Oil Level Question...
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 3
From: California
I guess if you're already drinking today, have one for me, 'cause I don't drink.
Last edited by UltraClassicElectraGlide; May 1, 2014 at 03:15 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,807
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From: SW Washington State
I leave mine in the middle when checked cold, so if I'm on a hard ride on a hot day and the level wants to creep up, it wont be overfull.
Last edited by sixguns; May 1, 2014 at 04:24 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,468
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From: South Carolina
That's not exactly what has happened and what my concern is, but there are other replies here that actually helped me out. That's what the bike SHOULD be showing, but my bike is not showing half when cold and then full when hot. Once topped off (up to the full mark after a 15 mile ride, when hot, as per the manual, it's pretty much staying at full, hot or cold. My concern is whether or not I have overfilled it, from the current 'hot' reading, then no, but from a 'cold' reading, yes. I'm looking to see if I should remove some oil. Since the reading is the same hot or cold, it's a little confusing, as both manuals don't show a 'cold' reading all the way to the full 'hot' mark.
I guess if you're already drinking today, have one for me, 'cause I don't drink.
I guess if you're already drinking today, have one for me, 'cause I don't drink.
If it were me I would pull some out with a syringe and hose to below the full... the dipstick is used to show a range not a specific gradient. ie. full when hot. In other words dont fill it to the full mark when hot.
phrases in the manual such as between add and full are showing boundaries and not to show an exact location.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
as long as it is not above the hatchmarks, you are not overfull. as long as it is not below the hatchmarks, you are not low. the hatchmarked area on the dipstick is the operating range. as long as you are between the top and bottom marks, you are good.
if the bike doesn't like how much is in it, it will spit it out for you
if the bike doesn't like how much is in it, it will spit it out for you
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 3
From: California
what is your oil pressure gage reading when running? Is it in the normal range? do you have an oil cooler or not?
If it were me I would pull some out with a syringe and hose to below the full... the dipstick is used to show a range not a specific gradient. ie. full when hot. In other words dont fill it to the full mark when hot.
phrases in the manual such as between add and full are showing boundaries and not to show an exact location.
If it were me I would pull some out with a syringe and hose to below the full... the dipstick is used to show a range not a specific gradient. ie. full when hot. In other words dont fill it to the full mark when hot.
phrases in the manual such as between add and full are showing boundaries and not to show an exact location.
Just put an oil cooler on last week, but I don't think it has anything to do with that, but more the fact that I always only did a 'cold' check and have never checked it 'hot' as a comparison to the two readings.
I'm going to agree with you (and scratch) on your 'boundaries' comment... stopped at my local dealer today and asked about this. Answer was a little wishy-washy in terms of a black and white, definitive answer, but was finally told what you're saying... at least half-way up the dipstick but no more than the full 'hot' markings. Also, I was told to never bother checking the it 'cold', 'hot' checks only. Weird part is that anyone who has ever run heavy equipment or trucks knows that you check the oil level before the initial start, not later when it's too late.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 541
Likes: 3
From: Sherwood Park AB Canada
Heavy equipment, trucks, cars etc are "wet" sump, or in other words, all the oil is held in an oil pan beneath the engine. Your bike is a "dry" sump system, most of the oil is separate from the engine oil pan. The reason you need to check it hot has been made abundantly clear by several but I will reiterate. The oil in your bike is held separate from your engine sump. On some bikes, not all, engine oil leaks from the oil reservoir into the engine sump after it has sat for a period of time. If you check it then, when its cold, it will appear to be low on oil, when in fact there is sufficient oil in the system. The reason you check it hot is once the engine is run to operating temp the oil in the engine is sumped back into the holding tank allowing you to accurately determine how much oil is in your bike. My Ultra is one of those can can sit all winter and the oil level on the dipstick will remain the same. And it remains the same hot or cold because no oil is leaking into the sump when it sits. My Breakout on the other hand, empties all it oil into the pan after sitting for a week and nothing shows on the dipstick. The first time I saw this it was a little more than freaky, but even after idling for a few minutes it draws all the oil back into the tank.
Stop over thinking this, the only important reading is where is it on the dipstick when its hot. If it is anywhere between add and full you are good to go. Overfilled by half a qt is far worse than under filled by a half a qt.
Stop over thinking this, the only important reading is where is it on the dipstick when its hot. If it is anywhere between add and full you are good to go. Overfilled by half a qt is far worse than under filled by a half a qt.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,186
Likes: 2,412
From: USA
My manual calls for 3.5 quarts of oil when I change it, and making sure the oil level on the dipstick is within the hi-lo range. It also says not to top it off just yet, as the engine is cold. Only top it off when it's hot.
That's not the same thing as saying it should read lower with a cold engine than a hot engine. It does not indicate a problem if they are the same.
In a perfect world, with a perfect engine, the reading would be nearly the same hot and cold. Engines are not perfect, some leak oil back into the engine sump, so their cold readings will be low. Especially if the engine has been sitting for weeks. Your engine does not suffer this leakage, nor does mine. So the cold reading is nearly identical to the hot reading. Congratulations!
You're making way too much out of this. As long as the hot reading is between the marks, you're golden. If the cold reading is the same, you're just as golden.
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,889
Likes: 104
From: Mississippi
Because yours didn't leak oil down into the engine crankcase while it sat there.
I strongly suspect the concern in the manual regarding not overfilling a cold engine has to do with engines that have sat for days and weeks or even months, slowly leaking oil into the crankcase. These engines will show a false low when checked cold.
This is that spring time phenomena many experience, of finding no oil on the dipstick after winter hibernation. The oil has leaked from the tank into the crankcase. Fire the engine up and let it run for a bit, and the scavenge pump will pull it from the crankcase and refill the tank.
I strongly suspect the concern in the manual regarding not overfilling a cold engine has to do with engines that have sat for days and weeks or even months, slowly leaking oil into the crankcase. These engines will show a false low when checked cold.
This is that spring time phenomena many experience, of finding no oil on the dipstick after winter hibernation. The oil has leaked from the tank into the crankcase. Fire the engine up and let it run for a bit, and the scavenge pump will pull it from the crankcase and refill the tank.
That only applies to Harleys with an oil tank such as a Softail or a Sportster. Touring bikes and Dynas the oil pan is actually lower than engine crankcase.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 3
From: California
Thanks for your reply... not wanting to overthink it, but don't want to ride if I've over-filled it... I think all is good.