Oil Change on my 03 Softail

degrave, the FIRST step in changing your oil is to get the service manual!!! read about changing the oil, look for the plugs as described in the manual. it will be the best money you spend on your bike. if you are still a bit leary, take it to an independant bike shop and explain you would like to watch the oil change. a lot of them will accomodate your request. the service manual is different from the owners manual that comes with the bike. a few folks have said "yes" to owning a service manual and pull out the owners manual........have fun, and fi ya got any more questions........ask away!!!
chuck

Softails are a dry sump engine, the oil is kept in that tank under the seat,

the drail for the tank is on the exhaust side at the end of the frame, underneath the bike in front of the rear tire. It takes a large allen socket to take out. It has an o-ring so be sure to get a new one, worth the pennies it costs.

I would get a floor jack from Sears it's about $99 and well worth it not only for oil changes but any maintainence, cleaning or just sitting around looking at the bike and bs'n.

You must start and warm the bike up so the oil returns to the tank, don't take the drain plug in the bottom of the engine cases out, if you fubar it well lets just say it's not a good thing.

Remove the filter, the HD wrench is a good tool becuase they have placed a friggin sensor in the way, I figure this was done to increase the sales of HD oil filter wrenches. I use a strap wrench you can get at any parts store.

Now Oil will run out of the filter housing and all over the front of the bike so, you can put a cardboard piece long and narrow in a V shape to sit and catch the oil and drain to a pan, or, aluminum foil, paper towels, or cut the bottom off a 1 gallon water jug with a handle and the sides so it can slip under the filter.

FIll the new filter with fresh oil and rub some new oil around the rubber gasket of the filter and reinstall, Put the drain plug in I put a little of the pipe thread tape on the plug to prevent leakage.

Fill the oil with about 3 qts. Fire her up and let it get warm, check fluid level add if necessary, DON"T OVER FILL or you'll be wearing oil pants.

If you are planning on working on the bike the Service Manual is a must, at $40 its the best investment, you'll learn alot about the bike and know how to do things that will save you bucks. First oil change will pay for the book in labor savings alone.

Good oil JMHO HD 360 if you don't want syn or any Vtwin 20W-50 oil will work If you prefer Synthetic, you'll get a boat load of endorsements of every oil out there but basically as long as it's 20W-50 oil that meets HD's specs you're golden.

Mobil 1 Gold Cap Car oil will work fine and it's about $5 at Target or Wally World

HD Syn3 is good in the primary and motor I've heard rumors about problems with trans and Syn3 but HD still puts it in the CVO bikes from the factory, figure if it was true HD wouldn't be putting it in trans.

the only problem i see is filling the filter before installing it.....you will never get it on without dumping most of the oil out of the filter........i have never put oil in my filter, but i DO put clean oil on the gasket. that being said, try it both ways......see which works for you. there is enough oil left in your system for the pump to pick up and start working.
chuck

Chuck,

I haven't had that problem, when I put oil in the filter the material wicks away a lot of it, I hold the filter upright and then down quickly to turn.

Nothing much has ever come out of the filter doing it this way, then again I've usually had a little bit of old oil hanging around LOL

I dont' fill it to the top just about 2/3's so the filters not dry when it starts up.