oil on Sporty
Last time I rode was last week, the bike is parked in the garage always. I went riding for about 15 mintues so I could check the oil while it was hot. I go to check it and its so low that the dipstick comes up dry. I added about half a quart and now its in the middle of the dipstick. Im just curious how it would of gotten that low and I havent notice any leaks. I just had the 10k service done about 4 months ago. Any advice? The bike is a 2004 883C with 11500 miles.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,718
Likes: 1
From: manhattan beach
sure they had it on the stick after service?
i intentionally keep mine below half... for me the bottom of the stick is just fine. i prefer that to the oil splats on my leg!!
i aim for about 1/3 as my "normal"-
i intentionally keep mine below half... for me the bottom of the stick is just fine. i prefer that to the oil splats on my leg!!
i aim for about 1/3 as my "normal"-
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,228
Likes: 3
From: New Port Richey FL
04 man!!!!!!! faulty valve seals strait from the factory! no leaks but does it puff a little smoke when your shifting up or down?
same exact thing happend to my bike (04 xlc 1200) freaked me the **** out...replaced the valve seals and problem solved.
wanabee has a good point, most of those lifts at harley keep the bike strait up and down and our sportys need to be measured on the kick stand.
get someone to follow you and see if its blowing smoke and if so out of which pipe or both and on up shift or down shift...that will help
same exact thing happend to my bike (04 xlc 1200) freaked me the **** out...replaced the valve seals and problem solved.
wanabee has a good point, most of those lifts at harley keep the bike strait up and down and our sportys need to be measured on the kick stand.
get someone to follow you and see if its blowing smoke and if so out of which pipe or both and on up shift or down shift...that will help
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
The easiest way to quick check for leaky valve seals can be done on the jiffy stand. Warm the motor up first, then quickly rev the motor to around 3000 rpm, and then slam the throttle closed. Watch the exhaust as the motor rpm winds down for puffs of smoke. If you see any smoke during the motor decel, you likely have bad valve seals, a common problem on late 2004 and all 2005 Sporties.
IMO, the biggest part of the blow-by problem on Sporties is caused by the instructions in the Owners Manual being incorrect. Several years back, the MoCo changed the instructions from checking the oil level with the bike upright, to checking it on the jiffy stand. The only problem with that is that they didn't change the oil bag or dipstick.
On a stock Sporty, on the jiffy stand, with the oil level half way between the ADD and FULL marks, the oil level is Full. If you don't believe it, try standing the same bike with the oil level 1/2 way between ADD and FULL upright (the normal operating position for the bike), set it back on the jiffy, pull the dipstick, and you'll find it reads Full.
When on the jiffy, most of the oil runs to the left side of the tank away from the dipstick, so if you fill the tank to the full mark on the stick while the bike is on the jiffy, it's going to be over filled when the bike is upright and it will puke the excess oil out the breathers. Raising or lowering the bike's suspension also changes the lean angle of the bike when on the jiffy, and that will change where the oil level registers on the dipstick.
IMO, the biggest part of the blow-by problem on Sporties is caused by the instructions in the Owners Manual being incorrect. Several years back, the MoCo changed the instructions from checking the oil level with the bike upright, to checking it on the jiffy stand. The only problem with that is that they didn't change the oil bag or dipstick.
On a stock Sporty, on the jiffy stand, with the oil level half way between the ADD and FULL marks, the oil level is Full. If you don't believe it, try standing the same bike with the oil level 1/2 way between ADD and FULL upright (the normal operating position for the bike), set it back on the jiffy, pull the dipstick, and you'll find it reads Full.
When on the jiffy, most of the oil runs to the left side of the tank away from the dipstick, so if you fill the tank to the full mark on the stick while the bike is on the jiffy, it's going to be over filled when the bike is upright and it will puke the excess oil out the breathers. Raising or lowering the bike's suspension also changes the lean angle of the bike when on the jiffy, and that will change where the oil level registers on the dipstick.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
DYNA5994
General Topics/Tech Tips
3
May 18, 2016 01:35 PM
