Forum

[Lee B]

Sat here thinking of the days i've got set aside to service the Electra and mentally going through my checklist (or just going mental??) a question popped in my head. Thus. If the bike has been sat for a month is it really necessary to warm up the bike up to drain the oil or because it has been sat a while should it all not be sat at the bottom waiting happily to pour out into my waiting drip tray?

[Riggers]

Yes Lee it will be happily sitting at the bottom (mostly) but it won't pour out into your drip try as happily as it would if it was nice and warm or even hot. Having said that I'm not totally convinced that in our climate it's really necessary to get tooo worried about it. After all it you've drained let's say 98% of the stuff then I reckon you can confidently fill up with new liquid gold and feel totally confident that all will be well. One tip I was always told though is to soak your new filter for five minutes in clean oil before fitting. It helps get the new oil circulating more quickly.

[Lee B]

Cheers Riggers. Just sat here pondering it (bored). Because it hasn't been started in a while - didn't know whether to bother get it all hot and bothered just to wait to wait for it to cool a bit before draining the oil and then obviously do all the other bits and pieces. Funnily enough i remembered about the oil filter having done it last time. That's the only bit that's stuck in my head. will have to refer to the manual for the rest.

[papasmurf]

Lee you need to run the engine for a few minutes and then undo the rear drain plug as soon as the engine stops. Otherwise most of the oil will be in the "dry" (ha ha) sump and not the oil tank.

[Nettshubby]

I thought it was normal to drain the crankcase and timing cover, via the end feed nut as well as the "tank". So it doesn't matter if there is oil on the "sump"!

[papasmurf]

On an Electra there isn't a drain plug on the timing cover. (I though the necessity to run the engine before draining the oil tank has been explained to death on the forum under "wet sumping."

[malc1091]

Some times when I check my dipstick having warmed the engine up. The oil has vanished and sometimes reappears. It does not burn or leak out. Its a 2005 Electra with hidden chambers LoL

[Gwilly]

The power is well hidden as well Malc.

[Revband]

The reason to have the oil warm is so that the engine has just been running and any muck in the engine is in suspension in the oil and comes out with it and not just sat in the bottom of the oil tank and engine waiting to be picked up by the new oil.

[Leon Novello]

Lee: There is always some oil in the sump as well, so it pays to drain the sump also. Then refill a little bit over the FULL mark because when you go for a ride, a little bit of oil will remain in the sump and the level will fall.