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oil consumption

hotrodjohn

hotrodjohn

Active Member
My 11 ultra is using some oil. Seems like at 2500 miles it is down several markings on the dip stick. I have not added oil to see how much it is down but it has been consistent. I am wondering if its pulling from the breathers or perhaps past the valve seals? Anyone have this problem? I switched to Mobil one at 500 miles. I have performed two oil changes since and have noted the same oil loss.
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I am not too familiar with the Twin Cams but do know the EVO. The area Harley rep explained how the pistons are barrel shaped. When the cylinders and pistons get to operating temperature they are perfectly oval. The rings never seat. That is why you can look at a 100K EVO cyclinder and see the cross hatching when it was assembled. You have a problem else where and Glider can give you more tips.
 
I toped it off and at 2750 miles it took 8 oz's since last oil change. Bikes millage is 5750

Also looked at the Air Filter. Breather hoses wet and some oil in the air cleaner but not tons. I notice once and a while on a hot startup say after a fuel stop that I get a whif of oil but I dont see any smoke.
 
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Are you putting 4 quarts in when you change oil and filter???? Or are you just adding oil till level is at lower full line. If you add enough oil to reach upper line your concern might go away.
 
dbmg said:
Are you putting 4 quarts in when you change oil and filter???? Or are you just adding oil till level is at lower full line. If you add enough oil to reach upper line your concern might go away.
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4 quarts at oil change. Right to the line on the stick. I have also heard to run it 12 oz low and u will have less sucked into the air filter.
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I agree with Steve07. If you added a full 4 quarts at oil change time, you over filled the engine with oil. You always have 20+ ounces of oil left in the galleries of the engine when you drain the oil. Put 3 quarts in, run the bike and then top off as needed but running it to the full mark will still sometimes puke a bit of oil into the filter area.

The 4 quarts recommended is for a dry fill like when the engine was first built and it's overfilling it when there has been oil in it already. Maybe someday Harley will update their manuals to reflect this.
 
I've read alot about this over-full condition, and I have to ask.. With a dry-sump type oiling system why does this occur? Is it that there is just too much blow-by or the engine isn't vented sufficiently? It would seem to me that it is our friends at government house requiring the MoCo to meet exagerated emissions points and therefore building a unit to meet a burocrats standards and not really building to meet performance levels. Even though the new bikes run great how much money have we spent to get them to run cooler and perform more smoothly and powerfully than when we first picked them up, air filters, exhaust, TFI. Really, why can't we get them right the first time? We started doing these things to cages way back and the problems were almost insurmountable. The new generatiion of comp. controlled cars are much better but the performance is still lacking.
 
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