Hitchcocks Forum

Hi guys, my friends just brought a 500 efi army, done about 1000 miles had its first service , he's very pleased with it but when today he tried to check his oil level all he can see is just black ,he s tried letting it settle but still just blackness is there any tips I can pass on as he s worried that it might have no oil at all thanks

Is it oil in the window witch is black try leaning the bike over a bit the side stand my be enough to see if the level drops perhaps a bit over filled

I'm also thinking he's just seeing a sight glass full of black oil.
If so then simply starting the bike will clear the oil from the sight glass.

Checking the oil levels on these things is a bit of a black art. As a number of posts of here attest, there is a ridge inside the crankcase that stops oil from freely flowing around to the sight glass. Tip it too far over to one side and then back upright and it's way over the sight glass. Tip it the other way and back upright and it looks like there is no oil. What I do it pop it on the centre-stand, make sure that it is absolutely level (side to side is most important, back to front less so). Run it for about 30 seconds or so. Sometimes you can see the oil level drop from the sight glass as the oil pump moves it around. Switch it off and wait about a minute, then look at the levels. Use a small torch if you have to. If it's just been serviced the oil should be well, oil coloured, not black.

If the suggestions as above don`t show any result, even to draining all the oil and it is still a black sight gauge, I would prise it out, it will probably break, if not, give it a good clean with petrol or kerosene. If it breaks, fit a new one. Although, at 1000 miles, it`s hard to see why it would be full of black gunk.

Take it back to the dealers before doing anything

On an EFI engine, the oil sight glass should look like this:



Notice the apparent complete lack of oil! If I tilt the bike to the right then it's right above the sight glass and stays there when I put the bike upright again. It's a 'feature'.

It's tricky and a little unnerving at first.
I changed oil and filter on mine recently and just filled it to 2.4litres as the manual said. My level is also allover the place. As long as you know you have enough in (2.4 L) and your not leaking any then I would forget about it. Just do not be tempted to overfill it as this will cause damage.

On the last two oil changes I've used exactly 4.5 litres, 2.25 litres each time.
Each oil change included a new filter and also removing the cupful of used oil which sits under the crank by unscrewing the 3rd drain plug (found on the latest crankcases).
Possibly other internal changes have been made we're simply not aware of at this moment to improve the reading level.
Here's mine with the bike on the centre stand.

Nice one ric! You've saved me the effort of persuading the oil to put in a guest appearance in the sight glass so I can take a picture of it looking like it's supposed to.