Why is it that when all the oil has drained, I end up with alot less oil than 3.8quarts. I know you are only draining the oil tank, but can u drain the actual engine also somehow? I think its a waste just putting new oil in and it just ends up dirty the sec you turn your bike on

 

Some oil remains in the filter, some was burnt up, some still coating the engine, etc...

Also, if you think it's a waste, try not ever changing your oil and let me know how that works out for you.

 

The Owners Manual for your bike lists 3.6 quarts of oil, but that is for a factory new motor. An oil change should take about 2.8 quarts. The Manual's were changed in later years to reflect the correct oil change quantity.

The remaining oil is hanging out in the motor oil passages and lines. That's the way Harley has done it for decades and it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

 

My bike takes 2.5 quarts at a change and that puts me about 1/3 up the dipstick when I check it hot.

 

Yeah, I hear ya brother. At oil change we throw 3 qts. of clean oil on top of 1 dirty quart. Bad design in my opinion.

 

SmArt ***, it was a simple question.

 

Which I answered.

 

2.8 quarts of oil is what the new Sportsters take. The owners manual had the wrong specs for some years.

 

Very little oil stays in your engine, it is a dry sump system. You will have some left in the feed line from tank to pump, no way to drain that. You are probably only talking about a couple ounces or so, way less that would stay in your automobile engine when you take it to Jiffy Lube.

I think the 3.8 is a typo, most of us use 2.5 to 3 quarts to hit the mid point of the dipstick when hot. I'd just add 2.5, and check it from there until you know exactly what you need. Don't forget the filter takes some oil too when doing your oil change. The filter absorbs a lot of oil when in use.

John

 

So it's actually a 3 quart system instead of a 4?