Oil Change Question

[JiminPA]

Hi All,

 

I just completed my first oil change on an 04 RT I purchased a couple of weeks ago. I followed all the procedures in the Clymer manual, but when I added the oil at about 3.5 quarts the sight glass shows the level nearly at the top of the circle. I believe it should take 4 quarts. Is this normal? Should I add more or stop at that? Here is what I did:

 

Rode about 20 minutes to warm engine

Let set for 10 minutes on side stand

Put on center stand and waited about 10 minutes

Removed drain plug and drained for about 20 minutes

Reinstalled drain plug with new gasket

Changed Filter

Added 3.5 quarts of oil and it is at the top of the fill circle

 

Could it be the oil has not filled the filter yet and that is why it shows full and it really isn't?

 

I guess I am over cautious after reading here about people overfilling the oil.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Jim

[BigArn]

I think you figured it out. Start her up and let it idle for a minute then shut her off. I bet the oil in the sight glass will be lower.

[Spyder]

If you only added 3.5 quarts you are good to go. Go ride for a while and get the motor hot enough for it to send oil through the oil cooler and then check the oil with your stated procedure. My bet is that it will be pretty close to the dot on the sight glass.

[smiller]

3.5 quarts is plenty, if you add more right now you're bound to overfill. Ride it for a bit and check again (follow the same correct procedure you are using, i.e fully warm, a few minutes on sidestand, then centerstand) and see if any adjustments are necessary (probably not.) Aim for the dot, not above.

[jbr7t]

So, from reading this it seems oil should always be checked engine warm and on center stand. When saying engine warm are we talking just rode 2 hours at 80mph or went around the block a time or two?

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Next time, prefill the filter with oil before installation. Pour off 8 oz of oil from the remaining and add all the rest of the 4 quarts. You will wind up with 3.75 quarts in the motor which is just about right. Keep the remaining 8 oz in a cleaned out shampoo bottle for top ups as you go. I would just run mine for 3K miles or so, dump the 8oz in, do another 3K and repeat the whole process but my bike never did use much oil. My Honda has never been down more than 5 oz between oil changes at 5K intervals.

[Yeeha! Stephen]

Maybe my Castrol Snyth is more "fluffy" than what you guys use. I can never get 3.5 in my bike. 3 and a little bit is all I can get to go in and it's to the top of the mark. If I put 3.5 in, it covers the glass.

 

Just changed oil and filter and put... maybe... 3.25, rode it up to the gas station and back and I'm right on the mark.

 

Strange huh?

[smiller]

When saying engine warm are we talking just rode 2 hours at 80mph or went around the block a time or two?

Warm enough to ensure that the oil flow thermostat has opened. Getting the bike fully up to operating temperature (5 bars) should be enough.

[kcscout]

So, from reading this it seems oil should always be checked engine warm and on center stand.

I'm still a relative noob when it comes to these here boxers, but it's my understanding the oil should be checked cold.

 

* After riding, side stand 10 minutes

* Center stand overnight

* Check oil

 

Of course, there are some who will now respond that it doesn't matter how you check it. If you see oil - ride!

[JiminPA]

Thanks for the help all.

 

Spyder was right on. I went for about a 30 minute ride and then checked the oil. Did the 10 minutes sidestand, 10 minutes centerstand and then checked while still warm. The level was right on the center dot. Looks good to me. Thanks again.

 

This web site is great! This is my first BMW, I hope I don't ask too many dumb questions.

 

Jim

[rocks]

Spyder was right on.

 

WOW!!!

 

 

 

Just kidding AJ

[T__]

Hi All,

 

I just completed my first oil change on an 04 RT I purchased a couple of weeks ago. I followed all the procedures in the Clymer manual, but when I added the oil at about 3.5 quarts the sight glass shows the level nearly at the top of the circle. I believe it should take 4 quarts. Is this normal? Should I add more or stop at that? Here is what I did:

 

Rode about 20 minutes to warm engine

Let set for 10 minutes on side stand

Put on center stand and waited about 10 minutes

Removed drain plug and drained for about 20 minutes

Reinstalled drain plug with new gasket

Changed Filter

Added 3.5 quarts of oil and it is at the top of the fill circle

 

Could it be the oil has not filled the filter yet and that is why it shows full and it really isn't?

 

I guess I am over cautious after reading here about people overfilling the oil.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Jim

 

Jim, personally I just pour 4 quarts into the engine & ride it.. That will usually leave the level at or slightly above the top of the sight glass but the crankshaft is WAY above that level so there is no way the crank can contact oil at the 4 quart level.. After about 5000 miles the oil level will start to show in the middle to slightly above middle of the sight glass & by 10, 000 miles (oil change time for me) the oil level will be at the bottom of the sight glass.. If your bike uses a little oil the level will drop quicker..

 

Twisty

[smiller]

Jim, personally I just pour 4 quarts into the engine & ride it.. That will usually leave the level at or slightly above the top of the sight glass but the crankshaft is WAY above that level so there is no way the crank can contact oil at the 4 quart level.

I wouldn't suggest doing this, it may cause engine vibration (regardless of where the crank might be.) And in spite of the numerous posts to follow telling me that this is theoretically impossible and it must be my imagination, an oil level at the top of the the sight glass will certainly, unequivocally, and without a doubt cause excess vibration in my bike. It is immediately noticeable and just as quickly cured when I drain some oil off to set the level in the center of the glass.

[T__]

Seth my 1150 doesn’t vibrate any more with the oil level at the top of the sight glass than it does at the bottom of the sight glass..

 

 

You really should tell BMW about their gross error in their specified oil level in both the owners manual & the service manual as the stated amount to add at oil change (if also changing the filter) is 3.75 liters.. (3.75 liter = 3.96258077 US quarts) THAT IS ALL OF .07341923 UNDER 4 QUARTS… OR--- 4 US quarts = 3.7854118 liters

 

Twisty

[smiller]

You really should tell BMW about their gross error in their specified oil level in both the owners manual & the service manual

I'll take that as first in the line of suggestions that I'm crazy.

 

Don't know what to tell you other than that in my particular bike (an 1100, but I believe this is equivalent to the 1150 for the purposes of this discussion) the effect absolutely exists.

[David]

Mine, too. There was definitely more vibration. More than that, it threw oil into the oilbox and always found its own level, anyway.

[Jim VonBaden]

 

Jim, personally I just pour 4 quarts into the engine & ride it.. That will usually leave the level at or slightly above the top of the sight glass but the crankshaft is WAY above that level so there is no way the crank can contact oil at the 4 quart level.. After about 5000 miles the oil level will start to show in the middle to slightly above middle of the sight glass & by 10, 000 miles (oil change time for me) the oil level will be at the bottom of the sight glass.. If your bike uses a little oil the level will drop quicker..

 

Twisty

 

Damn, that is twice I agree with you! Is the world coming to an end?

 

Near 100K miles on 3 oilheads and I have always just dumped in all 4 quarts. Never an issue, no strange vibrations, and no oil in the air cleaner.

 

Of course I am of the opinion that if you see oil filling the sight glass all the way to the top ON THE SIDESTAND HOT then ride. If there is any level showing, add 8 ounces and ride, repeat.

 

Jim

[jbr7t]

just changed my oil and filter...added 4 quarts ran around town a bit came back and it was right at the middle dot in the sight glass. The next morning after being on center stand over night it was right in between the dot and the top of the glass.

[Mark_Turner]

I was waiting for someone to reply with the exact liter to quart conversion. It's just easy to remember 4 quarts, like a drop or two is really going to matter!!