Oil sight glass

[BlueHairSar]

Hey,

So I did my first oil change the other day.

First, a shockingly small amount of oil came out. Ruh roe. The oil wasn't all that dirty though, and didn't see any debris.

So I added 1.5 qts, started her up and the oil light went out. BUT the sight glass looks completely full. At first I thought it was empty, but at the very tippy top there's a small air bubble. Is it possible that not all the oil drained and I've not totally over filled it? Or is there some way that the sight glass is clogged up or something?

(I haven't ridden since the oil change, and I'm check when it's on the center stand. I didn't look at the sight glass after I drained the oil and took out the filter, but it looked the same as it did now after only 1qt)

Thoughts?

[Lychee]

Take the bike off the center stand and turn the engine off when you measure the oil level. The sight glass should be around half full with the handle bars level.

[n4mwd]

You didn't mention changing the filter. The filter compartment has about a pint of oil oil in there that wont come out the regular drain hole. You need to remove the filter. Its not 100% required to change the old filter if its not dirty, but most people do it anyway. With a new filter, the engine takes about 2 quarts to fill it up. BTW, always use full synthetic.

There are tick marks that show the max and min oil levels. Here is a photo I found showing that:



To check the oil, the engine needs to be off for at least 10 minutes before you check it.

I always put it on the center stand when I check it, but there is a trick to doing it right. To check the oil properly, the bike must be perfectly level - both front to back and side to side.

With the center stand, it centers the bike perfectly side to side, but it lifts the rear tire up a little bit which makes the bike tilt forward causing the oil to run to the front of the engine producing a lower level in the glass. In my case, I just happen to have a garage with the floor sloped down towards the door. By pulling in straight, the extra lift to the rear tire is compensated for by the slope of the garage floor resulting in an accurate oil level reading.

But if you just want it to be simple, just find level ground and sit on the bike level like you are riding it and bend over and look.

Whatever you do, don't check the oil with th bike on the side stand.

[BlueHairSar]

I did change the filter. I'll get a photo of it when I get out of work, today.

[FrugalNinja250]

You removed the drain plug also? Just asking only to be thorough.

[Joshorilla]

I wouldn't add what the manual says the bike takes, I would add it till the oil comes up to half way in the sight, run the engine a few seconds, wait a minute, top up as needed, repeat until level stays constant.

Like mentioned before, I take it you took out the drain plug, oil filter and the top cap and replaced the oil filter.

The reason we start it briefly and top up as required is because a decent amount of oil is in the filter and that will bring the level down when it's pumped in.

[BlueHairSar]

Originally Posted by Joshorilla

Like mentioned before, I take it you took out the drain plug, oil filter and the top cap and replaced the oil filter..

Yes, that's what I did. My point is that its completely filling the sightglass to the point where the only way you can see i is this tiny airbubble at the very very top. Its looked the same after adding 1 qt, then adding another 1/2 qt, both cold and after its been running. I don't explicitly know that it looked the same before the oilchange but I'm decently sure it did...

[BlueHairSar]

Oh, and ill admit that I was really bad about checking the oil level in the few months I've owned the bike...

[Joshorilla]

Originally Posted by BlueHairSar

Yes, that's what I did. My point is that its completely filling the sightglass to the point where the only way you can see i is this tiny airbubble at the very very top. Its looked the same after adding 1 qt, then adding another 1/2 qt, both cold and after its been running. I don't explicitly know that it looked the same before the oilchange but I'm decently sure it did...

Why did you add another half quart after it already went over the sight glass after adding a quart? Don't pay ANY attention to how much you've put in, go by the sight glass.

Just drain it out till it is half way up and you'll be good to go! please don't delay, running too much oil can do serious damage.

I use sundays as my check day, I go through all my electrics to make sure they're working fine, check my oil, top up petrol, give it a wash, clean and lube chain etc.

[BlueHairSar]

Originally Posted by Joshorilla

Why did you add another half quart after it already went over the sight glass after adding a quart? Don't pay ANY attention to how much you've put in, go by the sight glass.

Just drain it out till it is half way up and you'll be good to go! please don't delay, running too much oil can do serious damage.

