I guess what I am Trying to convey is Not to bother checking yer oil Cold, in the AM like a Tractor or a Car etc...Yer harley gets the oil checked after giving it a Chance to evacuate as much oil as it can from the Engine, and get the oil into the Oil Yank...Where it belongs..
Oil on the stick???... I ride it.... Better yet, if there is some halfway up the stick... ... Too high? Nope I won't fill beyond at least an Inch down... when Hot.

BTW I haven't checked in a Long While... But I do Not believe anyone ever stuffed 4 Quarts into a Stock Shovelhead oil tank... Like I said...I rarely get 3...

 

Dry sump cars are the same, need to check them hot and shortly after shut down or you get a false reading.

 

Don't know of any Dry sump Car... But I ain't about Cars in any way...
I think any Dry Sump lubrication system is the same... starting with early Aircraft!! And of Course...Harleys... Remembering the very early ones had No Sump... Pump oil in by Hand pump and ***** it out onto the ground when Done with it...Quite a Simple [tho messy] system...

 

Countless drysump cars on the road, a corvette being one of them. FordGT, the list goes on.

 

hellonewman,
Maybe this will help Ya understand things.
In a wet sump system, the oil pump sucks oil from the bottom of the oil pan through a tube, and then pumps it to the rest of the engine.
In a dry sump system, oil is stored in a tank outside the engine rather than using a oil pan.
Not busting Your chops Sir..just You've got it backwards.
All Vettes are wet sump from the factory..Fords too.
Real Harley's (Ironheads and Shovelheads) are dry sump...even those fancy Evos..

 

99.5% of the cars on the road are wet sump....I am sure twinkieman knows dry sump only exists in performance cars like Ferrari and Corvertte to name a couple and represent only .5% of the cars on the road with dry sump systems....which is why I said Race knows dry sump too well being a racer.

okay so I will do the following based on feedback:
Ride to oil is hot
Check level on kickstand and suck out oil to top line of dip stick (I am visual and don't know where the heck 1" from top of tank is....IMO better to have more than less since I don't have blow-by or puking)
btw I checked my catch can yesterday and no oil present so it ain't coming out of the breather
Remove filler cap and check to see if it returns oil by turning the motor without starting

Since my screw to access the crankcase oil screen is frozen, will clean out the screen when I am able to get the screw free .....is the thread standard (loosen counter-clockwise)? I plan to use an impact.

Anything refutable?

 

Be careful using a impact,how about a 12" long flat screwdriver..sideways? Ya don't want to crack Her cases..
And I think Ya can check oil return flow to Her tank while Shes idling.
Even rev up a bit to see(it dribbles at idle). Not a lot of pressure in the oil tank at low RPMs.
And yes its counter-clockwise. Id sure visually check Her return flow..especially until You get
the screw busted loose to clean/replace Her screen.
Now if Ive upset anyone..Ill shut up and leave..

 

Thanks. No worries 60weight...guys on this forum are cool....a bit grumpy and irritable at times but that is because guys like me ask stupid questions LOL...just like the Ironhead forum. I always appreciate the input.

I will try the sideways flathead screwdriver....never tried it that way.

 

Never a good idea to lead with your chin. You might like to try a google search.

 

My apologies Sir..
Wow, I'm used to the old stuff.(1950 to 1985 cars&pickups)
I see they are using dry sump systems in the new Vettes nowadays.
My Best Regards,
60