Ironhead Purging oil system after oil change?

[hcrashster]

Originally Posted by mikepeetz

as long as the oil pressure light goes out I'm good right? how will i be able to tell that i have too much oil in my system? and what is the consequences of too much oil?

The consequence of too much oil is usually a mini Exxon Valdez incident. The Sportster oiling system is a vented, divorced, dry sump style. With this system there is, on average, no more than a quart at any given time in the engine. The oil pump is a dual function unit. [Feed and scavenge.]

Think; Tank-engine-tank as a broad idea. In detail it is this:

Oil tank
Oil pump Feed
Pressurized Oil - Flywheel, Heads
The rest of the motor is splash oiled. Cylinder walls, cam area, etc.
Oil pump scavenge
Oil tank

That leaves 2 ways for the engine to have excess oil.

Feed side; Check -valve malfunction, motor off.
Scavenger side; Catastrophic failure,
In the unlikely event of a blockage in the return side plumbing, a hose failure is usually the end result.

You asked about the oil pressure light. Light out? Good, BUT VERIFY. Check oil tank for returning oil. Bubbles, low pressure stream, heat.

How to tell and what are the consequences of too much oil are the same. Oil being forced out of the fill cap.
The simplest way to obtain a correct oil level is to fill no more than an inch below the filler neck of the oil tank. This leaves the engine/oil tank venting uncovered and allows for expansion of tank contents. Under fill a little, run engine, top off.

[IronMick]

Originally Posted by IronMick

... Also look into the oil tank with the engine idling. You should be able to see the oil plopping out the return line into the tank ...

I should add here that, if you have a kidney tank with an oil filter, you should not open the tank with the engine running. First remove the filter, then start the engine and observe the oil flow [plopping being a better word than flow].

I "have heard" that if you open the tank with the filter in place you will get oil spewing all over the place. I have not, and do not intend to, test this experience.

[tiderider]

Originally Posted by IronMick

I should add here that, if you have a kidney tank with an oil filter, you should not open the tank with the engine running. First remove the filter, then start the engine and observe the oil flow [plopping being a better word than flow].

I "have heard" that if you open the tank with the filter in place you will get oil spewing all over the place. I have not, and do not intend to, test this experience.

Mick you are very correct. If you leave the filter in place, cap off and the engine running the oil will soon be on the floor. Been there, done that and got the oily T-shirt.

[73HEAD]

i did just that and there was oil everywhere.

[RicThompson]

Drain oil, replace oil filter, refill tank with fresh oil. Fire bike up, is oil returning to tank? Looks good, go ride. Ironheads and other VTwins of the era are not complicated.