• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

  • Beginning April 1st, and running through April 30th, there is a new 2024 BMW MOA Election discussion area within The Club section of the forum. Within this forum area is also a sticky post that provides the ground rules for participating in the Election forum area. Also, the candidates statements are provided. Please read before joining the conversation, because the rules are very specific to maintain civility.

    The Election forum is here: Election Forum

Oil Level - I'm confused R1150GS

G

groeger

New member
I'm confused on how to check the oil level on my 2001 R1150GS. The level when the bike is on the center for a long period of time is at 3/4 of the top of the glass. When I ride the bike and it's been sitting for a few minutes, the oil level is at the top of the glass or more.

I thought the levels would've been reversed.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
groeger said:
I'm confused on how to check the oil level on my 2001 R1150GS. The level when the bike is on the center for a long period of time is at 3/4 of the top of the glass. When I ride the bike and it's been sitting for a few minutes, the oil level is at the top of the glass or more.

I thought the levels would've been reversed.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Oil expands in volume when hot which probably shows higher level.
 
the generally accepted method of checking the oil level is this:

1. go ride the crap out of your bike.
2. park it on the sidestand for a few minutes while you take off your gear, and try to wipe the grin off your face.
3. put it on the center stand.
4. observe the oil level. the goal is for it to be halfway up the sight glass.

you need to give the oil time to drain down from the engine. the bottom of the sight glass is NOT the bottom of the sump. while the motor is running, a bunch of the oil is circulating through the motor and the oil coolers. when it is turned off, it can run back down into the sump.

HTH.
 
check it warm (after a 10-minute ride or more) on the center stand.

you will overfill if cold DAMHIK
 
username said:
the generally accepted method of checking the oil level is this:

1. go ride the crap out of your bike.
2. park it on the sidestand for a few minutes while you take off your gear, and try to wipe the grin off your face.
3. put it on the center stand.
4. observe the oil level. the goal is for it to be halfway up the sight glass.

you need to give the oil time to drain down from the engine. the bottom of the sight glass is NOT the bottom of the sump. while the motor is running, a bunch of the oil is circulating through the motor and the oil coolers. when it is turned off, it can run back down into the sump.

HTH.
Click to expand...

I was wondering if the oil drains out of the cooler or not when sitting after hot.
 
cjack said:
I was wondering if the oil drains out of the cooler or not when sitting after hot.
Click to expand...

I believe it does, but only if the bike is run long enough to open the thermostat to circulate through the oil cooler....is the way i understand it....and the way it feels when you keep track of the oil cooler temp....
 
Oil Level, or confidence level?

Oilheads require bonding to build confidence in oil levels.

After you ride your bike and the heat gauge is up to 5 bars. put it on the centerstand and check the oil level. Watch the oil level, in about a minute and a half, the oil thermostat will open and the oil will flow into the crankcase, raising the oil level in the sight glass. When the oil has completely drained down, the oil level will raise about 1/16th of an inch.

If your oil level is above the bottom of the big circle in the sight glass, you have plenty of oil. It takes 12oz of oil to go from the bottom of the sight glass to the top. If the sight glass is 2/3rds or more full, the engine will blow it out. Sometimes it goes past the rear main seal onto the clutch.

If you want to hot check your oil on the road, or when you fill it. Park it on the kick stand, after you have filled it up or after a couple minutes, if the oil completely covers the sight glass window, you have plenty of oil.

I always carry a quart of oil for my security blanket, it relieves stress.

