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How long for oil to show in window?

  • Thread starter Thread starter UncleMike
  • Start date Start date
The oil capacity including filter is usually stamped on a boss/plate beside the oil filler neck. If I remember correctly, you bike should take about 3.25 quarts without a filter change and 1/4 quart more if the oil filter is changed.
Earl

Billyboy said:
How many litres does a GS 1000 take? I changed my oil and filter today for the first time and mis-estimated how much oil it took. I only bought 2 litres.
Click to expand...
 
Yep. I always have the oil show up within moments after shutting down. The oil is hot and thin so drains fast.

You positive you put in all you meant to this morning? Wind her out a lot today?

I don't really have a feel for this yet myself... I've noticed that sometimes I'll drop a quart in 500mi or so (rarely) and then sometimes I haven't needed to touch it for 800+ miles. I check the levels daily..


I'd say top it up to where it should be (on the centerstand of course) and then ride....keeping an eye out for drips and smoke. If it doesn't go away on you this time don't sweat it.

I've also heard that sometimes fresh oil will "boil off" quickly in our engines... aromatics coming out of the base or something. It seemed like that was happening to me once on a trip last fall...every 400mi or so I'd have to put in 1/2 to 1 quart.

Keep us posted!
/\/\ac
 
My 750 T manual says to wait 1 minute before checking, so something is amiss here. Maybe the oil passage to this window is plugged or being blocked from filling up. Might have to drain the oil and pull the clutch cover to check it out. Maybe the oil level is too high already and is covering the entire window. Sometimes it is hard to tell the level with new clean oil.

Dan
 
earlfor said:
The oil capacity including filter is usually stamped on a boss/plate beside the oil filler neck. If I remember correctly, you bike should take about 3.25 quarts without a filter change and 1/4 quart more if the oil filter is changed.
Earl
Click to expand...
Just checked my owner's manual. Even though it says 3200ml on the engine, the manual says that only applies when changing the oil only, and when changing the oil and filter, I should use 3800ml. This is frickin' ridiculous.

How much damage did I do riding ~50 miles today with too little oil?
 
My Money Says None. These Engines are Tough as Nails even when abused. I have heard of others Running Way Low on Oil without Major Damage. I think DPEP said Once He had Done it a Few times on His 850. Fill it Up and Ride, I bet it's OK.
 
marvinsc said:
My Money Says None. These Engines are Tough as Nails even when abused. I have heard of others Running Way Low on Oil without Major Damage. I think DPEP said Once He had Done it a Few times on His 850. Fill it Up and Ride, I bet it's OK.
Click to expand...
I hope so. Just ****es me off, it's stamped right on the damn ENGINE!!!
​
 
Depending upon how long the bike has been sitting without running, how warm it is, how patient I am when I drain the oil, and probably a few other things, my 700 has never really needed an exact amount of oil to fill her back up after an oil drain. I've learned to not worry about how much I add, just go by the sight glass.

Fill 'er up to 3/4 full in the sight glass, take her for a spin around the block, park her back in the garage, wait five minutes, then top off to the 3/4 mark again (assuming your sight glass isn't plugged).

If you have had some varnishing in your engine, your sight glass may need to be cleaned. Drain the oil, take off the engine cover and unscrew the retainer that holds the sight glass in place. Spray the window grill with compressed air and wipe clean. You may have to use some carb cleaner if it's really stained. If you do, dunk it in soapy water immediately after spraying the crud off to get the cleaner off.

I've seen a couple bikes that had been running with less than a quart of oil for some time both recover fine after a new oil and filter change. You probably did no damage to the enigine, so don't sweat it, just fix it and all should be well.
 
Adding to what relic rider said, be sure you dont overfill with fresh oil, a severe overfill means bad news for seals. That said, with 50 miles of riding it should be darker than brand new oil, so youll be able to see it. These engines are pretty resistant to low oil because of the roller bearings.

IMO, sight gauges are stupid for the primary means of checking the oil. They just arent precise enough for me. A dipstick is SO much easier. Even with fresh oil, you know exactly how much youve got. *steps off soapbox*
 
Thanks guys. She's filled up now. I was just getting worried as I'm trying so hard to get her running right, and I don't want to go and make things WORSE!

Mike
 
Mike,

Don?t freak out!

Your engine is fine, and you did not damage it at all.

You ran the engine for 50 miles with over three quarts in the crankcase and oil galleys etc.

Our GS engines have nearly the same oil capacity as most American V-8 engines. That is so they can run at 5000 RPM for hours on the highway on a hot day.

Next time you change the oil, don?t worry about measuring cc's, just pour in three full quarts, and then pour most of a fourth quart in, until you see the oil level rising in the sight glass.

When I change the oil on my GS 1000 bikes, they take almost four full quarts.

Always check oil level with the bike on the center stand. Hot oil will take a minute or less to drain down into the crankcase and rise to a level visible in the sight glass.

Relax. Ride. Smile.
 
bgk said:
Mike,

Don?t freak out!

Your engine is fine, and you did not damage it at all.

You ran the engine for 50 miles with over three quarts in the crankcase and oil galleys etc.

Our GS engines have nearly the same oil capacity as most American V-8 engines. That is so they can run at 5000 RPM for hours on the highway on a hot day.

Next time you change the oil, don?t worry about measuring cc's, just pour in three full quarts, and then pour most of a fourth quart in, until you see the oil level rising in the sight glass.

When I change the oil on my GS 1000 bikes, they take almost four full quarts.

Always check oil level with the bike on the center stand. Hot oil will take a minute or less to drain down into the crankcase and rise to a level visible in the sight glass.

Relax. Ride. Smile.
Click to expand...

Okay, okay, okay. I'm breathing. I'm happy. I'm calm.


I'm gonna go have a beer or eight.

Thanks again guys,...don't know what I'd do without the GSR.
 
If I run 20W-50 in my '80 GS850G it takes like three HOURS in the morning after a run to seatle down!!
 
I got some more oil and topped her up. It took about 3.6L with the filter change. I filled the filter before I installed it, is that a good practice?

It takes about 2 minutes for my 10/40 to read full after a run.
 
to chime in with a dumb question...

The 3/4 level in the window is where I want the oil level, correct?
 
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I like it about there. Then if some goes, it will not be too low before I realize it.
 
My problem is that it's so touchy as to how level the ground she's sitting on is. In three places I tried her, the oil level showed as either completely empty, completely full, or half full. I need a level to test my ground!
 
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Typically level ground and put it on the main stand (not the kick stand). This levels the bike out enough as ling as you are on pretty level ground. It is not crucial to be perfect here. That again is why I go to 3/4. If you fill it and are over, seals can start to leak due to a unknowingly too high level.
 
semerm said:
Typically level ground and put it on the main stand (not the kick stand). This levels the bike out enough as ling as you are on pretty level ground. It is not crucial to be perfect here. That again is why I go to 3/4. If you fill it and are over, seals can start to leak due to a unknowingly too high level.
Click to expand...

There's no level ground where I live. Too many hills. Too many frost heaves.
 
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Can you put it on a garage floor or sidewalk, even a parking lot?
 
semerm said:
Can you put it on a garage floor or sidewalk, even a parking lot?
Click to expand...

Those were the three places I was talking about!

The garage floor is over 100 years old, and all over the place. And the parking lots and sidewalks around here are all plagued by frostheaves and on hills. I just keep trying and taking an average of all of them, also knowing that I haven't put in more than the 3800ml recommended.

Ah, the rolling doldrums of the rural hinterlands.
 
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