Oil Temp-What do you do WHEN?
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 7
From: Bellingham, WA
Oil Temp-What do you do WHEN?
I ride a 2009 FLTR, no oil cooler and no engine mods of any kind including aircleaner and exhaust.
I have the dash mounted oil temp gauge with the sensor installed at the front of the oil pan next to the
drain plug. The gauge is then indicating the oil temp as it is being picked up by the oil pump after some
cooling effect in the pan.
I did a 7700 mile road trip the last 2 weeks of April and the 1st week of May. There were many days when
the oil temp ran about 130 and never got above 145. The warmest it ran this trip was about 190.
So my question is what do you do when the oil temp never comes up to operating temperature, which is?
AND, do you ever pull your bike over and park it when it's running a high oil temp? What is that temp?
I have the dash mounted oil temp gauge with the sensor installed at the front of the oil pan next to the
drain plug. The gauge is then indicating the oil temp as it is being picked up by the oil pump after some
cooling effect in the pan.
I did a 7700 mile road trip the last 2 weeks of April and the 1st week of May. There were many days when
the oil temp ran about 130 and never got above 145. The warmest it ran this trip was about 190.
So my question is what do you do when the oil temp never comes up to operating temperature, which is?
AND, do you ever pull your bike over and park it when it's running a high oil temp? What is that temp?
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ
My BTs run about 230. I just got an OEM H-D oil cooler and plan to install it soon on the Deluxe. We'll see after that.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 2
From: Northern Colorado
With a twin cam, you want your oil temp to be between 180-230F under normal riding conditions. If your oil temp can't even hit 180 then there's a problem, probably a faulty temp gauge. As far as being "too hot", I wouldn't pull over until it hit 300.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 860
Likes: 1
From: Deep South Texas
No one is considering outside air temp. My '01 ultra ran 125-130 deg hotter than ambient.
My 2010 runs 130-135 deg hotter than ambient. That's on the highway. Both had oil coolers. today I rode in 93 deg temps and my oil temp was 224, highway riding 70-75 mph.
My 2010 runs 130-135 deg hotter than ambient. That's on the highway. Both had oil coolers. today I rode in 93 deg temps and my oil temp was 224, highway riding 70-75 mph.
Tourer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
From: Tucson, AZ
From what I've read, dino oil starts to break down around 250 whereas synthetic oil starts to break down at 300.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: S.E. Michigan
I ride a 2009 FLTR, no oil cooler and no engine mods of any kind including aircleaner and exhaust.
I have the dash mounted oil temp gauge with the sensor installed at the front of the oil pan next to the
drain plug. The gauge is then indicating the oil temp as it is being picked up by the oil pump after some
cooling effect in the pan.
I did a 7700 mile road trip the last 2 weeks of April and the 1st week of May. There were many days when
the oil temp ran about 130 and never got above 145. The warmest it ran this trip was about 190.
So my question is what do you do when the oil temp never comes up to operating temperature, which is?
AND, do you ever pull your bike over and park it when it's running a high oil temp? What is that temp?
I have the dash mounted oil temp gauge with the sensor installed at the front of the oil pan next to the
drain plug. The gauge is then indicating the oil temp as it is being picked up by the oil pump after some
cooling effect in the pan.
I did a 7700 mile road trip the last 2 weeks of April and the 1st week of May. There were many days when
the oil temp ran about 130 and never got above 145. The warmest it ran this trip was about 190.
So my question is what do you do when the oil temp never comes up to operating temperature, which is?
AND, do you ever pull your bike over and park it when it's running a high oil temp? What is that temp?
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 7
From: Bellingham, WA
I think the low oil temp was strictly a function of ambient air temperature, hi 20s to mid 40s, during the ride.
Oil temp was installed at 6k and with temps in the 60s the bike would take 20 miles to reach 180. This was the norm.
In stop & go traffic in KC, MO last September, she spiked right up to 245 or better and it took a bit of fast running
to bring her back down.
The bike now has 21k and I think the readings are pretty much normal for the air temps in which we were riding.
My point is, of what use is oil temp knowledge if the bike is going to continue to be ridden with low or high readings?
Oil temp was installed at 6k and with temps in the 60s the bike would take 20 miles to reach 180. This was the norm.
In stop & go traffic in KC, MO last September, she spiked right up to 245 or better and it took a bit of fast running
to bring her back down.
The bike now has 21k and I think the readings are pretty much normal for the air temps in which we were riding.
My point is, of what use is oil temp knowledge if the bike is going to continue to be ridden with low or high readings?
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,236
Likes: 7
From: Bellingham, WA
think an oil cooler is going to help in the least when trapped in stop & go traffic and the temps are in the 90-100s.