oil sight glass almost impossible to gauge

[Lez72]

I was just trying to give a unit of measure that even an idiot would understand to give a quick idea of an amount, gonna stick to ml in the future

ml???

millilitres

[fazersharp]

milly litres
 
 
 
 
Wish I never chipped in

[midden]

Good to see humour isn't wasted at this time of night

[midden]

so anyway acting on Fazersharps suggestion (cheers) I put bike on sidestand to check level.
No braille like dots visible but a backplate with two hoLES.
Seeing this it's clear with centrestand the engine is overfilled.  Surely such a mistake will cause serious damage

[darrsi]

At a random guess i'd say putting the bike on the sidestand and checking the oil is like someone serving you a pint with the glass at 45 degrees........not normal or acceptable behaviour!


Centre stand (on level straight ground)
Start bike
Leave running for 30-45 seconds
Let oil level adjust for a minute
There's your oil level.


If it's above the higher dot......you focced up.


If it's below the lower dot, discard your egg from your beloved cup and with 50% shots of oil top up as required and repeat the above steps until you are happy.


Clean egg cup with non poisonous cleaning stuff, ie: Fairy Liquid......rinse thoroughly......then reinsert egg and carry on with breakfast......apologising to soldiers for the delay!


It takes a lot quicker to do than it took me to write this, bearing in mind i was on my own mission at zero dark thirty last night and got home around 3.30am. 

[darrsi]

so anyway acting on Fazersharps suggestion (cheers) I put bike on sidestand to check level.
No braille like dots visible but a backplate with two hoLES.
Seeing this it's clear with centrestand the engine is overfilled.  Surely such a mistake will cause serious damage

First photo, look to the right of the window, can you see the braille like dots that you can't see?
They look like dots, almost braille like...... 

[fazersharp]

......then reinsert egg and carry on with breakfast......apologising to soldiers for the delay!

I like that --well done 

The origional poster was not sure on centrestand if he was looking at an overfilled sight glass or such an un filled oil leavle that he was lookin at no oil.... The idea to put on side stand to look was to see if there was a difference and indeed there was, so that proves the there is oil in there but it shows that there may be a little too much
If you dont want to drain out some maybe you could get a sryinge and a short piece of tube and suck some out from down the filler cap, not sure if it will work, and may be more of a faff than draining a little from the drain bolt. Watch out if you do it at the drain bolt as if you take it all the way out--which you most likley will need to, the oil will at first come at you like projectile vomit which wil go all over you -your exhaust- your hands and your drive. That is why i make the sryinge suggestion.
When I change the oil and filter I whack in 2 ltrs - maybe a bit more and then the rest I pour in an egg cup   at a time -waiting each time for it to get down there and looking at the window- give it chance to filter down, egg cup at a time and get the level betwix the marks- but nearer the top one than the bottom or your oil light will come on - on hard accelerating, Which refers you right back to my first post --dear liza ---dear liza---with what shall I fill it.... ....
Look again grass hopper you look but you dont see-- here are your two dots giving the upper and lower marks

[darrsi]

You don't check the oil until you've run and coated the engine first, which is why your egg cup theory is really not a theory at all, 'cos if you were to wait another 20 minutes the oil will rise and rise 'til you can't see a level.
If you are not starting the engine, which is sounding increasingly likely by the sounds of it, then you do not have enough oil in your engine.
Hence the reason your oil light comes on!


When the bike is static, the window will show pure oil.


When changing oil, refill with exactly 2.5 litres, start engine for 30-45 seconds, then wait and watch the oil level rise.
It will settle down after 30 odd seconds, that is your oil level.

If it ain't quite right, then top up, gradually, then start engine again and let settle before checking again.

[69oldskool]

At a random guess i'd say putting the bike on the sidestand and checking the oil is like someone serving you a pint with the glass at 45 degrees........not normal or acceptable behaviour!


Centre stand (on level straight ground)
Start bike
Leave running for 30-45 seconds
Let oil level adjust for a minute
There's your oil level.


If it's above the higher dot......you focced up.


