having an issue with site glass.

[CDMartin884]

::021::

Stop chasing the sight glass, it wil drive you nuts. Its a dry sump, if you crank the engine and don't let it get to its working temp, the sight glass will look empty. You'll add oil, and then you've overfilled it. Also working temperature doesn't mean waiting for the thermostat to read 160 degrees on the center stand. Oil is viscous, and it needs to be hot for it to drain down and be read in the sight glass. That is why you should thoroughly warm the engine by riding at speed for more than 20 minutes.

Also, for those that feel the need to pour room temperature oil into their hot engine to fill the sight glass, well your over filling it, as its only about 30 cc's of oil at working temp to go from the bottom to the top of the sight glass.

To prove my point, try this exercise the next time you go for a good ride (More than 20 minutes). Afterward, put the bike on the center stand and check the level. Let it cool down for about a half hour, then crank the engine and let it run for a few minutes. Betcha it shows no oil in the sight glass. Check it in a few hour s and it will probably be 1/4 full. You didn't loose any oil, and it didn't burn any either, it's just up in the engine. If the oil is not cmpletely hot from running through the engine, it will stay up in the motor due to its viscosity. Don't believe me, get the bike up to working temperature, drain your oil and measure it. After you scratch your head, and say to yourself, "Self, this doesn't make sense!" Fill her back up and go ride.

Again, if you change the oil and use the right amount (3.6 to 3.8 ), there are no visable leaks or puddles of oil, your fine. Beemer owners have been chasing the sight glass since they put them in the first 1100's, and forums have been filled with similar threads ever since. Thank God Yamaha didn't put a center dot in their sight glasses like BMW, because we would have threads about where the oil level should be in the sight glass like those bone heads. I know, I was one for quite a while Go ride ! ::26::

 

[Maxified]

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For some reason my S-10 like 3.6 liters of oil to get the right "middle of the sight glass" view after an oil change and proper warming up and re-checking, etc., and that includes pre-filling the new oil filter prior to spinning it on, etc. Basically mine just seems to like about 3,600 cc's.
After an oil/filter change I just check it as per the owners and/or service manual's instructions from time to time and that's it. Every now and then it cooks off a 100cc's or so from a high-speed slab run, but other than that it stays pretty stable. I checked the volume of what was drained with some of the early oil changes in the bike's life, and it was always close to what needed to go in, so no worries.
Dallara
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::008:: Nicely summarizes my S10 experience thus far, also use 3.6 L with a new filter when changing oil. High speed slab runs in the summer heat seem to be the only time I am short a few cc's.

 

[EricV]

To the Original Poster - As CDMartin said, stop chasing the sight glass. Clearly some folks are not getting the Dry Sump part of this equation. The engine has only about a quart of oil in it, if that, at any given time. You can add 4 gallons of oil to the sump, the engine will still only have that same 1 quart or less of oil at any given time. The sump is not connected to the engine in a manner in which it will equalize or flow to balance.

No matter how little or how great the oil in the sump is, (think reservoir tank), the engine will still have the same amount and the oil pump will still be pumping oil into/out of the engine at a regulated rate of flow. If your oil quantity is "low", you will be re-circulating the oil at a greater rate. If your oil quantity is "high" you will be re-circulating your oil at a lesser rate. The engine still has the proper amount of oil at all times.

There is no "over filled" like on a wet sump design. Nothing bad happens if there is a tad more oil than spec in the bike. The rods/crank are not pushing thru the extra oil like on a wet sump design.

@Wanderer - When you fill the oil filter prior to installing it, much of the oil is absorbed in the filter media, this is the important part, not trying to screw on a filter absolutely full of oil. I usually fill it, let it sit for a bit, top it off and let it sit while I do the other tasks of the oil drain process. I don't top it off just before installing the filter, it would just pour out, as you understand. All this is for is to help minimize the time it takes for the engine to pump the filter full on that first start.

When doing oil changes, add the proper amount, (or a tad more as Dallera indicated), and stop worrying about it. Yamaha uses a low oil level indicator, not a low oil pressure indicator. If the light comes on some day when you're riding, add half a quart/liter of oil and go ride.

Note: If you start the bike on a cool/cold morning and take off riding before it warms up, it's not uncommon for the low oil light to come on, (especially when the oil is on the dirty side). You can stop, shut down the bike and re-start and it will usually go out, or just keep riding and it will eventually go out. You're not burning up the motor, it's just that the thicker, cooler oil didn't rise quickly enough to the sensor and it was triggered. When the oil warms up and starts moving quicker, the sensor will be happy again. This scenario is not an indication that the oil level is actually low. Obviously, if it won't go out, add some oil.

The sight glass is just there to check if the goldfish are alive.

 

[OldRider]

Bravo, bravo !!! ::012:: ::012::

Where is the "LIKE" button?

 

[Kevhunts]

Here is my issue...
ever since I got the bike, I've been checking the oil level the same way. I park the bike on a level surface on the center stand overnight.
The next day, I start the engine and wait for the coolant temp to reach 140F.
Then I shut the engine off and wait 5 minutes and everytime I do this procedure, the oil is in the middle of the sight glass!

Why does this keep happening? What am I doing wrong??? ::010::

 

[scott123007]

Here is my issue...
ever since I got the bike, I've been checking the oil level the same way. I park the bike on a level surface on the center stand overnight.
The next day, I start the engine and wait for the coolant temp to reach 140F.
Then I shut the engine off and wait 5 minutes and everytime I do this procedure, the oil is in the middle of the sight glass!

