Topping up the oil after a change

[quarryman]

I've finished replacing my oil, and duly filled up so the sight glass was showing full. Ran the engine for a couple of minutes and then left it for quarter of an hour. The level had disappeared off the sight and didnt fill back up after leaving it.

So, I have put enough extra oil in to take it up to full again. I think I have used the correct 3.75litres as there isnt a great deal left in the 5 litre can i bought.

Am I right in assuming that there must have been a pocket of air or something when i first filled up that has dissipated - or have I overfilled! (only put another 350ml in i reckon).

 

[John Armstrong]

Ride the bike till it's warm ie 4 or 5 bars on the oil temp gauge on the RID, then check the oil level.

Checking whilst the engine is cold can cause all sorts of mechanical mayhem

 

[STUBBS]

did you change the filter the filter filling up may account for some

 

[quarryman]

yup changed the filter too - having re-run the engine all seems well, the sight glass is over half full now. Will be fine to run to work on it and see what its like on the way home. Seemed like a daft question to ask, but the service manual makes no mention of running and rechecking which surprised me.

 

[Keith Chapman]

Welcome to the strange world of BMW boxer oil levels.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Always fill up the new filter with oil before mounting it on. Also with your oily fingertip lubricate the seal of the filter a bit doing few rounds. And then put the new filter on.

The oil "loss" won't be that dramatic then after you start up the bike after filling it up.

On checking the oil level I've found the most precise level check result is when:

• 1. With warm engine put the bike to side stand for 15 minutes
• 2. Then on level ground put the bike on the center stand and check the oil level.

For the most precise level - do the first step, but leave the bike on the center stand for overnight, and check the level in the morning. PS: leaving the bike on the side stand for the 5-15minutes is obligatory! Puting it directly to center stand will leave oil into oil radiator and some into cylinders - it'll always show you less than there is if you don't use side stand with warm engine.

PPS: the same procedure you need to do before oil changing too, otherwise the 3.75L will be an overfilling, since you had left some old oil into the radiator and cylinders.

 

[quarryman]

cheers! you should work for BMW with oily knowledge like that

 

[JoeC]

If he had worked for BMW then the bill would be in the post by now!

 

[motobiker]

The oil level is a constant source of amusement to me..

I tend to rely on the 'measurement' method rather than the sight glass.. The manual talks about engine 'damage' due to over-filling. I have yet to read a thread where this has actually happened... any excess oil is either burnt off or thrown into the air box.. there's a convenient and cute little drain plug especially for the purpose.



As always.. what margus says is good advice.

 

[John Armstrong]

Re overfilling, ask the Techies at Williams about the overfilled R1200 RT it did have DOUBLE the recommended amount of oil in it though

 

[motobiker]

Re overfilling, ask the Techies at Williams about the overfilled R1200 RT it did have DOUBLE the recommended amount of oil in it though

aah... a 1200 (say no more)

though seriously theres a difference between overfilling and crass stupidity.

I remember a time when I thought I had overfilled.. and was racked with panic angst and so on and so forth...

I took out the filter and threw the oil away.. after doing s run - the level was right at the bottom of the sight glass... but a day later it was above the middle.. and remained there.

This is why.. when I buy a 5L can of oil.. I mark the 'sight' on the side of the can and pour to that point.. relying on that rather than the bikes sight glass - which tells porkies.

 

[John Armstrong]

aah... a 1200 (say no more)

though seriously theres a difference between overfilling and crass stupidity.

Sure is a difference, on a simialr vein, the OBC on my 07 GSA has the oil check function, and so far it's been spot on. Atleast I know during a ride if the oil level has suddenly dropped, and even more surprising didn't need topping up between the 600 mile and it having a service at about 5500 miles . Never ever had a boxer that didn't like to have a drink between services.