Dumb Question - Oil Level

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pie Man
  • Start date Start date

Pie Man

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I was getting the bikeout this morning and I noticed that the oil level was about 1/3 of the way up the glass when on the centre stand. This looked a little low to me, is it? I could not see any marks anywhere around the glass to indicate the required level.

So, where should this level be on the glass?

Also what oil should be used, I have Castrol GPS 4 semi-synth, is this adequate?
 
RTFM

Run the bike, on the road, to heat the oil up properly.

Turn off bike.

Put bike on centre stand, on level ground.

Leave for, say, five minutes for oil to settle. Use time to read manual.

Look at site screen.

Compare depth with description in manual.

Fill / don't fill as required.

There's a simple guide to the correct oil to use in the manual, as well and / or according to any of the myriad of posts here.....
 
The red circle on the sight glass shows the upper and lower levels.

If you've got a 3rd of the glass showing you'll be fine until you get home and can check / top up correctly...
 
Pie Man said:
I would have done but like I say it was on the way out to work this morning and it is playing on my mind. Will check wwhen I get home, but thought I would ask in the mean time
Click to expand...

But, surely you have read the manual before and / or checked the oil level? :augie
 
Well excuse me for being interested in my bike and wishing to ask some advice. Damn anyone would think I was on a bike forum or somehting. :bow
 
Pie Man said:
Well excuse me for being interested in my bike and wishing to ask some advice. Damn anyone would think I was on a bike forum or somehting. :bow
Click to expand...

Pie Man

As Wapping alluded earlier, there isn't a week goes by without someone asking 'what oil should I use?'.

Unfortunately, if you ask 100 tossers that question, you'll get about 250 different answers!

Do a search and you'll see what I mean.

Greg
 
Pie Man said:
Well excuse me for being interested in my bike and wishing to ask some advice. Damn anyone would think I was on a bike forum or somehting. :bow
Click to expand...
Pie Man. Trust me, I'm a lazy git at heart and if there's an easy way to do anything, it's a pretty safe bet that I will find it. Here's what I do:

  • When you're out on a run (so the bike is up to "regular operating temperature" say 2-3 bars) you will have to stop for fuel, so
  • Park close to the pump (with the pump on your right - it's easier to get off) but instead of putting the bike on its side-stand, put it on its centre stand first then switch the engine off. This means you can get more petrol into the tank AND you can check the oil as well.
  • As soon as you turn the engine off, I start the stopwatch on my watch - you will need close enough to 5 mins for the oil to drain back down. Don't be too fussy about giving it precisely 5 mins, but if you try and remember the time, it's a safe bet that you won't.
  • Make a mental note of the mileage since you last filled it to the brim
  • Reset the bikes trip meter to 000
  • Fill up the tank to the brim
  • Go to the cashier and pay, but when you get your receipt (which will have the Litres printed on it) write down the mileage you'd made a mental note of earlier on the receipt and keep it safe. This will allow you to work out the mpg when you have more time.
  • Return to the bike and check the stopwatch - by now usually your 5 mins is up anyway, so I check the sight glass.
  • If the oil level is below the max level, I top it up when I get a chance. The top of the red circle shows the maximum level and the bottom shows the minimum. Personally I like to keep it near the max.
Job done. Mpg and oil checked in one petrol stop. See, I told you I was a lazy sod. :D This isn't meant to sound patronising, but as long as you check your oil the same way every time you'll be fine. This method works for me.

Just a word of warning. With the bike filled to the brim with fuel (especially if you have a big Aventure tank) the bloody thing will weigh a ton, so just be careful when you push it off the centre stand. If it starts falling away from you, you will struggle to hold it upright. :o
 
All I wanted to know is if there was a mark on the glass as I could not see one and it was bugging me on the way to work. Now I know there is one and will need to look harder. Thanks

As for the damn oil question, well I had a brand, and if it would be suitable.

I am more than capable of adding oil, I need no FM to do so.

Good bye
 
Pie Man said:
All I wanted to know is if there was a mark on the glass as I could not see one and it was bugging me on the way to work. Now I know there is one and will need to look harder. Thanks

As for the damn oil question, well I had a brand, and if it would be suitable.

I am more than capable of adding oil, I need no FM to do so.

Good bye
Click to expand...

So you get a bit of gentle ribbing and a lot of useful advice and you :thedummy bless :mmmm

Don't slam the door on your way out...................................

Andres
 
MODS:
Perhaps we can get the search function changed such that "oil" is allowed as a search word? This should help reduce the number of offences taken when the inevitable ribbing takes place for each new oil thread ;)

Better still, how about a whole new topic "Oil", in the technical section. Or better yet "Oil and Tyres" :rolleyes:

You can spend the winter months moving threads into there from other sections :D
 
CityBum said:
MODS:
Perhaps we can get the search function changed such that "oil" is allowed as a search word?
Click to expand...

You can search for 'oil' here's the results. One odd thing though, Wappings 'Oil' thread from the 'Font Of All Wisdom' doesn't appear in the results. So can a mod answer - is this because the thread was last posted on in 06, and the search facility uses dates to prioritise results:nenau If it does, any way to change it so that all results from the FOAW are at the start of the search results, regardless of when they were last active:nenau
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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