Oil Questions Asked And Answered

[Sgt_H]

Originally Posted by Brian T

Hard part is getting a little more ground clearance (safely) so that a drain pan that holds 6+qt will fit under the bike and you can still get a hand in to pull the plug and filter.

I know! The jack blocks the drain plug so I had to roll the bike up on some wood and have my buddy hold the bike upright...

[SundayCruiser]

I completely drained in and put in all 6 qts in my '03 vegas. concerned that I overfilled it though because I recall the Warner guys telling me they didn't use all 6 qts. When's the best time to check the earl? cold, warm, after it's sat for a while?

[Rowebote]

Make sure you are checking the oil with the bike standing straight up otherwise it's going to read low and you will overfill it. The suggested method according to the manual is to warm up the bike and shut it down then wait a couple of minutes to check it. A lot of oils stays hidden in the cooler plus all the other nooks and cranny's so you're never really going to get everything out of it.

I found an oil pan at Fleet Farm that fits under the left side rail no problem. It's the old school metal one without a cover or anything so when I'm done I pour it in down the storm drain on the street. j/k, just pour it into one of those jugs so you can take it to one of the recycling places. A funnel is a definite help especially if you're good at making a mess like I am.

[TXCharger]

Service Bulletin

[BATMAN]

Originally Posted by Rowebote

I found an oil pan at Fleet Farm that fits under the left side rail no problem. It's the old school metal one without a cover or anything so when I'm done I pour it in down the storm drain on the street.

Man, I'm glad I wasn't drinking coffee...

[spunkler]

I took a empty 5 qt. jug of oil and just cut the side out of it. Slides right under the J pot. Then easily poors into another empty 5 qt. container with a little help from a funnel.

[Sparky_Bill]

Originally Posted by spunkler

I took a empty 5 qt. jug of oil and just cut the side out of it. Slides right under the J pot. Then easily pours into another empty 5 qt. container with a little help from a funnel.

Now that is the ultimate in recycling.

[DEZ]

I buy the OEM oil in the 5 quart jug, and have an'06 (100/6 drivetrain). A couple of years ago, I read a post on the VMC board from a very reputable source (kevinx) that said to just put in all 5 quarts. I figured that the extra pint across that wide crankcase wouldn't amount to much.

Now, I'm starting to think I should save that extra pint per oil change. That way, my 11th oil change will be free (plus filter)!

What a deal!!

[sledhead]

used the cover from the turkey pan the first time idid mine
ex-said keepit when we were spliten up

More confusion, for me at least. In the video "Victory vs Harley" that johnny vision posted on 4/21/11 AZ Victory mechanic Mike Schultz states at the 4 minute mark in video segment #3 that after 2001 Victory changed to a smaller oil cooler and lowered the oil capacity to 5 quarts to get the engines operating in their designed temperature range faster, they took too long to get up to temp. Ok, I'll buy that from a cyl wear/warranty perspective.

Since the oil cooler doesn't have a check valve to prevent back-draining into the sump decreasing the size of the cooler shouldn't have had an effect on capacity. Was the idea to both decrease the cooler size AND drop a quart to get temps up in the short haul? Did they produce a dipstick that's longer and registers a quart down (if so, at which eng serial # did they start)? Do the Freedom and earlier engines run the same temp after initial warm up with the quart difference? If this is the case why did it take them 3 years to figure this out and correct it? Seems like Victory would have better engineering response than that if possible premature cold engine wear issues are at stake and they would be on the hook for warranty claims, although they took forever to correct sled issues like M10 overheating and 500 Fan cooling.

The '02 V92C owners's manual says 6 qts and the '05 Hammer says 4 and 3/4 qts on page 83 and the factory service manual on page 2.4 says 4.7 qts which tends to back Mike up except for the '02

Can someone from Victory back up Mike's claim or correct him? Was the '02 owners's manual a misprint and should all Freedom motors run 5 qts? Who is the definitive expert out there? Is there one or are opinions the rule?

Interesting videos

Went back and re-read Lee's Vic bulletin that clears some of this up, but the video infers that after 2001 all sumps took 5 qts, not what the bulletin says. Maybe he was just going for hollywood effect, not accuracy. The part # for the 1999 thru 2002 V92 dipsticks are different than the '05 Hammer which fits all units from 2003 to now according to the Polaris parts site Usage link. Just a cosmetic mold difference or are the level marks different? If they are different level marks, careful using a dipstick thermometer (they advertise for all years) or buying a replacement Vic stick. I dunno... but then again I'm not the sharpest bulb in the drawer

There well may be some Hollywood in the videos. Where Mike makes some valid points and there's no denying Vics's engineering makes more sense, my experience with Harleys and those of many others is not the dire picture painted by Mike in terms of low mileage failures, especially in the Evo and onward motors. Of course this was a sales video.

[johnny vision]

The way I learned was before final quart start bike let it run till oil light goes out.
Shut off bike and go according to the dipstick.

This is if you change oil filter. Who wouldn't

Read manual most bikes have to be standing straight up when checking oil level.
Doesn't mater how much oil your bike is suppose to take.

Why in hell don't manufactures make it so you check on kick stand

[TXCharger]

Elvis might be the best guy to answer the question. Not the "dead one" Personally, I go by the bulletin. I am pretty sure he sent me the bulletin. The on-line parts catalog should denote differences in the dipsticks. I know the earliest engines had a metal dipstick, but I never measured one against the plastic one.

[TXCharger]

Part numbers are different for model year 2000-2002 Part number 5433327 and model years 2003-2012 part number 5434349. What the differences are I will have to try to figure out.

I love a wild goose chase, especially on a day off. Victory has given me something to do today. Oil & dipsticks, just doesn't get any better.