Wet sump and starting
#11
12-08-2014 | 08:44 PM
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 604
Likes: 22
sumpin fishy
Bought two bikes at an auction for cheap because one had no oil and the other looked like it had tar in the oil tank. The one with no oil was a Heritage and only had 28 miles showing so added a new battery and oil and filter and fired it up. Got a face full of oil and a hell of a mess on my shop floor. Not room for 6 quarts in that oil tank. It had all sumped to the cases in an almost new motor. Seen no repercussions afterwards but the new owner had to replace the pump a year afterwards.
#12
12-08-2014 | 09:05 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Poolville
#13
12-08-2014 | 10:40 PM
Devil's Advocate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,070
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From: Alberta, Canada
HD Tech warned me if there was no oil on the dipstick in the spring not to add any. He said a good deal of it would drain out into the sump after sitting all winter. Just fire it up in the spring, let it idle until it gets up to temp and check the oil again. It will pump back into the tank. Once it has filled the tank back up, ride.
He laughed at me while he told me this as he knew my last bike was a Dyna.
He laughed at me while he told me this as he knew my last bike was a Dyna.
#14
12-09-2014 | 01:19 AM
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 33
Likes: 4
From: Wyoming
#15
12-09-2014 | 03:50 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Oxford, Nc
#16
12-09-2014 | 08:46 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,492
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From: Illinois
I dont stare at my oil pressure gauge but I do check it often and at every light or stop sign. It can also warm of bad things to come. I run about 47psi going down the road, about 27psi sitting. If I look down and it's 30 while going down the road, or 10 sitting I still have pressure but I know I have something going on that's not good. Nothing will help or protect you from catastrophic failure but its a window into the motor and whats going on. I have way to much in this motor to not monitor it. It's like a blood pressure cuff, a hell of a tool to save you.
#17
12-09-2014 | 09:10 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
May get away with that much oil pressure in the North but in the hot south, you need to keep a TC idle oil pressure well below 18 psi idle (probably below 12) or you will cook the oil and flood the cylinders from the oil jets. The oil cooling jets under the cylinders are not intended to open till 12-18 psi above idle speed. Did you have modified the 35 psi relief and boosted the oil pump to get that idle oil pressure or is your motor not a TC?
#18
12-14-2014 | 04:05 PM
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Joined: Mar 2010
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From: Honah Lee
If it has oil in the tank, you should be OK. Pump will catch up and return it. Let it idle a few minutes and keep the speed down for a mile or so. Maybe I just seldom keep up with checking it after sitting. When mine sets months, when I start it, all I want to do is go. Just went out and checked it. Been couple weeks since I rode. As a scale I know it was about 3/4 up from the lower line about a month ago. Been over a year since I changed it and I had topped it off when it was hot hot to the top line. It has use this small amount in a year. However two weeks of setting has dropped it to 1/4" above add. I never really ever park it but it will set 3 months shortly Jan-March. Be interesting to see where it is then. Obviously it does leak back. Guess it's leaking all the way up thru filter..Harley probably designed it that way to keep the crank main bearing oiled...in fact, I am sure that's what they did? HA..mine has 45K on it and other then me checking, has never even had tensioners changed.
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