Forum

[Thack]

I've already explained the cause. There is a barrier between the oil tank and the sight glass, and this barrier sits slightly above the normal oil level. Thus the section where the sight glass is located does not reflect the true level in the tank.



You can demonstrate this very easily. Lean the bike to the left and upright again - the level in the glass will be low (perhaps below the bottom), and it won't refill. Lean it to the right and upright again - the level in the glass will be high, and it won't drain.



That's all there is to it. It's an incredibly silly mistake, but even more inexplicable is that they haven't fixed it. What is wrong with RE? Why don't they continually improve their products, like almost every other manufacturer?

[Deanobats]

Thanks Thack,
you have explained it very well, it makes perfect sense and you can see that happening as you tilt the bike from one side to the other. I was just having a moan

Getting the right amount of oil in the bike is rather important you would think, and getting the design right to allow you to know that you have the right amount of oil in it is also rather important. But then if I'd wanted something sensible I'd have bought a Honda...

[jefrs]

Les, when I did that the motor got over filled just by adding about 100ml. The double check is stick you finger down the filler hole.
It is really, really, really, bad to overfill the crank case of any engine. All sort of nasty horrible hydraulic things can happen including bent low compression con rod. It is far better for the oil to be on the low side. So long as some oil shows in the sight glass, it is ok. The sight glass should never be full to the top. Yes, check when hot but it is very difficult to get the engine dead level: that sight glass is definitely "for indication only". There's some 2.4 litres of oil inside, there's oil and oil to spare. It is really-bad news to overfill an engine with oil.

[Beezabryan]

Thankfully I know little or sod all about the modern "highly developed" RE offerings. The more I read the more I despair of Enfield India.
having had my moan I read with interest jefrs post about sticking a finger down the filler hole. Surely it is not beyond the capabilities of the here assembled experts to adapt the filler plug to incorporate a dipstick. That would solve all the factory made nonsensical lube level problems

[Les]

Will they let you into A&E with an Enfield attached to your finger

[Smudger]

I'm confused now.
If you check the oil when warm, then surely this will give a false reading as not all of the oil will have drained down ? Thus you risk over filling ??
So if you can't go by the sight glass (mine shows too low and too high all in one day) how can you tell what you've got in there?
I drained front and rear plugs and suction plate and changed the filter. I put in a smidge over 2 litres before it registered as just below max mark on the sight glass.
I drained the oil when slightly warm, so using the theory that you never get all of the old oil out, it's not going to be too far off, any thoughts guys?

Dave

[Thack]

Smudger writes: "If you check the oil when warm, then surely this will give a false reading as not all of the oil will have drained down?"



But it drains down very quickly. You only need to wait half a minute at most.

[jefrs]

Les, you must have fingers like bananas. rofl

Otoh the original dipstick was just that, a stick you poke down the hole. Work it out with a pencil?