It's possible that the condensation is on all of the exposed surfaces of the oil tank (dipstick included); it may have frozen before collecting enough to sink to the bottom of the tank.

 

Under pressure, the deeper, the greater the pressure, has to be colder to freeze under pressure, same as in yer Radiator in the Cage, pressure keeps it from Boiling at 212d.
I like eggrolls explination. Collects on the surface (condensate) freezes before it can "sink" or mix.

 

hey i have been a half-way mech for years,it was zero here
in WV no water in my oil,it was 4 degrees also maybe Alaska
temps maybe i will vote you got water,you got problem i will
add this water in oil is un-pridictable i have seen it sink and
also stay on top,etc

 

I'll go read my physics textbook and get back to you....after this headache goes away.

 

water VAPOR is lighter .... CONDENSATION is from the vater vapor in the AIR forming on teh cold metal of teh dipstick and freezing

also why the gas tank should be FULL for winterizing too ...

http://www.surfmaine.com/rebelforum/...pic.php?t=1933
[quote]ORIGINAL: SilverDragon

in the past conventional wisdom has been to drain the gas tank and carbs and to disconnect the battery
but with current options this is no longer the best thing to do
exposed metal creates water condensate in cold weather and water and oxygen creates rust (iron oxide)
in the past the rust was the lesser of two evils as gas sitting for a length of time tends to settle out (varnish) and gum things up big time - but with STA-BIL this is no longer the case
so for winterizing today you should add some sta-bil to the tank - and ride a little bit to make sure the treated gas is what is in the carbs and lines - you then should FILL UP FULLY before storing (and add some more sta-bil) - the full fill is to avoid EXPOSED metal that will condensate and create water in the tank .. gas and water do not mix - and watter settles to the bottom of the tank (the usual rust out point) the more gas you have filling the tank = the less exposed metal you have collecting water vapor as condensation - you should also add a little HEET to the gas tank to chemically bind up whatever water does occur - heet is a specific type of alcohol that does mix with water and chemically binds it so it is part of the gas mix and not settled on the tank bottom
side note: I even add heet to the tank once a month during the ride season as well to reduce water rust effects - plus I also add some STP occasionally to help stretch the time between required carb cleanings ... and one last thing I do 3-4 times a season is add a capful of marvel mystery oil to the tank (a little goes a long way - do not overdo)
back to winterizing... you should also do an oil change before putting the bike up for the winter as dirty oil is slightly acidic from the metal and carbonized by products - fresh oil reduces the etching effects by not being as acidic as old oil - fresh oil also has less particle sludge that could settle to the bottom of hollows inside the engine over the winter - and your engine will be MUCH happier pumping fresh oil through it's first start up in the spring instead of old sludge ... and you'll be much happier being able to ride those early warm days instead of having to worry about an overdue oil change
regarding the battery - most today tend to hook the battery up to a motorcycle specific trickle charge battery tender - be sure to get the kind with auto overload cut off and designed for motorcylcle use

and finally - try to refrain from starting the engine just to hear it idle in the winter ... unlike a car with a belt that is running even if the car isn't in gear - a bike usually only produces electricity when it is moving at a decent rpm for an extended period - 30 mins of continuous near highway speeds is usually what it takes to recharge the battery from the drain of a start up (which is why the people who "only ride 10 miles to work and back everyday" get so confused when their battery dies on them one day - throw in a longer weekend ride periodically to keep the battery charged) again a battery tender does help this but start ups also do more than just tap off the battery - they also are a little more wear and tear on the insides of the engine and some bikes must be moving in order for proper oil flow to occur - and it uses gas that lowers the level in the tank (see rust caveats above) - not to mention the exhaust dangers of a enclosed garage ...so basically try to refrain from starting the bike up unless you intend to actually go for a ride
that said - with a bike that has a full tank of sta-bil-ized gas - and a charger tended battery - and fresh oil in the engine the

 

According to Harley. Durring the winter you should start your bike once a week and the ice will vaporize.

 

If you have a serious water in the oil problem with your Harley it is a VRod, not a Sportster

 

Humm,...think I'll mix a little water in my oil change pan (that's still full) and see what happens.

 

yes - it will

BUT ... what they stop at telling you is :

the water vapor will then re-condense when it cools back down
(maybe in a new location deeper inside the engine to start rusting out from)

remember - harley is in the business of 1) selling bikes ... 2) repairing engines

they have a vested interest in you destroying you scoot faster - so you'll pay to rebuild- orbuy another

why help the water vapor(from the oil tankcap gap?) move further into your engine by vaporizing it and pumping it into the internals ... unless you plan to ride long enough to pump it ALL the way THROUGH (see my previous post above)

 

I fail to buy the statement that HD is giving info out to destroy Bikes, throwing the BS Flag on this one Bro!