Changed the oil and filter on my 2012 FB, I installed 3 quarts of new oil.
This brought the oil level up to the full mark when hot.
After 300 miles of riding i have noticed the hot and cold oil level coming down just a bit.

I know that on my 2012 Street Glide that if i fill the oil to the full mark when hot, the engine will I then blow excessive oil into the air filter/induction module until it finds a oil level which is usually a few marks below full when hot.

Will this same thing happen to a softail and the 103B oil system?
I see many guys like to run the oil halfway between the add and fill marks when hot. is this the reason why?

At first i thought that I was burning oil, but now i think the little bit of oil that I am losing is due to blow by into the air filter and the engine is just trying to find it's optimum oil level.

 

I never fill all the way up to the full mark on my 103b. In the middle is good. Just dont go below the low mark

 

Hot or cold?

 

Stand back and look at your oil tank. There are three pipes in it. The oil cannot run into engine on its own. One pipe is being sucked from the pressure side of the oil pump and after going thru oil pump is fed thru engine and makes it way back to sump and timing chain galley. There is always about 15-20 oz sumped in the bottom being dumped on and drawn from the return side of the oil pump. The return is bigger then the pressure side, but it is about 2" off the bottom so it leave the 20 oz, but does not let it get higher. That 20 oz lubes the crank bearings, piston pins, cylinder walls and especially the inner cam bearings. The return comes back thru the other pipe into the oil tank. The other pipe enters the top part of the cam galley and is routed back thru a passage way into the transmission and the air tang uses the transmission vent. The primary also use the transmission vent thru the clutch pushrod tool. The only thing too much oil in a Softail will do is push our the dip stick. On oil changes,set the oil to the bottom or maybe mid point and then with is hot touch it up to full. High speed is going to get some oil in breather. Especially if you let the bike set a lot and it has time to run down and then got out and do the high speed.

 

Makes perfect sense, seems I lost a small amount in 400 miles, 3 to 4 ozs.
The bike now has 500 miles on it, still breaking in.

 

Half way when hot

 

Yes,, I jsut fill it up to 1/2 way between the full and low marks as most in here have learned to do.




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