Oil Level Warning

[Pictou]

I recently had the opportunity to compare notes with a fellow owner of a RT. He, like me, purchased an 05 RT this spring. One of the things we both noted was that the oil level warning indicator worked just fine before the bike had its first service. By this I mean that it did not come on at all during the first 1000kms while riding the bike. We also both noticed that the site glass was completely full to the top when the bike rolled out of the dealer. In my case the site glass was completely full (no space visible at all).

 

Both of us had the warning indicator come on while on the trip back from the dealer after the first service. When I got home after the first service the oil in the site glass was above the center dot. The warning indicator is on most of the time now. I added a bit of oil to bring it up to about half way to between the top and the center dot but it still stays on all the time.

 

Just wondering if anyone else observed this behavior before their first serivce?

[sb955i]

As Andrew mentioned, I'm dead on the centre dot, and the oil <!> indicator comes on when I'm doing anything other than cruising at under 4500 rpm. The majority of the time it's either --- or <!> but very rarely √ .

 

Oil was filled to top of the sight glass when initially delivered, and I never got anything other than √ .

[sb955i]

dho. Tried to use the checkmark, but √ shows instead.. you'll have to use your imiagination

[Albert]

Mine seems to work fine both before and after 600 mile service. I'm a little confused however how you are getting readings at anything other than idle. On mine (06 RT), if you have the oil check selected in the BC it will show --- if it's not yet up to operating temperature and idling. Once I move off the display switches to ambient temperature until I once again come to a stop and idle for a few seconds. The the oil check indicator returns to the display. I have never had anything but a check mark displayed once the proper conditions were reached and I am at idle. Thus far the sight glass has never been below the ring, although when new it appeared that the oil level in the sight glass was actually above the top. Now showing approximately 2000 miles on the clock. Unless I'm mistaken I don't believe the computer oil check is meant to be used at anything other than idle engine speed.

[Pickaxe]

Mine works perfectly as well. From reading most posts on this subject, I get the feeling that alot of owners don't realise how and when the indicator makes it's check.

When the oil level is getting on the low side, there's always going to be a situation where the indicator falls either side of a tick or (!)

[Pictou]

Just to clarify the issue. Mine will shift to the check mark if you warm the bike and sit at idle. One point I was trying to make was the <!> didn't show up once during the first 1000kms regardless of whether I was riding or not. Once the bike was serviced and the oil level was a bit lower than the as delivered level the <!> is on all the time except if I stop and idle the bike long enough to let it go out. As soon as I move forward the <!> comes back on.

 

I am also thinking two other things here. First it seems that from the factory there is more oil in the bikes than we (or the shop) typically put in on a change. The second is that if the oil check indicator only works at idle what is the point of having it show up anytime other than when you specifically select it using the BC button. If it doesn't work when the bike is in motion then there is no useuful information to be given to the rider by it while riding. This implies to me that despite what the manual says BMW at least at some point intended it to work while riding.

 

On that note it appears that if you fill it right up the oil check indicator will stay out, at least until the oil level drops some. In my case with the factory fill it didn't drop enough in 1000kms to start coming on while riding.

[Rusty1945]

Mine seems to work fine both before and after 600 mile service. I'm a little confused however how you are getting readings at anything other than idle.

Hmmm, on my 06RT I can get the check mark if I'm cruising steady on the road; don't have to be stopped at idle.

 

Rusty

[Yankee_Dog]

A friend of mine with an 05 has the same complaint. The <!> comes on and stays on when there is no problem. He says the dealer has given up trying to make it right.

 

Yankee Dog

[sb955i]

Ok, filled up a little higher than the middle of the window, and now <!> only showed up twice through a two hour ride. I'd say my level is 1/16" above the dot. The rest of the time, it shows a check mark. Definite improvement.. getting there..

 

I agree though, why bother showing a <!> on the display when the conditions for a measurement ( rightly discussed as per the manual ) aren't met.. is BMW trying to distract us unnecessarily?? I have enough things to worry about

[St0nkingByte]

So I don't have the manual in front of me but who says fill to the middle of the window? My bike fresh from the dealer was filled to the top of the sight glass, and after the first service it was the same. Of course what could those shop guys know, all they do is work on BMWs all day

[sb955i]

Well, actually the dealer recommended filling to the middle of the window, although i don't think they explained why that particular level..

 

I believe it's a bit of urban legend possibly that bikes in general should be filled to middle.

 

I remember previously when I owned an ST1100, it was recommended that on that particular bike, you could reduce vibrations and windage resistance by doing this. On THAT bike, if you filled it right up, it would run with noticeably stronger vibration.

 

So maybe this doesn't hold true for RTs, but maybe it does.. anyone know for sure?? I'm no expert that's for sure.

