oil level problem

[whisperquiet]

Seems like a whole lot of hang wringing here, but if you're worried about how much oil you're putting in, wouldn't it be best just to get one of the one- piece plastic pitchers with built-in spout and graduated increments marked on the side? We use a hand cranked pump in a 55 gallon barrel at work, so we need that type of thing, but it also seems like a solution for this type of issue.

That is essentially what I said............if you are worried about the correct amount-----------measure it and pour.

 

[Tremor38]

That is essentially what I said............if you are worried about the correct amount-----------measure it and pour.

Yup.

 

[Tremor38]

I had the correct 3.6qt in there and had drained significantly more than that. I just ignored the window and rode the bike and eventually the window showed full.

That's the key right there, IMHO. It takes a bit of faith in the book and what you know to have put in the machine, but that's the nature of some dry sump systems. Certainly not a 'problem' that somebody needs to 'fix.'

 

[Noryb]

the book says 3.49 qts with oil filter change.. which is about 3.4 litres.. when i did mine, 3.4litres went in and also no oil in e sight glass.. after about 0.5 litre more then the level in e glass came on to e correct level.. been riding for more than 2 weeks since and oil level is ok..!!

 

[tomatocity]

the book says 3.49 qts with oil filter change.. which is about 3.4 litres.. when i did mine, 3.4litres went in and also no oil in e sight glass.. after about 0.5 litre more then the level in e glass came on to e correct level.. been riding for more than 2 weeks since and oil level is ok..!!

USA Owners Manual
Page 7-14
Oil Quantity, with oil filter cartridge replacement:
3.40 L (3.59 US qt, 2.99 Imp qt)

 

[markjenn]

the book says 3.49 qts with oil filter change.. which is about 3.4 litres.

Both my "books" (OM and service manual) say 3.59 qts with filter change... which IS about 3.4 liters.

Metric or English, it is odd that now a couple folks report that they put the spec'ed amount in and later have to add 0.5 qt to get the level correct, where most of us find that the spec'ed amount works out fine. Very odd.

- Mark

 

[Z06]

Changed my oil last night. I do drain on side stand then lean bike as far over to the right as I can then back to side stand. Repeat this a few times. There is more oil draining out after doing this. Took 4 quarts to get level to center of marks on glass doing this.

 

[Tremor38]

Changed my oil last night. I do drain on side stand then lean bike as far over to the right as I can then back to side stand. Repeat this a few times. There is more oil draining out after doing this. Took 4 quarts to get level to center of marks on glass doing this.

That doesn't sound right. I'll bet it shows overserviced once you've ridden it a couple of times.

 

[Z06]

That doesn't sound right. I'll bet it shows overserviced once you've ridden it a couple of times.

Keep in mind that I get more oil drained out by leaning bike to right after oil has stopped draining on stand. It's more of the 4.4 total capacity that standard drain sequence does not get. This was amount needed to center level after filling with 3.6 qts and then riding ten miles before checking on center stand and topping off. What did I win on the bet?

 

[tomatocity]

Keep in mind that I get more oil drained out by leaning bike to right after oil has stopped draining on stand. It's more of the 4.4 total capacity that standard drain sequence does not get. This was amount needed to center level after filling with 3.6 qts and then riding ten miles before checking on center stand and topping off. What did I win on the bet?

You will win "oil in your air box". I don't mean this negatively just a fact of overfilling the engine. The excess oil has to go somewhere.

 

[markjenn]

You will win "oil in your air box". I don't mean this negatively just a fact of overfilling the engine. The excess oil has to go somewhere.

Let's stop beating up on the folks who have had to put in extra oil in to get an acceptable reading on the sight glass. For whatever reason, they're having to use more oil than spec and if there is a choice between spec and oil low on the sight glass vs. over-spec and oil correct on the sight glass, I'd definitely choose the latter.

The theory that draining on the side stand vs. draining on the center stand might be the reason for the discrepancy sounds plausible to me.

- Mark

 

[colorider]

Let's stop beating up on the folks who have had to put in extra oil in to get an acceptable reading on the sight glass. For whatever reason, they're having to use more oil than spec and if there is a choice between spec and oil low on the sight glass vs. over-spec and oil correct on the sight glass, I'd definitely choose the latter.

I don't think anyone is "beating up" on them - only trying to understand and help.

