Low Oil light? How low before it comes on?

[Koinz]

Re: oil light came on...

I don't quite over fill my oil, but always run it at the top of the looking glass. I haven't had a problem with excessive oil in the air box.

I always thought that Oil in the air box was from lugging the engine or wide open throttle where crankcase pressure iexceeds engine vacuum.

 

[VRODE]

Re: oil light came on...

My FZ1 used to do this . I liked it because I knew if the oil light didn't
come on it had plenty of oil . Sounds like the Tenere is the same way .
I just had my 600 mile service and they added nearly 4 quarts . If you
over fill the worst it can do is over flow into breather ....right ? It's a dry
sump you can't get to much oil in the motor . It would have no effect on
oil pressure .

My old FZ1 too. On my Tenere, they might have overfilled it slightly at the 600 mile service as some weeping from the (airbox?) drain line.
::021::

 

[EricV]

Re: oil light came on...

I had an oil light flicker the other day and I'm not concerned about there being a problem, however, after reading this post I do have a question.

From your explanation of a dry sump system, I've drawn the conclusion that a dry sump is less susceptible to problems with overfilling the oil. I came to this conclusion because of my understanding that the principle problem of an overfilled crankcase is oil frothing from the crank stirring-up the too high oil. With a dry sump the excess oil is going to be in the sump and not where it can become frothed, I believe. Of course, the amount of overfill has its limits. Is my reasoning correct?

Yes.

Also, it seems that bikes with a wet sump and a crankcase breather can cause oil to go into the airbox if the oil is overfilled. Will this happen with the dry sump on a S10?

Yes, to a lesser degree. The Super Tenere, at least the 1st Gen bikes, do exhibit some excess oil in the air box after high rpm running for longer periods, or if over filled. Its a good idea to check that drain tube on the left rear corner of the air box now and then. I forgot to for a while and ended up with a minor code, but that may have also been due to a cracked vacuum cap too. The 2nd Gen bikes, (2014-on), apparently are less susceptible to this issue. Different pistons and rings, among other changes.

Some owners on the forum have reported just tossing in 4 quarts at oil/filter change times and not worrying about it. I still prefer to do the spec'd 3.6 quarts, but see no real issue with their method. I suspect they may have a bit more oil in the air box drain than I see, but that remains unknown. The engine will pull what it needs and that volume will remain static, w/in engineered parameters. More oil won't mean more oil in the engine, so no issues with frothing as would happen in a wet sump design.

Koinz said:

I always thought that Oil in the air box was from lugging the engine or wide open throttle where crankcase pressure iexceeds engine vacuum.

I think that's still true here, but a little more oil than spec'd may simply cause some additional fluid to end up in the air box too when those conditions apply. We have legal 80 mph speed limits here and if I'm running that or a bit more all day I do tend to notice some oil in the drain at the end of the day, ( or when I remember to check it next ).

 

[Pterodactyl]

Re: oil light came on...

Thank you Eric.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Re: oil light came on...

Didn't think this was worthy of a new thread and it may not even be an original idea. I located the oil drain on the air box. Perhaps Yamaha believes one can remove and then replace the cap without lifting the fuel tank, and they would be wrong, at least in my case. I decided to add an extension that makes it both easy to see if there is oil to be drained and easy to do without removing any plastic or lifting the tank. Five or six inches of 9/16 OD - 3/8 ID tubing and a small hose clamp.

 

[EricV]

Re: oil light came on...

It's a good idea, and yes, it's been done before. Good of you to post w/pic for those that find this thread in the future. ::008:: I need to find my Round Tuit for that project. ;D

 

[Checkswrecks]

Re: oil light came on...

+1
Good idea. When I checked the air filter last week, the stub was full and there was a bit of oil in the box.
Thanks

 

[Cycledude]

Re: oil light came on...

