Hitchcocks Forum

I have just become the proud owner of an imported classic 500. Heard son tappet noise on starting and checked the oil level which seemed to have risen. My thoughts are it can only be fuel. Is this possible with an Efi with a fuel pump. I have had no hydraulic lock. Also there is no sensor on the exhaust. Normal for an Indian import? Cheers

AndyMc - these EFIs are a bit noisy in the tappet area, even though they are hydraulically operated!
The oil level is another thing, it varies when the engine is running - I presume you're looking at the sight-glass on the right near the kick-start pawl?
Advice on this subject is pretty much 'make sure the correct amount of oil was put in the oil filler cap (I froget what the right amount should be!) & then forget it........
There are traps & nooks & crannies inside the engine which collect oil in small quantities - it can take a while to all drain back down to its lowest level again (as many more will no doubt tell you).
As long as oil is showing in the glass I wouldn't worry about it - ride it, enjoy it & get used to it mate.

Cheers. The oil level in the site glass was in the bottom 3rd. It is now at the top. There was a very loud clicking sound which stops when the engine as revved so suspect that the oil is not pressuring the hydraulic tappet. Will change the oil and see what happens.

Do make sure the bike is well warmed up before checking it over Andy - these EFIs are a little cold-blooded & can take a few miles before reaching operating temperature.
Be very careful with the oil change as it's far more dangerous to OVER fill it with oil than under filling because, as the penguin found out, (Ahem!) you can blow a seal!
Cheers man

AndyMc the oil should be 15w-50 ester based semi synthetic (Motul or Silkolene) for the correct operation of the hydraulic tappets. Put the bike on the centre stand and let it tick over for 4-5 mins so that its nice and warm (don't blip the throttle). Then let it 'rest' for a couple of minutes (bit like a joint of roast beef!) and then look in the sight glass. It should be half way between the marks. Its just as impotent not to have too much as to have too little. It certainly won't be petrol in the crankcase, that's one thing you can eliminate. The tappets are noisy on start up but they soon settle down.

I cold fill to the level line on the sight glass, seems to work

The oil level shown in the glass on the EFI can go up and down like a fiddler's elbow on a daily basis.



If you can get level with the lines you will see the top line is half way up the glass and the lower line near the bottom.



I try to fill to the bottom mark but you can have no oil showing in the glass, add 100ml and it goes over the top mark.

Some oil showing in the glass is good, there should be a bubble of air showing. Overfilling is bad (even damage the motor in extremis) and then it will try to spit the excess out of the breather straight into the clean side of the air filter. There are many weirs and dams inside the engine that prevent the oil dropping to a consistent level.

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The oil level glass is far from accurate, it is not something to worry about.

The noise may be the auto decompressor when starting and sometimes can be heard while riding sometimes often confused with tappets, the oil level on these bikes takes a bit of getting used to, as already said avoid overfilling

Leaving it idling for 10 minutes or more will start to cook the engine, it is air cooled and needs air flow to cool it. The engine does have a temperature sensor but you can point an IR thermometer at it.



I'm running mine on Mobil 1 which is full-synth bike oil but a very good oil that I trust, I've had truly humongous mileages out of vehicles running on it (do check the JASO/API that the oil is for wet clutches). Synth and semi-synth are just more refined versions of ordinary mineral oil, so use the best, whatever.



If the O2 sensor has been removed then check you have a bypass resistor in its connector. This is done to fool the ECU, often with a silencer swap. Do all indian domestic models have the O2 sensor?



The motor is push rod, "tappet" noise is normal. The EFI has hydraulic lifters, no adjustment there but the cams can be adjusted for backlash - if they're not bust don't fix them. The tappets as such are under that little cover on the block, what we hear are the rockers clattering in the head.

As it is an import, one of the first things I would want to do is change oil and filters. There are /three/ drain holes on an EFI and do not, do not, simply pour 2.75 litres of oil back in - not all of the old oil ever comes out - so add about half the new oil and then start guessing with the level sight gauge, plus the engine has to be run to circulate the oil. The engine has a huge sump and will run and pick up oil from a little over half-fill. Patience is required.