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[CVOwner]

I changed the oil for the first time myself. Is the 3.5 quarts correct? I checked it and it seems about a half quart low?

[Gordon]

When changing the oil and filter, I let the (warm) oil drain at least 20 minutes.  Then I put in four quarts and it is not over full.  I am not familiar with the three and a half quarts train of thought.  Oh yeah, I use Redline in my transmission.

[110tHunDer]

4 quarts with filter.

[grc]

Four quarts with a filter change is correct.  One might think that since a standard TC88 takes 4 quarts, our engines with the cooler should take more.  It doesn't work that way, probably because the oil in the cooler doesn't drain.  My method is to add 3.5 quarts, fire the engine just long enough to fill the filter, check the dipstick (usually sitting at the "add" mark), and add oil until it is halfway between the "add" and "full" lines on the dipstick.  After riding long enough to get to full operating temperature, I recheck the level.  It is usually just slightly below the full mark.  After all the screwing around, I find I've used 4 quarts.

Jerry

[SPIDERMAN]

Ahem,

             Not to sound critical or be a know-it-all, but one of the first things I learned about doing my own maintenance was to fill the new filter with fresh oil when installing it. Installing a dry filter is IMO not a good idea. Also, getting your motor hot before the change should ensure that the temperature regulated valve on the oil cooler is open and that oil will drain out. The last thing is once the dirty filter is off and the drain plug open , pull the plug wires and roll over the engine by bumping the starter. Somewhere on the site there is a link to a study of the most popular brands of synthetic and Dyno oils and explanations as to which hole which is best in. Redline, while superior for one place is not a good three hole product. Sorry if that gets anyone's undies in a bunch, but I am going on the information in that survey which was backed up with science. Amsoil, Syn3 and Mobiil 1 rate far superior for use in all three holes. And just to completely confuse the issue,  Dafixer says if you change your oil every 2.500 miles you are wasting you money on synthetics. He backs that up with knowing first hand the all time high mileage EVO owner and what his maintenace habits were. Ok, so now I'm on topic, but I'm off topic and this thread is going morph into another "which product to use " debate. The answer to the question above is 4 qts - - - 1/2 in the new filter and 3 1/2 in the crankcase.

[SEULTRA]

Ahem,

             Not to sound critical or be a know-it-all, but one of the first things I learned about doing my own maintenance was to fill the new filter with fresh oil when installing it. Installing a dry filter is IMO not a good idea. Also, getting your motor hot before the change should ensure that the temperature regulated valve on the oil cooler is open and that oil will drain out. The last thing is once the dirty filter is off and the drain plug open , pull the plug wires and roll over the engine by bumping the starter. Somewhere on the site there is a link to a study of the most popular brands of synthetic and Dyno oils and explanations as to which hole which is best in. Redline, while superior for one place is not a good three hole product. Sorry if that gets anyone's undies in a bunch, but I am going on the information in that survey which was backed up with science. Amsoil, Syn3 and Mobiil 1 rate far superior for use in all three holes. And just to completely confuse the issue,  Dafixer says if you change your oil every 2.500 miles you are wasting you money on synthetics. He backs that up with knowing first hand the all time high mileage EVO owner and what his maintenace habits were. Ok, so now I'm on topic, but I'm off topic and this thread is going morph into another "which product to use " debate. The answer to the question above is 4 qts - - - [highlight]1/2 in the new filter [/highlight]and 3 1/2 in the crankcase.

Hey Spidey1kposterguy,
Help a lesser mechanic out here ... how do you put 1/2 quart into a filter, put it horizontal to install it and not lose any?  [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[grc]

Hey Spidey1kposterguy,
Help a lesser mechanic out here ... how do you put 1/2 quart into a filter, put it horizontal to install it and not lose any?  [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

Tilt the bike 90 degrees to the left!

BTW, I haven't figured out how to make my oil cooler drain uphill either.

Jerry

[arcticdude]

Since you're taking the plug wires off anyway, won't it be easier to put on a dry filter, then spin the motor a couple of seconds to fill the filter??  That's got to be easier than laying the bike on it's side! [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif] [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[CVOwner]

I was sure I read 3.5 quarts with a filter.

[110tHunDer]

Ahem,

             Not to sound critical or be a know-it-all, but one of the first things I learned about doing my own maintenance was to fill the new filter with fresh oil when installing it. Installing a dry filter is IMO not a good idea. Also, getting your motor hot before the change should ensure that the temperature regulated valve on the oil cooler is open and that oil will drain out. . .

 [smiley=worthless.gif]

[110tHunDer]

I was sure I read 3.5 quarts with a filter.

Actually, that is what the service manual says, but as you've noticed, the level will show low on the dipstick.  I don't think it's the cooler, either.  On my '02 TC88, I also filled the crankcase with 4 quarts on each oil and filter change and the local shop here does as well.  Another H-D mystery, I suppose. [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[grc]

I was sure I read 3.5 quarts with a filter.

CVOwner,

Another "left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing" snafu, I believe.  When you read the service manual verbiage concerning an oil change, they do say to add 3.5 quarts, then perform the oil level cold check, and the level should not be higher than halfway between full and add.  Rather strange that they forgot you have to run the engine to completely fill the filter first, and that their own specification page in the Touring manual states that oil capacity is 4.0 quarts (3.8 liters).  That is for a standard TC88, no oil cooler.

I really believe that the person who wrote the instructions forgot to include a few things, like running the engine to fill the filter, and then topping off with the remaining 1/2 quart just to the cold fill level.  This is a cautious method, versus just dumping in the 4 quarts all at once, because you definitely don't want to overfill.  With a dry sump system, it is possible to not get all the old oil drained (some may not have been pumped back to the pan from the crankcase when you shut the engine down, for instance - that's why they tell you to idle on the jiffy stand for a couple of minutes before shutting down, to let the pump scavenge as much oil from the crankcase as possible).

Jerry  

[grc]

Spec page from the SEEG supplement manual attached.  Note that it also shows oil capacity at 4.0 quarts.

Jerry

[CVOwner]

4 Quarts filled it up to the top. I still say its the cooler.