Oil Window Thingie

[GETFURIOUS]

The whole oil level procedure is so inaccurate!  Let me give some examples:

I placed the bike on the centerstand. Changed the oil and filter. Added 3.7 quarts as per manual and Factory Service Book. Cold the oil registered exactly at the half way mark on the centerstand. I placed a level on the gas tank filler area to make sure it was exactly level (I placed a shim under one side of the centerstand to ensure it was level)

Now, the owners manaul says to run the engine a few minutes, the Haynes and Clymer Manuals I believe say to run the engine until normal operating temperatures are reached. And the Service Book says to run the engine only a few seconds to circulate the oil. Going by the Factory Manual, running a few seconds, then waiting one minute and checking, had the level still close to center on the window on centerstand. Owners Manual method (running several minutes) had the level between half way and full. Using the Clymer and Haynes Manual method (fully warmed up engine, shut off wait one minute) had the level slightly over the full mark in the window.

So, that is on the centerstand. In almost every case, when on the two wheels, the level is overfilled. With the exception of checking it cold or slightly warmed up.

To check it on two wheels is a guess at best. When using the level, it is very touchy. Cold engine, If I centered the bubble and checked the level, it would be at full mark, however, tilting the bike a very slight amount, so slight that the bubble is still in the middle (albeit slightly more toward one line in the window than the other) made a drastic change in the bikes oil level site glass. From right on the full mark, to way over full.

So unless you have the bike locked in a vise, with a level on it, there is no way to get an accurate oil level reading on two wheels.

I had originally filled my engine up to the full mark with the bike on centerstand (engine cold).  1650 miles later I drained about a pint of oil from the air box! The engine ran great all this time, no problems noted. However it was obviously overfilled.

So at this point, if I do what is recomended on here and leave it on its wheels, run the engine a few minutes, then wait one minute and check the level, I will  be way overfilled.  If I reduce the level so that it is right between the marks, then on the centerstand I show under the lower level in the sight glass. And when changing the oil and filter I will not be adding 3.7 quarts like all the books show. More like 3 quarts.

Very confusing to say the least. And I sure didnt like removing that much oil from the air box! Is that normal?

I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS NORMAL.....

I ALWAYS RIDE MY BIKE FOR ABOUT 1 MILE.....TO GET IT COMPLETELY UP TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE BEFORE I CHANGE MY OIL.....

I CHANGE MY OIL IN THE SAME LOCATION.....IN MY DRIVEWAY.....WHILE THE BIKE IS ON THE CENTER STAND.....

I PUT 3.7ISH QTS. OF OIL IN MY BIKE.....(I ALWAYS CHANGE OIL & FILTER).....

I RUN MY BIKE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THEN CHECK THE OIL AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR 5 MINUTES.....

I HAVE CHECKED MY OIL WHILE PARKED IN THE SAME SPOT IN THE DRIVEWAY AND ALSO IN THE SERVICE BAY AT A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE CENTER IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.....

AND IT SEEMS TO BE FILLED TO THE ACCURATE LEVEL.....(THE TOP LINE IN THE WINDOW).....

[PaulVS]

Because the reading of the window is so finnicky... one day when I had absolutely nothing better to do.... I dug out a little 2" round bubble-level I had in a desk drawer.  I put the level on the bike's tanks and then found the most level place to park the bike in my garage... the oil measurement was right where it should be.

I moved the bike only about 3 feet to the right (garage floor slants right to left in most places) and I found the window level showed I was down about a quart.  

You really do need to find a perfectly level spot to accurately check the oil.