how many quarts of oil?

[welderhog]

ok guys this may sound crazy!!!! i have a 2005 heritage softail fuel injected 88 CI ..i just changed the oil and used 20/50 royal purple.owners manual says oil capacity is 3.5 quarts so that is what i put. when i check the oil its past the full mark on dipstick. how many quarts do you guys use? THE OIL IS UP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WELD ON THE OIL FILLER NECK.

THANKS IN ADVANCE

[vafatboy]

Originally Posted by welderhog

ok guys this may sound crazy!!!! i have a 2005 heritage softail fuel injected 88 CI ..i just changed the oil and used 20/50 royal purple.owners manual says oil capacity is 3.5 quarts so that is what i put. when i check the oil its past the full mark on dipstick. how many quarts do you guys use? THE OIL IS UP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE WELD ON THE OIL FILLER NECK.

THANKS IN ADVANCE

I run 3 quarts in my FLSTF. Manual says 3.5, but that's overfilled on mine too.

[MadCity]

I guess different model bikes have different methods of checking oil level. Some say check it with the bike on its side stand. Others, like my Sporty, say check the oil level with the bike straight up. Any way you slice it, though, I've found that with my bike at full operating temperature the optimum full level is when the oil is about halfway between the top and bottom demarcations on the dip stick. The last time I changed oil (I have the dealer do it), they overfilled it and I was spewing oil out from the under side of the air cleaner on every ride. I pulled most of a turkey baster full out of the oil tank, and I'm not seeing that problem now. Dip stick reads halfway between full and low.

[YankeeBob]

As long as you can see oil in there, you're good

[kingsoftail]

05 Heritage as well. 3 quarts.

[hd4evr2008]

Check it when it's HOT not cold.

[Marty59]

I had the same over fill senario on my 04 heritage. There has to be some residual oil left in the bike after draining. I now check my oil level before i change it and if it's ok, I measure what drains out and replace just that much. Sounds kinda anal but if you ever had your dipstck blow out and spew oil all over the garage because of an overfill condition you would do the same!

m

[Faast Ed]

Idle your hot motor for a minute or two before draining, to get all you can out of the sump.

2 1/2 to 3 qts in mine. I like it only half way up the dip stick.

[doc ock]

If the manual said 3.5 qts, I would have just put 3 qts in and then check it. Run between half and full.

[ponderopa]

02 heritage, 3 quarts. Switched from HD synth to Klotz 10-40. After my 80 mile Sunday ride, oil temp is down to 215 from 235-240 previous...I'm just sayin'

[20538]

I had an 03 FLSTCI and it took 3 quarts to get it to the full line and maybe a few ounces from another quart. also put some in the oil filter from one of the 3 quarts and let it sit before installing the oil filter. After you put the 4 quarts in take it for a 20 mile ride to warm the oil up, as you should be checking when warm as mentioned, then check the level.

go buy a turkey baster for a few dollars to get it right this time.

[Amsoil Dealer Group]

Guys keep in mind that your oil system is a dry sump system and for accurate measurements of oil in the bag it has to be run before changing the oil. Sometimes just running them at idle will make the situation worse as the scavenge pump won't pump back fast enough or keep the crankcase scavenged properly. When the engine is off oil is not suppose to migrate into the crankcase, but many do, so you are going to over service your system if you don't make sure all the oil has been scavenged back to the tank.

When I was working as an aircraft mechanic for Delta airlines the pilots would complain in the morning that their oil was low. We knew it wasn't because we had serviced the system during our inspections when they came in the night before. The jet engine has a dry sump system and the oil would migrate to the gearbox during the night. We would have to run the engine and watch the oil level come back up to full as the scavenge pumps returned the oil to the tank. If you just idled the motor it actually aggrivated the situation as the scavenge pumps at idle can't keep up with the what the oil pump is putting out and I believe, the harley is the same. So the moral of the story is run the engine at a higher RPM than at idle or take it for a short ride and then come back and change the oil.
george

[dblugras]

Just changed oil in the Roadglide doing the 30K service myself. Bought the bike used and individual said dealer had serviced at 25K. Checked dealer and verified....So What is the issue you ask? I want to know the true oil capacity when dry (not what Y'all are reading in the manuals, or those who must change the filter then drain your oil, leaving gobs of black stuff in your system).
I drained the oil completely, also took off oil filter and let all residual oil in system drain....

HD Manual calls for 4 quarts of oil (OK, agreed). I had to replenish with 6 quarts to get it to even register on dipstick (when hot) and still showing a quart low...

When I put in the 4 quarts of new oil, I noted the oil wasn't registering on the dipstick, but due to all the "notes" on this website, thought I should not overfill. Took Black Beauty for a little ride and as I crept past 2000 RPM the oil indicator light came on and I also noticed the oil pressure that was originally about 20psi (idling) was now at 0. I immediately backed off throttle and pressure sensor idiot light went out- pressure stayed low, and I putted 1/8 mi home under 1000 rpm to keep things rolling. I filled with another quart of oil and still no register on oil dipstick...then a another half qrt., and saw a drop on the end. Took for another trip around block and ended up adding last 1/2 qt.

I ended up with 6 quarts of 20-50 in the reservoir, took on a 10 mile ride at various rpms (including 5 on interstate) and When I got home checking hot on jiffy stand it is at bottom of arrows and upright is in the middle...

Anybody got any idea of what issue is with 6 quarts to refill ... Looking forward to your thoughts, slams, comments.....but please, don't quote me the manual says "***"... I want to hear from guys who really change their own oil, and have properly drained their system as one should...

Thanks in advance,
Burky

[cata5803]

Originally Posted by dblugras

Just changed oil in the Roadglide doing the 30K service myself. Bought the bike used and individual said dealer had serviced at 25K. Checked dealer and verified....So What is the issue you ask? I want to know the true oil capacity when dry (not what Y'all are reading in the manuals, or those who must change the filter then drain your oil, leaving gobs of black stuff in your system).
I drained the oil completely, also took off oil filter and let all residual oil in system drain....

HD Manual calls for 4 quarts of oil (OK, agreed). I had to replenish with 6 quarts to get it to even register on dipstick (when hot) and still showing a quart low...

When I put in the 4 quarts of new oil, I noted the oil wasn't registering on the dipstick, but due to all the "notes" on this website, thought I should not overfill. Took Black Beauty for a little ride and as I crept past 2000 RPM the oil indicator light came on and I also noticed the oil pressure that was originally about 20psi (idling) was now at 0. I immediately backed off throttle and pressure sensor idiot light went out- pressure stayed low, and I putted 1/8 mi home under 1000 rpm to keep things rolling. I filled with another quart of oil and still no register on oil dipstick...then a another half qrt., and saw a drop on the end. Took for another trip around block and ended up adding last 1/2 qt.

I ended up with 6 quarts of 20-50 in the reservoir, took on a 10 mile ride at various rpms (including 5 on interstate) and When I got home checking hot on jiffy stand it is at bottom of arrows and upright is in the middle...

Anybody got any idea of what issue is with 6 quarts to refill ... Looking forward to your thoughts, slams, comments.....but please, don't quote me the manual says "***"... I want to hear from guys who really change their own oil, and have properly drained their system as one should...

Thanks in advance,
Burky

You added 6 qts and barely showed up on dip stick ?? You did something wrong...

[ponderopa]

Another dead thread resurrected...