Out of curiosity, when changing oil do you guys only put in 2.8 quarts the book says or do you just dump in the whole three quarts and call it a day.

 

I'd follow the manual. Get the oil hot & re-check.

 

Do the level. Add the 6.4 oz later after a few 1000 miles if necessary. I also do what 103 says and when I catch it hot hot, I top off to max. Usually, will get me to next oil change. (may be 1/4" down on stick by then...but I have 45K on bike and I do not change very often)

 

2.8 quarts. I was told by a tech at my dealer that they usually fill to the half way point between add and full and call it good. You dont want to overfill it. 2.8 puts me just below the full mark on my 48.

 

Get the oil hot by idling the bike for 5 minutes or so, remove the oil tank cap, remove oil filter, drain oil. Once it just starts dripping slowly - sit on the bike and lean it to both sides for a minute - this'll help drain more of the old oil. If you're really **** and willing to try it - pull the spark plug wires or disconnect the coil and crank the engine for a few seconds until the oil pressure light comes on - this will clear out some more old oil from the engine. I personally don't bother doing this as I feel there's a lot of possible risk of increased engine wear but I have seen some folks who prefer to. Only add 2.5 quarts to the oil tank and prime the new filter halfway (about 4 oz.) and check from there; you'll probably find that you're already at the halfway mark as I did. Always clean mating surfaces, lube new oil filter gasket with new oil, and clean and use a layer of teflon tape on threaded drain plugs. It's also a good idea to use a quality torque wrench on fasteners if you aren't very good at "feeling" for proper torque. I wouldn't recommend anything less than an American-made Craftman (older) or a CDI (made by Snap-On). I own a 1/2" Craftsman clicker and 3/8" CDI clicker and both are great wrenches for the money. Beam style and digital torque wrenches will also work but are usually a little bulkier for tight spots which is why I prefer clickers. Always store clickers near the lowest setting (not 0).

 

The quantities stated in the book are simply the amount you need ready to hand, not necessarily the amount to dump in! Every hole has a level at which the amount of oil is correct - use that. I would put in around 2.5 quarts, then see how close that is to the mark.

Our bikes have a 'dry' fill quantity and a 'wet' fill. The bike is only 'dry' when newly built, or stripped and rebuilt. For a normal service it is 'wet', meaning that some oil is retained around the system, which will stay in place. That is why we should be cautious when refilling.

 

Star, there is still a lot of oil left and it dust not hurt anything. I would not be cranking it like that till the light came on nor idling it to warm. It actually takes a Harley 20 miles or more to truly get hot. Least what I have noticed on my dipstick with the thermostat. Cranking it could collapse the lifters and if you have ever heard one of these boys start up with the lifters down, you are going to think you are going to throw a rod for 20-40 seconds. That is not a good sound to me for a little stained oil nor is the plumbing people sell to pump clean oil thru. Waste of time. Just my old 66 year old opinion. However I have rebuilt a lot of motors and do all my own work.

 

I get two oil changes out of the 5QT jugs from walmart and that keeps me at about 1/4-1/2 on the dipstick.

 

Thanks guys. I have been changing oil all my life. This being my first Sportster I will get to how much it takes to get to 1/2 on the dip stick. I just thought it may save me some time by hearing what every one else did.

 

I've have always done it the same way for years, basically follow the manual and put that amount in, then take it for a bit of a ride to get the oil real hot, then top it up to the fill line on the dip stick.
A practice that has never failed me or many others I know.