Another fine Harley screw up. " Hey were gonna give you a dip stick to check the oil but don't ever fill it to the full mark", unfreakin believable. I don't remember getting that memo.

 

my bike does this if I fill by the book....BUT...if I leave it about 1 pint low...it doesn't do it....SO...I use the pint not filled into the engine and add it to the 1 QT that goes into the primary.

 

Thats peculiar because I overfilled it 2 dots above full hot mark 1k miles ago thinking it would level out after some riding but has stayed there and I dont have any excessive dripping from my breather. There prob will be some on the jug lines going into the air filter but its designed to do that. I put compression clamps on the jug side of those hoses awhile back and wonder if dripping out from the hose fitting instead of it getting inhailed into the intake is why some drip outside and some dont? It gets flimsy from the heat causing it not to seal real well and the clamps may keep the integrity of the seal better?

 

It isn't just HD that will do this. I had Yamaha before HD and their forum had several posts to the same subject, and yes the most common problem was filling to the full mark. I've always ran slightly below full mark and have not had the oil in the breather problem on my bikes, whether they were V-Star 1100, Venture's with the V4 1300 engine or HD's 96" and 103" engines.

 

Oil level on any engine, big or small, 2 or 4 stroke, gas or diesel, should not be kept at the upper mark, especially if the oil is not at operating temp. The oil level rises and lowers with temperature lean angle etc of the bike. If the oil is above the low mark and below the top mark, perfect. This is the "safe zone". Above the top mark or below the low mark, although there is a safety factor, can only lead to grief.

 

Eh, it's not really that big a deal, and not at all unusual or unique to Harleys. As others have posted, it happens on other bike brands, as well as to engines in non-motorcycle applications.

I own an EzGo Sport II. If I fill the engine to the full mark on the dipstick and run it up the hill my driveway is on, it will smoke like a mosquito fogger. Same issue, same advice from the dealer, and, voila', problem solved.

 

that sounds like a good approach.

 

2011 Limited has only put oil in the A/C once when I filled it slightly above full mark. At full mark or just a cup below and all is good. Picked up a turkey baster at grocery and sucked about a cup out when I overfilled and now is fine. Funny it never dripped out but found some in A/C. What got me to looking was the guy following me said he could smell it when I let off during deceleration.

 

I can honestly say I completely disagree with your post. I think you need to read your post and maybe edit some things like, "should not be kept at the upper mark especially if the oil is not at operating temp" Why would you want the oil at the full mark at operating temp? If the oil is at the full mark at operating temp then hell yes, you over filled it. I have been changing oil in my own vehicles, mowers, motorcycles, atv's and everything else. Never, ever had an issue with putting the oil level at the full mark when cold. This is when it should be checked, cold.

 

Check out what Harley says is the correct level-

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/oil-r...oil-level.html