Oil temp after installing Dakota Digital temp gauge

[franka]

Installed new Dakota Digital oil temp gauge with SEN 1043 sender. Sender installed on plug in right front crankcase, installed with no issues. Riding combo of street/highway and temp ran between 270 - 280. Everything I'm reading says temp should be around 240. What would cause temp to get this high? Running Mobil 1 synthetic.

 

[gusotto]

I wouldn't worry about it.
The bike was running fine before a temp gauge.
Now you have a reference point for your bike.

Use it as a base. The bike will probably always run in the same temp range. If things jump up, change, that's what you are looking for.

I have a Marlin's oil temp gauge (using the same access/drain plug as you) on my bike. Had it for a number of years. I know what range the bike runs and that's all I care about. It's only a reference point.

Did a ride to CA. Temp was steady but it did raise during the mountain and desert. It would go to a certain point and stay there.
Riding with hundreds of other bikes and we were all riding without a problem. Only difference was I knew my oil temp but the bike ran fine.

Just get used to the range your bike runs.
After a while, you'll be comfortable with it..

 

[Mavagrand]

Dont worry about it. I installed a Roger McEwen gauge on my bike three years ago and freaked out. It was reading 270* during normal operation and up to 300* when running hard. I checked it with another gauge and found while my gauge read 300* the other was reading 260*. Some gauges are not accurate, especially in the higher temps. Bike has ran fine at these temps for three years, use the gauge has a reference. These bikes tun hot, MoCos new gauges read up to 350* for a reason.

 

[Iceman24]

On HD's oil temp gauge, my 09 FLHX runs pretty much @ 230 all the time (tad higher when hot/humid)...270+ seems a bit high. Might want to see if the sending unit went awry.

 

[seadogbrr]

I'm install the Auto Meter 2639 when I get back from my trip and like Gusotto says what ever I get will be my ref point. I think you are fine with what your seeing. I do have the baker extended oil pan and an oil cooler so I should see some less then many I have read about.

 

[RibEye]

Modern HDs run hot, due to required EPA lean mixtures. I live in hot AZ. I put on a 10-row vertical oil cooler and a Dobeck fuel tuner. The tuner made the biggest difference, but the cooler contributed significantly. I run between 220 and 230 all day long in the 100deg+ AZ days. Mine was running the same temps as yours, until I made the listed changes, so what you state is likely normal.

Enjoy,
Rich P

 

[brownfoxx1]

a quick ck. is to take off the lowers & leave them off till late fall. only 3 adal clamps.then see if your temps cool a bit.

do you have a oil cooler? you need one. don't buy off of e-bay because there are too mant chineense junk. then i bought mine fron jagg they had a inster thay had a pic. of one off of e-bay with sand in it. also those didn't swirl the oil like jagg's does. my tri glide normally runs 200-220. rarely gets to 240.
thats when i'm stuck in traffic.
does your bike go into eng temp overheat mode? (rear cyl only fireing. )
rear man. on that.

 

[dolt]

The Dakota digital gauges are quite accurate and 270* is too hot. I assume that the bike is still in stock configuration which means it is running lean which is why the bike is running hot. The below chart shows the deterioration of the lubricating ability of conventional oil as it heats up.



I don't have a chart for synthetic but do know that it doesn't start breaking down as fast as conventional oil. IIRC, synthetic doesn't start breaking down until oil temps approach 300*; not sure how fast synthetic breaks down after that.

You definitely need an oil cooler but if you haven't paid the Harley "tax" and upgraded to Stage I yet, that would be another step toward cooling things down. If you don't want to go beyond Stage I, the installation of a fuel tuner like the Dobeck TFI, Gen 3 or 4, will get operating temps down in the 220*-240* range. If your oil is consistently seeing temps at 270* or above, I would be changing every 2500 miles or so. JMHO

 

[Breeze3at]

My '07 E.G. Classic has a TFI adding some fuel, and my oil temp. runs about 240 on a hot day on the road. Around town, stop & go it gets up to 270. I also use Mobile 1, and my sender is mounted where yours is.

 

[VicB]

I have 2013 FLSTC stage 1 with V&H big shots, it has Harley digital dipstick which shows level and temp. I just check the temp when stopped after a ride, it shows 272.

The digital LCD level has 4 bars, my oil level is on bar #2, in the middle. I just had service 3 weeks ago. Before the service the level was up to the top on bar #4 and temp was around 270. I assume 2 bars is ok because dealer filled it up to correct level.