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Overfilling Oil


suspiciouspackage

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suspiciouspackage

So almost 300 miles ago (a week really) I changed my oil and followed the DIY on here. I did the whole "fill to the bottom, run, sit, add to bottom" and when I added to the bottom it looked fine. But the next day, I checked it out and the level was to the point where it just filled the sight glass. I checked the level of the bottle of oil I used and it's barely under the 750ml mark. Doing the maths, assuming it's around 730 or 735mL and there's 946mL in 1 quart, I used ~2108mL. So did I actually overfill it or just filled it to the point of being too full for the sight glass but not the actual reservoir? If I did overfill, can I just pull the plug, let some oil drip out, and put the plug back in?

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Just below the top of the sight glass is full. It sounds like you have exactly the correct amount of oil.

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suspiciouspackage
Just below the top of the sight glass is full. It sounds like you have exactly the correct amount of oil.
Cause I don't see any clear part of the sight glass. That's why I'm scared that I overfilled.
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Just below the top of the sight glass is full. It sounds like you have exactly the correct amount of oil.
Cause I don't see any clear part of the sight glass. That's why I'm scared that I overfilled.
 
 
I misunderstood your post. It sounds like you have overfilled it then. I will let some of more mechanically inclined guys advise you on the best course of action. You are looking at it with your bike straight up (not on the kickstand), right?
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The bike takes 2,600 ml (AKA 2.6 liters, or 2.75 quarts) when changing the oil and oil filter (the oil filter, itself, holds some oil).
I've done mine like this several times, now, and the oil level after adding 2.6 liters is spot-on perfect.
 
My guesses:
 
1) You didn't get all of the oil out if adding just 2.108 liters has it over full.
2) You messed-up on your bottle math and added more than you thought.
3) You are measuring oil level with the bike on the side stand, leaning toward the left, a big no-no.
Bike has to be straight-up-and-down when checking oil level.4) The oil you'd just poured in was not up to temperature and flows more slowly and it fooled you.See the next paragraph.
 
One thing I've realized is that if the engine and the oil is not up to full operating temperature (and draining the oil and pouring in low-temperature oil straight from the bottle will cool the innards of the engine), the oil will tend to be thicker and flow more slowly within the engine and drain down back to the oil pan more slowly.This is especially so when then starting the engine for a short period, shutting it off, and expecting the oil to quickly drain down to the oil pan.
This is when you can get a low reading at the level window when there is already enough oil in there.
This is why I drain the oil when the engine is up to full temperature (after ending the day's ride) to get out as much as possible and precisely measure what gets poured in.

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i use a old 1gal peanut oil jug to measure. 2.75qt is 11 cups. pour 11 cups in the jug mark it no need to measure again just fill to line and pour in.
 

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You guys are measuring oil?
 
Well, if you could get it completely out that measurement might work. This is why there is a window.
 
There are index marks at 3 and 9 o'clock on that window. The oil should be between those marks with the bike upright and warm after it sits "a few minutes" according to the manual.
 
Mine was filled from the factory clean to the top of the window
 
Instead of opening the drain bolt, unscrew the filter a bit. This will be far easier to control

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You'll not be able to get it completely out unless you disassemble the engine, and if you did, that's 3.1 liters (total capacity).
The spec for total capacity is always more than the spec for what you pour back in during an oil and filter change (2.6 liters).
 

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suspiciouspackage
The bike takes 2,600 ml (AKA 2.6 liters, or 2.75 quarts) when changing the oil and oil filter (the oil filter, itself, holds some oil). I've done mine like this several times, now, and the oil level after adding 2.6 liters is spot-on perfect.
 
My guesses:
 
1) You didn't get all of the oil out if adding just 2.108 liters has it over full.
2) You messed-up on your bottle math and added more than you thought.
3) You are measuring oil level with the bike on the side stand, leaning toward the left, a big no-no.
Bike has to be straight-up-and-down when checking oil level.4) The oil you'd just poured in was not up to temperature and flows more slowly and it fooled you.See the next paragraph.
 
One thing I've realized is that if the engine and the oil is not up to full operating temperature (and draining the oil and pouring in low-temperature oil straight from the bottle will cool the innards of the engine), the oil will tend to be thicker and flow more slowly within the engine and drain down back to the oil pan more slowly.This is especially so when then starting the engine for a short period, shutting it off, and expecting the oil to quickly drain down to the oil pan.
This is when you can get a low reading at the level window when there is already enough oil in there.
This is why I drain the oil when the engine is up to full temperature (after ending the day's ride) to get out as much as possible and precisely measure what gets poured in.
1 could be possible but when I was draining it, I let it drip out for at least 20 minutes (I was gonna do 10 but went inside to eat. Either way, it was doing the really slow 1 drip every 10 second thing when I came back). 2 could be it too because human error. 3 is definitely something I did. I'll put it up on the rear stand and check it out later when I clean it. 4 means that I shouldn't do the method I tried again? 
Is there any way to feel that the bike has too much oil when you're riding? Sputtering or anything? Or does it just run like a bike that has its oil at the proper level? And at this point, this is where I'm guessing a bike isn't like a car where it burns off oil?
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If you did number 3, then I think that's the root of the problem - the 2.6 liters added will look correct in the oil level window only when the bike is straight up, not leaning to the left.
If the engine were waaaaaaaaaayy overfilled, I'd expect an oil seal to be pushed out of place and/or oil to be forced through the breather hose at the top of the engine and into the airbox.