As for the choice, with the number of reports of "strange readings" using the sight glass, I would chose the correct spec and NOT put my faith in the glass. The Tenere is not the first motorcycle to have problems (real or perceived) with the sight glass readings and I'm quite sure with time, owners will learn the system.

My .02

 

[Tremor38]

I don't think anyone is "beating up" on them - only trying to understand and help.

As for the choice, with the number of reports of "strange readings" using the sight glass, I would chose the correct spec and NOT put my faith in the glass. The Tenere is not the first motorcycle to have problems (real or perceived) with the sight glass readings and I'm quite sure with time, owners will learn the system.

My .02

+1. It's part of the joy of owning a dry sump system. If any of my input was taken as offensive, it wasn't meant to be so.

 

[hANNAbONE]

...measure, measure, measure people.

3.6 quarts

3.4 liters

measure and ride - simple

 

[rem]

::026:: . I have to assume that the Yamaha engineers who designed the bike would know the exact amount of oil required. And were willing to put it in print. If you are absolutely certain you have added the correct amount of oil (let's be careful with quarts and litres), and you have taken the filter into account (to change or not to change, that is the question), then you should be good to go. Check your bike before each ride for leaks and warning lights, and then carry on.

I'm going to contact Uncle Yoshi and see if Yamaha will come out with an explanation. R ::012::

 

[markjenn]

So you guys are advocating you put 3.6 qts in and then ride around until the next oil change with no oil showing on the sight glass? Which means you have no way of monitoring the level, so you essentially are going to ride between oil changes with no monitoring of consumption?

I couldn't disagree more strongly. That's putting WAY too much credence in a spec that likely is subject to variances and completely sacrifices any oil-level checking ability. And even by Yamaha's spec, about 20% of the oil in the S10 is considered "undrainable" so the concept there there might variances in how much you're able to drain out based on shutdown conditions, inclines, temperatures, side-stand vs. centerstand, etc. seems pretty reasonable to me. The idea that an owner might coax another 0.4 qts out of the motor than Yamaha assumes would normally drain out seems completely plausible to me.

While I have found the 3.6 spec correct for the two oil changes I've done on the S10, it is very common on many bikes (and cars) to have to adjust the number to get the proper oil level.

Let's not throw the "running your engine low on oil" baby out with the "don't overfill" bathwater. My suggestion is to put 3.6 in to start with and make sure you go on a good ride and check the oil properly afterwards, perhaps even checking in a couple times before deciding to add more. But in the end, the sight glass must have veto power over the spec.

- Mark

 

[Z06]

160 mile ride yesterday and oil level in center of site glass this morning. Thats with 4 qts used after drain. I agree that I am going to trust the sight glass and will use extra effort to get as much of the 20% of dirty oil out of engine at changes as I can. Can't imagine riding around 3 or 4 thousand miles with no oil showing in glass. Pretty sure the glass is in same location in block on every S10 built.

 

[rem]

Let's not throw the "running your engine low on oil" baby out with the "don't overfill" bathwater. My suggestion is to put 3.6 in to start with and make sure you go on a good ride and check the oil properly afterwards, perhaps even checking in a couple times before deciding to add more. But in the end, the sight glass must have veto power over the spec.

- Mark

Your point is well taken, and makes total sense. But in the end, I would choose to take the "spec" over the sight glass. Fortunately, I have not had a notable discrepancy between the two. Should I start to experience that, I will point it out to the dealership and get a firm decision as to which way I should go. At that point (discrepancy), I will kick it back into Yamaha's court. The spec is a definitive amount. The sight glass is subjective at best, possibly depending on oil temp, how long the bike sits, ambient temp, levelness of bike, oil density?, perhaps all sorts of other things. I dunno ... it's a conundrum if you're getting substantially differing results. I'd take it to the dealer for a formal opinion. R

 

[markjenn]

I'd take it to the dealer for a formal opinion.

Nothing wrong with that, of course. And I would think they would say to do it "by the book" which specifically says to put 3.6 qts in, then check with the sight glass and adjust as necessary to bring the oil level between the marks. To my reading, this is an implicit acknowledgment that you can't rely solely on 3.6 as a precise number that will always result in an oil level to spec.

- Mark

 

[rem]

I suspect you are correct on all counts. Just one more thing I'll have to bring up with Uncle Yoshi. I'll keep you posted. ::008::
R