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REF: Oiling & Lubrication

Sportster Oil Pressure (57 to Present)

See also Installing an Oil Pressure Gauge in the Sportsterpedia.

All Sportsters have oil pressure, even ironheads.
It's also been said that putting an oil gauge on an ironhead is useless due to the low oil pressure they operate on.

However, most Sportsters operate off low oil pressure especially during hot idle.
The pressure source is shared between the oil pump and crankcase pressure from the action underneath the pistons.

The first answer is to rely on the oil light.
However, an oil gauge can be fitted to any Sportster.

Oil Pumps

See also in the Sportsterpedia:
Ironhead Oil Pumps
Evo Oil Pumps

  • All Sportster oil pumps are unregulated during operation and will deliver their entire volume of oil under pressure to the engine or oil filter mount (respectively).
  • The oil pump is geared to the pinion shaft and operates faster (increasing oil pressure) or slower (decreasing oil pressure) depending on the revs used.
  • Oil viscosity will affect oil pressure.
    • On a cold startup, the oil's viscosity is thicker and this will result in a higher oil pressure but circulation will be restricted somewhat.
    • As the engine warms up, oil gets hot and thinner resulting in higher circulation and a decrease in oil pressure.
  • Oil pressure readings are generally taken at the oil pressure switch outlet (oil pressure switch removed).
    • However, the pressure figures for 86-91 models (listed in the FSMs) are based on testing from the tappet hole plug on the engine case between the tappets.
      (although, a gauge can be installed at the pressure switch or the oil pump with the proper fittings)
  • Installing a gauge on the rocker boxes will not do a lot of good for comparison or useable results.
    • The oil source is transferred from hydraulic (oil pump) to gravity and slung force (piston down-force) by the time it gets to the rockers.
  • An adapter can be added at the oil pump housing to split the piping to the oil pressure switch or filter pad (respectively)and the oil pressure gauge.
  • Run the engine to normal operating temperature and check the gauge.
  • Check your readings against the expected oil pump pressures below or your FSM.

Oil Pressure Specs

Expected oil pump pressure per FSM's:

Gauge mounted at oil pump

As checked with hot oil and a gauge at the oil pressure switch location at the oil pump.
The oil pressure switch has to be removed for the gauge to be installed.
Oil filter is on the return side of the oil pump giving less restriction to the feed side.

1957-1969: 1)
Minimum: 3-7 psi (idle, with spark retarded)
Normal riding conditions: 10-14 psi (6 psi at 20 mph)

1970-1978: 2)
Minimum: 3-7 psi (idle)
Maximum: 15 psi (60 mph in high gear)
Normal riding conditions: 4-15 psi

1979-1985: 3)
Minimum: 4-7 psi (idle)
Maximum: 10-20 psi (3500 rpm)
Normal riding conditions: 4-15 psi

Gauge mounted at tappet hole plug

As checked with hot oil and a gauge at the plug hole on the engine case between the tappets.
The plug between the tappets has to be removed for the gauge to be installed.
Oil filter is on the feed side of the pump giving more restriction on the feed side.

1986-1990: 4) 5)
Minimum: 1-7 psi (idle)
Normal riding conditions: 5-30 psi (2500 rpm)

1991: 6)
Minimum: 7-12 psi (idle)
Normal riding conditions: 12-17 psi (2500 rpm)

Gauge mounted at oil filter pad

As checked with hot oil and a gauge at the oil pressure switch location at oil filter pad.
The oil pressure switch has to be removed for the gauge to be installed.

1986-1990: 7)
Oil pressure, when checked at the oil filter pad (oil pressure switch removed), will be 6-10 psi higher than when checked at the tappet plug on the case at idle.
See pressure figures above when checked at the tappet plug hole.

1992-2004: 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14)
Minimum: 7-12 psi (idle speed varies from 950-1050 rpm between the different FSMs)
Normal riding conditions: 10-17 psi (2500 rpm)

2013 XR1200X: 15)
Minimum: 16-20 psi (idle)
Normal riding conditions: 40-44 psi (2500 rpm)
Oil pressure relief (50 psi)

  • It includes an oil cooler with a thermostat that starts to open at 190ºF (88ºC).
  • The oil pump and the head breathers are a new design.
    The oil pump rotors are driven by the cams, the feed rotor is driven off the front intake cam and the scavenge rotor is driven by the rear exhaust cam.

Oil Tank Pressure

There should not be any noticeable pressure in the oil tank.

During normal operation;
With the tank cap / dipstick removed, tank pressure is vented to atmosphere from the top of the tank.
With the tank cap / dipstick installed, tank pressure is vented to the cam chest.

During shutdown;
The oil tank vent is connected to the cam chest and the cam chest is vented out the breather valve(s) in the cam cover or heads, respectively.
So if you have pressure in your oil tank and the vent to the cam chest is not blocked then the cam chest is also pressurized.
If the cam chest is holding pressure, then your breather valve(s) can not be venting properly.

