New 2010 oil level too high

[LAF]

I dont get it? Bike calls for 4.26 with new filter. How could it rise if that is what you put in?

On the CS I fill mine till the window is full with just a slight line if I shake the bike to see where it is. Of course it is the second fill after I have run it, but I do not see how you can over fill it with 4.26 quarts?

 

[RaYzerman19]

Think about it, what an assinine way to check oil level... wait a "few minutes"???? Define that... like Fred said, if it's cold and you don't fully warm it up, the oil will drain back slower and give you a different level. And knocking ourselves out trying to get it "halfway between the upper and lower marks" ?? And the anal debate will go on forever.... How much oil? If you use the long filters, a tad more. Here's what I've observed and what I do now.....

Fill with 4 litres on centerstand until oil reaches the upper full mark, warm up engine to 3 bars, shut off, wait 5 minutes, check level. I usually have to add another .3 to .5 litres to bring it up somewhere between the middle and upper full mark. I'd rather have enough than not enough, and that cupful extra everybody gets anal about doesn't mean squat. That isn't enough to hurt anything, nor worry about the oil being foamed up by the crankshaft.... forgedaboutitferkrissakes!

Now I just add 4.3 litres right from the start, start up to check for leaks and assure myself of the level, and forget it. When cold the level rises to fill the sight glass, only makes sense.

What happened to the good old dipsticks..... we've all been trained to do it that way our whole lives. Too many variables in this sight glass stuff, no wonder we'll debate forever.

 

[bucky]

4.2 u.s. quarts, with the pureone 14610 filter brings it up to the upper dot level on the sightglass when fully warmed and engine off overnight. Now I know some of the more anal ones out there seem to enjoy wasting countless hours painsakingly going thru the torturous, painsaking route of adding some oil, running the bike for some indeterminate amount of time, adding more, repeating said process until they get the oil within the specs of some mythical perfect level in the sightglass....and at every oil change. All the while, never keeping track (at the first ever oil change on their bike) exactly how much oil they cumulatively added to get to this mythical perfect oil level..but I did.

Now why all us seemingly intelligent fjr owners out there would not do as I did does escape me. But then again when I read the two pages of posts on whether to use distilled or purified water (btw, there is a difference) to FLUSH (not refill) the cooling system does seem to explain the rather anal retentive nature of many of us (present company excepted of course).

But as for me, I much to prefer to be spending my time riding the damn bike as opposed to obsessing over the impending disaster awaiting my bike should I add or not add a few tablespoons to much of engine oil.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

I add the recommended 4.26 Qts and a new filter every 4000 and it hits exactly between the lines, then i go riding. No worries about minimul differences in levels.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I add the recommended 4.26 Qts and a new filter every 4000 and it hits exactly between the lines, then i go riding. No worries about minimul differences in levels.

No...No....No!!!! You're doing it all wrong!!! :angry:

 

[Willie]

I am confused...how does this not make NEPRT. Is it because all of thread have the oil above the first 2 dots ??

Willie

 

[RPrice]

I am confused...how does this not make NEPRT. Is it because all of thread have the oil above the first 2 dots ??

Willie

Yes :huh:

 

[Bustanut joker]

Well I'm done doing my own oil changes.. Just too confusing now.

I'm just gonna add it when it needs it.

 

[Patriot]

if the engine design is like most cruisers, oil splash cools the stator

I fill after each oil change at 5,000 on the 5,000 to just below the top of the sight glass...slight bottom of bubble seen

but then I'm a non conformist at heart

<from another source, prefill the filter, then pour in the Rotella synthetic gallon, run the engine till 2 bars on Gen 1 temp gauge

shut down for 5-10 minutes, look at sight glass and pour more oil from other source till at top of sight glass, button up till another 5k miles done>

 

[starsandstripes]

Get the oil light every time I ride. It goes away within the same minute it shows up. Don't care. Oil level's fine. I like seeing it because I know it still works.

 

[dcarver]

I mounted a wireless camera in front of the sight so I can monitor level while riding.

 

[RPrice]

I mounted a wireless camera in front of the sight so I can monitor level while riding.

You are so smart!! Does it appear as a heads up display in your helmet??

 

[snackbauer]

Good idea dcarver.

