I think I screwed something up

[ARF07]

Ok so I decided to change my oil last night. I figured it wouldn't be too hard, and I followed the DIY and it seemed fairly easy. I put in about 1.75 quarts of oil..I just started my bike (warming it up), and after a minute or so smelled something funny..I walk over and my right fairing has smoke coming out of it . I shut the bike of as soon as I saw it, but I'm afraid I messed something serious up. Can someone please tell me what I did wrong? Thanks guys

[M-Oorb]

When you added the oil when you did the change did you start the bike wait a couple seconds and check the oil level again?

[ninjaman81]

It could be you got a little bit of oil on your exhaust pipe. If so it will burn off. I have had that happen on a few bikes I've had.

[ARF07]

No, I didn't start the bike, check oil levels etc Matt, I guess I probably should have to make sure I didn't overfill. If I did put too much in, how can I tell w/o starting the bike? (i don't really like seeing her smoke )

Brandon, I really hope that's all it is. I've got my plastics off right now, so I'll wipe down the exhaust to make sure there isn't any oil on there.

[BlueRaven]

ninjaman81

[kkim]

yep, most likely some oil you got on the exhaust when you were draining the oil out. wipe down the exhaust and wipe down around the oil drain plug and the oil filter cover plate. start the bike then check for leaks. after you run the bike and shut it down, wait a few minutes and recheck the oil level in the sight glass with the bike vertical and on a flat surface, not on it's side stand or a rear stand.

[ARF07]

Thanks Kelly, that makes me feel better. I was worried it was something serious. I do remember there being oil on the filter cover plate, but I didn't think much about it..

Being a noobie and all, I'm fully prepared to ask stupid questions, so here's one for today (ok maybe my second, but who's counting ): Is there an easy way to get the bike vertical, w/o the rear stand, by myself that I'm missing? I was using some wooden blocks to get it up on the rear stand, and that's pretty close to vertical, but it's still not straight up and down..

[kkim]

I position myself squatting down, on the right side of the bike near the sight glass on the engine. With the block under the side stand as you have it, with your right hand grab the right handlebar, squeeze the front brake lever and slowly bring the bike towards you. There will be a point where the bike will start to fall towards you, so do this slowly. As you feel the bike start to fall toward you, push it back up vertical until you feel it fall back the other way. Keep playing with this back and forth till you can feel where the bike is vertical. At that point, look at your oil level.

I know it sounds kind of anal, but an accurate reading of the oil level is critical as just a little bit of oil makes a big difference in that sight glass.

It may sound spooky to have the bike fall towards you in the first step, but position your left hand on the seat to help stabilize the bike. You only need to go a little pass vertical so it starts falling towards you. You're just trying to find what's vertical. The bike is relatively light and as long as you don't go too far past vertical towards you, it's very manageable.

[M-Oorb]

Well my thinking was...and someone tell me if this is wrong cause it might be...was that when the oil is filled initially and it reads perfect it is actually low. So when you start the engine and shut it off again and check the sight glass it will actually read extremely low or nothing at all, then you add more oil start it, let the oil work its way around, and shut the engine off and at this point you should be good. What I was thinking that if the oil level wasnt checked again after the bike was started...nathan could be extremely low on oil?

Is my thinking correct or am I totally off base (which happens a lot haha)

Well nathan, hopefully I am wrong and it was just a little oil on the pipe...good luckk

[kkim]

Originally Posted by M-Oorb

What I was thinking that if the oil level wasnt checked again after the bike was started...nathan could be extremely low on oil?

yep, oil change DIY says to run the bike then recheck oil level.

[M-Oorb]

And the only reason I remembered that...is cause I did an oil change following your DIY today kelly haha

[ARF07]

haha yea, I shoulda made sure to do that part. No excuses, just a mistake on my part. I'll recheck my oil levels, but I don't think it would be low enough to cause smoking kuz I used 2 bottles; 1 quart in each, and I used 1 whole bottle and 3/4ths of the other. Would that small a difference be enough to cause the engine to smoke from too little oil? I really don't know. I hope not. That would suck.