I use sundays as my check day, I go through all my electrics to make sure they're working fine, check my oil, top up petrol, give it a wash, clean and lube chain etc.

Because I don't think it's ever looked different than what it looks like now. I guess it's possible that it's always had too much oil? I'll drain it again and make sure...

If I drain the (new) oil, can I put it back in, or do I need to get a sealed bottle again?

[Joshorilla]

Originally Posted by BlueHairSar

Because I don't think it's ever looked different than what it looks like now. I guess it's possible that it's always had too much oil? I'll drain it again and make sure...

If I drain the (new) oil, can I put it back in, or do I need to get a sealed bottle again?

If you want to take the oil out then put it back in it wouldn't be advisable given how cheap oil is, but their is no reason why you couldn't if you make sure the oil isn't contaminated with dust etc after it's taken out.

It does sound like it's always had too much oil. It's not uncommon for people doing their own oil to just put the quoted amount in after emptying it out, this is probably what the previous owner did.

Before you drain it out, go out for a ten minute ride to make sure the oil is up to temp then wait till your oil sump is very warm to the touch but not scalding, this will make sure the oil is nice and thin and will drain well, be careful if you're using a plastic container it will not melt with the warm oil.

Good luck!

[BlueHairSar]

Sigh. Thanks dude! Stupid oil change. This whole process has made me feel like an idiot. At least I didn't **** up cleaning and lubing the chain!... I think...

[Jiggles]

Since the oil is new I don't really see a reason to need to warm it up first. Just drain it and add more oil back in.

[BlueHairSar]

Ah, much better.

So, in the event that I've been riding for 2 months with too much oil, is there anythink I can do to see if it caused any damage? Or to make her happier (the bike equivalent of buying flowers?)

[n4mwd]

If it damaged it there would be things that were obvious, like leaks and stuff. A pregen takes exactly 2 quarts with a new filter. Put in one quart. Run it for 10 seconds. Put in the second quart. Run it for another 10 seconds. Oil level will be almost to the top of the glass. Officially, you are supposed to put 1.9 liters in there, but that works out pretty close to 2 quarts.

Originally Posted by BlueHairSar

Or to make her happier (the bike equivalent of buying flowers?)

Oh, and I do hope you used full synthetic this time. If you used the cheap stuff, then flowers aren't going to be enough. But if you were kind to your bike and used the good stuff, you can take her out and fill her up with a tank full of ethanol free rec/marine gas. They always like that sort of thing.

[Jiggles]

2 qts???? I don't think that's correct

[Joshorilla]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

2 qts???? I don't think that's correct

It doesn't matter, buy it in bulk as you're going to use it at some point and fill to the line, turn it up, top it up, lather rinse repeat.

The attitude of "it takes this much" ends up in people over filling or underfilling, fill it up to the level and make sure it stays at the level and you're good to go no matter how much that is.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Joshorilla

It doesn't matter, buy it in bulk as you're going to use it at some point and fill to the line, turn it up, top it up, lather rinse repeat.

The attitude of "it takes this much" ends up in people over filling or underfilling, fill it up to the level and make sure it stays at the level and you're good to go no matter how much that is.

wut i lurnt frum ur post

It doesn't matter, well actually it does matter

[Joshorilla]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

wut i lurnt frum ur post

It doesn't matter, well actually it does matter

You're engine depending on if it's hot or cold will hold more or less of a film of oil on the inside affecting its capacity, that goes for viscosity and time you leave it to drain and angle it's left at etc their are just too many variables to say "this much", it's much better to fill it to the line and not worry how much is in it, as if it's up to the line it has the right amount.

Yes you're right it does matter, as it's important to get the right amount in, what I am saying is its better to gauge the right amount by the sight glass then it is by going on how much it says to put in.

[Jiggles]

Okay uhm so, my original point is that I've never filled my pregen with 2qts of oil....

[n4mwd]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

2 qts???? I don't think that's correct

Well it is. Du de mat. If that's too much for a pregen, then you didn't get all the old oil out. Most likely culprit is you cheaped out of changing the filter and there is about a pint of old crappy oil stuck in there.