Oil change

[Wyn]

This is a continuation of Service confussion.

 

Changed my oil and filter and followed directions to a T.

 

Only put 3.7 to 3.9 qts in. Buttoned everything up and ran the bike for a few minutes. Put it on side stand for a few minutes. Then up on center stand. Waited 10 minutes and looked at the sight glass. Full to the top!!!! Eeek! Not right. Should only be to the dot. I'm plexed.

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

[BFish]

don't worry..i bet if you ride it for a while and do the oil level dance routine it may be a bit lower. if that's all you put in, unless you weren't able to empty the old oil, you'll be fine.

[Wyn]

don't worry..i bet if you ride it for a while and do the oil level dance routine it may be a bit lower. if that's all you put in, unless you weren't able to empty the old oil, you'll be fine.

 

Thanks Brian, I know I got all oil out and filter. Sorry to get my panties in a wad.

 

Speaking of panties, there's all this talk about monkey butt, seats, etc.. I wear Fruit of The Loom boxer breifs and have no problem with my keester. My 2 cents.

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

[Ken H.]

If you put 3.7 in and didn't pre-fill the filter you are fine.

 

The sight glass moves up and down in the side of the engine blocks sometimes, causing a variation in what we see when we look at it.

 

At least that's about as good an explanation as any of the others people have come up with over the years as to why the oil level in the boxer motor varies so much.

[Wyn]

If you put 3.7 in and didn't pre-fill the filter you are fine.

 

The sight glass moves up and down in the side of the engine blocks sometimes, causing a variation in what we see when we look at it.

 

At least that's about as good an explanation as any of the others people have come up with over the years as to why the oil level in the boxer motor varies so much.

 

Thanks Ken, Nope, the Oilhead Maintenance Manual said to fill the filter which I did. Then ad 3.75-3.9 qts of oil total(NOT 4 qts.!!!)quote. Perhaps, I'm being to paranoid.

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

[Stan Walker]

The 3.75 includes the amount you pour into the oil filter.

 

Stan

[EffBee]

If you put 3.7 in and didn't pre-fill the filter you are fine.

 

The sight glass moves up and down in the side of the engine blocks sometimes, causing a variation in what we see when we look at it.

 

At least that's about as good an explanation as any of the others people have come up with over the years as to why the oil level in the boxer motor varies so much.

 

Actually, our technicians tell us that it's due to the oil cooler emptying or not emptying. If the bike is in a position in which a bubble of air doesn't get started up the cooler line, then that oil might stay up there and not drain into the sump. Then, after you put in the correct amount of new oil and start the engine, the old oil from the cooler increases the overall volume until it fully covers the inspection window.

 

To avoid this, always make sure that your oil is visible in the inspection window, with the bike on the centerstand, BEFORE you begin to change the oil. That way, you're sure it's all in the sump and you won't get any surprises later on.

[Bob Palin]

While I don't think the small amount extra you may have put in there will matter, you can always remove a small amount by taking the filter off and emptying it. I wouldn't bother myself.

[philbytx]

Hmmmmm! Why not? I like to bother myself now and again

[Paul Mihalka]

As it happens often among us, we (but not me) split hairs where it is not needed. With my many miles on R1100RT, R1150R, and now R1200GS, when I change oil I dump in the 4 quarts. Never had a problem, never had signs of excessive oil anywhere, like in the air filter housing. I have other things to worry about, like should I mount new tires this week or next week?

[Wyn]

Sounds like many opinions, same conclusion. I'm okay.

 

Thanks again!

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

[T__]

Sounds like many opinions, same conclusion. I'm okay.

 

Thanks again!

 

 

Wyn, sure you should be OK as both the owners manual & the service manual state the amount to add at oil change (if also changing the oil filter) is 3.75 liters.. (3.75 liter = 3.96258077 US quarts)..If you added 3.7-3.9 quarts you are still slightly under the 3.96 quarts they recommend.. Or to put it another way adding 4 quarts will put you at 1.2oz over (probably that much stays in the oil container)..

 

Twisty

 

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

[Silver Surfer/AKAButters]

I pasted the info below directly from my manual. It does not say anything about pre-filling the filter, and the way I read it, if you do, you will be 6-8 ounces over if you pre-fill the filter and then add 3.96 qts. Am I interpreting this wrong? It appears as though the larger quantity of oil required if doing the oil and filter change together is to compensate for refilling the filter. If you have alredy pre-filled it, it seems you would use the lesser quantity of 3.69.

 

Perhaps 6-8 ounces is no big deal either? If I'm screwed up, I would really apreciate someone enlightening me before my next oil change.

 

Best

 

Engine oil capacities:

with oil filter replacement

................... 3.75 l (6.60 Imp. pints/3.96 US quarts)

without oil filter replacement

................... 3.50 l (6.16 Imp. pints/3.69 US quarts)

Quantity of oil between

MIN and MAX marks

................... 0.50 l (0.88 Imp. pints/0.52 US quarts)

[Davis]

Your not interpreting it wrong. The 3.96 qts is the total volume recommended with a filter change. Those that prefill the filter, fill it from the 4qts (or 3.75qts for those who have decided 4qts is too much) and then add the remainder to the crankcase. I know of nobody recommending adding 4qts + the quantity in the filter.