Ok so I have both my plastics off, and I wiped down the exhaust and the oil filter plate, and started it again. Every time I warm it up, it's taking longer to smoke, and there is less smoke every time. This time I looked closely at the exhause, and it's hard to tell where it's coming from. At first it looked like the engine right above the exhaust was smoking..when I looked closer, it looked more like the exhaust was shooting up from the exhaust onto that part of the engine.

I really appreciate all the help guys.

[ARF07]

I just checked the oil levels via Kelly's very useful method, and I'm right at/right above the top notch. Is that too much?..sry for all the questions, I'll get this figured out eventually.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by ARF07

I just checked the oil levels via Kelly's very useful method, and I'm right at/right above the top notch. Is that too much?..sry for all the questions, I'll get this figured out eventually.

if you can see a line in the sight glass, you should be good. like I said, it doesn't take much oil to make a diff in that sight glass. I like to keep the oil at about 75% of the sight glass so I can see that it's not over filled, yet have the most oil that the manufacturer recommends just in case I forget to check the oil and the level drops. Try to get into a habit of checking the oil level before each ride.

if you wiped it down and you don't see any new "wet" spots from leaking oil, you're good. the rest will burn off, eventually.

[ARF07]

Yea, when I pull it and it starts to fall towards me, the line disappears, but when it's up and down there is still a little room to spare. Thx again for all the help, idk what I'd do without this forum.

[Cali619]

you can run the bike in neutral and level the bike the way KK explained and it will give the level when warmed up and oil circulating.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Cali619

you can run the bike in neutral and level the bike the way KK explained and it will give the level when warmed up and oil circulating.

...and with the engine off, correct?

[Cali619]

Originally Posted by kkim

...and with the engine off, correct?

I have checked it when cold and off and also after it was warmed up and engine running just to see the differences in levels for kicks.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Cali619

I have checked it when cold and off and also after it was warmed up and engine running just to see the differences in levels for kicks.

when I check the oil level when it's running, I don't see anything in the window. you?

[ScorpionNinja]

You could always do this. Kinda a foolproof method, but assuming when you change oil (like me) you let it totally drain too 1 drop left

Then pour your New oil into a Clean, marked container with a 1.5 quarts marking to Fill your Bike up, once oils all drained and the filter/drain plug,etc all back on and such!
In case you dont drain all the oil out...but with Most of it out(99%err yea) , with a marked container of 1.5 quarts filled up with your New fresh oil. You have some slack in the amount of oil, to Prevent Overfilling!
You can Save 2 Empty Quarts of your CAR/TRUCKs last oil change, let them sit upsidedown, with Caps off.. to drain all the oil out over a WEEK! (in your garage over into a empty milk gallon, or whatever you can use to rid the old leftover Oil.)

I suppose you could also just go and Buy a Measuring Container with Quarts/Liters marked on it from 1/4 quart up too 6 quarts, or such!

1.5 quarts will be a good starting point, as a bone dry engine as stated in the manual is 1.8 quarts! I just dont like and trust slowly pouring the New oil into the bike, keeping a eye on the sight glass. When i did MY* first oil change on my 250R weeks ago ..... using the Rotella T 5w40
(with 2,017 miles on it, i had the dealer so the 600 mile one)

i overfilled it a Tad bit, then drained some out (backed off drain plug) retightened to spec,etc!

Point is, for me... where i live i have no concrete driveway, nor concrete sidewalks. dirt road,etc! So if i do this at home, i cant trust the "Level of the Bike" cuz nutin around here is level. I did this after work afew weeks ago, where the shops floor is bout as level as you can get!

anyhow... hope this helps.

[Cali619]

Originally Posted by kkim

when I check the oil level when it's running, I don't see anything in the window. you?

When its cold the oil level will be just below the top line , when running the level is in between the lines. This is done holding the bike level with the "hold brake lean it toward you crouching" technique you mentioned.

[kkim]

Originally Posted by Cali619

When its cold the oil level will be just below the top line , when running the level is in between the lines. This is done holding the bike level with the "hold brake lean it toward you crouching" technique you mentioned.

thanks... will double check mine. from what I remember, there was nothing in the window, but it might have been under different conditions than what you mention.