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Engine Oil Level

  • leachy
    leachy
    3 years ago
    So I was just wondering generally what oil level people run in their engines. I have always thought it better to run the engine on the full mark of the dip stick as there just more oil in the engine. However yesterday took the bike for a bit of a quick fast run, wound it out a bit, the higher it revs the smoother it gets, took it up to a bit over 5000rpm a few times. When I got home it had spat out a fair amount of engine oil through the air filter. I run a ventilator air filter and it was dripping off the bottom of it and landing on the heat shield and battery box cover. 

    This has never happened before so going to look a little deeper but at the same time haven't probably run it that hard for that long since fitting the new cam. So I'm thinking that having the oil at the full mark is ok for normal riding RPM but keeping the revs up for a bit needs a lower oil level. 

    Regards
    Leachy 
    air filter.jpg
  • Krash Kinkade
    Krash Kinkade
    3 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 07 Sep 2021 10:44 PM

    So I was just wondering generally what oil level people run in their engines. I have always thought it better to run the engine on the full mark of the dip stick as there just more oil in the engine. However yesterday took the bike for a bit of a quick fast run, wound it out a bit, the higher it revs the smoother it gets, took it up to a bit over 5000rpm a few times. When I got home it had spat out a fair amount of engine oil through the air filter. I run a ventilator air filter and it was dripping off the bottom of it and landing on the heat shield and battery box cover. 


    This has never happened before so going to look a little deeper but at the same time haven't probably run it that hard for that long since fitting the new cam. So I'm thinking that having the oil at the full mark is ok for normal riding RPM but keeping the revs up for a bit needs a lower oil level. 

    Regards
    Leachy 

    air filter.jpg
    Hey Leachy, these motors are dry sump. have engine oil in an external oil tank, but you will always have a bit of oil in the cases. This is why it's important to ride the bike warm engine oil up, & after turning motor off, drain oil out the oil tank. as this way you should have most of the oil in the oil tank. If you drained the oil tank with out first riding the bike, you would have some oil in the motor, then if you filled oil tank to the top mark on dip stick. when you ride it, probably get your oil tank a bit over full, but your motor probably had too much oil built up in cases & no were to go but out the crank breather. don't worry too much, just remember next time.
  • leachy
    leachy
    3 years ago
    I think ill run it a bit lower on the dip stick and see how it goes. Its a Twin Cam A type motor in the Dyna's so no dry sump.

    Regarsd
    Leachy
  • Grease Monkey
    Grease Monkey
    3 years ago
    It's still a dry sump but the oil tank is behind the engine instead of up in a separate tank like the Softail so it doesn't have the same drain down issue, thing with these engines is the breathing system is designed to be adequate with a stock set up, you start messing with things and it can become inadequate, there are a few small mods that can be done to help it cope with the added stresses, all best done when it's in bits but you can always backtrack.
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    3 years ago
    Just let the bike find its own oil level.... Fill it up to max and then just monitor it for a few weeks.  My FXR sets its level at 1/2 way up the dip stick no matter how much I pour into it.

  • beaglebasher
    beaglebasher
    3 years ago
    That doesnt make any sense tussuck. 
    Got me thinking but. The first time I serviced my bike I filled the tank to the " FULL " mark on the dipstick. Went for a run and noticed the filler cap had came loose and there was oil everywhere.  ( 2002 fatboy )
    Checked the dipstick and it was well and truly overfull so I scratched my head and thought what the fuck is going on here?
    Pretty sure it must have wet sumpted before the oil change and to make matters worse I filled it to the full mark with cold oil.
    I was new to Harleys at the time and I remember thinking what a stupid fukin lubrication system that is. 
    I still think it is stupid now.  If its your own bike and you check the dipstick and there is no oil on it you have to fire the bike up to confirm there is any oil in the motor.   Pretty fukin clever eh?
    I realise my bike is 20 something years old.  How do you check the oil on the new models?
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    3 years ago
    When I got the bike I filled to the mark religiously.  Bike kept using oil and settling at a lower level, so I eventually learned to just put the correct amount in her on oil changes and then let her settle on the final level rather than checking every 10mins etc.  HAs worked well for the past 30 years.

    On the Sporty I just fill and forget - its a modern motor and does not need checking!  I just do a fluid and filter change every 5,000km.
      
  • robnicko
    robnicko
    3 years ago
    remember that oil expands a little as it gets hotter and therefore if at full when cold will show over full when hot, a bit like coolant

    I always run mine at about 3/4 on the stick and when its hot its just on the full mark,  next morning its 3/4 again
     
  • leachy
    leachy
    3 years ago
    Interesting how there are all these different ways to check if there is the right amount of oil in a Harley engine. I definitely wasn't aware that the Dyna "A" type twin cam was also a dry sum motor. I sucked a bit of oil out of the engine and Ill see how that goes. 

    Thanks 
    Leachy 
  • robnicko
    robnicko
    3 years ago
    same thing applies to my dirtbike Leachy, its a honda xr400 and it will show next to nothing on the dipstick cold but needs to be warm/hot in order to give a proper reading on the dipstick
  • leachy
    leachy
    3 years ago
    Quoting leachy on 14 Sep 2021 10:53 PM

    Interesting how there are all these different ways to check if there is the right amount of oil in a Harley engine. I definitely wasn't aware that the Dyna "A" type twin cam was also a dry sum motor. I sucked a bit of oil out of the engine and Ill see how that goes. 


    Thanks 
    Leachy 

    I actually read the manual and have done a little more checking on the dip stick rather than press the button the LCD read out. Im surprised at how much the oil level fluctuates in the engine. at cold it 1/2 on the dip stick and at hot its on the full mark. My others bikes don't really move at all on the oil level hot or cold. 

    Leachy
  • Neale
    Neale
    3 years ago
    In you have a sportster, have a look at the level in the tank when it’s cold, start the bike and undo the filler cap and see how much it rises once the motor is running. There is a big difference. That’s why it pays to put the right amount in and not overfill it.
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