Easy way to see oil level

[Espiritus]

Hey, all. I finally got tired of trying to squint to see where the oil level was on the bike. I have this sniffty LCD flashlight and the end of it is exactly the diameter of the oil cap. So, I took off the cap, put the end of the light against the crankcase shining down into the crankcase, and, presto, could easily see the oil level through the little window.

Thought I would share this. This might be one of those common sense things that everyone knows but I am a slow learner!

Cam

[ross]

lighting issues....

hey there Espiritus....is a very good idea, but if you go to your local dealership, you can order a stock yahama lighting kit that solves that problem.....2h7-385965.....cost about $4.00......easily installs thru the oil fill hole....hooks up to the fuse box with 2 wires.......hmmmm....should i tell her???.....Espiritus, i'm just kidding you...very good idea though....makes very good sense......have not had an issue with reading the oil level as i can clearly see the sight window and 1/2 hour on the center stand settles it all down anyway....unless it is too full...oops!!!!.....i usually measure the oil i put into the motor and make sure i stop short and fill to proper levels.....just my 2 cents...talk 2 ya later.....ross

[mro]

I used to have to shine a light in my G's hole
Sounds like your sight glass be a little dirty?

Next time you have to pull the cover off for clutch work can clean the sight glass. Will then be able to see the oils color thru the glass as well as level.


mro

[LoHo]

...and if you are careful not to disturb the bike, you can get a cool rainbow effect as the light shines through the gas leaking into the case from the crapped-out petcocks...

[Ivan]

Is there really truly a lighting kit for the inside of the crankcase?

[mro]

originally posted by Ivan the Terrible
Is there really truly a lighting kit for the inside of the crankcase?

Are you familiar with a saying attributed to W. C. Fields?


mro

[ClarkGriswald]

I thought P.T. Barnum said that?

[ross]

crankcase lighting assembly.....

hey there folks...after this kind of response, the price just went up to $5.00 per unit......talk 2 ya later.....ross

[ClarkGriswald]

Ill just put glow in the dark stuff in my oil.. helps to see it dripping that way at night.

[DiverRay]

Were I USED to work, if you got too close to the "beam", EVERYTHING would glow in the dark!!

[fredintoon]

Another thing to throw onto the dash

Hi Cam,
now you've done it. I too have a small diameter LED flashlight and after reading your brilliant thought I will have to keep it on the sidecar dash along with the telescoping mirror so I can check the oil level in the dark. The flashlight will also help me find the filler plug when I drop it trying to thread it back in it's hole.
Thanks.

[Shappers]

If your sight glass is getting opaque due to it's age, then next time you pull the outer cover off to work on the clutch just replace it.

It simply pushes out (to the inside) and a new one costs peanuts (I paid €6).

If the sight glass is just dirty, I would lean the bike on it's side and get the Q-Tips in there!

[mro]

There is a lot of room under the cover, would not be hard to install something like a fiber optic cable "light" there if one was so inclined. Would not run a LED or incandescent light tho, one spark at the wrong time inside the crank case ....

mro
BTW, PT had said “There's a sucker born every minute" which one may construe as a derogatory remark and I would never deride or make fun of anyone here.

WC Fields was known to say “go away kid, you bother me”

[Ivan]

Well,

I may be a sucker, but I had seriously considered making some sort of illuminating device specifically for this purpose. I would have gladly spent 4$, or even 5$ (since the price went up). Now I must rely on my own ingenuity. That can be scary.

I was thinking about machining the fill cap to accept a LED and affix it with some translucent epoxy. A single wire to the accessory terminal, grounding through the case would be all that is needed.

Good or bad idea?

[randy]

Ivan, the heat would destroy it.

While we're on the subject of W.C. Fields, one of my favorite lines:

"Who put orange juice in my orange juice"?

and one of his more infamous ones:

"I love children, especially deep fried"