As the OP, I just wanted to clear up a couple things:

1. The picture of the sight glass at the beginning of this thread was taken when the engine and oil were cold, not warm, not cool, but cold. I drained it down to that level knowing from my experience (been riding off and on since 1967) that the oil level will appear higher when engine and oil are up to operating temperature (heck everyone knows that). And after a 180 mile ride, checking the oil hot, not warm, not cool, was right at the top dot.

2. The amount of oil I drained was not a cup, but 14 ounces, considerably more than a cup.

3. Starsandstripes 2010 is 8 bikes by serial number older than mine. His bike was not overfilled when he got it. This leads me to believe that a tech at the dealer where I bought my FJR thought the oil was low and added almost a half quart.

I was only posting about the level of oil when the bike was new, not how to change oil, not what type of oil to use, or anything that might offend the more seasoned members of this forum.

I changed my oil for the first time today, I put in the prescribed 4 liters of *********** oil and will check it at regular intervals to ensure that this bike that I am really looking forward to racking up the miles on will last me as long as I am able to ride it.

 

[Bustanut joker]

I mounted a wireless camera in front of the sight so I can monitor level while riding.

You should text yer oil level to the dealership while yer ridin' ..

 

[Toter]

Gentlemen,

All the talk about the oil level mysteriously rising over time is, I believe, related to shearing. Internal combustion engines exert shearing forces to the oil in many different areas, piston skirts, camshaft/lifter, etc. In addition, the FJR oil is integral to the gearbox which by nature exerts great amounts of shearing friction to the oil. This shearing friction over time reduces the viscosity of the oil and I believe causes a very slight increase in it's volume. I think the main reason for the rise in level is that the reduced viscosity allows more of the oil to return to the sump.

I believe that oil degradation due to shearing friction is the main reason the shifting becomes smoother after the oil is changed. This shearing degradation is the main reason I change oil more frequently than most would think necessary. The gear box is very hard on the oil.

Here is link to a very informative site about motor oils and there properties and challenges.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/effects-of-shearing/

Ed

 

[painman]

After awhile you'll get the proceedure that works for you. Seeing oil in the sight glass is good and I once used 20-50W and the oil light would come on in the first mile when cold without fail. Drove me crazy. I just put in what the manual calls for.PM.

 

[NMRoadRunner]

I think it's the "Grimlins" who aren't scared of my bell anymore :angry: , opening up my oil fill cap and "pissing" into my oil and raising the level :blink: . So I'm staying up at night with my Coyote hunting light and night vision goggles to catch'em. Good idea huh? :huh:

 

[RadioHowie]

I've always found that when I change the oil, a 1 gallon jug of oil plus 8 ounces of STP totals 4.25 quarts.

Since that's what the Mother Ship says the bike should have, I'm happy.

And since my bike neither leaks or smokes, I don't worry about it until I change it 3-4,000 miles later.

I stress more about texting teenagers than I do about oil levels.

 

[Harald]

Get the oil light every time I ride. It goes away within the same minute it shows up. Don't care. Oil level's fine. I like seeing it because I know it still works.

You might want to set your oil level at the top of the sight glass if you're not already doing that. I've had the oil light come on a few times and it's always been when the 15w40 oil was cold and I was riding the downhill twisty's below my house. Oil level everytime was in the middle of the sight glass. If I keep the level to the top of the sight glass, I never have the light come on. YMMV.

 

[3dogs]

Holly ****! Does everyone on this thread NOT have a job or some other activity to occupy your time with? Does anyone obsess about the oil level in their car/truck in the same manner as their FJR?

Here are the steps to fix the issue of the oil sight glass level:

1. Buy the 1 gallon size of your favorite oil (any oil—we’re not going there!)

2. Drain the old oil, replace drain plug and change the filter.

3. Clean the sight glass and place some duct tape on the glass so the oil level is NOT visible.

4. Fill the engine with oil from the 1 gallon jug.

Judging from the posts on this thread the next step will be VERY difficult for some of you.

5. Start the engine and check for leaks—no leaks

6. Go for a ride.

The longer you can leave the duct tape covering the sight glass the closer you are to being cured. If the above procedure doesn’t seem to help, go to www.helpiamanal.com for additional guidance.