dumb oil change Q pls

[26667]

after draining, changing the filter etc. I replaced with 3.75 ltr. as prescribed for my 11RT. That is; 3+ bottles of Golden Spectro ...actually, perhaps a shade LESS and the sight glass shows absolutely full to the top of the bubble. Is this a problem? If so, how does one correct w/o drawing all the oil and replacing the crush washer???

thanx.

 

[montliz]

26667,

It's not really a problem, since you know you didn't really overfill it. The only problem is that you won't be confident about your oil level until the engine burns off a little oil over the next few hundred miles. Then you'll be able to see it and be back in business.

It doesn't take much to overfill the sight glass. You might try leaning the bike over center to the right a few degrees just for fun. That should make the air pocket come into view.

Next time stay shy of the prescribed amount when filling so you can watch it come up in the sight glass as you top it off.

Johnny

 

[jammess]

Fire it up and go for a short ride to make sure the oil cooler is full then park it and place it immediately on the center stand. Let it stand for 15 minutes then look at the sight glass and if you can't see any oil in the glass carefully add oil until on the red dot. Do not listen to anyone that suggests you always check the oil on the side stand or park on the side stand for awhile before going to the center stand to check level. When doing an oil change, go for a 20 minute ride to fully warm it up then park it on the side stand for 15+ minutes, place on center stand then drain and add about 3.5 quarts and warm it up again and park it immediately on the center stand and top off. I always do this and find I always add 4 quarts total. If you don't do it this way you will always have about a half quart of used oil remaining in the engine.

Now, there will be a bunch of folks that will jump in here and disagree most vehemently and they would be wrong at least where an 1150 is concerned not so with the early 1100. One big difference is the 1150 has a thermostat.

 

[gsaddict]

The amount of oil between top of glass and bottom is .5 litres.
3.75 litres puts it right in the middle of the sight glass after it has been run to operating temperature and left on the side stand and then checked.

 

[26667]

thanx, guys

I thought it might burn off. I took a couple short rides at freeway speeds and still high, but as long as no one's shouting at me about the dangers to everything expensive, I'll continue to ride and figure it'll burn off soon.

It certainly sounds happier with fresh oil...

thanx

 

[PGlaves]

Fire it up and go for a short ride to make sure the oil cooler is full then park it and place it immediately on the center stand. Let it stand for 15 minutes then look at the sight glass and if you can't see any oil in the glass carefully add oil until on the red dot. Do not listen to anyone that suggests you always check the oil on the side stand or park on the side stand for awhile before going to the center stand to check level. When doing an oil change, go for a 20 minute ride to fully warm it up then park it on the side stand for 15+ minutes, place on center stand then drain and add about 3.5 quarts and warm it up again and park it immediately on the center stand and top off. I always do this and find I always add 4 quarts total. If you don't do it this way you will always have about a half quart of used oil remaining in the engine.

Now, there will be a bunch of folks that will jump in here and disagree most vehemently and they would be wrong at least where an 1150 is concerned not so with the early 1100. One big difference is the 1150 has a thermostat.

All well and good, and it might even be partly true - except he said he had an 1100 so it is irrelevant except as a curiosity.

 

[jammess]

Yup, looks like that's what he has, an 1100. All well and good but still no need to go on the side stand before checking oil on an 1150 or an 1100. Only time to go on side stand first is prior to draining used oil especially true on an 1150. For simple oil level check go directly to center stand and do not hesitate on side stand.

 

[PGlaves]

Yup, looks like that's what he has, an 1100. All well and good but still no need to go on the side stand before checking oil on an 1150 or an 1100. Only time to go on side stand first is prior to draining used oil especially true on an 1150. For simple oil level check go directly to center stand and do not hesitate on side stand.

I don't disagree necessarily, but I always fill my bike with cold oil in a cold engine. So, I usually check it when it is cold too. And, I always park on the sidestand unless maintenance is in the works. So I typically will go out before a ride and either pop the bike on the centerstand or just sit on it and have Voni look at the sight glass.

Folks are far too concerned about where in the sight glass the oil level falls. On both my R1150R and my K75s (several) the difference between hot and cold oil is about 1/4 the diameter of the sight glass. So I aim for the middle dot cold and about 3/4 level hot. If the cold oil is anywhere in the lower 3/4 of the sight glass it is good. If not, add a couple of cups if you wish.

 

[happy wanderer]

Fire it up and go for a short ride to make sure the oil cooler is full then park it and place it immediately on the center stand. Let it stand for 15 minutes then look at the sight glass and if you can't see any oil in the glass carefully add oil until on the red dot. Do not listen to anyone that suggests you always check the oil on the side stand or park on the side stand for awhile before going to the center stand to check level. When doing an oil change, go for a 20 minute ride to fully warm it up then park it on the side stand for 15+ minutes, place on center stand then drain and add about 3.5 quarts and warm it up again and park it immediately on the center stand and top off. I always do this and find I always add 4 quarts total. If you don't do it this way you will always have about a half quart of used oil remaining in the engine.

Now, there will be a bunch of folks that will jump in here and disagree most vehemently and they would be wrong at least where an 1150 is concerned not so with the early 1100. One big difference is the 1150 has a thermostat.

I disagree on a couple of points. The only way I seem to get a consistent and accurate oil level reading on my 1100RT is to put a warmed up bike it on the _side_ stand for several minutes. This allows the oil cooler circuit to drain down. Then put it on the center stand and check your oil level. Ideal is dead center on the dot of the sight glass. As GSAddict said it is half a liter top to bottom so keep that in mind when refilling. It is easy to over fill.

