XJ1100 Oil Capacity

[happyjj]

I just bought the Bike this spring and going to change the oil and filter. I was looking in the tech tip and it says to put in 3 qts the 82 Yamaha sales brochure says it holds 4.2 qts. Does anyone know how much it takes for the xj1100?

[John]

With a filter change, it will hold 4 qts. Dump 'em in and don't worry about it.

[happyjj]

Thanks: I was going to put in the 3 and check it then put in what was needed.

[John]

Right below the oil fill hole it says that the capacity is 3000ml. 3 qts is just a little over 2700ml.

[happyjj]

Thanks, also I'm getting ready to put the filter back on and I have to tabs on the filter cover but I dont see the slots in the engine case they talk about to line up with.

[John]

The tabs point to the rear. Line up the cooling fins so they point fore and aft. One trick I have done to prevent the oil from spilling out of the filter cup, when removing it was to grind down the cooling fin to the rear of the bolt, and drilled and tapped a hole to accept an 1/8 pipe plug. Just remove the plug when you remove the drain plug from the oil pan, and that will take care of the mess that comes out of the filter cup when you loosen the bolt.

[happyjj]

I had already did what you suggested and just lined up the fins took for about a mile run all seems to be doing ok. Except looking in the oil level glass it seems to never have enough oil in it. But I put in 3.5 and figure that will do. I might have to try that plug in the oil case. I got more oil on me than when I change my truck oil. Thanks again.

[Hepcat]

It takes an extra .5 when you change the filter...from personal experience. Otherwise it's 3 quarts without filter removal and change.

[Ken Talbot]

Just a thought here - you have to have the bike upright when you check the oil level through the sight window. If you try to check while it is on the sidestand, it will always look low. ......

[happyjj]

Thanks Ken. I do check it on the center stand. If I hold the bike up stright but not on the center stand It will show the good level. I took it for about a 1 hr ride yesterday and the oil light started coming on and I know there is plenty of oil in it since I just changed it. Any suggestions?

[ratbyk]

Oil Light

What weight oil did you put in at the last change?
Suggest that you get an oil pressure guage on there pretty quick to determine whether it is a defective idiot light or that you really do have low oil pressure.
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[happyjj]

I put in Yamaha 20-40

[ratbyk]

Oil Pressure

After checking your oil pressure with a guage, hot, at idle if OK. Then replace the idiot light sending unit. If oil pressure readings are marginal I would suggest that you change over to Castrol GTX 20-50. also 1/2 a can/container of STP Engine Oil Treatment. (a viscosity index improver)
If the engine cam chain tensioner has been leaking oil make sure that you do a thorough job of cleaning the cooling fins in and around #2 and 3 cylinders. Any oil on these cooling fins will attract dirt/dust to stick to them. This greatly reduces their affect of transferring hea,t from the cylinders to the atmosphere.
If you can afford it I would also add an engine oil cooler. (newmaac may have one-contact direct from the members list at the top of this page) I discovered that when I added a cooler to the Ratbyk my oil pressure at idle hot went from 10 PSI to 20 PSI.
In my way of thinking that is a huge increase. I must have dropped my oil operating temps by 20 degrees. Don't know exactly as don't have an oil temp guage but do have oil pressure guage running all the time that is pretty quick at letting me know that temps have gotten high and things are marginal.
On oil cooler (dependent on size also allows you to carry more oil in the system.
Ken/Sooke
78E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"

[Upright]

Does a '79 XS11F have the same oil capacity? (4 quarts with a filter change?)

[Jerry]

Far as I know, all the XS/XJ 1100s have the same oil capacity, basically 4 quarts with a filter change.

On my XJ I have noticed the oil light will start to come on when the oil is still above the "Low" indicator on the oil check window. Keep in mind that the XJ, unlike the XS, has 2 oil senders ...one for pressure and one for oil level. The warning light does not distinguish between them. You can have good pressure, but if the level is low the light will come on. I should replace the level sensor, I suppose....it is mounted in the pan, shift lever side, and held in place with 2 bolts. Wire from it goes up into the main wiring harness.

I just keep my oil at the top mark, chalking up the oil light behavior as one of the bike's idiosyncrasies.