Oil Sight Glass Showing Empty

tebanks352

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Nov 22, 2020
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Hello, I just recently purchased a 2012 Super Tenere 1200 and love it. After taking my first day ride I was cleaning the bike and checked my oil sight window and it showed empty. The bike was on the center stand and I had just finished running it for about 10 min when I had checked.

I decided to do an oil change for fears I had been riding all day with no oil. Fortunately I drain about 2 1/2 quarts. Did my oil change and poured in 3.6 quarts of oil. Ran the engine to get it warmed up and still no indication of oil in the sight window.

Has anyone else come across this? I am taking the bike in this weekend for a tune up but would like to be more educated as to why this could be happening. Thank you.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
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Jun 20, 2015
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Ventura, CA
Mine requires 3.75 quarts to show on the window after an oil change and then checking per the manual. After the first time I ride it somewhere however the sight glass will show completely full until the next oil change.


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Sierra1

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Joshua TX
. . . . I decided to do an oil change for fears I had been riding all day with no oil. Fortunately I drain about 2 1/2 quarts. Did my oil change and poured in 3.6 quarts of oil. Ran the engine to get it warmed up and still no indication of oil in the sight window. . . .
Did you pull both drain plugs? It sounds like you only drained part of your oil. Also, after refilling your oil, letting it run on the center stand isn't going to do it. It's that dry sump thing. You have to actually ride, and get that oil flowing. Then check the sight glass.
 

tallpaul

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The oil sight glass on these bikes is a contradiction in terms, since unless you follow the exact procedure in the manual it will by turns show totally empty or overfull. I've given up looking at it now.
 

yoyo

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Jan 30, 2016
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Swansea UK
I'm with Tenman, put in the correct amount of oil after changing the filter and draining both plugs and don't look at the sight glass again. A lucky spin off of the dry sump is we get a low oil warning light rather than low oil pressure.

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Boris

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midlands. UK
The engine actually holds 4.44 US Qts of oil, therefore if you excessively drain it, you’ll need to use a little more at oil change time.

As a general rule though, drain through both drain bolts, remove oil filter, leave to drain for a few minutes. New filter on, drain bolts refitted, add 3.6 US Qts and ride. Forget the sight glass.

Perhaps a 1000 miles later when stopping for a break, put on centrestand and check 5 minutes later.
 

fac191

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fac191

and me it gets serviced every year in a garage and i never look at it it goes in then the following year

rob
Also since i removed the Ali bash plate the engine sounds so much better and less metallic sounding. It ain't going back on !. If it sounds ok that's great for me.
 

fac191

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Also there seem to be 3 different amounts of oil to put in depending on if it's a rebuild, filter and oil or just oil.
 

Tenman

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Also since i removed the Ali bash plate the engine sounds so much better and less metallic sounding. It ain't going back on !. If it sounds ok that's great for me.
You can put some dynamat nside your skidplate and kill a lot of that noise.
 

fac191

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Hi Denman. Thanks for that. I did read it on here but don't think we can get Dynamat in England. It looks better on the bike but once you ride it with it off you can't put it back on. I don't off road it so i dont really need it.
 

tebanks352

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Nov 22, 2020
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Did you pull both drain plugs? It sounds like you only drained part of your oil. Also, after refilling your oil, letting it run on the center stand isn't going to do it. It's that dry sump thing. You have to actually ride, and get that oil flowing. Then check the sight glass.
Yes, I removed both plugs. I will take for a ride and check it then. Thank you.
 

VRODE

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Aug 7, 2014
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Northern Vermont
The engine actually holds 4.44 US Qts of oil, therefore if you excessively drain it, you’ll need to use a little more at oil change time.

As a general rule though, drain through both drain bolts, remove oil filter, leave to drain for a few minutes. New filter on, drain bolts refitted, add 3.6 US Qts and ride. Forget the sight glass.

Perhaps a 1000 miles later when stopping for a break, put on centrestand and check 5 minutes later.
^This
 
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Lake Worth, FL.
You know what? F#$% that sight glass! I overfilled my oil right in the beginning because I wasn't aware of the dry sump thing, then I think I undefiled it trying to compensate and then possibly overfilled it again! I've seen the oil at every level it could possibly be in that sight glass over the last few days and I have no idea where I stand except there is DEFINITELY some oil in the engine. Right now I'm relying on the fact that Yammies are notoriously bullet-proof to save me from an expensive trip to the shop.
 

bigbob

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You know what? F#$% that sight glass! I overfilled my oil right in the beginning because I wasn't aware of the dry sump thing, then I think I undefiled it trying to compensate and then possibly overfilled it again! I've seen the oil at every level it could possibly be in that sight glass over the last few days and I have no idea where I stand except there is DEFINITELY some oil in the engine. Right now I'm relying on the fact that Yammies are notoriously bullet-proof to save me from an expensive trip to the shop.
As long as the low oil LEVEL light (not pressure)stays off you are good unless you really overfilled it.
 
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