I know, the subject has been beat to death.. I read in the manual to put 5.3 qts US with a new filter.. then I read in some of the posts that 4 is enough..I guess what I don't understand is if I'm correct in saying that the engine is basicly "dry sump" or no oil pan, what is the problem with using the 5.3 qts as long as the oil tank will hold it.. more oil will help the engine run cooler..I would think if the oil tank were big enough to hold 5 gals, that would even be better. the engine only will accept so much no matter how much is in the reservoir.. Is that line of thinking OK? All ideas welcome..

I read in the manual to put 5.3 qts US with a new filter..

5.3 is the total capcity of the system. When you drain your oil there is about a qt left in the motor that doesn't drain out. 4.3 is the recommended amount with a filter change. But it has been found that 4 qts does just fine.

Thanks for the reply Musky. I used the instructions posted on the home page and ended up putting in a little over 5 qts. oil level is about mid way on the hash marks on the dip stick.. Great instructions.. The hardest part was cutting my box end wrench in half..

The oil in the tank is not cooled very well so even if the tank held more oil it would not be substantially cooler. You need another 'tank' exterior and to the front ..... like those chrome oil coolers.

Doc

I hear ya Doc.. Ya Those chrome coolers don't look too bad..I'm not crazy for one tho.. I have heard some builders use the frame itself to hold oil.. I wonder how well that works? Another thing I've often questioned is some of the bike rallys like Daytona etc, where thousands of bikes are idleing at a crawl, that can't be very good. I bet there are a lot of seized up engines huh..I've never been to one but I bet I would leave the bike parked most of the time..

This just my opinion - The dipstick is a joke. The hoops you have to jump through just to check the oil is a joke. The fact that Yami had to make a video to show how to check the oil proves what a joke the whole thing is. Adding / draining oil based on what the dipstick says is a mistake IMO. My procedure is - Drain, put on a new filter, put 4 qts in, and ride. I don't worry about what the stick says. Chances are it won't read where I think it should even though I know I have the right amount of oil in there. And for me anyway it's hard to get the same reading twice in a row. On my last oil change I drained a little over 4 qts. Put 4 qts back in and the oil was at the top of the hash marks. No reason for the level to be that far up on the stick unless the stick or procedure doesn't work.

Example - You say you just put in a little over 5 qts (1 qt Too much) but the stick is telling you it's OK by being right in the middle of the hash marks.

All just my opinion and I'm not telling anyone not to use the stick.

OK. I put my soap box away.

flashback wrote:
ended up putting in a little over 5 qts. oil level is about mid way on the hash marks on the dip stick..

I've never put that much in!

Usually put in about 4 qt and I have no idea what that looks like on the dipstick.

Doc<br><br>Post edited by: DocShadow, at: 2007/08/18 12:08

Doc I think your quarts are bigger than my quarts. I was just following the info posted here on the home page, If I have too much, I reckon it will just puke it out somewhere..

flashback wrote:
Doc I think your quarts are bigger than my quarts. I was just following the info posted here on the home page, If I have too much, I reckon it will just puke it out somewhere..



Nope ... I use liters but converted to US qt.

Too much oil is not good for the seals and gaskets.

Doc

Had to go fix lunch and grab a beer. Doc, doesn't the oil pump circulate the oil from the reservoir, thru the engine and then back again? what difference would it make if you had 4 or 5 qts if only one qt is in the engine at any given time? Is the oil pressure affected by the xtra oil? if the reservoir were under pressure then I could understand it but I don't think it is, is it?