oil level check

[active1951]

I have praise for numerous aspects of this fine machine, HOWEVER checking the oil does NOT get my praise.

Why not(oh no here we go) just check the oil the official way, you know the way that takes one afternoon. Then let the bike cool overnight and check it cold to see what it reads on the dipstick. Make a mental note or a physical mark on the dipstick, so you know where the correct level is?
I have done this and it seems to work, but perhaps the drainback rate etc could flaw my technique.
Website veterans and newbie comments are appreciated...
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[Mike7202]

everyones drainback rate seems to be different. some guys will register nothing on the dipstick, some will still show full. but the kicker is also time.... letting it sit overnight say 12 hours you might read x on the dipstick but if you let it sit another 12 hours it may read something different. you will have to do some more testing. say every 8 hours for a few days and see it the level stays the same or slowly creeps down

[shoban]

Originally Posted by Mike7202

everyones drainback rate seems to be different. some guys will register nothing on the dipstick, some will still show full. but the kicker is also time.... letting it sit overnight say 12 hours you might read x on the dipstick but if you let it sit another 12 hours it may read something different. you will have to do some more testing. say every 8 hours for a few days and see it the level stays the same or slowly creeps down

Yeah, I am assuming that if it could be cold checked, then that is what the instructions from Yamaha would say. I doubt they made it complicated just to be a pia.

That said, I'll follow with interest the results of your on-going tests, if you decide to do them.

[arizonawarrior]

Dirty oil might be thicker and drainback slower or not as much. Different oils (20-40 10-40 20-50) will vary. Oil brands can vary a bit. Ambient temperature plays a part. How long you rode and how hot/thin the oil became. It seems like there are far too maybe intertwining variables. Its better to (a) check after a ride when you have a moment, or (b) install an oil pressure gauge because oil pressure reduces as oil thins or as volume decreases so once you learn these repeatable readings life gets easier.

[active1951]

Maybe the Yamaha "engineers" should have a "recall" on this....
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[arizonawarrior]

Hehe yep . . . all kidding aside as you probably know its not that kind of thing. A dry sump means there is no oil pan, and most of the circulating oil is being pumped inside the oil journals in the motor, or in the oil tank. The benefit is you can corner at very high speeds and the oil doesn't slosh away from the bearings where its needed. Its a race feature for hot rods. It has one down-side . . . and actually once you know how to check oil in a dry sump machine its not hard its just different.

[twicechosen]

Arizona. Thanks for the info on the how and why of the oil in this machine. Different way to check the oil for sure this bike but considering the bike, well worth the trouble.

[scawein]

Originally Posted by arizonawarrior

Dirty oil might be thicker and drainback slower or not as much. Different oils (20-40 10-40 20-50) will vary. Oil brands can vary a bit. Ambient temperature plays a part. How long you rode and how hot/thin the oil became. It seems like there are far too maybe intertwining variables. Its better to (a) check after a ride when you have a moment, or (b) install an oil pressure gauge because oil pressure reduces as oil thins or as volume decreases so once you learn these repeatable readings life gets easier.

Barometer too......

+1 on the gauge. Once you get used to it's readings, it is invaluable. I can see increased oil temperatures on the pressure gauge (goes down) and it looks great on the bike too.
Here is a BOM I did of the parts you need.
Oil Gauge Install and BOM

[iowawarrior]

there's an easier way. when you change the oil and have verified that it's at the correct level, forget about it until you change it again. unless you find a giant puddle of oil under the bike or it smokes like my old ford back in the 70's, it's all still in there.