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[Alan R]

Hello all---------- After being worked on for over 12 months ( Carbs strip & rebuild, new cam belts, K & N filter mod, Oil & filter change, Radiator re-cored, etc...) I finally managed to fire-up my 1976 Honda GL1000 Goldwing today..The 1998 battery went "Phutt" so I had to jumper-up a car one (kept for such an occasion )......Initially I cranked it over with the plugs out and the "kill" switch in the OFF position, just to test that the oil pressure switch and green warning light system was OK .... which it was................Half a tank of fresh fuel and new plugs saw me ready for the first test start...I press the button and after a few hesitations she fired-up beautifully BUT with a fair bit of smoke !!...which just got worse and worse.( Remember those big 2-stroke GP racers back in the 1970's ??).....I thought it might be rings that had stuck so just let it idle for 10 mins or so.....Again, it was smoking now like Mt. Vesuvius so switched it off..........Something badly wrong here as it was perfectly OK last year........I re-checked all that I had done up to now when the answer hit me straight between the eyes !!!-----------Oil capacity = 3 litres NOT 5 !!----- I had mis-read the manual...Problem with this engine design is no dipstick, just a small window in the crankcase...Anyway, a quick drain-off and we start again and ----HOO-RAY !! all is well...................Phew !!

[jaffa90]

I bet you was under pressure as well.

[Mark M]

My pal John told his girlfriend (now Missus,) to always check the oil on her car and if in doubt top it up. When he eventually drove it he said it had a smokescreen like HMS Belfast when the Bismarck was in town. Checking the oil he discovered he had to drain off 2 gallons before the level was even back down on the top of the dipstick! When asked she said she'd occasionally added a "couple of glugs". We now refer to overfilling the oil (or anything else,) as "a couple of glugs..." REgards, Mark

[PeteF]

My old Dad used to tell a story of a lad in WW2 who was told to fill a truck with oil - he did as he was told - right up to the top!!

[simon]

As a youth I worked in a local petrol station in a posh part of town. One day this mink coated lady turn up in a DB6 Aston and was rude as hell. She bitched and moaned and then insisted that I check and recheck the oil. Finally I said "oh yes you're right it's nearly empty" and then put in an extra two quarts on a full sump. Felt bad for the Aston but the old cow deserved it.

[PeteF]

Also remember a car manual (60s I think - can't remember the make) quoted "after 1000 miles - drain oil" and apparently some people did exactly that!

[bigpete]

Also don't forget Gold wings are the same as b.m.w flat twins, if you leave them on the side stand they will smoke when starting up as a lot of oil will have drained into the l/h cylinders.

[Alan R]

For a time I worked with the Royal Mail as a MT Technician...One day, whilst on secondment from Reading, Berks. to our satellite workshops serving the Southall Head Post Office,, West London one of the younger "Drivers" presented me with a duly completed Form MTE108 "Drivers Vehicle Fault Report" and the offending article ie}--- a Bedford Artic. Tractor's engine oil dip stick..........Penned on the 108 were the immortal words }----- Too short.............I think we framed that one and hung it on the Dining room wall !! ( Hand-on-heart that's true guys !!)