I hold my finger on the rear top head, if I can count to 5, she's ok. Course I'm talking about my Pan. cole

 

https://mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot..._Oil_FAQs.aspx

 

That's about the smartest thing you can do.

The problem with oil is that whether its synthetic or dyno the additives they put in it to reduce reduce wear and material degradation are the same.

Yes dyno oil goes down the crapper faster and at a lower temperature than the synthetics. But both will handle upwards of 240 to 250 without a problem.

Go over 300 and the dyno stuff is really at about its limits while the better synthetics can still hang in there to somewhere north of 400.

Going over 250 or so however with either and its all those nice additives that start taking a hike on you. Temperatures over 250 reduce the overall life span of them at an almost exponential rate. The higher you go and the longer it stays up there, the faster those nice additives go bye-bye on you.

Levels that will safely protect your engine can only be maintained for the rated 3 to 5,000 miles if the oil temps don't exceed around 260 for any extended period.

Once the oil temps go over that and stays there for any extended period, all bets are off and the smart thing to do is start giving serious consideration to getting an oil change, especially with dyno oil or any oil that's got over 1,500 or so miles on it already.

Cause that oil may continue to lubricate the bearings just fine, but its not going to continue protecting the inside of the engine from the acids and such that are created by the combustion process for much longer if at all.


PS, I have the HD cooler and run Mobile 1 in the engine and primary, With Mobile 1 75/90 in the trans.
On the hottest days my dipstick temp gauge never goes over about 230 in the worst traffic and tops out at around 200 to 210 cruising along at anything over 45mph. Go over 55 to 60 for any length of time and it generally goes down to around 190 to 200.

 

Thanks for all the good info

 

Can you post a photo that shows the HD cooler on your '07 FXSTC?
P.S. From one vet to another, THANKS. Gym Champ, 2nd Armored Div., '71 - '73.

 

[QUOTE=BigSeaDaddy;5889829]to be honest if you are talking about the oil temp that replaces your dip stick they are not that helpful. It will tell you the oil temp in your tank but not the engine.

THE OIL IN THE TANK IS THE ENGINE OIL!! TEMPS ARE THE SAME FOR THE MOST PART.

 

[QUOTE=Citoriplus;5895697]That's about the smartest thing you can do.



ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WHEN YOUR BIKE GETS TOO HOT YOU SHOULD CHANGE THE OIL REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE?? I WOULD THINK ANY OIL WOULD GET TOO HOT GIVEN THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES. RIGHT OR WRONG?

 

Here's a couple of it without the chrome cover on it. Then again I never bothered to put it on. I'm not too happy with the way it gets 'glued' on and I'm looking for an alternative.



Sorry, that's about the only pic I have of it. If you want more or from a different angle. Let me know and I'll see what I can get for you.

And Thank You for your service.

[quote=WFA;5898230]No I didn't say that, I said you should give "serious consideration to getting it changed". Fresh oil isn't going to be as nevatively impacted as older oil so you need to use a little common sense.
But regardless of how old it is if your making a habit of running the engine at high temps on a fairly regular basis, its just good common sense to change it more often than the factory says too.
Besides, oil is a hell of a lot cheaper than the new engine. So as far as I'm concerned its just cheap insurance.


PS Don't type in all caps, it looks like your yelling.
Thank You

 

[quote=WFA;5898205]The point that I was making was that the temp of the engine and the temp of the oil tank are not the same. Yes I know that the oil in the tank and is the same oil that lubricates the engine...thanks for playing. One advantage to the oil temp gauge that some pointed out is to know if your oil as a whole has reached a level that would destroy these lubrication properties. That is a very good point that I did not think of and learned. But make no mistake that the oil temp is not the same as the engine temp. As far as engine temp the difference just between the front jug and rear jug can be significant.

And its ok to type in lower case unless it was your intent to be that passionate and yell.

 

I don't think my 2005 SE Fat Boy with the 103" engine runs any where near as hot as the newer bikes, with all their EPA restrictions.
That said, if I added an oil temp. gauge, I would probably obsess over the readings.
I haven't read any posts about anyone having to replace their engine because of running too high of an oil temperature. What is the big worry?
Tom