Out of oil?!

[yamahappy74]

So I got home last night (20 min ride in 70 degree weather, no traffic) and when I got off my bike I noticed it smelled really hot. That seemed odd to me, so I checked the coolant and it looks fine. Temp readout was normal. Then I checked the oil window and couldn't tell if it was low (maybe the bubble just wasn't showing). So I opened up the oil fill and I didn't see any oil in there at all. Now, there's no dipstick on this bike, so it could be that it's just not normal to see oil in there, but it has me worried enough where I didn't ride in to work today. I'm at 1,500 miles now and I changed the oil at 600 miles, so it's getting to be time for another oil change, but I can't imagine A) that the bike wouldn't have seized up by now if I was out of oil, and B) how I could possibly be burning or leaking enough oil to be out or even low.
Anyone have any input? Is that smell normal? I've never noticed it before.

[jake]

Check with it turned off and hold the bike upright if its not in the sight glass your low (get a flash light if needed). wondering now since you asked this if you did the oil change right? not trying to be a dick just honest.

[yamahappy74]

Not my first bike. I've done many oil changes. I didn't notice any leaks after I did the last change. I'm all anxious about it now.

[ch3rryghost]

So when you looked at the window, it was clear? When you initially did the oil change, did you ride it around then top it off?

[RobMoore]

I wouldn't freak out until I checked it cold and upright (preferably on stands).

[Guest Ralph]

If the oil pressure warning light did not come on then you must have had oil pressure,
if you think you cant see the top of the oil in the window lean the bike to the right
unless it's very over full you should see the oil appear, the oil is checked engine off
if you start the engine the oil level drops this shows it's getting pumped round the engine.

[aeisan]

What was the engine temp?

[yamahappy74]

I'll let you all know when I get home. I did upright the bike last night to check it but it's kind of hard to do that and hold the bike upright given the position of the oil check. Engine temp was around 200 degrees, which is normal (I believe). I'm hoping this is just my imagination.

[aeisan]

200-degF is pretty normal, yeah. Far from what I would consider too hot. Plus, like Ralph said, if there was no oil pressure warning, there's almost no way the oil was gone.
 
Sort of off topic but still a little relevant, based on the comment the engine most likely would have seized with no oil in it... By buddy/neighbor is a huge VW nut, and he told me once about a test VW did where they ran a Jetta engine dry and put another 100k miles on it or something before it ever failed. I guess my point is with proper engineering, a good motor CAN run with no oil for a while. Food for thought, if nothing else!

[bmwpowere36m3]

Not my first bike.

 
 
Seems like a silly question then... get down on a knee and look at the window with the engine off and bike upright. Or with the bike on the side stand it should be totally full.

[rick]

Unless the motor is burning huge amounts of oil - and you'd see it in the exhaust - more likely there's too much oil than too little. It's pretty easy to go from near those full marks to having a window completely filled with oil.
 
The alternator stator is in the way of seeing the oil level - don't even bother looking down the fill hole.
 
Hold the bike upright and pay, erm, bribe, erm ask someone nicely to get down on their knee to have a look at the level in the sight glass - it's the only way to check the oil.
 
As for the smell, ever run over a plastic bag on the road. Man, what a stink and there's almost no way to get the melted goo off the pipe until it burns away.

[yamahappy74]

All good input. Like I said, I think I may be jumping the shark thinking the oil is low or out. I just don't want anything happening to my baby.

[SkH]

My question is, what does hot smell like?
 
I'm just busting your balls, I know you meant something burning. At least I think that's what you meant.

[aeisan]

I can tell you what hot garbage (pronounced hawt gahbage, I was born on Boston) smells like, ha!

[username]

I'm not 100% positive but I'm pretty sure you feel "hot". You don't smell heat. But I may have been going about this wrong my whole life who knows

[mjh937]

You can also see "hot". Like when I look at my wife

[username]

I'm not sure I understand this "seeing hot" thing you speak of. Perhaps some pictures of your wife may help? Strictly for educational purposes of course. jks

[yamahaha]

So ... what's the verdict? Is it out of oil or no? I need closure.

[yamahappy74]

Hey all. I rode it in today. When I got home last night, I tipped it up again, and I guess I must've missed it before, but after a few seconds, the bubble appeared in the window. Looks fine. Given that the oil and coolant are ok, and the temp readout wasn't abnormal, I'm assuming it was nothing.
 
For the record, when I say it smells "hot", I meant like when you run an engine hard and something just smells off, like rubber burning or something. I'm just happy it was nothing to worry about.

[Beemer]

The same thing has happened to me but I instantly realized my mistake, I hadn't waited long enough for the oil to come off the top end and when I checked it later everything was fine. 

[Guest Ralph]

If oil gets flung off the chain it can get on the side of the exhaust then you get that hot oil smell.