OIL

[red rocket]

I am still finding reading the oil in the site glass hit & miss. Last night read instructions ran bike on center stand untill warm stop engine leave for 5 mins oil level middle of glass. Check it tonight engine cold level bottom of glass put a little in run untill warm again leave it 5 mins now less oil in than I had showing on the site glass than last night yet bike is in same spot inn garage .

Also I was supplied with a litre of oil which is nearly all gone by the way in 1500 miles bike now on 10,000 miles .My question is, is the oil they supplied Putolin super DX4 synthetic fortified, hopefully this isnt fully synthetic I just wondered if fortified is the same as semi synthetic if so can I add Castrol semi synthetic to top up as I have a load left from another oil change different bike do you think ??

Thanks for any comments preferably helpfull ones

 

[Alphason]

Which bike do you have?

Mine's a 12GS and I don't worry too much about the oil level as it can be hit and miss. Running the engine on tickover is not ideal - it's always better to ride it for a few miles. Being air/oil cooled it won't do the engine or exhaust a lot of good as it can easily overheat with no airflow to cool it.

Take it for a 30 minute run, leave it on the centre stand for 10 to 20 minutes, then check and top up as needed. I normally try to keep the level between the top and bottom marks on the sight glass, but don't over fill it

BWM say up to 1L of oil per 1,000 miles is acceptable but once run in this should improve. I use mineral oil but I don't think there's a problem with any decent oil or even mixture of oils.

 

[fatnfast]

There is quite a few threads on checking the oil level, but I found this works for me,

1. Run the bike until warm preferbly by riding it.
2. Stop on level ground, let it idle for 30 secs, switch off and put on side stand.
3. After 15mins put on centre stand.
4. Check level after 30mins.

I assume its an 1150, this seems to work for me, but it does depend on if you live north or south of Watford, the time of year and the colour of your bike!

Mine used almost a litre of oil for the first 10k every 1000-1500 miles, but has settled down to almost nothing now (nearly 20k).

 

[DavidHale]

Mine still uses a litre or two every 5k miles - just coming up to 30k.

 

[(RIP) Sugar Ray]

There is quite a few threads on checking the oil level, but I found this works for me,

1. Run the bike until warm preferbly by riding it.
2. Stop on level ground, let it idle for 30 secs, switch off and put on side stand.
3. After 15mins put on centre stand.
4. Check level after 30mins.
).

This seems to be the acknowledged way to get consistent readings. It's worked for me over the last 3 years anyway.

Regards,

Charles

 

[red rocket]

Thanks for the replies & I have been serching to up until now it hasn't bothered me too much but I'm off to Holland for Easter and all this phiffal phaffing about isn't so easy if your pulling in for some petrol & feel you need to check the oil & be on your way.

So what about this synthetic fortifies is this the same as semi synthetic

 

[wessie]

Thanks for the replies & I have been serching to up until now it hasn't bothered me too much but I'm off to Holland for Easter and all this phiffal phaffing about isn't so easy if your pulling in for some petrol & feel you need to check the oil & be on your way.

So what about this synthetic fortifies is this the same as semi synthetic

You don't need to check your oil every petrol stop. Even if you get through 3 tankfuls of petrol in a day you only need to check the oil once a day. 200ml of oil will raise the level half way up the sight glass and is the most I added to my bike in the early days. Get yourself a 1 litre bottle (Castrol ones are v.good) with a measurement scale on the side and only add 200ml slugs at a time. These are ideal for long trips as they can be tucked away in your luggage if wrapped well in Asda bags. I used to take 2 but after 18k one was always too much for a 3000 mile trip. Obviously, top them up from a larger container.

You can reduce the oil consumption on a long trip by ensuring you park the bike on the main stand as much as possible. This allows the oil in the left pot to drain into the sump rather than accumulate in the cylinder head.

As far as your fortified synthetic is concerned then it is probably "semi-synthetic". Not that it matters. Any oil that is granted an API classification must be mixable with all other API rated oils: regardless of viscoscity; colour; mineral or manufactured base and marketing hyperbolae. Castrol will be fine: although save yourself some dosh and buy GTX rather than the pretty red stuff with a picture of a bike on the front.

