Had to refill, burning oil? Normal?

[kgjersda]

So I've driven around  3500km (2000 miles) since my oil change and I noticed that the red oil lamp briefly lit up while giving the bike the beans. It lit up just for a split second.

Later I stopped at a parking lot, put it on the center stand and waiter ~10 minutes. I could barely see the oil in the glass.

How much is between max/min in the sight glass and is it normal for the FZS to burn oil?

[Fazerider]

How many miles has the engine done?
I have to top up every couple of thousand miles too. Some of it finds its way out at the gearchange rod and some gets burnt... presumably leakage past the valve stem seals and some gets blown into the airbox as there's a bit of blow-by past the piston rings.

[darrsi]

Depends how you check your oil level when changing it as well though, i would imagine some people under fill their sump accidentally.
After putting new oil in the engine should be started for a minute then let it settle down shortly after, and when it stops rising in the window that is the level you want.
If you don't start the engine and do this procedure then chances are there's simply not enough oil in there, which will make the light flash on, probably intermittently.
I normally fill up to three quarters of the lower and upper level markings by the window, and never have to even top up between then and 4000 miles later, when i personally will change it again.
The recommended limit is 6000 miles, but it's just a habit i've got in to.

[kgjersda]

Engine has done 55000km. Having a BMW car im used to refilling oil

[hotmetal]

It might be different on the 6 but on the gen 1 Fazer Thous it's quite common. It's a level switch rather than pressure so it looks more worrying than it is. Always happens when you give it a big handful if the level is a tad low. By a tad low,  I mean halfway between min and max. The lines on the glass are a bit conservative really. On the 1000, the general consensus is to fill the oil up to just past the max mark on the sight glass, but so you can still see a bubble at the top of the glass. This avoids danger of totally overfilling it and damaging seals. I've had this confirmed by dealers, who have asked Yamaha, and also commonly stated on the old Fazer 1000 forum and here in Thou Corner. Some use of oil is deemed normal and my first Thou used to want topping up after a trip from Watford to Scotland. My silver one didn't hardly use any though. If it uses a little bit in2000 miles that's ok.  If it was a litre every thousand I'd be more worried. Hope that helps.

[darrsi]

The oil window on my bike is terrible, i have to use a torch at a certain angle just to see brand new oil levels.
Not much i can do about it though.


Does sound like you just need more oil in the sump though.

[kgjersda]

Filled up to midway in the sight glass. Going to keep an aye on it.

[maxzer1500]

Filled up to midway in the sight glass. Going to keep an aye on it.

    I could be wrong but i would think the pimples to the right of the glass are the level marks and if you look at the level square on ( the camera is fractionally high ), it's acceptable. If not convinced just add a tiny amount to keep the light off, when you think of different fuel gauge levels between comparable vehicles that can have variations, so could oil level readings and the point the light comes on. Some owners don't have the light come on and it's got to be a more hostile enviroment than the fuel level gubbins. Some oil burning is fine, the reasons they do it and possible lessening of by how much is a long enough story that i would be forever typing.

[darrsi]

As pointed out, it's the dots to the right of the window which are the markers, not the glass itself.
So in that photo the oil level is actually right on the upper level BUT, this is only correct if you have started the engine, switched off, then let it settle for a minute?
The window looks too clean to me, so if you haven't done this then it's still too low. Make sure the bike is on level ground on the centre stand as well.

[kgjersda]

As pointed out, it's the dots to the right of the window which are the markers, not the glass itself.
So in that photo the oil level is actually right on the upper level BUT, this is only correct if you have started the engine, switched off, then let it settle for a minute?
The window looks too clean to me, so if you haven't done this then it's still too low. Make sure the bike is on level ground on the centre stand as well.

This is correct. Let it run for a couple of minutes, turned it off and waited.

[kgjersda]

Bah, I didn't see the bumps on the right side when changing the oil the first time. I topped up to the top of the sight glass. Hopefully it was not too much and that it didn't damage anything.

[Fazerider]

Bah, I didn't see the bumps on the right side when changing the oil the first time. I topped up to the top of the sight glass. Hopefully it was not too much and that it didn't damage anything.

Filling to the top of the glass is what I do.
There's a lot of space in there, you'd need to put many litres excess oil in before risking damage to anything.

[Jules-C]

The difference between the top mark and the too of the glass isn't worth worrying about I always fill to the too of the glass and  no problems in 75k miles you probably have to over fill by about a litre before you have any problems.

Changing the oil and filter I fill to the too of the window and then another few clucks for the filter before starting engine and then see where the level ends up.

[darrsi]

When i first bought my bike i changed the oil and pulled 4.5 litres out of it  :eek