Oil Problem Need Help

[Bdm4ever]

Okay this sucks. I warmed the bike up for 15 minutes a quick ride, pulled the oil drain plug, only 1/4 quart of oil came out. WTF.. When I checked the fluid level it reports 3/4 full.. I added new 1/4 quart, drove around the block, drained oil, less than the first time almost nothing drained. I have the scavenger but I'm really concerned about the cause of this low level of fluid in my oil pan. Is this normal? I'm very worried I have a larger problem. I can't put a full load of new oil to use the scavenger or should I use it to force the old oil out a quart at a time. I'm thinking about pulling the whole oil pan to check for build up / sludge. Please any insight?

 

[blacktopper]

Okay this sucks. I warmed the bike up for 15 minutes a quick ride, pulled the oil drain plug, only 1/4 quart of oil came out. WTF.. When I checked the fluid level it reports 3/4 full.. I added new 1/4 quart, drove around the block, drained oil, less than the first time almost nothing drained. I have the scavenger but I'm really concerned about the cause of this low level of fluid in my oil pan. Is this normal? I'm very worried I have a larger problem. I can't put a full load of new oil to use the scavenger or should I use it to force the old oil out a quart at a time. I'm thinking about pulling the whole oil pan to check for build up / sludge. Please any insight?

Are you draining the tank or the engine crankcase

 

[Srodden]

Crankcase gets my vote ! It would have seized up already.

 

[Dragonslave]

I drain both the engine crank case and the oil tank. I dont have a scavenger so this is the only way I can get most of the oil out.

 

[Bdm4ever]

I think I was making a huge mistake. It's the crankcase.. Oh how stupid I'm thanks blacktopper..

 

[BWG56]

Crankcase gets my vote ! It would have seized up already.

Oil light would've been on
What plug did you pull out? Crankcase or oil tank? If its the tank plug, stick a wire in the hole to see if sludge is there.

 

[Bdm4ever]

No.. I it was me.. It was the crank case.. I'm stupid.. But thanks for the tip and checking for sludge..
my wife says ->

 

[chubs]

All's well that ends well!! Glad it was a simple brain fart and not a serious problem! Stay safe

 

[BWG56]

Here's a question? If you drain the crankcase and change the filter, how long do you think the motor runs until it fills the crankcase and filter? Being its a dry sump type pump.

 

[Srodden]

Here's a question? If you drain the crankcase and change the filter, how long do you think the motor runs until it fills the crankcase and filter? Being its a dry sump type pump.

I don't recommend draining the crankcase either

 

[BWG56]

Tru Dat, when the crankcase only holds about 3-4 oz, and a oil change is 3-31/2 quarts, that's very little to worry about not getting out.

 

[blacktopper]

One reason to drain that case is it gives you an opportunity to check the magnet on the plug for bearing material. S&S said I should check mine after each oil change to monitor the bearings. But that was for my K9 with 78,000 miles. They said if a bearing starts going bad I would see an increase in metal on the magnet.

 

[SKOGDOG]

Blacktopper is right. there is no reason to not drain the sump..of course one needs to take care not to strip the plug, because that would require making a new plug hole in your engine case. Using a sump drainer will accomplish the same thing--get all the oil out of the system. This is a good thing.
Here is a diagram of our K9 system:

Note the feed line from the tank, which (on K9's) is in front of the rear tire, and behind the transmission. The point is this: If you have oil in the oil tank and start the engine, the engine immediately pumps oil under positive pressure to all critical moving parts, including your upper engine (valve train, camshaft, etc.) and lower engine (crankshaft). When you change oil, the engine does not have to fill the filter and other places to effect oil pressure. Everything you see in red above is under pressure when you start the engine (given there is oil in the tank). The oil pump pumps immediately...then the oil drains down into the sump, and is pumped back through the oil filter back to the oil tank. The oil pump is actually two pumps--one to oil the engine, and the other to pump oil from the sump back to the tank.
Sorry again for the long post...I need to find a job or something.

 

[Th3InfamousI]

Blacktopper is right. there is no reason to not drain the sump..of course one needs to take care not to strip the plug, because that would require making a new plug hole in your engine case. Using a sump drainer will accomplish the same thing--get all the oil out of the system. This is a good thing.
Here is a diagram of our K9 system:
View attachment 31474
Note the feed line from the tank, which (on K9's) is in front of the rear tire, and behind the transmission. The point is this: If you have oil in the oil tank and start the engine, the engine immediately pumps oil under positive pressure to all critical moving parts, including your upper engine (valve train, camshaft, etc.) and lower engine (crankshaft). When you change oil, the engine does not have to fill the filter and other places to effect oil pressure. Everything you see in red above is under pressure when you start the engine (given there is oil in the tank). The oil pump pumps immediately...then the oil drains down into the sump, and is pumped back through the oil filter back to the oil tank. The oil pump is actually two pumps--one to oil the engine, and the other to pump oil from the sump back to the tank.
Sorry again for the long post...I need to find a job or something.

Agreed.

This is why with EVO you can run the motor with the oil filter off and just use s piece of cardboard to drain the sump oil. Oil goes from bag to engine to filter. Rinse and Repeat

Twin Cam are opposite oil goes to filter first then to engine.

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