Hitchcocks Forum

Howdo !

I know this is not a new question, but in reading the other threads on this subject, I am less confident now than I was before reading them. LOL

Right then. 2013 Continental GT 535. My oil level "appears" to be low.
IE : I'm having to tilt the bike towards the sight glass,whilst on the centre stand, engine cold, to get the oil to show at all.
My first "Obvious" impression, was that it needs topping up.
After reading previous comments on the subject, I'm now less than confident as to the correct level !.
I am an engineer, so would not consider myself as completely Daft, but further clarification would be most helpful.
I WAS going to top up, to midway between the Hi and Low level marks on the sight glass, when cold, and when stood, say overnight.
I would then monitor the level, both after a run, and again once settled/cold.
Am I wrong then ?
Has anyone figured this out yet ?
(PS. I don't yet want to start afresh,with a full oil/filter change, as the existing oil is nearly new anyway, just appears low.)
Bike is presently my work transport, so needs to be in operation.
I have bought Motul 15 - 50 JASO MA2 semi synth to top her up.

Not wanting to overfill, not wanting to be too low. what's the best advice please?
I'm awaiting your advice before touching it.
Gazbo

Run the bike untill warmed up, put it on the centre stand on level ground and let it tickover while you take your gloves and helmet off. Give it 5 minutes and look at the window. Can you see oil? Yes, all ok. No, put some in. If you tip the bike to the left the oil will disappear from the window, it will NOT return when you put the bike level again!!! You have to go back to tickover for a few mins on centre stand.

Use a small bubble on any good horizontal section of the engine and use it to ensure the bike is perfectly upright when checking the oil level.
I use the starter motor casing on my B5, but have the distinct advantage of being able to place wedges under the centre stand legs to orientate the bike.

Just find yourself a repeatable procedure. Same spot, same sort of time after you stop the engine. A hundred mil here or there doesn't matter. I have to put a block under my front wheel as the garage slopes. I know from measuring fresh oil in the volume is right. Its a rubbish design, try filling a tea tray with oil and walking across the kitchen, the level of predictability and amount of cleaning required are going to be in proportion!

Andy

AHA !
Thought it must be something weird.
Thanks lads- I'm on it !

Just A quick - final question Haggis - When you say "Can you see oil - YES", am I expecting an actual level there at that point, or just some kind of Flow/trickle visible ?
It's hard to know when you are away from the bike (I'm at work). Will be riding home in around an hour (9 Miles). I'll perform the check when I get there.
( she coughed a couple of times and then cut completely this morning, then re started and ran ok, but It may have just been lumps of thick fog getting into the lectrickery ! hopeful to get home ok though - sun's out now...)

If it ain't one thing - it's yer Mother ! haha

The issue arises because the crankcase is compartmentalised, so the oil “hides” in various parts of the engine. This is why a dipstick would make no difference. I agree with Haggis on the basic procedure though really I find that with the later engines with two drain plugs,as long as as much oil is drained out when changing the oil, it is best to put in the specified amount of oil according to whether or not the filter is being changed. This equates to half way up the sight glass. What it do s after that is hit and miss but as long as oil is visiting bike after running the engine and leaving it a while it’ll come to no harm. Don’t obsess about it as some do. They don’t burn much oil, so as long as there are no leaks it should be ok. Spurious accuracy is a phrase that springs to mind...

Yes rattlebattle - I'm in full agreement.
As you will appreciate, after climbing off a fazer, onto this baby, only around 2 weeks ago, panic set in, especially as no local people seem to stock the correct grade. So, as I suppose most level headed people would do, I ordered enough for a full change, and a filter, fully intending to rectify the level now, followed by a full monty, in slightly warmer weather. That was the plan. I followed Haggis's much appreciated advice this evening.hey presto- glass was full, until I tilted. Big sigh of relief, followed by a fierce rollocking from she who must be obeyed, as to my "unnecessary flittering away of our hard-earned".. so- thanks all, for putting my mind at rest. Great stuff. Gazbo....