Oil level difference between check

[Jfro5687_imp]

I dropped the oil and put a new filter on today. Poured 3.9 litres in. The level is slightly lower than 'full' but comfortably in between limits. Garage floor is as level as anything I could use. At least when you do it yourself you know it's right.

[Cormanus]

Thanks for the update, Jfro5687. I’ll be interested in future reports on whether the level moves around.

[mattvoyle_imp]

Wow, you guys can actually see oil levels in your little sight glass windows? Mine looks empty 1000% of the time.

[Aussieflyer]

The sight glass offers a very narrow aperture to view the oil level. Relying on it for accurate readings is a hassle. The methods people have described all seem very good but rely on one or more physical constants to get consistent readings within the window. I don’t think it needs to be that precise. If any oil is visible when the bike is roughly upright and rocked from side to side then there’s no problem. With near enough to 4 litres in the sump a few hundred millilitres less or more is ‘safe’ and unless there’s evidence of leakage what could go wrong.

[LongRanger_imp]

^ +1
Agreed

[zirconxi_imp]

Yesterday I had done another oil change. Same spot on double stand. After pour in 3.5L and the oil covered the whole sighting glass. I thought I over fill and start engine for a minute and stop. Check back after 3 minutes, oil is no where in sight glass. So I add in another 400ml (Label says 3.9L) and Oil is on middle of sight glass. Start engine for 3 minutes and stop, waited another 3 minutes and check. Now the oil had cover the whole sight glass... I guess I am never going to get it in between min and max.

[max]

Zirconxi personally i blame the oil cooler for this situation, not my reading glasses

Can't help thinking the oil cooler is not completely filled with oil after draining the sump and replacing the old oil, the air inside the cooler has to come down one of those shiny pipes and that may take some time before all the air is expelled from the top of the cooler, so a short ride with some oil circulation may be required to "burp" the cooler and maintain the oil contents in there.

After all has settled down it will just show the same level in the sight glass for ever and good of you to take measurements of how much oil was replaced!.

Have done this myself too, when i first got the bike i removed some oil to reach the top level indicator and some time later had to refill again to maintain the top mark, just one of those things you get familiar with over time i guess....

[LakeWylieJoe_imp]

Leaning the bike over on the side stand after a ride then placing on the center stand will always show a higher oil level through the window because the oil in top end more efficiently drains when leaned over. If you've ever had the valve cover off to adjust your valves, you'll notice little standing pools of oil throughout the structure. These can at least partially drain when leaning.

[Charlie Bravo_imp]

What Ferret said.

[redbirds_imp]

I just leave mine on the center stand when parked at home and the oil level is always about the same hot or cold. I've never had to add oil to this bike's engine in over 6 years of ownership as long as I put my 4 qts of 5W-40 in with new OE filter at each scheduled change. It's a Honda!