Can't trust the dealer

[CUBuffs]

Shame on me for trusting the dealer that I purchased my SG from. He told me that they changed the oil before I bought it. I decided to change it out myself and found that there was about 5.5 quarts in it.

What kind of damage can that do? Would it affect the valves in any way?

[trbig]

Yeah we changed the oil... put in errrr... 3 1/2... 4 1/2... 5 1/2 quarts... something like that...

Hey... tilt it on it's side and fill 'er to the rim!

Just make sure that it was all oil... and not part gas. I may be completely off... but I heard that all it usually does is blow seals, and make it run slower due to everything sloshing around in too much liquid. So if it's not leaking oil out of all it's orifices, my "unejukated" guess would be that you're ok. With the valves on top of the motor, they can only get what that oiler tube in the back can feed them, so I wouldn't think they could get any more oil than normal up there. Seems to me that if anything bad would happen, it would be in the crank area on the bottom... but again... very limited knowledge on this.

Tod

[CUBuffs]

It occurred to me that there could be gas in the oil. All I know how to do is sniff it but nothing smells like gas.

[DiverRay]

Check for gas in the oil, if you have not already done so. Keep an eye on the sight window, and if you see the oil level go UP, do the "gas" test.
The overfill by one quart should not have done much to the engine. These are built like tanks, and the bottom end on the XS1100 is stronger than a lot of racer engines.
Ray

[Geezer]

The probably had some moron lot lizard top up the oil while the bike was on the side stand. If the oil doesn't smell like gas, then it likely it's all oil.

If the seals didn't blow, you don't have anything to worry about. I bet it has more get up and go now.

Geezer

[CUBuffs]

OK Ray, what is the "Gas test"?

[TopCatGr58]

Take a stick, piece of metal, not wood or plastic, and dip it into the questionable oil/gas, and then step a distance away from the source, and take a match or lighter to it, and see if it will lite and burn. IF it does, then it's been thinned out with gas. If it won't lite, then it's just oil!
T.C.

[DiverRay]

What TC said.
Ray

[CUBuffs]

Looks good

OK, I tried your test TC, it would not ignite. Happy Days!

[CUBuffs]

If the seals didn't blow, you don't have anything to worry about. I bet it has more get up and go now.

Yah! I took her out to blow off some of the smoke from the oil that dripped onto the 4 into 1's and she definitely feels a little more frisky!

[CUBuffs]

Oil level window

Check for gas in the oil, if you have not already done so. Keep an eye on the sight window, and if you see the oil level go UP, do the "gas" test.

I decided to check the site window tonight after taking her for a ride. It appears that the entire window is full. How reliable is the window? I know I only put 3.7 qts of oil in. Maybe I should do a gas test on the new oil.

[DiverRay]

The window is not all that reliable. Check it on the side stand, and see how far down the window it goes. I find that if you park with the back tire downhill just a little, the window will be full. Try it on a LEVEL or with the front tire slightly downhill. You should then be able to see the top of the oil in the window.
Ray

[LoserShoes]

Just for reference, the main danger in overfilling is the crank journels hitting the oil and whipping it into froth. Then the pump is moving an air/oil mixture through the engine, which has a minimal lubricating ability.

Steve

[GNEPIG]

.. the window works. your only suppose to put in 3 qts.
you should see a little bit of a bubble at the top of the window[not oil] after 3 qts. it does change on the center stand though[looks lower]. casted into the cover near the oil filler hole, are the numbers 3000cm, that means 3 qts. there is nothing to gain by adding .7 quarts more

[randy]

3000cm, that means 3 qts

That means 3 LITERS or, 3.16 qts.

With a filter change, 4qts is right for mine