Second point is the R1100RT does have an oil thermostat. See page 90 of the factory manual for a detailed illustration.

 

[dieselyoda]

Every operators manual I have ever read, dozers, excavators, buggies, loaders, trucks and so on state pretty boldly that things like engine oil level, tire pressure, lights are to be checked before the machine is started.

When I actually see an operator do that, I will probably have a stroke.

So far, all the owners manuals for all my bikes state that prior to riding, oil level, lights, tire pressure etc. to be checked. The pages specific to my Oilhead and Brick state the oil level to be checked on the centre stand. And the book goes on to state, slightly warmed up or cold.

When I actually follow the Owner's Manual as specified, I will have had a stroke.

 

[jammess]

I disagree on a couple of points. The only way I seem to get a consistent and accurate oil level reading on my 1100RT is to put a warmed up bike it on the _side_ stand for several minutes. This allows the oil cooler circuit to drain down. Then put it on the center stand and check your oil level. Ideal is dead center on the dot of the sight glass. As GSAddict said it is half a liter top to bottom so keep that in mind when refilling. It is easy to over fill.

Second point is the R1100RT does have an oil thermostat. See page 90 of the factory manual for a detailed illustration.

Don't know why you wouldn't check the oil with a full oil cooler. If you don't then you would always be a pint or so low which probably isn't a deal buster but still...

I don't know about your 1100RT but my '93RSL doesn't have a thermostat and it doesn't matter if you check the oil after putting it on the side stand or just go directly to the center stand. Either way the oil drains out of the oil cooler unlike on an 1150 and probably your later (96 on) 1100RT.

I'll even bet you a mouthful p__s and you can hold the bet.

 

[happy wanderer]

Don't know why you wouldn't check the oil with a full oil cooler. If you don't then you would always be a pint or so low which probably isn't a deal buster but still...

I don't know about your 1100RT but my '93RSL doesn't have a thermostat and it doesn't matter if you check the oil after putting it on the side stand or just go directly to the center stand. Either way the oil drains out of the oil cooler unlike on an 1150 and probably your later (96 on) 1100RT.

I'll even bet you a mouthful p__s and you can hold the bet.

The reason I replied is I own an 1100RT and the OP asked about an 1100RT. I know it has a thermostat.

I am also sure that it does matter how and when you check the oil on the 1100RT because I do it all the time.

Your RSL may indeed be different but the thing is he's not asking about an RSL, he's got an RT.

 

[gsaddict]

Don't know why you wouldn't check the oil with a full oil cooler. If you don't then you would always be a pint or so low which probably isn't a deal buster but still...

I don't know about your 1100RT but my '93RSL doesn't have a thermostat and it doesn't matter if you check the oil after putting it on the side stand or just go directly to the center stand. Either way the oil drains out of the oil cooler unlike on an 1150 and probably your later (96 on) 1100RT.

I'll even bet you a mouthful p__s and you can hold the bet.

Your model eventually got one as well

11 41 1 342 761 EXPANDING ELEMENT - 95CEL (from 12/97)

 

[roger 04 rt]

I disagree on a couple of points. The only way I seem to get a consistent and accurate oil level reading on my 1100RT is to put a warmed up bike it on the _side_ stand for several minutes. This allows the oil cooler circuit to drain down. Then put it on the center stand and check your oil level. Ideal is dead center on the dot of the sight glass. As GSAddict said it is half a liter top to bottom so keep that in mind when refilling. It is easy to over fill.

Second point is the R1100RT does have an oil thermostat. See page 90 of the factory manual for a detailed illustration.

+1

I get very consistent oil readings to the center of the sight glass with 3.75l, but only if I park a hot engine on the side stand for several minutes, then center stand for several more minutes. If I go straight to the centerstand hot oil stays vapor-locked in the cooler, or if I don't ride long enough for the thermostat to open, same thing. I know the book says center stand directly but it doesn't give consistent results.

 

[jammess]

I give up. If your bike has a thermostat and you want to run around a half quart or so low so be it.

 

[montliz]

Back to you, 26667,

Just out of curiosity and to relieve my guilty conscience for giving an anecdotal answer to a technical question, now that you've put some miles on it since the change, have you tried the trick of leaning it over to the right to see if that brings the oil level back down into the sight glass? If it does then fugeddaboutit and go ridin' (he said, anecdotally)...

Johnny

 

[happy wanderer]

I give up. If your bike has a thermostat and you want to run around a half quart or so low so be it.

Have you thought this through?

You say your bike has no thermostat and that all the oil in the cooler drains down either way so you just skip the side stand maneuver and go straight to the center stand. Great!

My bike has a thermostat and oil does _not_ drain down from the oil cooler unless it is hot and leaned over to the left. Because of this I do not skip the maneuver because like you I wish to measure all the oil not the oil less what the oil cooler holds.

So how am I running around a half a quart low?

 

[26667]

hold on.

Back to you, 26667,

Just out of curiosity and to relieve my guilty conscience for giving an anecdotal answer to a technical question, now that you've put some miles on it since the change, have you tried the trick of leaning it over to the right to see if that brings the oil level back down into the sight glass? If it does then fugeddaboutit and go ridin' (he said, anecdotally)...

Johnny

Just a minute. I'll go out to the garage, and lean it to the right and check again. ...BC i've done lots weirder stuff for less reason

 

[26667]

nope

as my gramma would've said, "full as s tick."

 

[happy wanderer]

as my gramma would've said, "full as s tick."

Did you ride it twenty minutes first?