Still learning my way around this forum plus I am trying to minimize my noobness.We have a thread for that!"What did you do to your Tenere today?"
Oil sight glass weirdness
- Thread starter MFP
- Start date
EricV
Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
On point, got it. Thx.
Oil change from HELL, I went to change oil yesterday on my 13, after the first change I installed PSR magnetic plugs. Unscrewed the front one, no problem. Put the socket on the rear plug and felt the socket slip WTF. Tried again only to have another one of the little flutes on the plug break off. So I think I can get a vice grips on it and get that dude out of there, guess again, it fell apart even more. Time to step back and think about this. Got out the dremel and cut a slot in what was left of the plug in order to get a screwdriver in it, no such luck. With only one option left I got out the air drill and went to town [ against my better judgement ] I used a quarter inch bit and started drilling. next thing I know there is oil coming out. Put in a bigger size bit and went to town again on the plug. This bit got stuck, put the drill in reverse and I saw the plug move a little. Well the good news is the plug came out, the not so good news, the magnet is in the sump. Screwed in the other plug and the magnet from it picked up the magnet that I had drilled through [ still all in one piece ] then I bent over a paperclip and raked around the sump for and filings. Still a little nervous about this whole endeavor I dropped the plate on the bottom of the sump {the one with the screen filter in it } no filings there. Found my original plugs and installed them. Three hour oil change!!!! I had done around ten oil changes with the PSR plugs in there and never had any trouble, I am at 34K so this wasn't my first rodeo. Can anyone recommend a magnetic plug other than PSR?
Nikolajsen
"Keep it simple"
Åh shit..glad you got it out.
jrusell
Well-Known Member
Dimple magnetic drain plugs.
http://www.drainplugmagnets.com
http://www.drainplugmagnets.com
Talltourer
Member
Sounds like a PITA... happy you pulled through.
EricV
Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
Just saw this. Was moving back when SicDuc posted. That looks suspiciously like an aluminum drain plug with a magnet in it. It's GREAT for tossing in the lake. Crap for anything else. Aluminum threaded into aluminum is a recipe for galling and other nasty problems. And yes, I see that it's anodized. I'm not impressed. (25 years machining/assembly/manufacturing experience)
The OEM plugs are not aluminum. Here is a quality alternative - GoldPlug
Glad you got the plug out.
The OEM plugs are not aluminum. Here is a quality alternative - GoldPlug
Glad you got the plug out.
raynchk
Member
Just changed oil in my 2016 and the biggest pain is removing the Givi skid plate. That back right hand bolt is a PIA. I had a KTM 1290 SA that I put BDCW skid plate on and it was much easier for the oil change. To bad they don't make one for the S10. Oil change was simple, 1 gallon of Rotella T-6 and leave appx. .5 quart in jug. Start 'er up, idle to 170 degrees and oil just above low mark on sight glass.
gv550
Well-Known Member
I welded the nuts onto the Givi mount, much easier to just screw the bolts in now.
wibmerjoska
Member
So this is what I was going to ask, the glas on mine is fully covered... I was worried that at Yamaha they put too much oil... hope it's not a poblem.. or should I drain some?The previous two posts are excellent.
A little low, a little high, who cares, it's a DRY SUMP motor. That means that no matter what you do, there is about a quart of oil in the engine at any given time and no more or less. The rest is in the sump/oil bag/secondary containment area. Doesn't matter how much is there as long as the oil in the engine is good. Just cycles thru it more or less often depending on the amount present in the complete system.
Kruzzin5
Well-Known Member
I just did an oil change on mine, dumped in 3.40 L and my site glass is full!? I give up, it’s just the way it is. My only concern is, if the engine starts to burn oil, I cannot check the oil level to know how much is left in the motor. Harleys are dry sump as well, but are far easier to measure ACCURATELY.
wibmerjoska
Member
Thank you, next time I'll do the oil change myself..
jrusell
Well-Known Member
There has been a few who don't realize our bikes have two drain plugs. They end up overfull because they only drained one sump or they wrongly keep adding oil till it shows on the sight glass.
Personally I would drain into a perfectly clean container and start again.
I fill with the amount stated in the manual and then ride. I check it now and then, but have never had a level outside the marks when following the stated volumes and proper oil level check procedure.
