Signature done

 

Now an avitar please.

 

Your mechanic is correct. If the bike is going to sit for extended periods of time, like through the winter, a pair of hose clamp pliers will prevent the emptying of the oil tank to the crank case.

 

The lines are steel. It's a 2006 Softail. They do have a short SS flex area but I sure would not use anything on it. It drains down. Starting it returns it.

 

I know, one of my bikes is a 2005 FXSTD. There is a short rubber hose that connects the 90* elbow drain fitting at the back of the tank to the steel line to the crank case. Just enough room to manage a set of hose clamp pliers for a little "pinch" to prevent the tank fro draining. See #25 in the attached diagram.

 

I stand corrected. But I see little purpose in clamping it. That is the feed coming from the bottom. Sure don't want to leave it restricted or damaged if it's hard from age.


If I was **** about that, I would just wam up bike and drain the oil and refill it along with a new filter when one's riding season came in.

Just be sure to attach a huge note what needs to be done.

 

The only purpose is to prevent oil from draining from the tank to the crank case. If that is an issue for the OP or another forum member, the hose clamp plier is a way to address the issue. That's all I am saying; one of those personal decisions we all make for our own reasons. I had a shoulder surgery a couple of years back and knew I would not be riding for months; I used a set of these pliers. No damage to the hose and you would have to be blind to take off on a ride without removing the pliers.

Lately, not riding as much, I just start her up and wait until I see high volume oil flow back into the tank before I take off.

 

So at what point is the a motor considered dry sump? There has to be a collection point for the oil.. 8 oz?

 

My Vet is a true dry sump I think. Radial airplane engines.. Nothing is setting in oil.

But actually, when you drain the cam case side that is filled close to the crank bearings and the crankcase side, there's close to 20oz spinning around and constantly being recycled. Harley says in the 04 service manual it is used to lubricate the inner cam needle bearings.



But I just said that as a general opinion. A Harley is a dry-sump since the oil bag is separate if that's what distinguishes a dry sump. Since the sump is not under the crank.

That lip is not on TC motors after 2006 I was told. But it was a cruiser, not a TCb

 

The only time the oil could get that high in the drawing is if the flywheels were not spinning. The rest of the time its being tossed around and it runs down into the pickup Good pic tho. It shows that draining the oil passage to check for sumping on a B motor will only tell if the motor is sumping badly.

You say 20 oz but how was it measured?

The A motor pulls oil directly off the flywheel. Might get half a quart. IIRC I get slightly less about 12 oz in a SnS case but they have a pretty big pickup area and a drain plug directly in the crankcase. I'll drain my DX on the next oil change. It has a drain plug in the bottom of the case.. Still the attempt is to minimize oil in the crankcase (dry sump).

Radial motors have a pickup that catches the oil, how much of it is in there?

For sure it ain't a dry motor. Gotta have some oil in there..