Oil temp
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 31
From: earth
Joe Minton wrote the tech column for American Rider Magazine (a division of Rider Magazine) until they stopped publishing. I don't know where he is now. I believe he has also worked for the MOCO off and on as consultant to their engineers and had a hand in writing their Service Manuals. I quoted from an old issue of AR that I had typed up a while ago because the question seems to come up a lot.
the bottom line - don't judge based on cylinder head temp and how it feels on your leg - cylinder head temp is not indicative of oil temp. if you are concerned, get an Oil Temp guage whether it be a dash mount, or Digital Dipstick or something else before making decisions.
the bottom line - don't judge based on cylinder head temp and how it feels on your leg - cylinder head temp is not indicative of oil temp. if you are concerned, get an Oil Temp guage whether it be a dash mount, or Digital Dipstick or something else before making decisions.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,434
Likes: 6,369
From: Honah Lee
I took her temperature all last summer and then again all winter. Did not change oil yet it went down 50.. SO what? Is going back up this spring and early summer however. maybe just my temperature dip stick is not accurate or the syn 3 I use was a bad batch or getting old and better and now wearing out ? got me, sure you are right however. do not want to step on any toes
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Apr 25, 2012 at 04:54 PM.
Account Retired
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,245
Likes: 12
From: Here
I knew the 103 card was gonna fly in short order, all else being equal, if 6 cubic inches put them over the heat threshhold, then the 96ers must be real close, so whats the harm in a adding a little margin of comfort with an oil cooler. What exactly makes a district manager a mechanical expert about anything, sounds to me like he regurgitated the the exact 230F respone that the factory programmed him with. I get my info from what I've witnessed also, and not just from what I recall from my leisure riding, but from what I've purposely observed in my own dedicated testing and evaluation of my own cooling products.
I applaud anybody who wants to add anything they wish to their rides. Keep the economy going! I want to ride mine, not work on it all the time!
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,217
Likes: 53
From: Gladys, VA
You said: "
Originally Posted by RIPSAW
.......See people talk differenet oils make a difference but to me that's a bunch of nonsence that's not measureable in real world driving...."
Not stepping on my toes, Just saying I measured it and it did make a difference in my ride. But that's just my real world experience.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 525
Likes: 1
From: Oklahoma
It's probably not helping that I'm running lowers either. They do effect airflow to the motor. I have the hd dip stick thermometer. So I can only check it when I stop either at my destination or stop sign/red light. I am running synthetic oil.......well I requested it at my last service. Still fairly new to the bike so we're still in the "getting to know each other" phase.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 415
From: Southern Maryland
95 degrees
I normally experience 230 degrees while riding, and it only goes up when I get stopped in traffic. It has risen to 260 degrees and then my engine starts pinging.
Seems everyone else says that their temp goes down once they start moving, but mine takes many miles of riding to see it change any, and then ever so slowly. So I bought a fan Saturday to try.
Seems everyone else says that their temp goes down once they start moving, but mine takes many miles of riding to see it change any, and then ever so slowly. So I bought a fan Saturday to try.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,916
Likes: 31
From: earth
Nope , really no difference, maybe 1-2 degrees ,but there is more allowable error than that in a given gauge.
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 164
Likes: 2
From: Rural Northern CA
This is an interesting thread.
I have Harley's oil cooler on my 2002 EGC, & I run Amsoil. During the winter & spring, I normally see temps in the 200 degree range, with occasional 210s on 70 degree days.
This past Saturday was HOT here in Northern CA - mid-to-upper 80s. I ran my bike for about 1 hour up Hwy 99 doing no more than 55 (2-lane road, farm trucks), then out on I-5 at 65-70 to Redding's Kool April Nites. All the roads were what we'd call "flat." My dash-mounted oil gauge read 220 degrees as I traveled up I-5, & hit 230 as soon as I stopped at the bottom of the off ramp.
On Sunday, in a panic, I wrote Jamie Long & Bob Woods. Jamie indicated that my temps were right where he expected them to be with the build I have & the ambient temperatures I experienced. Mr.Woods was a bit more conservative, recommending a JEGG 10-row cooler to cool the oil a bit more.
These are both men whose opinions I respect greatly. Thus, this is what I took away:
(1) My temps, though warm, were "normal."
(2) I really don't want to run warmer than that, so need to build a little reserve into my system by including an additional oil cooler at the next oil change later this month.
Have fun riding this summer!
I have Harley's oil cooler on my 2002 EGC, & I run Amsoil. During the winter & spring, I normally see temps in the 200 degree range, with occasional 210s on 70 degree days.
This past Saturday was HOT here in Northern CA - mid-to-upper 80s. I ran my bike for about 1 hour up Hwy 99 doing no more than 55 (2-lane road, farm trucks), then out on I-5 at 65-70 to Redding's Kool April Nites. All the roads were what we'd call "flat." My dash-mounted oil gauge read 220 degrees as I traveled up I-5, & hit 230 as soon as I stopped at the bottom of the off ramp.
On Sunday, in a panic, I wrote Jamie Long & Bob Woods. Jamie indicated that my temps were right where he expected them to be with the build I have & the ambient temperatures I experienced. Mr.Woods was a bit more conservative, recommending a JEGG 10-row cooler to cool the oil a bit more.
These are both men whose opinions I respect greatly. Thus, this is what I took away:
(1) My temps, though warm, were "normal."
(2) I really don't want to run warmer than that, so need to build a little reserve into my system by including an additional oil cooler at the next oil change later this month.
Have fun riding this summer!
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
Mine usually runs 200-210° in summer as long as I'm moving, up to 230° once or twice per year in traffic. The highest observed was 240° on one very bad traffic jam on the interstate last summer. I have an HD Premium oil cooler that helps keep peak oil temps in control. I run near stock AFR's (14.5) in the cruise range and haven't noticed much difference in cooling running richer, although mileage is noticeably affected.
Last edited by iclick; Apr 24, 2012 at 04:21 PM.