Sightglass

[Matt101]

Hi guys

I was sorting the bike for a 6 day jaunt around Scotland and I noticed this.....

Now I have a replacement coming but don't know if I will get it before I leave. I have had a search on the site but can't find a lot with the 'sightglass' attached to it apart from the 1100s. Is it worth doing before I go? Flameproof clothing is on!!

 

[fatnfast]

Very easy to replace, I would do it before you go. The 1200's do have the snap ring to hold the sight glass in unlike the 11xx, but why take the chance if you can avoid it. The leak will not go away and will likely get worse.

 

[DrFarkoff]

Its just a weep wash it down with some detergent and slap a dollop of (black or grey )silicone sealer around the Edge of the glass and the circlip It'll do fine till you get back

Note Cut a small disc of Masking tape or Insulating tape about 3 mm smaller than the diameter of the sightglass circlip

Do the cleaning and then the tape and then the silicone wait 10 mins until silicone goes a bit tacky and gently peel tape off

 

[Bendy toy]

I so hate these sight glasses.

 

[adventuredon]

Mine showed half full on Sunday am, on centre stand at cold. Bile was recovered 60 miles later for clutch issue. Dealer noted on Monday that no oil was showing.... Work that out

 

[DrFarkoff]

If it had been allowed to drain down from the cooler on the sidestand while hot you would probably still have that halfway full mark

Sightglasses are good its the idiot that looks at them that causes the issues ..............

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I like a good sight glass

 

[Alan R]

I so hate these sight glasses.

let me guess...... needs a dip stick Bendy?
Alan R

 

[SteveM]

Does anybody know how much oil the cooler actually holds? I'll bet it's not very much, 200ml maybe less.

 

[DrFarkoff]

my foreman said it was 750 ml when I was with the Dealership


200 ml is less than a mug of coffee usually they are 250 ml

 

[Bendy toy]

let me guess...... needs a dip stick Bendy?
Alan R

Cheap simple, does the job and no leaks. What's not to like?

 

[Matt101]

Well hats off to Wollaston BMW. They managed to get me one on overnight. Been to fetch it so we know what I'll be doing this afternoon. Thanks for the replies chaps. Hope it's as easy as it looks!!

 

[Matt101]

Well nearly 3 hours in and.......... yes you guessed it. Stuck solid. I'm fast running out of ideas too. As everything is chewing up! Any help guys?

 

[Mr K]

Well nearly 3 hours in and.......... yes you guessed it. Stuck solid. I'm fast running out of ideas too. As everything is chewing up! Any help guys?

Drill a small hole in it, put in a self tapping screw and use a claw hammer to pull it out.

Protect things with rags.

Never done this meself, so don't blame me if the world ends etc

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Well nearly 3 hours in and.......... yes you guessed it. Stuck solid. I'm fast running out of ideas too. As everything is chewing up! Any help guys?

Box it up. Dont worry about it. Fix it when you get back.
Sounds as if its not going to fall out.

 

[Matt101]

Well nearly 5 hours and it's done. Thanks for the replies gents. I had done all the suggestions above and it would not have it. Then the wife walks out, looks at what I'm trying to do and made a suggestion. At first I laughed but thought what have I got to lose. In the end I used a corkscrew (the type with the push down handles and braced across the hole) and some elbow grease and eventually it gave in. The extra pressure I could but on the bigger windings of the corkscrew did the trick. Was a load of oxidisation between the casing and the rubber so it was stuck fast. Just test rode it for 30 miles and am having a cuppa and letting the oil drain back. See what happens in about 15 minutes!!

 

[Roymondo]

Mine showed half full on Sunday am, on centre stand at cold. Bile was recovered 60 miles later for clutch issue. Dealer noted on Monday that no oil was showing.... Work that out

Since you're supposed to check it with the engine at normal operating temperature, that could explain it...

 

[Bendy toy]

Well done getting it sorted. Mines nearly 7 years old so maybe I should take a look at it.
I rest my case against the oil sight glass as anything other than a bodge of an idea.
Blame Kawasaki who put them on the Z1 900.

 

[Matt101]

Made me laugh that the BMW mechanic said self-tapper and should pull out too. It was an absolute pig of a job. Ended up taking off crashbars and the downpipe so I could get some decent access. I wouldn't wish it on anyone! Very frustrating!!

 

[Bendy toy]

I fail to understand why bike makers prefer these abominations to dip sticks.
In a car the flexible dipstick drops in close to the centre of the sump where the oil level won't change regardless of slope.
Why don't bike makers do the same? Simple to manufacture = cheap = happy bean counters.
Simple to use - no faffing about with level ground, or centre stand or grovelling on the floor to see the level.
Reliable. No seals to fail below the oil line.