Erradic Oil Level

[Donk]

Several times when I've checked the oil the level is far lower than normal. Bike is always on level ground, always on the center stand. Two or three times now the oil has shown near the bottom of the sight glass. Next time I check it it's back in the middle. Has nothing to do with engine temp as it has happened once hot and once cold. Bike has been sitting every time so oil had plenty of time to drain down. It got me this time as I finally thought it was really down and added 12 ounces of oil which brought it up to half way and ran the bike to the store. Came back gave it time to cool and now it's showing over full. This is not making sense to me and if anyone has any ideas or has similar happen I would really like to hear.

 

[Sierra1]

When I changed mine, I put in 3 quarts, started the engine for a minute, and then turned it off. I put another .6ish quarts in (per manual w/filter change). The level show at the bottom of the sight glass. Started to ride it, and oil light came on. Began adding oil, a small amount at a time. The window showed very low, and then suddenly went to completely full. The best that I estimate is 3.9ish quarts in the bike. I have checked several times since then, and window shows full/overfull. I'm not too worried since when I emptied the drain pan back into the oil jug, it showed well over 4 quarts. I'm sure it has something to do with the two oil reservoirs.
::021::

 

[magic]

It's typical of a dry sump system. I changed my oil yesterday and refilled with 3.6 quarts, this brought the level to the lower mark on the sight glass. I then filled it to the upper mark. 4 quarts will take it to the upper mark. I check mine after a ride of at least 50 miles. I let the bike sit on the centerstand for maybe 5 minutes and then check the level. I have only seen low readings after short trips when the bike isn't really warmed up. FWIW, I fill mine to the upper mark on the sight glass. No problems. I measured the old oil and it showed 4 quarts on the jug.

 

[Checkswrecks]

With the dry sump, these bikes are notorious about looking low when they are not.


http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=20054.0
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=20970.msg301143#msg301143
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=12715.msg203701#msg203701
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=22824.msg321148#msg321148
etc

 

[Sierra1]

I'm good with it. One four quart jug. No measuring. Drain. Refill. Ride. ::012::

 

[bigbob]

So my payment for leading Indian demo rides a week ago was a 10 oil change. (30 time around a 9.3 mile route on a different bike every time. The 10 once when all the Indians were taken).

It is on the center stand while Tabasco shortens the side stand.

So should the glass be full, empty, or something in the middle?

 

[bob dirt]

With the engine warmed up and after being turned off and sitting for a few minutes, the level should between the high and low mark when sitting level. I check mine after fueling by grabbing the handlebars and leveling the bike while kneeling down AND when I get home so I know it's ready for the next ride. I have never had to add oil on the last two teneres I have owned. It doesn't have a dipstick and being a dry sump its doesn't have to be an exact level as long as there is something in the sight glass ....close enough is close enough.

 

[RED CAT]

You'll drive yourself crazy checking oil levels. When you change it, just put in recommended amount with or without a new filter and forget about it till your next oil change.

 

[imsteveiv]

I've found that bottles of oil do not have exactly the amount of oil shown on the label IE 1L bottle might actually be 1.3L. So if you're filling the bike from the bottle its possible you're not putting in the amount of oil you think you are. On my 2012 Tenere I had the same issue with oil level in the sight glass differing ride to ride. I also found that if I measured out the exact amount of oil the manual calls for the bike would show low and on the first several miles of most trips the engine oil light would come on until the bike was fully warmed up. To remedy this I've found that adding .2L more than the manual calls for keeps the oil light from coming on and keeps the oil visible in the sight glass.

All that being said I'm sure this is much ado about nothing. I havent seen any threads about engine failures caused by low or high oil levels.

 

[Donk]

The readings were noot after changing oil but between an oil change. No oil was added for 3200 miles yet once the site glass showed low and once it showed empty. I didn't really think I went through oil between 3000 and 3200 miles yet with an empty site glass I felt compelled to add about half a quart. Levl was nicely between the marks until after my next ride when the site glass showed overfull. I'm just trying to figure out where the oil was hiding?

 

[Sierra1]

See above. Checkswrecks posted some links. Short answer is the semi dry sump. Two drain plugs, two tanks. I've never had to add oil to a Japanese bike between oil changes.

 

[Ramseybella]

See above. Checkswrecks posted some links. Short answer is the semi dry sump. Two drain plugs, two tanks. I've never had to add oil to a Japanese bike between oil changes.

But you will consume some oil never the less. I depends on how aggressive you are on the highway running high speed for long hours.
I just drained my oil looked to be about 1/2qt low when I dumped the old oil in the used oil jug.

 

[whisperquiet]

I have owned a 2012, two 2013s, and currently own a 2015 with 12000 miles on it and have never had the problem of erratic oil levels when checked.

I always ride the bike at least 20 miles or 30 minutes, shut it off/leave on the side stand, remove my riding gear, place the bike on the center stand, and the oil level is always 2/3 of the way up the oil level window.......always, and I have never added oil to any of my S10s between 4000-5000 mile oil change intervals.

I know it is a dry sump engine, but my bikes have always been consistent when checked the way described above,
.

 

[RED CAT]

But you will consume some oil never the less. I depends on how aggressive you are on the highway running high speed for long hours.
I just drained my oil looked to be about 1/2qt low when I dumped the old oil in the used oil jug.

Mine doesn't consume a drop between oil changes every 6000kms. And I ride aggressive on gravel.

 

[Checkswrecks]

But you will consume some oil never the less. I depends on how aggressive you are on the highway running high speed for long hours.
I just drained my oil looked to be about 1/2qt low when I dumped the old oil in the used oil jug.

I am going to echo a couple of others in noting that this was true with hours at high speed on my Gen1 bike which has not been an issue with the Gen2.

 

[Pinscher]

Had the same issue when I first bought the bike. Learned on this site and read owners manual. Per the owners manual, put on center stand, start bike and bring to 140 degrees, turn off and wait a few minutes. Oil level in sight glass is accurate. Never had an issue with reading oil level since.

Loving my Tenere, since '14

 

[Nikolajsen]

Had the same issue when I first bought the bike. Learned on this site and read owners manual. Per the owners manual, put on center stand, start bike and bring to 140 degrees, turn off and wait a few minutes. Oil level in sight glass is accurate. Never had an issue with reading oil level since.

Loving my Tenere, since '14

Yes, but it is the OIL temperature, the manual is refering to....
So where do you see that :question:

But if you want to have the same level each time, it is very importent that it is done the same way each time.
And it can vary very much with different oil temperature. I have also seen to low oil level, but it was because the oil was to cold.
I have also seen to much oil (same day, on a new S10), but it was because the oil was to hot.

I have asked my local Yamaha dealer, how Yamaha can write this, when it isn't possible to know the oil temperatue. I never got a usefull answer

 

[Donk]

I want to thank everyone for their replies while I was a slow learner. Thinking back it all makes sense now. The 2 times I got low oil readings was after the bike was moved a very short distance, even though the engine was up to temp both times. I guess this somehow caused the oil to stay in the reserve tank instead of the primary sump. Or something like that! Whatever the case it never happened with the '14 and I can now rest assured there is no issue with the '17. Thanks everyone!