If it's below the lower dot, discard your egg from your beloved cup and with 50% shots of oil top up as required and repeat the above steps until you are happy.


Clean egg cup with non poisonous cleaning stuff, ie: Fairy Liquid......rinse thoroughly......then reinsert egg and carry on with breakfast......apologising to soldiers for the delay!


It takes a lot quicker to do than it took me to write this, bearing in mind i was on my own mission at zero dark thirty last night and got home around 3.30am. 

 
 
 
FWIW a 50/100ml syringe plus tubeing  should be in every bikers toolkit, useful for removing excess crankcase oil ,adjusting fork oil level....bleeding troublesome brakes...well worth the price of a pint.

[fazersharp]

You don't check the oil until you've run and coated the engine first, which is why your egg cup theory is really not a theory at all, 'cos if you were to wait another 20 minutes the oil will rise and rise 'til you can't see a level.
If you are not starting the engine, which is sounding increasingly likely by the sounds of it, then you do not have enough oil in your engine.
Hence the reason your oil light comes on!

My oil light only came on for an instance on hard accelerating and after a year and 1000 miles.
I see what you are saying about starting the engine to splash your bits with oil and then let it settle, but once you have chucked in 2.5 ltrs - you know that is in there, and then you pour in a bit at a time to get your level -- how much (i wonder) is there going to be used up coating your coggs.
Anyway I spose I do actually start the engine cos when I have filled I go for a quick spin -wait to cool down and then check and top up if needed.

[darrsi]

You don't check the oil until you've run and coated the engine first, which is why your egg cup theory is really not a theory at all, 'cos if you were to wait another 20 minutes the oil will rise and rise 'til you can't see a level.
If you are not starting the engine, which is sounding increasingly likely by the sounds of it, then you do not have enough oil in your engine.
Hence the reason your oil light comes on!

My oil light only came on for an instance on hard accelerating and after a year and 1000 miles.
I see what you are saying about starting the engine to splash your bits with oil and then let it settle, but once you have chucked in 2.5 ltrs - you know that is in there, and then you pour in a bit at a time to get your level -- how much (i wonder) is there going to be used up coating your coggs.
Anyway I spose I do actually start the engine cos when I have filled I go for a quick spin -wait to cool down and then check and top up if needed.

Waiting for it to cool down just throws everything i said out of the window.
Wait for the level to settle, we're talking seconds, not minutes.

[fazersharp]

I dont think that either way -either of us is going to be far out.
As the same amount of hot or warm oil or cold is still going to left stuck on the coggs as that is what it is supposed to do.
 

[darrsi]

Well i won't be far out, i've been doing it for 26 years now......thanks for the instructions though 

[fazersharp]

I hope that we have both helped all future readers and the origional poster.

[mr self destruct]

I hope that we have both helped all future readers and the origional poster.

This has definitely helped me! I was unaware that you had to run the engine before checking the level, so no wonder I got the red light of death!
I just added 50ml of oil whenever it came on though so I reckon I'm ok.

[darrsi]

I hope that we have both helped all future readers and the origional poster.

This has definitely helped me! I was unaware that you had to run the engine before checking the level, so no wonder I got the red light of death!
I just added 50ml of oil whenever it came on though so I reckon I'm ok.

Good to hear 

[midden]

Wow some one swallowed a rather large sarcasm pill today, or was it just a clever dick?


The reason I posted and why Fazersharp suggested putting on sidestand was because I couldn't see a level and therefore didn't know if that was oil behind the glass or just the colour of the glass. A simple obvious suggestion and not one requiring a rocket scientists degree. Thankfully.


By putting on centre stand I was able to see an empty chamber without first dumping oil and now know what I should be seeing on centre stand after engine running.
Possibly due to having tinkered with cars and m/bikes, including the whole complete strip down and rebuild in living room and bathroom did I think to actually think of checking level on sidestand.  It's just sometimes good to take a thing apart to see how it works.




