Oil window unreadable, what to do?!?

[markjs]

I'm not sure how it happened but I cannot see through the oil window on my bike. It's now most likely overfull of oil and I haven't a clue what to do?!? I would think getting it warm would clear up the window but I fear to run it overfull. Suggestions anyone?

[bikerphil]

Drain plug is on the front left of the oil pan (19mm bolt). Drain it all out, put plug back in, put 2.5 quarts in and check the level. It should be between the upper and lower marks while on the centerstand. If it's a little low, add some.

[markjs]

Yeah I figured that, but what can I do about not being able to see the level? It is old and it uses oil, I can't afford to change the oil every 500 miles! It's also too beat to do any major work on at this point....

I did try a toothbrush on the inside of the window down the fill hole, but the windows is blocked.

[bikerphil]

The only other options I can think of are... 1. Try to spray some carb cleaner with a nozzle attachment at it or, 2. Remove the side case cover, the window housing pops out from the inside. Clean the glass and pop it back in. Either buy a gasket, make your own out of gasket material, or some people use just RTV as a gasket.

[Rasputin]

light

Try shining a light down the oil fill hole and see if you can see it then. You could do it the other way and shine a light in the oil window and see if it can be seen from the fill hole. Once you had it to the correct level you could fashion yourself a dipstick of some kind and keep it handy after that. The best thing would be to do as Bikerphil has suggested and clean or replace it by removing the side case cover.

[fredintoon]

Make a dipstick

Hi Mark,
I had to carry a mirror on a telescoping handle to view my oil level because the sidecar is in the way of a straight look. This got old after a while so I made a dipstick.
OK, you can't use a dipstick that's permanently fixed to your oil filler plug because it would rub on the clutch.
You need a strip of stainless steel (I cut the strap off a 4'' diameter hose clamp)
Straighten it out then bend it in an L-shape so it can't fall into the motor. Drain & refill the motor so you know the level is correct. Dip the level and make a chisel-mark right there. Carry the dipstick in your tool pouch.

[trbig]

You can also use a cheap turkey baster with some fuel line or something on the end... and suck it out of the fill hole if you don't want to drain it all.

Tod

[Pat Kelly]

Go to the dentists' office and ask for one of those long-stem Q-tips. That may reach down there and wipe the window

[markjs]

You can also use a cheap turkey baster with some fuel line or something on the end... and suck it out of the fill hole if you don't want to drain it all.

Tod

WOW man what a life saver, or at least I hope. You see I am dirt poor. I know it's hard for some "hobbyists", to understand, but at the best of times I can barely keep it on the road, and the three quarts of oil was quite a hit, ($10) but if I can work this turkey baster angle I can even save the oil perhaps!

Does oil siphon? If the baster is too big, that could be an option too, but if I have to drain it I'd be too afraid to re-use it because it would pick up dirt on he way out. I mean even for me it's not the end of the world if I have to buy new oil and waste this, but it would help if I did not have to. I have even considered throwing a garbage blanket beside the bike and firing it up with the fill cap off until it spit a bunch out.

In any case though, about the window, I guess it had to be condensation of some sort that developed because of very low oil in the case, because when the oil sat a while in an overfilled state the window looks like it might be functional again (crossing my fingers). Thing is though I think there is a plate behind the window for some reason so that you cannot get at it from behind, yet there is just enough room for oil to get between the glass and the back plate (I think I can see that from above). I did use a long toothbrush on the back side and it didn't do anything. Anyway, thanks guys, I think you just about covered every possibilty, and I'll let you know how it turns out.

[markjs]

Well the good news is that the turkey baster fits deep into the case with no modifications, the bad news is that I am at least one quart and as much as two high and the baster holds about 2oz so it's slow going. When I read the turkey baster idea, being as the supermarket is 24/7 I just had to get the drop light and give it a try. Thanks though that was brilliant!

Done! worked perfect!

[DGXSER]

Out of curiosity, if you can't read the window for level, how did you know you had the right amount of oil removed? The right level in the engine?

[markjs]

Well it was cloudy, or at least I am pretty sure, but when I over filed after a while of sitting it cleaned the window enough so that I could then see.

Although, it is entirely possible, albeit ulikely, that it was full at the beggining. I put like three quarts in and I think took about two out. You see for a while it was my only transportation and it seemed to me then to eat oild fairly quick, but then I got a car and the bike has been an afterthought. I've ridden it a lot, and in my mind I was almost sure it was low, (and actually I still think it was) but you know how once you are not paying every day attention to such a thing it becomes much harder to keep track of.

The engine is amazing though, I gotta say that. Compression is 110 on every cycliner and it has 60K miles on it, but it does not leak a drop of oil from anywhere. It smokes a bit when I ride with other folks they see it, but it's not a super rapid burn. It's just that it was a LONG time chronologically that I never checked it. I do really despise the window check system. Personally I am much more apt to check my bike's oil if it has a dipstick. That might have something to do with my driveway being dirt and gravel and most of the time wet or damp. Not so fun getting that low, and the bike is too heavy to do that alone without it being on the center stand.

[trbig]

Yeah, the turkey baster is slow going... but I needed it one time. Filling the bike with new oil, sometimes it's really hard to see.. not a lot of difference between how it looks and air against the glass. So.. I overfilled once. I buy oil in the bulk 5 qt jug.. so it's a guess sometimes.

As for starting it up with the oil fill cap off.. yeah, drops will splash out, but it would be a LONG time getting the necessary amount out. (Not to mention oil on the exhaust and everything else..)

Walmart also sells a little pump that fits onto/into a quart bottle for filling up the final drive on an outboard motor. It would probably work well also. I have one hanging on the wall.. just forgot about it until I was done with the turkey baster already. BUT.. keep the turkey baster around. You don't want to use it on food now anyway, and it works well for getting brake fluid out of the master cylinders if you need to clean the "Spooge" hole. Just make sure all the oil is off of it first..

Tod

[boyat68]

Do not forget to check your oil while on the maintenance stand, not on the side stand as the oil level means on a level surface.

[Rasputin]

gas/oil

Also smell the oil or try to light it to be sure there is no gas in that oil. It could have leaked by your carbs, etc and partially caused the over full condition. JAT