who's been having to add transmission fluid?
#2441
12-11-2017, 10:46 PM
The last thing I want to do is muddy the water but when I check my tranny and it's cold outside (30's -40's) and the bike has not been started the level is always just above or at the "A".
At the same time, when the bike is cold and it's during the daytime (60's - 70's) the level on the dipstick shows dead center on the "X".
I always thought ambient temp would be when the bike is completely cooled down and is the same temp as the surrounding area.
If the bike is cold, hasn't been started in a day and the temp in the garage is 35 degrees, is the temp of the fluid warmer or colder? Does the cold steel tranny case get colder than the surrounding temp?
Likewise, if I park the bike in the lot at work after riding it in early in the morning. It then sets there a few hours and cools down. Then the sun gets high in the sky and beams down on the bike all day. I come out to go home and the engine and tranny case is very hot to the touch due to the warmth of the sun, but the bike hasn't been started in 12 hours. Can I get an accurate reading?
Long way around the block to say this. When it's really cold out and the bike is cold my reading is lower than when it's warm outside and the bike is cold. If that makes sense?
I have never added any fluids since the 1k service was performed over 3k miles ago. Never has there been a dry dipstick regardless of outside temp.
Another note. If you checked your level and it was low and you rode to the dealer to have them check it, wouldn't the bike have to cool all the way down (possibly several hours) before they could check it cold? If I check mine hot it reads full every time.
At the same time, when the bike is cold and it's during the daytime (60's - 70's) the level on the dipstick shows dead center on the "X".
I always thought ambient temp would be when the bike is completely cooled down and is the same temp as the surrounding area.
If the bike is cold, hasn't been started in a day and the temp in the garage is 35 degrees, is the temp of the fluid warmer or colder? Does the cold steel tranny case get colder than the surrounding temp?
Likewise, if I park the bike in the lot at work after riding it in early in the morning. It then sets there a few hours and cools down. Then the sun gets high in the sky and beams down on the bike all day. I come out to go home and the engine and tranny case is very hot to the touch due to the warmth of the sun, but the bike hasn't been started in 12 hours. Can I get an accurate reading?
Long way around the block to say this. When it's really cold out and the bike is cold my reading is lower than when it's warm outside and the bike is cold. If that makes sense?
I have never added any fluids since the 1k service was performed over 3k miles ago. Never has there been a dry dipstick regardless of outside temp.
Another note. If you checked your level and it was low and you rode to the dealer to have them check it, wouldn't the bike have to cool all the way down (possibly several hours) before they could check it cold? If I check mine hot it reads full every time.
Your post is a validation of what I wrote. The oil levels that you are reporting at various temperatures correspond nearly perfectly with the examples I gave of how much the dipstick reading changes relative to varying temperatures.
Once you know and understand how the oil level changes with temperature you can check it at almost any temperature and adjust your dipstick reading accordingly, i.e., if its really cold (30 deg F) or less, you should expect your reading to be a little low; if it's around 70 or 80 deg F your dipstick reading should be right at full; if it's 200 deg F or higher your dipstick reading should be above full.
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mjwebb (12-12-2017)
#2442
12-11-2017, 10:55 PM
Club Member
If you have gone 3k miles and the oil is still on the stick then you either don’t have transfer or it is so negligible that you can manage it by topping off when you do an oil change. That said, I would still check it occasionally just to make sure. There’s been cases where the bike wasn’t transferring and then started and vice versa. It is a shame, I’ve never worried about my transmission level on a Harley before!
#2443
12-11-2017, 11:13 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Originally Posted by 2black1s
Read my previous post (#2429) for my interpretation of "ambient".
Your post is a validation of what I wrote. The oil levels that you are reporting at various temperatures correspond nearly perfectly with the examples I gave of how much the dipstick reading changes relative to varying temperatures.
Once you know and understand how the oil level changes with temperature you can check it at almost any temperature and adjust your dipstick reading accordingly, i.e., if its really cold (30 deg F) or less, you should expect your reading to be a little low; if it's around 70 or 80 deg F your dipstick reading should be right at full; if it's 200 deg F or higher your dipstick reading should be above full.
Your post is a validation of what I wrote. The oil levels that you are reporting at various temperatures correspond nearly perfectly with the examples I gave of how much the dipstick reading changes relative to varying temperatures.
