Checking Oil
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 565
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh
What did they change on the 2012 Dip Stick. Must have been the original design engineer for the 2011 Dip Stick was forced at gun point to unscrew the hot cap, burned 3 layers of skin off and then vowed that he would redesign the 2012 stick to solve his own screwup.
Guess I'll be stopping at my Dealer and checking out the 2012 model Dip Stick. One good thing about MOCO, they do roll and evolve.
Guess I'll be stopping at my Dealer and checking out the 2012 model Dip Stick. One good thing about MOCO, they do roll and evolve.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,145
Likes: 6,168
From: SE Michigan
What did they change on the 2012 Dip Stick. Must have been the original design engineer for the 2011 Dip Stick was forced at gun point to unscrew the hot cap, burned 3 layers of skin off and then vowed that he would redesign the 2012 stick to solve his own screwup.
Guess I'll be stopping at my Dealer and checking out the 2012 model Dip Stick. One good thing about MOCO, they do roll and evolve.
Guess I'll be stopping at my Dealer and checking out the 2012 model Dip Stick. One good thing about MOCO, they do roll and evolve.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
I'm a cold check guy. On my bike the difference in oil level between hot and cold is about 3 dots on the dipstick or roughly a quarter inch.
I don't know why HD just doesn't publish hot and/or cold specs. Same with clutch adjustment specs. I guess their argument would be the "range" between hot and cold and specifying one or the other leaves less room for error. But then again, one could argue with the "hot" specification also. Is hot 180, 200, 230, 250 degrees? And the "cold"...
I always experiment on my bikes to find the correlation between hot and cold, then I can do the checks/adjustments either way or anywhere in between.
I don't know why HD just doesn't publish hot and/or cold specs. Same with clutch adjustment specs. I guess their argument would be the "range" between hot and cold and specifying one or the other leaves less room for error. But then again, one could argue with the "hot" specification also. Is hot 180, 200, 230, 250 degrees? And the "cold"...
I always experiment on my bikes to find the correlation between hot and cold, then I can do the checks/adjustments either way or anywhere in between.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 3,846
Likes: 173
From: Simi Valley, CA
If these specifications for "hot" vs. "cold" were really that critical, they'd be specified at a specific temperature with a +/- tolerance.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,999
Likes: 55
From: Bay Area
I dont think you will ever find specific numbers. The reason warm to the touch is the rule of tbumb is because oil like anything else expands when warmed up so warmed to touch is adequate enough foroil expansion to check the max level of oil in a system.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 903
Likes: 8
From: California
Here ya go. I have one and it works great. You will need to carry a adapter to fit the socket style while on the road like a 1\4".
http://www.hdsmartsocket.com/hdsmartsocketvideo.html
http://www.hdsmartsocket.com/hdsmartsocketvideo.html
Last edited by Terrabella; Dec 9, 2011 at 12:54 PM.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
From: North Carolina
The things got about an inch of thread. Just run mine down till it touches and stop. If it vibrates, unsrcews and falls out, you probably have turned your scoot upside down and it dosen't matter anyway.
