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Sight glass

M

mhallman

Member
I have a 2000 1100RS. I changed the oil before winter set in (around October of '23). After I changed the oil (ran it to warm, waited 5 minutes to check on center stand), the oil was halfway on the sight glass. I've run the bike a few times a month (didn't check the sight glass). Took the bike out the other day and checked the oil and this is what I saw (again, waited 5 minutes - bike on center stand). Couple of questions (first one is the stupid question).
1. This reads as overfull, not empty, correct?
2. Why might this change in the reading have taken place since the oil change?
3. If overfull, should I just drain it and start fresh?

I've noticed some bleeding around the sightglass but think I can probably find all the info I need on other posts for that one.

Thanks in advance for the help.



IMG_2062.jpg
 
1) Yes (but see below before you act on it). The only stupid question is the one that isn't asked; if one person is wondering, bet that more are too. Nobody loses cred for honest questions.
2) The actual capacity, with a filter change, is a bit less than four American quarts (let's not get into conversions for liters...). When you do an oil + filter change, fill the new filter before you install it, but don't pour all the rest into the filler hole: keep about 1/3 to 1/2 a quart in the bottle for now... Ride it a bit. Park it on the sidestand for 5 to 10 minutes; this allows what's up there in the cooler to drain back down. Then put it up on the centerstand, and wait a few minutes (not critical), and allow the oil to "re-settle". The level should be between the center of the red circle and top of the circle's inner diameter (again, not critical).
3) Depends on what the Step 2 results are. If you think you should, it's OK to just loosen the drain plug and let a little out.
Also undo the cap on the underside left rear of the airbox - same style as the oil filler cap, comes off and goes back on the same way - with a sacrificial rag underneath it. This will allow any excess oil from the breather to drain. More than a tablespoon or two may be a sign of over-filling. Reinstall the cap and clean up the area.
 
Click on the tags at the top of the screen...see what others have reported about the sight glass.
 
A continuous complaint , because BMW decided to use a sightglass because they were too cheap to figure out how a dipstick could get down to the sump. Now owners refill or top off their oil because it looks low, or not even showing at all, because it takes a full heating of the oil and the bike should be put on the center stand and not restarted (if you have one) and left alone to cool this allows the oil thermostat to stay open and dump all it's oil back into the bottom of the engine. My bet is you over filled it. Look into the bottom of the airbox, If you over fill it will pump the excess into the airbox. Bad things can happen to overfilled BMWs sightglass can leak and even pop out and seals can be blown and begin to leak. If oil is in the airbox, dump the oil and start again.
 
fbt80 said:
A continuous complaint , because BMW decided to use a sightglass because they were too cheap to figure out how a dipstick could get down to the sump. Now owners refill or top off their oil because it looks low, or not even showing at all, because it takes a full heating of the oil and the bike should be put on the center stand and not restarted (if you have one) and left alone to cool this allows the oil thermostat to stay open and dump all it's oil back into the bottom of the engine. My bet is you over filled it. Look into the bottom of the airbox, If you over fill it will pump the excess into the airbox. Bad things can happen to overfilled BMWs sightglass can leak and even pop out and seals can be blown and begin to leak. If oil is in the airbox, dump the oil and start again.
Click to expand...
Oilhead owners should carry a sight glass in their tool roll. I've had them pop out on a cold morning. Later evolutions had a clip to hold the glass in place. When they start to weep around the edges, it's time to contemplate changing them out, IMHO.
 
Some crud buildup is pretty normal down there; but if it's dark and wet around the periphery, THEN it's almost time to change it.
(I tried to edit my post above, but with the smiley, I could only put this after my three periods, not after or below the smiley on a new line.)
 
On the older models; K bikes and Oilheads, where BMW did not install a circlip to hold the sight glass in place, the only thing keeping the thing in there is friction between the rubber and aluminum. As the rubber ages and undergoes heat cycles it hardens. Then the seal between the rubber and aluminum is no longer perfect. So a little oil seeps in the the seam. And the oil does precisely what oil is intended to do: it lubricates. And when enough of the circumference of the rubber gets oily the obvious happens. The seal is pushed out.
 
Be patient. A little above is tolerable compared too way too low or way too high.

Wait and see where it settles after you go for a boo.

Sight glasses just don't pop out just 'cause. Something else contributed.
 
BC1100S said:
Yeah, bad design.
Click to expand...
A bad or clogged crankcase breather system can cause excess crankcase pressure. No doubt a snap-ring would be a better design.
I remember on the old Dodge slant-6, 225 engines if the PCV crankcase breather system wasn’t maintained, a brownish diarrhea looking substance would erupt from the engine and coat the entire engine compartment. 💩💩
OM
 
...also just looked at my sight glass and it's a lot more recessed in the case than yours. It does look like yours is moving outward.
 
I don't recall where I found these images, but they give an idea of some solutions that oilhead owners have used to secure the sight glass -16516476343_30044dec93_o.jpg16950456799_32151aab40_o.jpg
 
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