checking oil levels

[brettule]

I've got an old '79 GS400 which is blowing a bit of smoke so I know she's burning oil. A rebuild is planned for mid next year but for now I've just done a service and changed the oil. The oil window is caked up, cant see a thing. How can I tell what the oil level is at when the window is unusable?

[tkent02]

Only by cleaning the window. It's fairly easy.

[brettule]

how do I clean the inside?

[Toasty]

You have to remove the clutch cover and clean it off by hand. Get a new gasket too because the old one will be all torn up.

[1_v8_merc]

drain the oil out, and measure it as you pour it back in.

[GSX1000E]

how do I clean the inside?

If you bend the plastic straw on a can of brake cleaner or carb cleaner so that you can aim at the oil window, you can usually get it clean enough to view when changing the oil.