Oil System Question

[saratoga]

My Buell has a dry sump oil system which has a tank incorporated into the rear swigarm with a dipstick that you un-screw to check the level.

Here is my dilema: When I perform the check procedure (engine at temp, shut down and immediately check level)... there is no oil on the dipstick! I know the damn thing has oil in it because it just got changed not that long ago and I can pull the stick with it running- lo and behold it has oil in the swigarm. No oil pressure light and it runs fine.

Should the oil drain back into the engine so quickly? I have no idea about how other Harley's are set up, but was wondering if this is common. If it is, how the hell do you drain the oil if it all goes back into the engine (which has no drain plug)???

 

[tinypeckerwood]

The oil does not run back into the engine. It is a dry sump system, which means the oil is stored elsewhere(not in the sump). Not real sure on the Buells, maybe you are not checking it right? I would think you should be seeing oil on the stick though.

 

[Cowracer]

The engine has a scavenging pump. That pushes oil back to the tank from the crankcase. If oil is not present in the tank when the engine is off, you might have a check valve that wont seat. It really dont hurt anything, but it will cause the oil to drain back from the tank to the engine. Starting the engine will run the scavenge pump and push the oil back to the oil tank.


Tim

 

[saratoga]

Thanks.

The dealer's answer was also "won't hurt nothin" and I agree, but they still couldn't tell me how to get the oil out of it which is my main concern. They're supposed to be calling tech svcs to see if the check ball is part of the scavenging pump or in the return line. Common sense tells me there won't be a check ball in the return line at the bottom of the swingarm, but I've been wrong in the past so we'll see...