Didn't think this was worthy of a new thread and it may not even be an original idea. I located the oil drain on the air box. Perhaps Yamaha believes one can remove and then replace the cap without lifting the fuel tank, and they would be wrong, at least in my case. I decided to add an extension that makes it both easy to see if there is oil to be drained and easy to do without removing any plastic or lifting the tank. Five or six inches of 9/16 OD - 3/8 ID tubing and a small hose clamp.

Great idea ! My goldwing came from the factory with a very similar setup, now that I've seen yours I will be doing the same thing to my Tenere.

 

[nico_yyz]

oil light came on after change ?

Did a full oil + filter change last week. I filled exactly what the manual calls for (measured it out).

Have been on one ride since, all flat. no problems.

today i took the bike to work and got 2x red oil lights going up a step hill. I am assuming I need more oil.

wanted to check in before I add any.

can anyone comment?

 

[klunsford]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

couple of questions?

1. did you change the filter and add the prescribed amount for that?
2. Any leaks that you could see?

If you didn't allow for the filter, that will be just enough to do what you are asking about. Not really that low, but low enough to hit the sensor.

 

[EricV]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

I understand you say you put in a measured amount, but what was that amount?

It should be 3.6 quarts. Despite reading the owners manual, people still sometimes get it wrong. And, bikes do vary too. Some need a little more to keep the light off.

Did you follow the outlined procedure to check the sight Glass? If so, what did you see there?

 

[nico_yyz]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

no leaks.

sight glass looks full.

3.4 liters measure exactly

should I add some more?

 

[klunsford]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

3.4 liters converts to 3.59999999 quarts. I would think that you shouldn't be seeing the oil light.

 

[Velvet]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

no leaks.

sight glass looks full.

3.4 liters measure exactly

should I add some more?

Well, it looks like you did exactly what you needed to do. I would incrementally add more oil, 50ml at a time, then take it for a ride. I wouldn't do anymore than 150ml. If the light doesn't go off then, I'd take it to a dealer to get checked.

 

[Cycledude]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

Same thing has happened to me and many others, I guess it's one of those crazy Yamaha things, just add a little more oil but don't overfill it.

 

[EricV]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

Same thing has happened to me and many others, I guess it's one of those crazy Yamaha things, just add a little more oil but don't overfill it.

Cycledude pretty much nailed it. It's a dry sump design, so a little more isn't a big deal, the engine will cycle what it needs. Remember, it's a low oil level light, not a low oil pressure light.

 

[WJBertrand]

Re: oil light came on after change ?

3.75 quarts leaves my oil sight glass lever right at the full line after performing the level check described in the owner's manual. The sight glass always looks full checked any other way whilst on the centerstand.

 

[Pterodactyl]

Re: oil light came on...

Having the oil light come on is now a regular occurrence with my 2012. When I leave my home I can now predict with great accuracy the spots along the road where the light will come on and then go off. While I understand that this is a quirk of the bike, I do not understand why it did not do this for the first 10,000 miles or so of riding and now has become a regular phenomenon. If I decide to sell the bike, then it will be a difficult thing to explain to a potential buyer.

 

[Brick]

Re: oil light came on...

Having the oil light come on is now a regular occurrence with my 2012. When I leave my home I can now predict with great accuracy the spots along the road where the light will come on and then go off. While I understand that this is a quirk of the bike, I do not understand why it did not do this for the first 10,000 miles or so of riding and now has become a regular phenomenon. If I decide to sell the bike, then it will be a difficult thing to explain to a potential buyer.

I'm now on a 2014ES. My 2014 gave soil light but ONLY after ... Duhhh... The oil was low! It drove me crazy so using the sight glass and finally by draining and measuring the amount of oil did I determine that that bike "used" a small amount of oil. I say "used" because it had no blue smoke and no oily exhaust or spark plugs. And it only happened on extended oil change intervals. If I changed oil and filter between 3,000 to 5,000 miles it never did this! AND it only did it on first start up of the day after it had sat and cooled over night!
I do not think its a quirk of this bike!!!


Let's Ride!
Brick

 

[Checkswrecks]

Merged threads here and made this thread a sticky.