A little help with oil temp please
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 2,568
From: CT/FL
If you correct the cause you don't have to add equipment to correct the symptoms. I'd get rid of the cat and richen the mixture first. That'll lower head temps and lower the heat going into the oil. From there in Boston you probably don't need all the other stuff.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,878
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From: The Desert SouthWest
Off the top of my head I'm not POSITIVE, but I think they do. Somebody on here can advise I'd think. But I thought the OEM cooler will take a fan, it's just an extra kit you have to buy/install. I guess a call to the dealer would answer the question pretty quickly though.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,878
Likes: 17
From: The Desert SouthWest
I tried the same thing, believing the same philosophy (Fuel Mgt and get rid of the CAT). But to be honest until I installed the oil cooler I didn't see as big a drop in oil temps as I'd thought I would. The cooler is what really did the trick. However the Fuel management is still crucial cuz it'll eliminate any concern for pinging (and resulting engine damage!), etc. But at least in my case (an '09 RK with bone stock 96" motor) the cooler was the last thing I installed and it was the thing that really brought the temps down. The Fuel mgt and the non-CAT exhaust helped, but my temps didn't significantly drop like I thought they would. The cooler is what really did the trick on my bike.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,487
Likes: 156
From: boston
First of all I want to thank you all for your in put. Just a little more info from me. I have got rid of the cat and added a vied and set to 50%. I checked the air filter and it seems that it is filthy with all kinds of black crap, mioght be oil. Do they change the filter at any of the intervals, and will this cause the motor to run a bit warm? I plan on replacing it this weekend when I get the chance to get up to the dealer. Will purchase at least 2. I checked the plugs last night also and they seemed clean, except a bit on the dark side on the threads. I pla on replacing those this weekend also. Like I said, only 9300 miles on the clock.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,487
Likes: 156
From: boston
IOh, I forgot, I have the oem parade fan mounted to blow on the jugs. Not sure what temp it is set to go off on but it didn't. I did hear it go off a couple imes last year though when the outdoor temp came close to 100.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,487
Likes: 156
From: boston
the stock oil cooler, does it have a thermastat. I was just wondering if that is jambed shut, maybe the oil isnt getting to the cooler. Any thoughts on that? Hiow much, and how difficult cna it be to change a thermastat if that might be a problem.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,487
Likes: 156
From: boston
Pumba, The guage i am using is the oil temp dip stick. You too could have this aggrivation for under $50
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: The Desert SouthWest
Make sure the fans are coming on when they should. Also just for the heck of it test the oil temp dipstick to make sure it's not just throwing funny readings. Not likely, but not impossible.
I just clean my paper H-D element. About every 20k I replace it with a new one, otherwise just clean it the same way I do my K&N filter (except you don't put oil on the paper element).
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,664
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From: Indiana, USA
I have a parade fan on my '03 but it is a cylinder fan. Also I have had 5 harleys and none ever had an oil temp gage. You know when they are hot, they ping when you accelerate. You basically have 2 gages in agreement as the oil temp gage is high and the rear cylider is deactivating.
I have had 2 bikes with rear cylinder heat management. I have only had the system activate 1 time in 2 years on 2 bikes. I had just rode hard into town and was stopped downtown by a train. The only other times were forced activation by idling in the driveway several minutes to gain heat. I have little experience riding through Boston but would like to think that normal stop and go traffic in 45 degree weather should not create enough heat to deactivate the rear cylinder. Also haven't read anyone on this post state theirs is deactivating the rear cylinder in these conditions.
Maybe the bike is running lean AFR or advanced timing to create extra heat.
I have had 2 bikes with rear cylinder heat management. I have only had the system activate 1 time in 2 years on 2 bikes. I had just rode hard into town and was stopped downtown by a train. The only other times were forced activation by idling in the driveway several minutes to gain heat. I have little experience riding through Boston but would like to think that normal stop and go traffic in 45 degree weather should not create enough heat to deactivate the rear cylinder. Also haven't read anyone on this post state theirs is deactivating the rear cylinder in these conditions.
Maybe the bike is running lean AFR or advanced timing to create extra heat.