Unusual Behavior?

[CARider49]

If I check the oil after the old girl has been sitting on the center stand for 3 or 4 hours (put there when pulled into the drive after a 15 - 20 mile ride in which the fan comes on at least once) it appears to be over filled. After 12 hours or so there is just a tiny sliver at the top of the glass. If I wait 24 - 48 hours (I know shame on me for letting it sit that long) it is at the half to .75, if not a bit lower, level on the sight glass. I have put the required 3.16 qts in so should be perfect, but why the hell is the discrepancy so great. Does it really take that long for the oil to settle fully? 

[Ron Moss]

If you solve that let me know how it works. My '06 never reads the same.

[Bob Young]

My '86 with 94K+ on the odometer works about like that. Nature of the beast I think.

[T Cro ®]

Given enough time oil will migrate (gravatate) down into the transmission.

[T Cro ®]

Given enough time oil will migrate (gravitate) down into the transmission.

Whoops meant to say engine, sightglass is in the tranny..

[GeeBeav]

If you know you put the correct amount of oil, and you can see oil in the sight glass, and no puddles on the ground, you're good to go.

[timmerz]

Just a quick question: did you drain the oil with both plugs pulled?

[CARider49]

Timmerz - I did a complete oil and filter change - it even sat over night with the plug and the filter out.

Beav, T Cro, Bob - Thanks. I was really getting annoyed. No drips, no slime on the motor and no smell of burnt oil.

Ron - looks like we have our answer.

[bbroj]

Just a quick question: did you drain the oil with both plugs pulled?

Worth re asking, there are 2 plugs, in addition to the filter...

[Daytona_Mike]

Looking at CARider49's answer he only removed the one plug and forgot or does not know about the second drain plug.

[CARider49]

BB - you were right, it was worth re-asking as it made we refer once more to my handy Clymer.
Daytona - Exactly - learned something this AM. Feel like an idiot now, but an educated idiot.
Timmerz - Mia Culpa for not really looking at what was asked in your post.

So the question now becomes "I got a little over 3 quarts out even without the second plug pulled. I put a little over 3 (3.17 or what ever the book says) quarts back in so is it going to blow up before this weekend when I can get another gallon of oil and change it again?"

Additionally now that I have gone back to the book it says to "warm up to operating temp, shut off and wait for the oil to settle" I have been doing my own oil changes on the cars and trucks for years and have always had almost identical readings if I waited 30 minutes and them rechecked in the AM. T - Cro, with the settling you are talking about should I consider the level at 1 - 2 hours correct and not worry that it looks too damn low if it sits for 2 days, as long as there is not a puddle?

Everyday I try to learn at least one thing - today the lesson was "Put the ego in check, carefully read the directions (just because you are a reasonably competent auto mechanic does not mean you are a motorcycle mechanic) and when in doubt carefully read the direction yet again.

Mark
 

[T Cro ®]

Park the bike on the center stand after riding wait a few minutes (5-10 minutes) any where in the upper half of the glass call it good. Next time you change your oil drain both bolts, change your filter add roughly 3.25 quarts and don't worry about it for at least 3 thousand miles.

[timmerz]

Timmerz - Mia Culpa for not really looking at what was asked in your post.

Absolutely no problem, Mark...we're all here trying to help each other and that was the first thing that struck me, that's all...I'm not even mechanically inclined enough to do my own oil changes, so my hat's off to you guys that do your own meching!

[Leo]

If you see oil in the window, just ride the thing.  Of any problems that we hear about, (like hydrolock) engine failure when there is at least some oil in the bike is not one of them.  The actual amount of oil needed to change from bottom of the window to top of the windo is pretty small.  Ride safe.