Once you know and understand how the oil level changes with temperature you can check it at almost any temperature and adjust your dipstick reading accordingly, i.e., if its really cold (30 deg F) or less, you should expect your reading to be a little low; if it's around 70 or 80 deg F your dipstick reading should be right at full; if it's 200 deg F or higher your dipstick reading should be above full.
One thing this issue has done for the positive is moved me to the mindset of checking the tranny before I ride and the oil when I return. I've always checked it occasionally at fill-ups on everything I've owned. In between if it wasn't dripping on the ground or I couldn't smell oil burning I just called it good.
Really glad this forum exists.
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04ctd (12-13-2017)
#2444
12-12-2017, 03:34 AM
The last thing I want to do is muddy the water but when I check my tranny and it's cold outside (30's -40's) and the bike has not been started the level is always just above or at the "A".
At the same time, when the bike is cold and it's during the daytime (60's - 70's) the level on the dipstick shows dead center on the "X".
I always thought ambient temp would be when the bike is completely cooled down and is the same temp as the surrounding area.
If the bike is cold, hasn't been started in a day and the temp in the garage is 35 degrees, is the temp of the fluid warmer or colder? Does the cold steel tranny case get colder than the surrounding temp?
Likewise, if I park the bike in the lot at work after riding it in early in the morning. It then sets there a few hours and cools down. Then the sun gets high in the sky and beams down on the bike all day. I come out to go home and the engine and tranny case is very hot to the touch due to the warmth of the sun, but the bike hasn't been started in 12 hours. Can I get an accurate reading?
Long way around the block to say this. When it's really cold out and the bike is cold my reading is lower than when it's warm outside and the bike is cold. If that makes sense?
I have never added any fluids since the 1k service was performed over 3k miles ago. Never has there been a dry dipstick regardless of outside temp.
Another note. If you checked your level and it was low and you rode to the dealer to have them check it, wouldn't the bike have to cool all the way down (possibly several hours) before they could check it cold? If I check mine hot it reads full every time.
At the same time, when the bike is cold and it's during the daytime (60's - 70's) the level on the dipstick shows dead center on the "X".
I always thought ambient temp would be when the bike is completely cooled down and is the same temp as the surrounding area.
If the bike is cold, hasn't been started in a day and the temp in the garage is 35 degrees, is the temp of the fluid warmer or colder? Does the cold steel tranny case get colder than the surrounding temp?
Likewise, if I park the bike in the lot at work after riding it in early in the morning. It then sets there a few hours and cools down. Then the sun gets high in the sky and beams down on the bike all day. I come out to go home and the engine and tranny case is very hot to the touch due to the warmth of the sun, but the bike hasn't been started in 12 hours. Can I get an accurate reading?
Long way around the block to say this. When it's really cold out and the bike is cold my reading is lower than when it's warm outside and the bike is cold. If that makes sense?
I have never added any fluids since the 1k service was performed over 3k miles ago. Never has there been a dry dipstick regardless of outside temp.
Another note. If you checked your level and it was low and you rode to the dealer to have them check it, wouldn't the bike have to cool all the way down (possibly several hours) before they could check it cold? If I check mine hot it reads full every time.
Thanks for your analysis. I think that is what the tech was trying to say - cold weather, lower reading on a cold bike. Glad to hear someone else's read at the "A" mark when cold outside. As I mentioned in my update, after adding 3 ounces, when checking after hard riding and a 1 hr cool down it has read "F" the last 2 days. So, I'm hoping there's no issue.
#2445
12-12-2017, 01:24 PM
Extreme HDF Member
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ramblin5 (12-12-2017)
#2446
12-12-2017, 02:34 PM
Who knows? At least I'm about to conclude that I'm not experiencing any transfer.
#2447
12-14-2017, 09:35 AM
I would expect that as well, but lo and behold this morning at 35 deg and after sitting all night it read the same as yesterday afternoon after a hard ride and sitting for 1 hour in 60 degrees.
Who knows? At least I'm about to conclude that I'm not experiencing any transfer.
Who knows? At least I'm about to conclude that I'm not experiencing any transfer.
#2449
12-14-2017, 10:28 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Glad it turned out good for you.
#2450
12-15-2017, 08:02 AM
Club Member
This is all fine and dandy, but when I ride in the summer where every day I checked it and it was always 70° in the morning, the level changed. All of my level comparisons have been at the same temperature. Even now when it’s 40 or 50 in the mornings, there’s a difference after a few hundred miles, yet the temperature is still in the 40s or 50s.