2008 XLC883, all stock, 7k miles

My mechanic thinks it's running to lean due to the white plugs, but the dealership mechanic says they run hot. Last time I checked it after a 15 mile trip, the heat gun had it at 294 degrees. It also has a lot of top end clatter, which makes me nervous to take any long trips...

Any info/experience would help...

(Feel free to direct this new guy to the page where this has been answered before)

...Cary

 

All stock Harley's run lean from the factory. The down side is, they run a litle hot. It will not harm the engine. Installing a stage 1 kit will cool things down but they are not cheep, and not really needed.The dealership is trying to make extra money from you. Find a local independant mechanic and ask him what he thinks. All Sportster engines are noisy, particularly the top end. Sportie engines are bulit proof. Ride it and enjoy.

 

first i would say you don't check the heat of your motor with a heat gun you use a oil temp guage (i use a meat temp guage...not sure if thats the "apporved way" but it seems to work), that will give you an acurate reading. and like wraith said they do normaly run lean from the factory and richining it up will help a little. a sporty motor shouldn't be runnin that hot...and i highly doubt you are...179 to 220 i think is normal

 

Your fine. Since you got fuel injection it'll cost ya a pretty penny to get into an aftermarket controler, or having the dealer remap the efi to richen things up. But your fine as is, but a simple thing you can do is make sure you run synthetic oil, I recommend Mobil 1. I found the synthtic oil on average lowers the oil temp about 10-15 degrees.

 

could also get an aftermarket oil cooler......

 

I was told by a few dealers that on the newer FI bikes you can not really tell if the bike is running lean by white plugs since that is how all the plugs look comming out of the newer bikes after awhile. If your bike is stock then you should be fine. Now when I installed my new pipes without the Stage I and PC III it was running way lean due to the fact that the front pipe was glowing red hot by the head and it was blowing flames out the pipes. Now it does not do any of that.

I have to disagree with some guys on there about INDY shops-I never use them. I know some dealers are better then others, but I always use delaers if i don't do the work myself. Dealers be it for a car or a bike have the training for that product and the tool for the job. I work in the auto fleet industry and I deal with INDY shops and dealers all day long and have much better luck with the dealers as far as getting it done right the first time. Alot of times the vehicles have to be sent to the dealers for PCM updates or for codes the INDY's can't figure out.

 

Are you running dyno or synthetic oil? Synthetic suposedly runs cooler. less-friction = less heat.

 

I just recently switched to SE Syn3 in both motor and primary/trans at the 1000 mile service which I did myself. I also added X14ied(s) from Nightrider.com and so far it seems to have cooled things down quite a bit...albiet I have not been riding around in 90 degree Philly heat yet, that'll be the true test! I've modified the stock exhaust by drilling 3/4 inch holes in each of the baffle plugs(did this two months after buying bike).

 

Well the drilled stock slip on's will make it run leaner, by how much I don't know, but it still should not make that big of a differance. I think you are just fine.

 

Thanks for the great response!
Oil:
We put Maxima 20/50 synthetic oil in when we did the last service...

INDY Mechanics:
The thing about my INDY machanic is that he'll barter with me. He's certified to do warranty service/repair on Harleys, but instead of paying $80/hr to the dealer, I printed him 1000 business cards for my last service. Plus he changed the primary oil, an flushed out the brake system for me.
Great guy...