That depends how often it happens. If it happens once in while when you a riding in 100 degrees at 100 mph for an extended period of time, then it can be normal. If it happens regularly when you are riding around normally, then I would check things out because you may have a problem.

 

Put some Duralube in your motor, about a half a quart, along with full synthetic cycle oil.

I run it in the hot deserts and I can put my hand on the side of my cylinders and hold it there for a couple of seconds while it's idling in traffic.

 

Hottest I ever sawmy Sportyafter ragged driving in 95 degree 90% humidity New Orleans August was 225 degrees with standard oil. I have not seen over 200 since I started using Syn III and put the little oil cooler on the oil filter. However...the Syn III eeks through my head and rocker gaskets a little, where the normal oil did not.

 

Weeping out the head gasket is generally not good. Is it still under warranty?

 

Harley already replaced the gaskets and one of the heads under conversion warranty. There just seemsto be no resolution for a 91 converted 1200 and synthetic oil. It's just a very tiny eek, not enough for me to revert to standard oil. I loose alot more oil from the the air cleaner "mist" thing than I do through the gaskets. Alot more, almost a quart every 1,000 miles.

The dearlership did not do a sterling job with this convesrion to say the least, yet my base objective was met. It's a pretty quck little Sportser now, with awesome torque. I have no trouble hanging with Dynas anymore.

As far as heat goes, she doesn't get past 200 oil temp now. That's a very good thing.

 

You have my curiosity up, Mike. What's the "little oil cooler on the oil filter"? I've seen those finned aluminum gizmos that slip over the filter, but most folks I've talked to tell me they make no difference in temps. Just wondering what you have and if it was the Syn or the cooler that made the difference.

 

Yep. It's a finned aluminum gizmo that slips over the oil filter. It did make a 10 or 15 degree difference - 225 to 215. The Syn III brought it down to 200 or just under. I suppose Amsoil (100 percent Synthetic) could do even better. Or a real oil cooler could do even more.

From what I have heard, natural oil builds its own barrier at the gasket, ever so slight film. Synthetic oil does not, and even cleans away this film.

 

i just run synthetic and don't worry about it too much.. when i changed to synthetic at 1k last august, i noticed a 10 to 15 degree drop in oil temp. it still felt like sitting on a campfire though. no idea of the actual motor temp.