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When I changed my oil I filled it up to the top line. After starting the bike, filling the new oil filter brought it back to below the low level. Filled it back up to the top and it's good to go. My oil level does not change over night like someone mentioned in the DIY.
 
I Changed the oil while hot and checked the level on a swingarm stand.
For what it's worth my oil was overfilled from the factory.

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When I changed my oil I filled it up to the top line. After starting the bike, filling the new oil filter brought it back to below the low level. Filled it back up to the top and it's good to go. My oil level does not change over night like someone mentioned in the DIY.  
I Changed the oil while hot and checked the level on a swingarm stand.
For what it's worth my oil was overfilled from the factory.
That description, imo, is the perfect way to go about this. It's also how I do an oil change in the car. The Aprilia - well it's a dry sump so at changes things a bit. But the theme is the same
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phicurious86
Instead of opening the drain bolt, unscrew the filter a bit. This will be far easier to control
Omg this! I arrogantly thought I could let a little oil out by using the drain plug and two things resulted. 1) I burnt my digits. 2) As a result of 1 I dropped the plug, spilled a bunch of oil and then re-burnt my digits screwing the plug back in.
 
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crazycracka501

That sucks, I assume no gloves were on?

Make it stop!....Now make it go faster!

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bmwpowere36m3
Instead of opening the drain bolt, unscrew the filter a bit. This will be far easier to control
Omg this! I arrogantly thought I could let a little oil out by using the drain plug and two things resulted. 1) I burnt my digits. 2) As a result of 1 I dropped the plug, spilled a bunch of oil and then re-burnt my digits screwing the plug back in.
 
 
Hot engine, or at least fairly warm? Yeah, I've done that when changing oil. Dropped the bolt into the drain pan, no big deal since I was dumping the oil anyway.
 
Cracking the filter will work, but oil will drip down the front of the engine. However you can easier control the amount of oil your dumping. Drain plugs works too, more difficult to control. I've used a vacuum/pump oil sucker before too, through the oil fill plug (no mess). They are typically used to suck the oil out of boat motors (inboard).
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phicurious86
That sucks, I assume no gloves were on?
I was wearing some vinyl doctor office type gloves, oil was still warm enough to make me yank my hand bank once the oil hit. Nothing serious, but still.  
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crazycracka501

Good on you, an extra layer is an extra layer, may have saved you from a blister or two. I wear gloves while doing oil for that exact reason & my hands don't get so dirty that I look like I spent the weekend homeless when going back to work during the week lol.

Make it stop!....Now make it go faster!

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My factory filled oil is above the sight glass, but if the engine is cold and I slosh the bike slightly sideways, I can see the true level is just above the glass.

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suspiciouspackage

So this leads me into another question. From what I've been taught with cars, the best times to check your oil levels are when the engine is cold or 5-10 minutes after shutting the car off. Does the same apply to bikes or no?

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In my experience, yes.
 
The worst time is when the engine has been started from cold and run for a short period (like 30 seconds to a minute), shut off, and then expect to immediately get an accurate reading at the sight window.

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Cracking the filter will work, but oil will drip down the front of the engine. 
with that extra bump-out behind the filter, that I've assumed acts either as an oil cooler or is there to help heat up the coolant quicker (one of those) , that won't happen on this bike. It'll just flow straight down. The filter is also up pretty high in respect to the oil level. I suspect also that only oil in the filter and between it and the pump will come out w/o restarting the motor and letting it all fill again. 
And it might also be hard to put a hose down into the oil from the filler as the alternator stator is in the way. 
 
The problem with the drain plug is that it's gotta come out all the way to let any oil out. And they do get slippy. 
 
 
 
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I would do the filter too. It's the anti-drain back valve that keeps the oil there even though it's higher than the oil pan.
You should be able to loose the oil contained in the filter, and on start up you will probably notice the oil light stay on a little longer because the filter is empty, but no worse than an oil change with a new filter.

Why can't left turners see us?

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suspiciouspackage

So instead of putting it on my stand, I had my friend hold the bike up and I took pictures of before and after I added oil. The before looks empty but you can see some barely at the bottom. And I filled it up to whatever the second picture shows. Is that enough or can I add a little more?
 
BL1JLb6.jpg
 
 
 
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phicurious86

You can add some more, if that second pick is fully settled. You see those 2 sets of lines/notches on the outside edge of the casing surrounding the glass viewing circle? The high line/notch set is what you don't want to go over, but you can go right up to it.
 

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suspiciouspackage
You can add some more, if that second pick is fully settled. You see those 2 sets of lines/notches on the outside edge of the casing surrounding the glass viewing circle? The high line/notch set is what you don't want to go over, but you can go right up to it.
Both pics are without starting the bike. 
I have approximately ½ quart left in my bottle. How much would you say would get it to be enough? I don't wanna bother anyone with holding the bike or anything right now. Or even removing the cover.
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