Why does this keep happening? What am I doing wrong??? ::010::

That would have been a lot funnier if you had said "oil temperature" instead of "coolant temperature"

 

[Kevhunts]

That would have been a lot funnier if you had said "oil temperature" instead of "coolant temperature"

I agree but seriously, I think the owners manual instructions lost something in the translation simply because we do not have an oil temp gauge but we do have a coolant temp gauge and funny or not, my method has worked consistantly for me. ::008::

 

[Dallara]

Howdy,
OK Dallara, I've seen this mentioned many times before about filling the oil filter prior to installation, since the filter is horizontal how do you keep the oil from running back out, and if it does run out to some degree is that the extra .2 liters that you put in?
Later,
Norm

EricV touched on one of the reasons why I do it - i.e. saturating the filter media with oil prior to installation. There are a couple of reasons for doing this... One, as EricV mentioned, it lessens any chance of a severe oil pressure drop as the engine starts and suddenly has to pump the filter cavity with oil. I want specified oil pressure in my engines as soon as possible and filling the filter helps to ensure this. The second reason is in a way one of habit, and is not really an issue with most of today's oil filters...

I started working as a mechanic in a Honda motorcycle shop not too long after Honda had shocked the world with the introduction of the four-cylinder CB750K0. By that time Honda had also introduced the CB500K and CB350F four-cylinders, and all three of these machines had something that hadn't been seen around a Honda shop before - a replaceable paper oil filter cartridge that was mounted in an easy access position on the front of the engine inside a cast aluminum cover. This was a boon to ease of maintenance, but these were also plain bearing engines that ran pretty high oil pressures for their day and time. We rarely, if ever, had any problem putting a Honda-brand oil filter cartridge in these engines *dry*, but we did notice that with some aftermarket filters (Emgo was one with this problem) if they were put in dry, and then suddenly hit with pumping oil pressure with cold oil they could often literally *blow up* and puff out inside the filter housing/cover, often blowing a hole 'em and spewing bits of paper all through the engine. The easy *fix* was to simply pre-oil the paper element before installation. I did it so much it got to be habit. Probably in no way needed with today's filters, but then again...

Much like EricV, I pour some oil in the filter on the bench, let it sit and soak that up while I perform other tasks, then come back and fill it again, repeating until the filter is nearly full to the threads. To install I simply hold it vertical until just before tipping it up to thread it on. At most I spill a few drops of oil as I spin it on, no more than a very, very few cc's that I wipe up and off after the filter is snugged down. Worked a charm for about a dozen oil/filter changes since I've had the bike.

And my Super Tenere still seems to like about 3,600 cc's of oil.

On another note, about filter installation... Another good habit to get into is lubricating the oil filter sealing o-ring very *LIGHTLY* with some form of light grease (I use the same silicone dielectric grease that I use on my electrical connections) before installation. Some just use a bit of motor oil, and I'm sure that's fine. I was taught that grease was a better alternative so I've always used that. A little dab on the threads doesn't hurt, either, and ensures it threads on smoothly and snugs well with your hand. This light lubricating of the sealing o-ring not only helps with sealing so there is less chance for a leak, but also ensures that the o-ring doesn't twist or distort as it is tightened down, not to mention makes the filter much easier to remove at the next oil change and keeps the aluminum case edge the filter seals against clean, shiny, and free of any corrosion.

Hope this helps.

Dallara



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[avc8130]

Is that 3600cc with or without including the amount used to pre-fill the filter? ::025::

 

[snakebitten]

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Almost 33,000 miles on mine.......


Dallara



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I have been chasing you for 2 years. Every time I think I get close, you must go for a loooong ride.

I thought for sure I would catch you during my 3 weeks of roaming the mountains. (I hit 30,000 on the odo. was sure you were around 31K)

But then I ended up hauling it home in my truck. (Cut ~1500 miles of the odometer)

Regardless, I can't catch you bro. Lol

But then, you can't catch sailxx2. So there!

 

[Dallara]

I have been chasing you for 2 years. Every time I think I get close, you must go for a loooong ride.

I thought for sure I would catch you during my 3 weeks of roaming the mountains. (I hit 30,000 on the odo. was sure you were around 31K)

But then I ended up hauling it home in my truck. (Cut ~1500 miles of the odometer)

Regardless, I can't catch you bro. Lol

But then, you can't catch sailxx2. So there!

No chance I'll ever catch the Sail Man... No how, no way!!!

He's amazing. You will probably catch me and zip right on by here shortly. Looks like I may have limited time to ride here in August and September, so no way to tell how much of a workout the S-10 odometer will get. I do need to post some pics, etc. of my recent "East of I-10 Hill Country Ride". It not only tacked on some miles, but was a ton of fun riding some really obscure, remote roads, both paved an dirt. You should'a been there! ::001::

Coming up on having my Super Tenere for two years. It actually hit the dealership on July 28, 2011, but I couldn't pick it up until the August 3rd, so that's when I count its "birthday"! ::003::

I've actually been a bit of piker this second year. I put 21,000 miles on it in year one, and only 11,000+ miles here in 2013. Sure has been a wonderful ride! ::008::

Dallara



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