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[CVORoadKing2013]

I have a 2013 CVO Anniversary Road King with 5500 miles. I had a digital oil level/Temp dip stick I put in yesterday. Wife and I went for a ride and stopped at our fav. watering hole. When I parked the bike and checked the temp was at 265. I know these things are not the most accurate but I would think with the oil cooler and the Wards Parts Werks fans I would have had a lower oil temp than that.

What temps are some of you seeing if you have a way yo check

[grc]

I have a 2013 CVO Anniversary Road King with 5500 miles. I had a digital oil level/Temp dip stick I put in yesterday. Wife and I went for a ride and stopped at our fav. watering hole. When I parked the bike and checked the temp was at 265. I know these things are not the most accurate but I would think with the oil cooler and the Wards Parts Werks fans I would have had a lower oil temp than that.

What temps are some of you seeing if you have a way yo check

Oil temperatures will vary pretty widely on an air cooled Harley, depending on conditions.  Harley lists normal oil temp as 230°F under standard conditions.  In other words, with a standard ambient air temp and a standard amount of air flowing over the engine and a standard load on the engine.  When you change those conditions, like riding heavily loaded uphill at low speeds in high ambient temps for instance, the oil temperature will definitely go up.  How high is too high?  That's going to depend on the type of oil you use.  Full synthetic will tolerate higher temps before starting to break down, and that's why it's highly recommended in a big air cooled engine.  Depending on the conditions when you did your ride and temp check, 265° F isn't unusual at all.

btw, if you want to check the accuracy of your dipstick, find a good lab grade thermometer and compare the reading to the reading from your dipstick.  I've heard some say their dipstick was accurate, and others indicate it was off quite a bit.  Quality/reliability and accuracy is a crapshoot with those things.

Jerry

[CVORoadKing2013]

GRC

Thanks I know it will vary greatly just curious what others are getting. Running syn3 not my fav. oil but I have a service plan for 3 years and am stuck with the syn 3 because that is all the dealership carries in a synthetic.

It was warm out but not super warm in the 80's was just a little surprised by the 265 temp

[sadunbar]

GRC

Thanks I know it will vary greatly just curious what others are getting. Running syn3 not my fav. oil but I have a service plan for 3 years and am stuck with the syn 3 because that is all the dealership carries in a synthetic.

It was warm out but not super warm in the 80's was just a little surprised by the 265 temp

Not knowing your riding conditions, it's hard to say whether to be surprised by 265 oil temp or not.  If you were in town, lots of red lights, stop and go riding, it's to be expected.  But in typical riding conditions - not a lot of low speed/stop and go riding - it's warmer than I ever see.  I might surpass 230 in town occasionally, but it's rare.  I've got no cylinder head cooling fans - I do have a Jagg 10 row oil cooler.

Oil temperature has a lot to do with cams and tune, and riding conditions.  To my experience, you're running hotter oil temps than I generally see...

[CVORoadKing2013]

Bike is stock other than S and S headers, Wards Parts werks fans, Dyna Jet power vision. The tune is from Fuel Moto and is kind of a all round tune. There was some stop and go before we pulled into the place. I will try and keep an eye on it and check it at a few more points during the ride.

[dlaws01]

265 ? Man, that's HOT!!! You need to do something about that!  No, I'm just kidding. I really don't have a clue.  My springer with V&H big radius pipes and a tune usually reads around 205 to 215 depending on ambient temps and how hard I've been riding it.  Also, I don't have any fairings blocking the air flow to the engine either.

[05Train]

I have a high-compression 103 in my Night Train making 116 horsepower.  With the Jagg cooler I rarely see over 250 degrees.

On the CVO, I run good synthetic oil and I have a 7 year, unlimited-mileage warranty.  I don't care how hot the oil gets, if something breaks, it gets fixed under warranty.  Respectfully, I think people worry way too much about oil.

[CVORoadKing2013]

Ok bike hit 265 again yesterday on the way home 77 degree day 1 hour ride home from work. Mix of highway and city driving. Checked the accuracy of the digital gauge by butting it in boiling water and it was within 3 degrees.

Went to the dealer to talk about it. I had been hearing 210-230 was the normal operating range for the oil temp. They called Harley and Harley sated 255-275 is the normal range. I haven't looked in the service manual yet but it is not in the owners manual.

What is considered the Normal operating range. I know we all want 210-220 but I would like to know where Harley has it written and what it should be

[CVORoadKing2013]

Miker

I you have nothing constructive to say don't reply
If you don't care and it doesn't bother you great
You don't need to post stay out of the conversation

[murphy]

If you didn't like Miker's reply, you probably won't like mine much either...

Put the old dipstick back in - problem solved!

 

[miker]

I was trying to make the point that air cooled motors of this design and oil temp are really not that big a deal.
You can obsess all you want or not.

Enjoy you self pal...or not.

[grc]

Miker

I you have nothing constructive to say don't reply
If you don't care and it doesn't bother you great
You don't need to post stay out of the conversation

My my, we sure are full of ourself aren't we.

If you don't know squat about oil, oil temps, air cooled obsolete engines, etc., maybe you should take some classes at a local tech school.  Try not to pizz off the instructor on the first day though.

I already told you what Harley, in their shop manual, says normal oil temp is under standard conditions.  They don't list a full range, and I seriously doubt they ever will give you such a thing in writing.  It is too variable, and they don't want obsessive idiots constantly bothering them because they think their particular bike is running 2° over the spec.

It is not a big deal, and the advice to put the dipstick back in the hole and move on is pretty darned good advice IMHO.

Jerry

[CVORoadKing2013]

Jerry

I am not sure of myself and that's why I came looking for an answer
I do testing for a living and I understand that it can vary depending on many factors

Answers of forget about it aren't good answers
I know they run hot and I do understand that but what is to hot.

[05Train]

The thing to keep in mind is that these are air-cooled engines, and they were designed that way from the outset.  Everything you know about operating temperatures in a water-cooled engine goes right out the window.  Remember, Harley sells the exact same bike, with the exact same engine, with the exact same engine programming, with the exact same instructions, and the exact same warranty whether you live in Arizona or Alaska.  You don't need to remove the lowers in the summer, and the EITMS is for rider comfort only (says so right in the manual).

Use quality synthetic oil, change it and the filter every 5,000 miles, and go enjoy riding.  I did this for nearly 50,000 miles on my FLHTK, and sent oil to Blackstone after every oil change, and there was no significant oil breakdown, nor was there any damage to the motor.

People stress WAY too much about oil.

[MIKEYTEE]

If you won't listen to what Jerry says, test till your hearts is satisfied. Maybe the Pool Boy will
send you some of his extra low temp cooling oil. It is expensive but well worth the $ 75.00 a
quart for the peace of mind you get. Ask your dealer about the Pool Boy special. They all know about it.
Mike