[Pictou]

The fill to the middle of the window advice comes from a lot of experience with the 1100 - 1150 series boxers where if you overfilled the bike it caused oil to be spit out into your airbox. If you filled to the middle of the window this wouldn't happen. I have no idea if the new generation of boxers has the same issue or not.

 

 

 

So I don't have the manual in front of me but who says fill to the middle of the window? My bike fresh from the dealer was filled to the top of the sight glass, and after the first service it was the same. Of course what could those shop guys know, all they do is work on BMWs all day

[SageRider]

On the Oilheads, it was very common to suck oil into the airbox if the crankcase was filled past the middle dot of the sight glass.

At least in my 1200's case, this does not appear to apply anymore.

[Brimoon]

Since I began keeping my '05 R12RT filled almost to the top of the sight glass I rarely get a <!> indication. I usually add oil when the bike is cool and has been on the center stand for a good while. I've not noticed any ill effects from filling to that level.

 

Per the manual and my experience, the only way to get an accurate oil reading from the computer is to have the bike warmed up and at idle while stopped on level ground. If you do this, a <!> signal picked up while in motion will usually change to a check mark in 10 or 15 seconds. If it does not, it's probably a good idea to check the sight glass!

 

Brian

[Albert]

Checked mine this morning (06 RT). Cold after starting BC oil check indicates ----. Warm after running AND at idle I'll get a check mark. What's different from what I'm hearing is that as soon as I begin to move (1 - 2 seconds) the oil check mode on my BC is gone, replaced by ambient temperature. You cannot (on mine) return to the oil check mode until you have come to another stop and idled for several seconds. If I leave the BC in oil check mode it wil automatically switch between temp and oil as I start/stop. I suspect the confusion that readings are causing while in motion may have influenced BMW to make the oil check feature unavailable at those times.

[Pictou]

Ah yes that does make sense. On my 05 you can switch to it any old time you want even though it won't work unless you are sitting at idle with a warm engine. It does sound like BMW fixed this issue for the 06 models. Perhaps at some point they will do a software update to the 05's to address this issue.

 

Checked mine this morning (06 RT). Cold after starting BC oil check indicates ----. Warm after running AND at idle I'll get a check mark. What's different from what I'm hearing is that as soon as I begin to move (1 - 2 seconds) the oil check mode on my BC is gone, replaced by ambient temperature. You cannot (on mine) return to the oil check mode until you have come to another stop and idled for several seconds. If I leave the BC in oil check mode it wil automatically switch between temp and oil as I start/stop. I suspect the confusion that readings are causing while in motion may have influenced BMW to make the oil check feature unavailable at those times.

[bwrider]

This is what I've found (~2900 miles, dealer service @ 600 and second oil/filter change at 2500). When the oil is up to the top of the sight glass (just enough below the top to get a reading), I always get a "check" on the level indicator. during a 1500 mile weekend ride, the warning came on and I checked to find that the level was at the center dot - filled it back up to near the top (~1/3 quart) and all was well for the remainder of the trip (although there was no problem - the center of the glass is plenty of oil).

 

The manual calls for ~4.2 quarts of oil for a change with filter. At the 2500 mile change, I put four quarts of oil in and it filled to just below the top of the site glass.

 

As for checking the oil, this is what I was told by more than one tech and applied to both the 1200RT and my 1100RT: ride the bike until it is hot. When you shut down, place it on the side stand for one to two minutes (this allows the oil to flow out of the oil cooler). Put it on the center stand and check, this will give you the most accurate level reading.

[Catbird]

My oil level warning , <!>, starts to come on intermittently when the sight glass shows 2/3 full. It seems to depend upon my revs and how aggressively I might be riding.

 

If I do not add oil and the level reaches the sight glass mid-point dot, the oil level warning stays on.

 

I kinda hate to add oil when I know it doesn't really require it -- just to make the warning go away. I will probably wait till the level shows 1/3 full.

 

The service manager at my dealer assured me that as long as ANY oil is visible in the sight glass, it's okay.

[Redbrick]

I don't pay much attention to the "low oil indicator" and check the oil the old fashioned way; hand and knees with maybe a little light of some kind....

My 1200RT uses a fair amount of oil still (about 4,000 miles), I check it every time I ride, which hasn't been much lately, and add to a little above the center line of the sight glass....Does anybody think that "low indicator" is worth much?....And, further, trust it?

 

Phil.........Redbrick

[Pickaxe]

I definitely think the extra check is peace of mind with the boxer engine, which in some cases, does use a significant amount of oil.

I have no issues with the oil level indicator on my 05 12RT

[PaulW42]

My 05RT now behaves as described for the new models. This happened after the last software update.

[PaulW42]

Yep - I find it useful and I trust it. But, unlike many, mine seems to come on at a sensible level.