oil sight glass almost impossible to gauge

[fazersharp]

-

[midden]

Hmmm, you do understand that the little window level is a gauge for the oil level in the sump which is the width of the bike?
Half an egg cup would be like spitting in a bath to top it up.

Yep a very small amount, and thats the point, the window view said the level was ok, and as I dont want to overfill it I only put a small amount in and that is all it needed.I feel that the sensor is positioned very high. When it came on and the leavel through the window was ok I was thinking there was some other problem but it just needed a very small amount extra, I did not actually use an egg cup
I was trying to back up what was said about the light coming on on hard accelerating Doesn't mean that your oil is dangerously low.
Now on the same issue. I have always used Act-evo oil and have never had the oil light come on like that before when filled up ok, but this time- last year I used hein gerrick oil and the light was coming on on hard acc after 1000 miles. Given that the oil moves to the back on hard acc could it be that the hien oil is getting thinner quicker than the act evo and more readily moves to the back

You mean you lied :eek  I've ruined the wifes favourite egg cup and now don't even have you as back up when the shyte launches  :'(

[fazersharp]

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

[69oldskool]

Agreed, oil glass a step backwards from the humble dipstick, even worse with a factory belly pan installed as this obscures the sight glass.
Had wondered if something off an old Yam model would fit the bill~ but that's as far as i got....wondering.

[midden]

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???

[Lez72]

[quote author=fazersharp link=topic=5723.msg104344#msg104344 date=1380318962]
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???
[/quote]
millilitres

[fazersharp]

milly litres




Wish I never chipped in

[midden]

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

[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.  :b

[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 ho[size=0.7em]LES. [/size]
[size=0.7em]Seeing this it's clear with centrestand the engine is overfilled.  Surely such a mistake will cause serious damage[/size] :'(

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......  :lol

[fazersharp]

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

I like that --well done  :rollin

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 8)  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.  :b

:lol :lol :lol :lol

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  :lol

[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.