oil levels

[chunky59]

I have just bought a 1999 fatboy from a person who took real good care of this bike, and I ask him if all the fluid levels and the oil had been changed and he said yes, so my question is this, I know when the fatboy is cold the oil does not come up very high on the oil stick. I know it doesnt register correctly until it is running at nomal temperture, so what I would like to know is how far up the stick should the oil go when the motor is cold. thanks.............chunky

 

[chunky59]

yea i just ordered one. all my stick has on it is when the oil is full, so put it about 1/3 the way up. thanks..............chunky

 

[wildspirit97]

some bikes are checked on the jiffy stand but the Fb is stright up I have seen some confusion on that

Are you sure about that? I have the Manual for my 07 Softail Standard, and it's the same manual for the Fatboy, and it says check on the "Jiffy Stand" Maybe it depends on the year. :dknow

 

[Mac2000HS]

If the bike has the chrome oil tank under the seat, you check it striaght up and level. If the oil tank is under and between the lower frame rails, you check it on the side stand. Another thought. If its a "check it striaght up and level" bike, heres a trick to allow you to check that bike on the side stand also. First check it striaght up and level and top off to the full mark. Then place the bike on the jiffy stand and check it again. Since you know the bike has the correct amount of oil in the tank, make a mark on the dip stick, where it appears while on the side stand./ Then use that mark to check for "full" while on the side stand from then on.

 

[glider]

Always check the manual, the oil checking procedure has changed from previous years on some of the newer bikes.

 

[chunky59]

yes i have checked the manual and it says to check it straight up, but the question i need answered is this, if my oil stick does not have an add oil mark how far up the stick should the oil go when the engine is cold. thanks......bill

 

[glider]

yes i have checked the manual and it says to check it straight up, but the question i need answered is this, if my oil stick does not have an add oil mark how far up the stick should the oil go when the engine is cold. thanks......bill

To answer your question properly, the oil should be checked at full operating temps and according the the manual procedure for checking the oil in your bike.:s

 

[chunky59]

hello glider, i understand what you are saying because i did read that in the manual but i have just purchased the bike and if i crank it to let it get hot to check the oil and it is too low on oil then i just screwed up. see what i am getting at. thanks...........chunky

 

[glider]

hello glider, i understand what you are saying because i did read that in the manual but i have just purchased the bike and if i crank it to let it get hot to check the oil and it is too low on oil then i just screwed up. see what i am getting at. thanks...........chunky

The oil should be hot to check it for the best reading. If it is low when it is hot, add what it takes to bring it to the full mark.

 

[wildspirit97]

The oil should be hot to check it for the best reading. If it is low when it is hot, add what it takes to bring it to the full mark.

it's not gonna hurt the bike to let it warm up it the oil is a little low. If you think it's a lot low, then you can go buy some oil and do an oil change. buy enough to put in more than the recommended amount. When you drain the oil Do what Smitty does and measure what comes out to see if it's close to what the manual says is supposed to be in there. If it is than put the same amount back in there, let the bike warm up to full operating temperature and check it the way the manual says to check it. If it's not at the full mark add a little till it is. Then you can let it sit till it's cold and check it then to see where it registers on the dipstick. All oils expand different that's why your suppose to check it when it's hot. one brand of oil might register on the dipstick different than another brand.
Hope that help you out a little and explains why no one can really tell you where exactly where it should register when cold.

And P.S. DO NOT OVER FILL!!