[Jim VonBaden]

I just dump in all four quarts. Never a problem, and no oil in the air box either.

 

Good for 100K miles so far on 3 boxers.

 

Jim

[Charles Elms]

I just dump in all four quarts. Never a problem, and no oil in the air box either.

+1

No oil in air box. 60K miles.

[KMG_365]

When warming the oil in the bike to change it out, be sure to warm it up thoroughly by riding it, so that the thermostat(s?) in the oil cooling system open, breaking the vacuum. This combined with the angle of having the bike on the side stand allows all the old oil to drain out of the lines and down into the sump as Fernando mentioned.

 

The only thing I notice if I over fill it slightly (like to the top of the sight glass) is a little extra vibration as the crank "slaps" into the extra oil in the sump. But on a newer bike that's still burning oil (i.e.<~24K miles) the issue will solve itself soon enough! Go ride!

[Wyn]

Still have thought in the back of my mind about my oil change. Sight glass still shows full. Yesterday I drained about a half cup out. Went for a ride did all the sidestand, centerstand, wait 10 min stuff and sight glass still shows full??????????

 

It's a nightmare to be honest. I've been waking up at all hours in a cold sweet. Voices in my head saying "to much oil, you've blown the seals. All the BMW people are going to laugh. BMWMOA is going to black list you. Your wife is going to want to go for a ride" OMG I can't take it anymore!!

 

 

 

ISYHTRAH

[flars]

Like Jim et al said: your oil level is fine.

Here is the offishul method of checking the oil level in your bike now that we have established a base line oil level:

1. Ride.

2. Stop. Turn off engine. Put bike on side stand.

3. Walk around, taking off helmet, gloves, jacket, etc.

4. Go inside. Get a glass of water - it's hot outside, and you are probably a little dehydrated. Go on. We'll wait.

5. Return to bike. Put bike on center stand.

6. Get down on knees to look at sight glass. Or, if you are young enough, bend over to look look at sight glass.

7. If oil is NOT completely filling sight glass, but you can see oil in the sight glass, go back inside and drink another glass of water, or have a beer if you aren't going to ride any more today. Enjoy the rest of the day. You are done looking at the sight glass.

8. If oil is completely filling the sight glass, look at sight glass again. If it is still filling the sight glass, walk around to the other side of the bike and check to be sure the mirror is still attached. Walk back to left side of bike, and check oil level in sight glass again. If the oil is still completely obscuring the sight glass, go back inside and watch tv, you are finished looking at the oil level.

9. If NO oil shows in the sight glass, try to calculate how many miles you have ridden since your last oil change. If, to the best of your recollection, the number of miles is less than 1000, go back inside. You are done looking at the sight glass.

10. If NO oil is showing in the sight glass, and, to the best of your recollection (come on, try to remember) the number of miles you have ridden since your last oil change is more than 1000 miles, AND the oil level the last time you checked was also below the sight glass AND if the last check was more than three days earlier - you may add 2 to 3 ounces of oil to the bike. If you DO add oil, you may not check the oil level for the next 2 days, unless you are in the middle of a long trip.

Remember - The oil sight glass is your friend. And, like your friend, it will lie to you occasionally just to piss you off.

YMMV

[Wyn]

Like Jim et al said: your oil level is fine.

Here is the offishul method of checking the oil level in your bike now that we have established a base line oil level:

1. Ride.

2. Stop. Turn off engine. Put bike on side stand.

3. Walk around, taking off helmet, gloves, jacket, etc.

4. Go inside. Get a glass of water - it's hot outside, and you are probably a little dehydrated. Go on. We'll wait.

5. Return to bike. Put bike on center stand.

6. Get down on knees to look at sight glass. Or, if you are young enough, bend over to look look at sight glass.

7. If oil is NOT completely filling sight glass, but you can see oil in the sight glass, go back inside and drink another glass of water, or have a beer if you aren't going to ride any more today. Enjoy the rest of the day. You are done looking at the sight glass.

8. If oil is completely filling the sight glass, look at sight glass again. If it is still filling the sight glass, walk around to the other side of the bike and check to be sure the mirror is still attached. Walk back to left side of bike, and check oil level in sight glass again. If the oil is still completely obscuring the sight glass, go back inside and watch tv, you are finished looking at the oil level.

9. If NO oil shows in the sight glass, try to calculate how many miles you have ridden since your last oil change. If, to the best of your recollection, the number of miles is less than 1000, go back inside. You are done looking at the sight glass.

10. If NO oil is showing in the sight glass, and, to the best of your recollection (come on, try to remember) the number of miles you have ridden since your last oil change is more than 1000 miles, AND the oil level the last time you checked was also below the sight glass AND if the last check was more than three days earlier - you may add 2 to 3 ounces of oil to the bike. If you DO add oil, you may not check the oil level for the next 2 days, unless you are in the middle of a long trip.

Remember - The oil sight glass is your friend. And, like your friend, it will lie to you occasionally just to piss you off.

YMMV

 

flars, Thanks for the long post. Your right, I need to chill and get over it. It's just that ah, er , ah it's in the back of my mind haunting me.