Bottom line is that if the vent system is working properly, you shouldn't have excessive pressure build up in the oil tank. 16)

Conditions where oil seeps or spews from the oil tank include;

  • Blocked oil tank vent line / hose.
    • The vent line being blocked will keep the pressure in the tank until it builds enough to blow out the cap.
  • Blocked / stopped up crankcase breather vent.
    • With blocked or non-working breather(s), engine performance will also suffer.
  • Too much oil in the engine, oil tank or both. 17)
    • Check your FSM or owners manual for the proper amount of oil to add.
    • Sportsters are known for wet sumping (condition where oil from the tank seeps into the engine while not running).
    • Once the engine is started, the oil pump scavenge georotors will return the engine's sump oil back to the tank.
      (in theory, at a rate faster than the feed gerotors can send oil to the engine from the tank on a warmed up engine)
    • There are conditions that would slow the speed at which oil returns to the tank however.
      Too much standing oil in the sump added to worn oil pump internals, condition of the pressure relief valve and oil filter can slow the pump's ability to clear the sump.
    • Oil can drain down into the motor from the tank for a number of reasons when it has been sitting for a long time.
      Then, the dipstick will give a false reading because some of that oil went into the engine.
    • If you already have 1-2 quarts seep down the feed line and into the engine and then add more to the oil tank,
      the excess oil will either blow out the breather valve(s) or the oil tank.
      • Oil level should only be checked or added to with a warmed engine as per the FSM.
      • If you're not sure of the collective amount of oil in the system (as in buying a used bike), drain the engine and oil tank and refill with the proper amount.
        (when draining cold oil, you will not get all of the existing oil to drain out of the engine)
        So, it may be better to drain and add the proper amount minus a half quart, run it up to temp and recheck, then add some more if needed.
      • You may not be able to see or access the sump drain plug as it may be blocked by the frame.
    • 86-91 engines have a pressure relief valve set at 30-35 psi.
      During a cold start, the pressure relief will dump unfiltered oil into the gearcase until the oil heats up enough (lowering oil pressure) and the relief valve closes.
      Likewise, repeated start/stops before allowing the oil to heat up will dump more oil into the engine faster than the scavenge pump can return it to the oil tank.
  • Oil lines not routed to the correct fittings.
    • If you've removed or replaced your oil lines, double check that they are connected to the right fittings.
  • Replacing the hollow head breather bolts for regular ones. 18)
    • On 91-up engines, installing a regular bolt in place of the OEM hollow bolts can cause this issue.
      • That would block crankcase pressure up in the engine and cause degradation of engine performance.
      • If upgrading to an aftermarket A/C, you must account for an alternate method to vent crankcase pressure if you're not using the OEM hollow bolts.
  • A plugged up oil filter should not cause this issue.
    • All spin on oil filters have a pressure relief valve built into them.
    • It is designed to still deliver (unfiltered) oil to the engine in the case of blockage of the filter media at no extra pressure increase.
  • Oil tank blew up in cold weather. 19)
    • 04-up models have plastic oil tanks. The belief is that some moisture gets frozen in the vent line on 04-09 tanks causing the rupture.
    • It's a plastic tank so it is not going to be anything like a pressure cooker if it does happen, just messy..
    • The worst of it is replacing all the parts (and not being able to ride while waiting for parts to arrive).
    • The newer upgraded tanks have a better venting design to prevent this.
      • In 2010, the MoCo put a 10 psi relief valve in the oil tank (presumably to prevent this sort of issue).
      • The relief valve will prevent having to replace the oil tank but the jury is still out on the actual cause of the problem.
    • This has happened to a handful of XLFORUM members (statistically, a pretty small number).
    • But there are plenty of riders who have ridden in below freezing temperatures that haven't had a problem.


1)
1959-1969 HD FSM pgs 3A-11, 3A-15
2)
HD 70-78 FSM pgs 3-1, 3-5
3)
1979-1985 HD FSM pgs 3-1, 3-10
4)
1986 HD FSM pgs 3-2
5)
1986-1990 HD FSM pgs 3-2, 3-10
6)
1991 HD FSM pgs 3-2, 3-32
7)
1986-1990 HD FSM pg 3-10
8)
1991-1992 HD Sportster FSM pgs 3-2, 3-32
9)
1993-1994 HD Sportster FSM pgs 3-3, 3-40
10)
1995-1996 HD Sportster FSM pgs 3-3, 3-38
11)
1998 HD Sportster FSM pgs 3-3, 3-38
12)
1999 HD Sportster FSM pgs 3-3, 3-40
13)
2000 HD Sportster FSM pgs 3-3, 3-6, 3-54
14)
2004 HD Sportster FSM pgs 3-3, 3-14
15)
shanneba from the XLFORUM- 2013 Factory Service Manual
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