First photo, look to the right of the window, can you see the braille like dots that you can't see?
They look like dots, almost braille like...... 
Excellent suggestion. Again not Rocket science but I was looking for dots on/in the glass so was blind (excuse the pun) to the braille on the side. But hey as I've always said if we were all perfect it would take the attention away from the smug bastards


Thanks for all your help

[midden]

Incidentally just been out to recheck and decided to look at glass while engine was running. The oil drops to only just below the top dot while running and the reason I was not seeing a level when getting down after engine stopped is because it literally refills in seconds.  So I would now ask (if I hadn't been made to feel silly for asking questions with obvious answers) If anyone had looked at glass while engine was running and taken mental note where their level is in relation to dots.

[CRH]

Incidentally just been out to recheck and decided to look at glass while engine was running. The oil drops to only just below the top dot while running and the reason I was not seeing a level when getting down after engine stopped is because it literally refills in seconds.  So I would now ask (if I hadn't been made to feel silly for asking questions with obvious answers) If anyone had looked at glass while engine was running and taken mental note where their level is in relation to dots.

....Mmmmm?...now that is wierd midden?....mine dissapears completely when i run mine!!..and only show the correct level again when i switch off?... ....that is on center stand btw?

[darrsi]

Wow some one swallowed a rather large sarcasm pill today, or was it just a clever dick?


The reason I posted and why Fazersharp suggested putting on sidestand was because I couldn't see a level and therefore didn't know if that was oil behind the glass or just the colour of the glass. A simple obvious suggestion and not one requiring a rocket scientists degree. Thankfully.


By putting on centre stand I was able to see an empty chamber without first dumping oil and now know what I should be seeing on centre stand after engine running.
Possibly due to having tinkered with cars and m/bikes, including the whole complete strip down and rebuild in living room and bathroom did I think to actually think of checking level on sidestand.  It's just sometimes good to take a thing apart to see how it works.




First photo, look to the right of the window, can you see the braille like dots that you can't see?
They look like dots, almost braille like...... 
Excellent suggestion. Again not Rocket science but I was looking for dots on/in the glass so was blind (excuse the pun) to the braille on the side. But hey as I've always said if we were all perfect it would take the attention away from the smug bastards


Thanks for all your help

Take no notice of me fella, i'm on a recovery mission from last night still, i'm only kidding 


On the oil note, it does sound like you have a bit too much in there?
When you switch the engine off you should be watching the oil level rise to where you want it to be between the dots.
If you don't actually know how much is in there i'd suggest letting a bit out and getting it right.
When i bought my bike the previous owner put 4 litres of oil in instead of 2.5, and when i eventually took it for a spin it caused a gasket leak 

[midden]

All done in good spirits, both ways 


so I've been riding bike a month now with it overfilled. here's hoping seals still ok. best act now.
Cheers also CRH 

[darrsi]

All done in good spirits, both ways 


so I've been riding bike a month now with it overfilled. here's hoping seals still ok. best act now.
Cheers also CRH 

Do you have any history of anything on the bike at all, as in oil changes, filters, etc?

[midden]

after  1st and 2nd service official stamped then 3rd and 4th penned by owner i presume. the fourth showing oil and filter change in June last year (if to be believed). the bikes  only done 1k miles since and 700 of those by me.  think i'll find a straw and suck some out for now  

[darrsi]

after  1st and 2nd service official stamped then 3rd and 4th penned by owner i presume. the fourth showing oil and filter change in June last year (if to be believed). the bikes  only done 1k miles since and 700 of those by me.  think i'll find a straw and suck some out for now

You can undo the sump bolt and let a bit out into a clean container then re-use if necessary.
If you leave the filler cap done up it won't shoot out so mad as well.

[midden]

K just to bore u on this one last time.


I decided to go the suck it thru straw and took out (rather slowly)  400ml (that is millilitres as I've recently discovered ) which took the oil level below top dot  so then run the engines for a good few mins plus.  oil not visible while running and then after switching off and leaving for about 5min I got the level in pic which I think is acceptable. 

As for the 400ml I will keep for a day in case top up required before using to make some Girt lush biker chips