Forum

[Frank]

Mine is exactly the same, check it after a run and all is well but after 5 mins and you are lucky if there is a drop on the end of the stick. Where it goes I don't know for sure but PeteF may be onto something when he says it may be air bubbles. There is evidence of bubbles on the stick after a run. I have topped it up before but ended up draining it again because it was far too high. Best keep to the book and check it after a couple of minutes after stopping.

[malc1091]

Thanks to all, hatch markings now filed onto dip stick, tissue used! I even resorted to draining all the oil out refilling with 2.25 liters. No leaks, no smoke, and still the oil it magically disappears if I wait a few mins. The bie is named HARRYtheENFIELD think should change it to HARRYtheHOUDINI

[Jojje]

Be careful not to overfill. 2,25 l might be too much. Might get your trousers wet when you really open up..
My strategy after 10 years ownership of an Electra:
-measure how much oil comes out in the oil change. Usually 1,7 - 1,8 liters.
-Add the same amount new oil plus 0,1 l.
-Start the engine for a while.
-Check the oil level from the dipstick and add some if necessary. (Rarely on my bike)
The amount of 2,25 liters applies only after rebuild and so. There is some oil left in various cavities. Some more is lost if you change the oil filter as well, but not much. I change filter this annually i.e. in every other oil change.

[Adrian]

The later classic Indian 500 Bullet engines have an extra oil seal fitted in the timing side crankcase to try and prevent wet sumping, but the Electra-X engines don't have them! This does allow wet sumping but the factory decided it should not be a problem because of the much larger return oil pump capacity of the gear type oil pumps. Mine wet sumps, and does the disappearing oil trick, but fortunately the return oil pump always seems to clear it immediately on start-up.

Regards,

A.

[malc1091]

When I drained the oil, I only got 1.8 liters out (like Jojje) and spent a while worrying that I might not have put enough in when I changed oil and filter. Many thanks for all the information

[Norm]

3 piece oil ring stops them smoking as in when a cast iron wet sumps so you don't know it has wet sumped anyway and when I fitted an oil pressure gauge to the banjo feed on my Electra you could see exactly when the scavenge pump cleared the sump it usually took about 80/90 seconds