Where does oil overfill go?

[Rob S.]

I've read that in most new Harley's it migrates up and out of the air filter.

I think my 11E might be above the full line, possibly even covering the entire window.

I'm guessing (hoping) most of you are going to say, "Just ride it."

Where would it go and what would it do inside the engine?

 

[tom203]

Just siphon some out with clear tubing and relax

 

[Rob S.]

Just siphon some out with clear tubing and relax

Isn't that how everyone relaxes?

 

[Redman]

CAn tilt bike away from the sight glass some to get some idea of "how much" overfill it is.

One concern, other than where-does-it-go, if if much overfilled, is that the level is high enough for the crankshaft to beat the oil into a froth. I have not had that experience but have read about it happening in magazines (you know, years ago).

 

[Rob S.]

When I did tilt to an angle where I saw a level, the oil was a beautiful light tan, goldish hue (less than 300 miles on it). But it did seem to have a 'head' on it - not frothy, so much, but a lighter color on the very top layer. :confusion::confusion:

Without a center stand, and my possibly crooked paddock stand, would keeping the front wheel perfectly straight and then tilting so it could easily fall left or right be close enough to center?

Just dug up a nice little (9") level from my toolbox. Wherever it would be placed (tank, engine?), doesn't matter now. Vertical tube, fine. 45 degree tube, fine. Horizontal tube? Dry with no bubble.

Couldn't I just drain some from the bottom?

 

[rphillips]

You could drain it all from the bottom & start all over again, but looks like a lot of trouble & messyness. Like he said, a clear piece of tubing & siphon some out in a pan or jug. You seem to be making this a lot more complicated than it is

 

[Tom R]

Did you overfill it or is fuel leaking into your crankcase?

 

[Guest]

sweet baby jesus you guys are overthinking this a bit, i think. a level? god get out your ti-83 from high school and plot a graph. maybe get a girlfriend or 2 so you have other problems to worry about....

 

[93Bandit]

sweet baby jesus you guys are overthinking this a bit, i think. a level? god get out your ti-83 from high school and plot a graph. maybe get a girlfriend or 2 so you have other problems to worry about....

lmao Does anyone still have their TI-83?

 

[fbody_mike]

Overfilled crankcases in my experience (yes I have done it) will blow oil out of the vent and into the airbox if the bike still has one. The amount and rate will depend on how high it is revved and for how long.

 

[jsandidge]

lmao Does anyone still have their TI-83?

I guess I went to high school earlier than most of you with your new-fangled gadgets. What is a TI-83?

 

[Guest]

graphing calculator, with this crowd I probably should have said "slide rule" instead....

 

[bwringer]

I've read that in most new Harley's it migrates up and out of the air filter.

I think my 11E might be above the full line, possibly even covering the entire window.

I'm guessing (hoping) most of you are going to say, "Just ride it."

Where would it go and what would it do inside the engine?

Just ride it.

Over the fill line and even covering the window or slightly above is not going to be an issue. Lots of folks overfill their GS oil burners a bit to make it through the day.

An inch (or probably more) over, and yeah, you might get some excess drag or foaming. But nothing's really going to make oil start puking out unless it gets really egregious. The crank vent hose is all the way at the top of the engine.

Harleys use a COMPLETELY different type of oiling system; it's a dry sump system, so if the suction side can't remove oil fast enough (maybe it's foaming up at high RPM) oil can build up around the crank, rob power and sometimes the foam can puke out the vent. In a GS, the oil pump is way down at the bottom submerged in oil.

Also, there's just a lot more space inside a wet sump GS engine.

 

[Rob S.]

I guess I went to high school earlier than most of you with your new-fangled gadgets. What is a TI-83?

Texas Instruments, I'm guessing.

 

[Steve]

.

 

[Burque73]

Just siphon some out with clear tubing and relax

Oil tastes just slightly better than gas. I feel like shouldn't know that.

 

[Rob S.]

Oil tastes just slightly better than gas. I feel like shouldn't know that.

I've never siphoned oil. Gas a few times, and it always ends up leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

 

[jsandidge]

Oil tastes just slightly better than gas. I feel like shouldn't know that.

And brake fluid numbs your lips. I shouldn't know that either.

 

[RichDesmond]

lmao Does anyone still have their TI-83?

Real men used HPs. RPN for the win baby!!!!!