 

[JIm]

What do people think of using HD 20/50 semi synth oil?, its designed for air cooled engines

 

[Tarka]

What do people think of using HD 20/50 semi synth oil?, its designed for air cooled engines

If it`s API Grade SF , SG , or SH , it`s perfectly acceptable.


If it`s not.....it isn`t.


End of.



Although nothing other than mineral should be used for at least the first 6000 miles.

 

[worthy]

Oil level

I think I have overfilled the oil the level... The glass shows no level and is clearly full. I have riden it on a short distance with no probs, but am worried I may do it damage on my run to Spain in a few weeks. It is a 1200 and I need to decide do I risk driving and hope it burns off or should I drain it??

Now the dull questions. does anyone have a diagram of the oil plug and what is the torque setting.
If I drain the oil do I need to remove the sump guard or can I drain some oil without removing it.

 

[alimey4u2]

I think I have overfilled the oil the level... The glass shows no level and is clearly full. I have riden it on a short distance with no probs, but am worried I may do it damage on my run to Spain in a few weeks. It is a 1200 and I need to decide do I risk driving and hope it burns off or should I drain it??

Now the dull questions. does anyone have a diagram of the oil plug and what is the torque setting (ALLEN KEY NEEDED).
If I drain the oil do I need to remove the sump guard ( NO) or can I drain some oil without removing it (EASIER TO REMOVE SUMP PLUG) .

See edits in red.

 

[worthy]

Thanks....I assume it is the plug on the right side of the sump..what about the torque setting for the plug? Will I need a new washer for the sump plug?

 

[Steptoe]

I think I have overfilled the oil the level... The glass shows no level and is clearly full. I have riden it on a short distance with no probs, but am worried I may do it damage on my run to Spain in a few weeks. It is a 1200 and I need to decide do I risk driving and hope it burns off or should I drain it??

Tip the bike over the other side, and see where the oil shows in the window.

You'll most likely burn off any excess oil on the way to france .

 

[Wizard]

There's a banjo bolt on the nearside of the engine with a tube that runs up to the oil cooler. You can use that to run off some oil with no need to remove anything else. A good flush with very hot water/washing-up liquid will clean the residue from the bashplate. Obviously, it's easier of you have an waste oil tank, but any container on a sheet of cardboard with some kitchen roll handy will do.

You won't need to replace the copper washers, and as long as the banjo bolt is nipped up, it should be fine. Just check it in a couple of hundred miles to be sure.

 

[Wizard]

Do that after you listen to Steptoe if there's obviously shed-loads too much

 

[Mouse]

If it`s API Grade SF , SG , or SH , it`s perfectly acceptable.

If it`s not.....it isn`t.

I thought the later standards encompassed the older ones - that is to say, API SJ oil is too good strictly speaking for the boxer engines (which you correctly say require SF, SG, or SH) but it's perfectly acceptable as it exceeds those older standards.

In my experience, API SJ is usually the lowest rating you can find in shops without going to specialist suppliers, who will probably charge more for a lower rated oil anyway.

BMW's official oil requirements certanly show (in BMW's view anyway) that these engines don't need particularly highly specced oil.

 

[Mouse]

Oh by the way, the old "parking on the sidestand allows oil to run into the cylinder" theory doesn't apply to the 1200, and (although I'm not certain) probably wouldn't happen to a great degree on any oilhead engine. It certainly is true for airheads though.

The crankcase on the 1200 engine is dry, and seperate from the sump. You'd have to overfill the engine terribly to allow any sump oil to drain into a cylinder, unless the bike was lying on its side. Of course you might get a tiny amount from the oil feeds to the crank etc but in my experience it just doesn't happen.

 

[beermonster]

I would have thought that there would have been some residue left in the left hand pot which may burn if you leave it on its side stand. My 1150 sometimes smokes like a bastard when left on its side stand over night.

 

[worthy]

Tip the bike over the other side, and see where the oil shows in the window.

You'll most likely burn off any excess oil on the way to france .

Thanks Steptoe......I have tilted the bike over the other way and after about 10 - 15 ( max )degrees the oil level is seen at the top of the glass...........Do I need to drain out or will it be ok...? I am worried that I may blow some seals with too much oil.....