What should my Harley oil temp be?

Synthetic oil in an air cooled HD is a good idea. Cylinder head temperatures run in the 350 – 400 degree range, sometimes higher. Your oil is sitting in the head for a short time before it returns to the oil tank. It’s safe to say it gets much hotter than 250 degrees for part of its trip through the engine.

What does an oil cooler kit do?

The purpose of the engine oil cooler is to allow the engine’s cooling system to remove excess heat from the oil. These types of coolers are usually of the water-to-oil type of heat exchanger.

How long should I let my Harley warm up?

Newer Harley models use fuel-injection systems. FI systems are better because they can circulate oil faster and do not need extensive warming up. Still, we’d recommend that you warm up your motorcycle for at least one to three minutes to allow the oil to run through the system and coat all engine surfaces well.

Does an oil cooler need a fan?

Ideally, an oil cooler should face directly into the oncoming air stream and, just as important, should provide a proper exhaust path from the rear of the heat exchanger. If you need a cooling fan, it’s better to pull air than push it.

Will my Harley overheat in traffic?

When you’re sitting or moving slowly in traffic with high RPMs, there may not be enough air flowing across your engine. As a result, the chances of your engine overheating will increase. This can also happen to liquid-cooled bikes, but not as often.

At what temp does a Harley overheat?

A OEM engine will go into OVERHEAT MODE in about 10 minutes when idling when the ambient temps is about 80 degrees. Exhaust pipe temps 6″ to 12″ from the cylinder heads will get to around 700 to 750 degrees with the heat shields hitting temps up around 200 degrees in the same area.

What temperature is too hot for a Harley?

Safe Operating Range For most motorcycles, an operational temperature range of 155F / 68C to 220F / 104C is normal. Living in hotter or colder climates will adjust the range somewhat, as will the condition of your bike and its cooling system. A good rule of thumb for temperatures: Warming Up: Up to 130F / 55C.

What temp does a Harley overheat?

How do I know if my oil cooler is bad?

Some of the common symptoms of oil cooler gasket failure include:

1. Oil Leak. When the oil cooler gasket fails, it is unable to keep oil in.
2. Overheating Engine.
3. Contaminated Oil.
4. Decreased Engine Performance.
5. Black Smoke.
6. Vibrations.
7. Expanded Radiator.
8. Engine Temperature Changes.

Do I really need an oil cooler?

Yep. Unless you know how hot your oil is, you have no idea if you need a cooler or not. Oil that is too cold doesn’t work properly. Coolant temps affect oil temps as well.