JON
zero rallys in 06
 
When the motor is hot at running temp, leave it on the side stand for a few minutes and it will help to drain the oil from the cooler, then place on the main stand for checking. That oil expansion factor really catches you the first time doesn't it?...lol
 
groeger said:
I guess at this point I'm wondering if I have too much oil.
Click to expand...
I had too much oil once. My bike let me know it by squirting it out past the filler plug. A mess and I had to get a new plug. The main trick is to never read it until you have ridden at least ten and preferably more minutes and then let it sit for at least ten and preferably more minutes. Its a really ditzy system, but after a while you get used to knowing if you check it and its low you have to remember how long you rode it and how hot it got because it may well be a false reading. I just go with: "I know I rode it home on the freeway and didn't stop anywhere so it warmed up and got a good romp, therefore this morning it should be showing oil. If not, I'll rethink and maybe check it tomorrow or add just a tad in case..." So far that general rule has kept me riding!
 
these things have a lot of oil circulating in them for a 1100-1200cc engine with no shared transmission oil.

my bike burns oil, always has, and i'm convinced (at 34K) always will, unless i do something about it.

my procedure has always been this: change oil, fill it up perfectly to the dot while on the centerstand on a flat, level surface.

watch as the oil is consumed, once it falls below 3/4 sight glass on the sidestand on a flat, level surface add 3-400 milliliters. i've never had oil in the airbox and never felt like i was running dangerously low. i find oil level checking to be the most offensive thing about my motorcycle and i guess i don't want it to be such a procedure every time i check.
 
yeah, what everyone else said...

after a while you will get a "feel" for your bike and its oil consumption habits.

I do think it's very important to have the bike on the side stand for a short time than to place it on the center stand to read the level.

another quirk with my bike... sometimes the oil dissapears. I'll stop to read it and it will all be gone...

...it's a trick! It's in there somewhere... and it will show up later! Don't had a quart of oil (especially if you could have sworn it was full the last time you checked) or you will over fill... DAMHIK.

It's like blood pressures.. it's the "trends" of your oil level that's the most important

-Xaque-
 
Sorry, reviving this thread.... I too have the R1150GS 2002. First oil change for me on this bike. After reading this thread, my questions is this: After the oil change, and a nice ride, I let the bike sit overnight (on center stand)and the oil level is just a hair lower then the top of the circle. Is this correct, or should I let some oil out until the level is at the half mark? first BMW and do not want any trouble!!

thanks for the help!
 
Warm up the engine, short ride whatever, shut the engine off and put the bike on its sidestand. Do something else for 10 minutes or so, and then put the bike on the center stand to check the oil.

If its full the oil level will just touch the top red line on the site glass.

Its been my experience with my R1100R that if I shut the engine off and check the oil level while the bike is on the center stand it will show about halfway on the site glass. The reason for this is if the bike is sitting straight up & down ( center stand ) the oil can't drain out of the oil cooler/s. When it sits on the side stand the oil can drain out of the oil coolers. Then you put it back on the center stand or hold the bike level & have a look. It should show as above.
 
cycleman2 said:
Warm up the engine, short ride whatever, more than 15 minutes is really necessary to get fully warm shut the engine off and put the bike on its sidestand. Do something else for 10 minutes or so, and then put the bike on the center stand to check the oil.

If its full the oil level will just touch the top red line on the site glass. most would call that "overfilled". shoot for the dot in center, or 2/3 of the way up the sight glass. more than that will just get blown back out into the airbox.
Click to expand...
.
 
After a 30 minute ride, on the side for about 10 minutes, then on the center stand for 10 minutes, still looks pretty close to the top. For peace of mind, I think I will drain a bit out tomorrow. Anywhere in the window - but there should be more then a little space from the top, right???
 
ideal perfection is middle dot to 2/3 of window covered with oil.
acceptable is oil within the red circle.
unacceptable, and requesting change, (+ or -) is oil outside of the red circle.

all are after following procedure outlined by Robbo in previous post
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Sight glass
Replies
19
Views
814
robsryder
R
B
2013 R1200RT Oil quantity check question
Replies
6
Views
1K
pauls1150
pauls1150
brownie0486
Another "oil" thread-- thoughts?
2
Replies
38
Views
11K
brownie0486
brownie0486
R
R1150GS won't start.
Replies
15
Views
2K
mikegalbicka
mikegalbicka
brownie0486
Air/oil cooled camhead oil cooler fan
Replies
4
Views
230
brownie0486
brownie0486
Back
Top