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Complete Engine Oil Draining

Ozman

Member
Maybe this has come up before... any suggestions on how to get ALL the oil out of the pan on an Ultra when changing the oil? Just put in fresh oil for the winter and my "new" oil is now mixed with old oil that didn't drain out.
 
dont worry about it .. simplest way it doesnt matter theres not enough left over
 
Bud is on the money on this one. Any engine you drain will have some left over oil. You can always do a double change but you will only dilute the residual oil. Of course if you are running a muilti million dollar formula team you can tear down the engin in lieu of the oil change but no one is really going to to that.
Make sure you have ithe morot good and hot when you chane the oil and you will drain out everything significiant.
 
Maybe this has come up before... any suggestions on how to get ALL the oil out of the pan on an Ultra when changing the oil? Just put in fresh oil for the winter and my "new" oil is now mixed with old oil that didn't drain out.

YOU will ALWAYS have SOME old oil in the system..... USING the below way can be done a little differently:

******REFILL using ONLY a 1/2 quart NEW oil into oil tank after the change then DRAIN OUT the remains of the OIL TANK UPON completion of the below..... this way will get out 99% of OLD oil that was returned into oil pan while kicking the engine over, doing the below....

THIS IS WAY OVER KILL as engine oil diluted with a little OLD remaining oil LUBES much better than bran-new stuff... BUT

HERE IS A WAY I'VE DONE IT.......(sometimes)

After main tank drained and plug installed, THEN with old oil filter OFF.... REMOVE the spark plugs and GROUND them to engine block as not to damage electrical while doing the following....

******Add 2 quart of NEW oil into the oil pan tank.. CAREFULLY diverting oil flow out the filter opening into dirty oil pan.. CRANK IT OVER UNTIL FRESH OIL IS VIEWED COMING OUT......

MANY HERE will SCOFF at this.... BUT this will clean out OLD OIL from OIL PUMP.... usually 6 to 8 oz of DIRTY OIL will be removed this way... just remember it will take THAT MUCH more when refilling the oil pan....

I then install the new filter (i always add oil within a 1/2 inch of top on new filter) many will say NOT NEEDED but I DO IT THIS ANYWAY!!!

fill oil to the LOW SIDE ON THE OIL TANK LEVEL,,, replace/torque in the sparkplugs.. I always USE a anti-seize each time replacing them....

start and warm the engine, then ADD oil if NEEDED...CHECK again when FULLY HOT and add accordingly...

just MY WAY (sometimes)

signed....BUBBIE
 
LOL Not sure why anyone would go to that much trouble? As stated they aren't formula 1 engines and geeze..the original Harley Knuckleheads and Panheads and Shovelheads are still out there running without all that extra fuss? I read about some guy who went around the world and has 550,000 k on his 1994 Harley. (341,754 miles) ? I don't think he worried about draining every drop and he rode through really ugly spots? Heres a link if you want to read about it
Peter and Kay Forwood on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. World's Most Travelled Motorcycle.

:D Geeze I wonder if any Non-Harleys made it that far?? Oh wait ..this Harley has the world record for having been ridden in every "recognized" country in the world??? LOL
My two cents.
 
It seems that the HD engine can be happy (for a while) with both extremes:

Diesel Engine Oil in an HD - Harley Davidson Community

Peter Forwood used diesel oil when that was all he could get in Uzbekistan. The Amsoil boys apparently haven't managed the same market penetration there lol.

When I change the oil (Mobil 1 20/50 V Twin), I accept that I leave some of the older oil behind and "dilute" it with new. If you use a good oil and especially if you change it frequently enough as the "cheap insurance" often referred to on this site, leaving some of the older oil behind shouldn't be a problem - JMO. :D
 
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As Bud says, keep it simple don't worry about it. I have never seen any problems because of a few ounces of oil oil left in a motor. Now if the bike has been sitting for years, you may have a point, but just change it and you will be fine.
 
When simplicity and practicality prevail, let it be comforting that with the 2007 motors the oil pump has improved scavenging capacity; meaning more oil being circulated back to the tank and less old oil sitting in the bottom of the crankcase. The significance, and applicable to the 2008 Ultra, is fresher oil is being circulated all the time.

Pg 16 of the 108 page document: "• 10% more flow and 23% scavenging capacity improvement"
Read Online 2007 Model Year Information - Harley Davidson Community
 
Changing oil is routine if done following recommended OEM guidelines should be fine, the long term R&D to determine best results done long ago. Yes you can do the complete oil change, but if you are changing oil more often, the delta advantage is probably not going to be seen over the life of your bike, but the expense can add up to not make a difference. Just change your oil & filter dillegently and ride. There are other concerns that can shorten the longevity more than complete oil change...
 
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