Excess oil is not good in my opinion.
wibmerjoska
Member
I agree with you, but hopefully at a Yamaha service in London where it was serviced, hopefully they found both drain plugs... but these days, who knows, maybe they were lazy.. or sleepy...
so I'll do the next oil change myself now, because this excess oil, I don't think it's good. Thanks!
so I'll do the next oil change myself now, because this excess oil, I don't think it's good. Thanks!
EricV
Riding, farkling, riding...
2011 Site Supporter
2012 Site Supporter
2013 Site Supporter
2014 Site Supporter
No. If the level is a little high it won't hurt anything on a dry sump design. The engine itself has the same amount of oil in it, regardless of the total volume in the bike. The excess is being stored in the sump, not the engine.
When you do the next oil change, just put in the measured amount and go for a ride. If the low oil level light comes on, then check the sight glass and add a little oil to bring it up into the marks.
Ramseybella
Well-Known Member
I'm at over 100k no problem filling the bike up since 2k.
Drain it stand it up for five minutes then back on it's side stand another cup or less will come out.
Button the plugs (No ham fisting) install filter and fill with a gallon of oil don't wait for the residual oil to finish just stop pouring when you get to the thin stream.
Pour the extra oil into another gallon container for backup oil.
I watch the sight glass around 3k and keep an eye on the low light. my sight glass can vary completely full or just a little background showing..
It's been damn hot this year so keep an eye on the oil level if you're racking the motor over the RPM's.
If you notice motor feels sluggish and gas mileage starts to suffer chances are you're low on oil.
I did that on my Triumph 1050 Tiger drove straight through from Santa Fe to Idaho Falls 12 hours in the summer, by the time I got to Pocatello I started noticing the change.
At my friends house we changed the oil and it was like two quarts low.
Drain it stand it up for five minutes then back on it's side stand another cup or less will come out.
Button the plugs (No ham fisting) install filter and fill with a gallon of oil don't wait for the residual oil to finish just stop pouring when you get to the thin stream.
Pour the extra oil into another gallon container for backup oil.
I watch the sight glass around 3k and keep an eye on the low light. my sight glass can vary completely full or just a little background showing..
It's been damn hot this year so keep an eye on the oil level if you're racking the motor over the RPM's.
If you notice motor feels sluggish and gas mileage starts to suffer chances are you're low on oil.
I did that on my Triumph 1050 Tiger drove straight through from Santa Fe to Idaho Falls 12 hours in the summer, by the time I got to Pocatello I started noticing the change.
At my friends house we changed the oil and it was like two quarts low
.
Yay? I'm a little slow, so maybe I'm not getting your post. "Yes" to your technique, and amount of oil used. 3K miles, or rpm? Until the bike is ridden after an oil change, and the oil sloshed back-n-forth. . . . the sight glass is useless. "No" to the sluggish, and worsening mileage being oil associated. . . . "I" would blame it on bad gas. But, this is all based on bikes made in Japan*. I've never had one use oil between oil changes, but I've never ridden one for 12 hours straight either. The Beemer drank oil, and there was nothing wrong. . . . it just does. . . . and, it would never have been able to make that trip without being a couple quarts of oil low. I can't say anything about the Tiger; no experience with them. I'd be curious about the speed, and rpms during that trip though.
* KLRs do not like being driven over 80mph, or they will use oil . . . . a lot.
Ramseybella
Well-Known Member
Speeds fast most of the time 75 85+ hot weather between 85 90 New Mexico to 110+ all of Utah and some of south Idaho.
I was in Salt Lake right after evening rush hour.
As your comment on NO! I say Yes as once we changed oil to the appropriate level still with the same gas in the tank it ran fine.
Triumph 1050 is not a dry sump, never ran that speed non stop (in decades) other than take a quick break and or fill up in such heat.
It was a stupid decision to go the full way 840 miles in 12 hours, I slept two days straight I was beat.
In my 20's I did do a full run from Tarpon Springs Florida to Santa Fe, NM on six hours of sleep On my old Gold Wing.
In my 20's, can't pull that off anymore it was fun but crazy.
I was in Salt Lake right after evening rush hour.
As your comment on NO! I say Yes as once we changed oil to the appropriate level still with the same gas in the tank it ran fine.
Triumph 1050 is not a dry sump, never ran that speed non stop (in decades) other than take a quick break and or fill up in such heat.
It was a stupid decision to go the full way 840 miles in 12 hours, I slept two days straight I was beat.
In my 20's I did do a full run from Tarpon Springs Florida to Santa Fe, NM on six hours of sleep On my old Gold Wing.
In my 20's, can't pull that off anymore it was fun but crazy.