oil level window

[DeanR]

What could cause the oil level to not be visible in the sight glass?
Yesterday it looked clear (no visible oil), despite being full and on the center stand. It is fresh oil put in last fall. Clean, but not invisible!
I drained it to be sure. Didn't take the filter off for this. How much less oil to put back in now (how much is held in the filter housing)?.. just in case it still doesn't make an appearance in the window.

[TopCatGr58]

Dean,

Get some one to help you hold the bike up, cause it was probably just slightly overfilled, so that it was totally covering the site glass window. You can have someone hold and tilt it to the left to see that it drops down into view. DId you ride it much since last fall? Could it have actually been low on oil, and so a more prominent tilt to the right would have been needed to get it to rise up into the site glass?

The filter and case hold about 1/2 quart, so put in 2.5 quarts and then check. But allow some time for it to settle so that the film of oil on the site glass will thin and drop down so you can see the new oil line, since it's right below the oil case filler opening!
T.C.

[John]

Have someone help you, and tilt the bike to the left until you can see the oil level in the window. I have overfilled mine in the past, and didn't realise it until I did the 'lean-to-the-left' trick. The oil was new, so it didn't look like it was at the window when in fact it was over filled. I have an oil cooler on mine, so I just dump in 4 qts of oil when I refill, and that takes care of that.

[DeanR]

I would have also thought overfill, but I know it was dead nuts in the middle of the window last fall. Rode it about 30 miles since.
(no mid winter rides like last year)
Would like to know if there's anything behind that cover that could somehow shift position or such that could physically prevent the oil from showing in the glass?

[Incubus]

Nope, it's just a window. There is a cage around the inside of the window, but it would have had to catch a pretty bit piece of crud to block the window. It can't shift.

Patrick

[Doo-Daa]

Maybe your petcock(s) leaked and the gas went into the crankcase? Mine does exactly the same thing when sitting for 3 or 4 months.(winter)

Better to know now

Doo-Daa

[HobbyMan]

looks like your problem was that it was on the center stand. As I recall, the proper level is taken on both wheels. If it was filled properly, you won't see the oil when its on the stand. It goes forward.

[fredintoon]

Dipstick

I can understand a dipstick. What drooling moron in the Yamadesign office left one out of the XS11? With my sidecar fitted I can't even see that poxy little window unless I use a mirror on a stick. BTW, 3 litres of engine oil is what the book sez.
So drain the thing, dump in 3 litres and see where the level is. Use a mirror on a stick if you have to.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[DeanR]

Hobbyman,,, I thought about that possibility too, but the manual does say to check it on the center stand.

[randy]

Yes, Dean, check it on the center stand on a level surface. Maybe hobbyman meant to write sidestand?

[HobbyMan]

My bad. I need to get some sleep. The engine oil it taken from the center stand. I was trying to make sure that you were not taking the oil level from the side stand. If you think the oil level may be too low, you can take it off the center stand and rock it side to side with a helping hand watching the oil level. If you don't see it, the oil, it is either really really empty or too full. MY bad, that was one big slap in the face.

[skids]

Brain farts...you mean I am not the only one?

Originally posted by HobbyMan
My bad. . MY bad, that was one big slap in the face.

[Crazcnuk]

I always found, even with my viragos, that really clean oils was hard to see. It gets better with a bit of dirt!

A always just assumed that there is a 'wall' of aluminum behind the window making the oil visible quite thin, and therefore harder to se when it's clean.