Noob oil question

[rsperko]

Picked up my bike last Saturday. The dealer just performed the 18k service. When I look in the window it does not look like there is oil. Can it look empty when it is full? The dealer told me to ride it for 20min, let it sit on the center stand for 5 minutes - not 4, not 6, then check it. When I do this, nothing changes. There is still no oil line. Believing that it was empty I put a 1/4 quart in, no change. Now I am convinced it is over full. Any suggestions?

Thank you,
-Rick

I really, really need to buy an owner's manual. Clymer's is on its way.

[owldaddy]

Sounds to me like it is overfull, the oil was just changed, and if it is a light colored oil, it will be hard to see it if the level doesn't fall within the window. I believe a lot of dealers fill the level up to the top of the window, it needs to be in the middle. Then you added more to an already overfull sump. Sounds like it may be time to drain it into a clean pan and see how much comes out. If the pan is clean you can always reuse it.

[riceburner]

Are you seeing any colour at all?

the plate behind the sight glass is metallic and will be a silvery colour. If you can see yellowish, or red colour - then you have oil in there.

[rsperko]

I drained the oil and it had 2.75 quarts in it cold. In other words I rode it yesterday, let it sit overnight and drained it without riding it to temperature. The oil is not pretty and clear, so I definitely was not seeing any in the sight glass.

Since I am not sure how much oil can be hiding when it is drained cold, I suppose I will keep adding about a 1/4 quart after every ride until I see something in the sight glass. I would welcome other suggestions.

Thank you for the help,
-Rick

[Buckster]

You don't want to ride it without seeing oil in the sight glass. Go ahead and fill it to the middle of the sight glass. ....and next time....do your own oil change.

[AndyRR]

I don't think the dealer is telling you the procedure correctly.
Ride it 20 mins - OK
Park it on the SIDE STAND. Leave it there at least 10 minutes.
Check the level on the CENTER stand.

The idea is to have the oil drain from the oil coolers into the engine and this is best done on the side stand. My routine is to park the bike in the garage for the evening on the sidestand. As I am getting ready to ride the next day, I put it on the center stand and check. If it's at the botton of the glass but visible, put in a half quart or so and ride. Check it again the next morning. Total capacity is just under one gal.
If you drain the oil without having it rest on the side stand, you probably didn't drain the oil from the coolers. That would explain the 2.75 qts. If you then put a gallon back in, you are likely overfull by 1.25 quarts.

I always kinda assume that everyone has a center stand. I think they were an option? Gotta suck to not have one.

[rsperko]

You don't want to ride it without seeing oil in the sight glass. Go ahead and fill it to the middle of the sight glass. ....and next time....do your own oil change.

I will, I would never consider letting someone else change the oil on my Enfield, but this was BMW from a BMW Dealership, I am sure it is right...

I am very glad for this forum.

I don't think the dealer is telling you the procedure correctly.
Ride it 20 mins - OK
Park it on the SIDE STAND. Leave it there at least 10 minutes.
Check the level on the CENTER stand.

The idea is to have the oil drain from the oil coolers into the engine and this is best done on the side stand. My routine is to park the bike in the garage for the evening on the sidestand. As I am getting ready to ride the next day, I put it on the center stand and check. If it's at the botton of the glass but visible, put in a half quart or so and ride. Check it again the next morning. Total capacity is just under one gal.
If you drain the oil without having it rest on the side stand, you probably didn't drain the oil from the coolers. That would explain the 2.75 qts. If you then put a gallon back in, you are likely overfull by 1.25 quarts.

I always kinda assume that everyone has a center stand. I think they were an option? Gotta suck to not have one.

That is the procedure I had originally followed multiple times and did not see any oil. When I told the dealer's tech that procedure he was VERY condescending and told me that the reason I was not seeing oil was because I was checking it wrong.

He explained that the oil contracts so very much I would not see oil in the glass even twenty minutes after riding. Hence the check it not four, not six, but five minutes after riding, and don't put it on the sidestand. I was very impressed with the thermal characteristics of BMW oil after his description, but figured I would try it his way.

For emptying it I didn't do it after riding again because I knew the result both with the method you describe and the dealer's method results in no oil in the glass. And frankly I was horrified at the miles I had put on it being confident things were fine, "I am just new and didn't understand..." I drained and measured it cold mostly to get a ballpark and to see the color (dark) of the oil. I was not planning on replacing the oil filter and know oil is hiding in there so I wasn't going to get the 3.75-3.9 I had read about.

I will put more in cold until I see some at the bottom of the glass, then ride it and check it the way you describe and work my way back to the center of the glass.

This thread cinched it, I am becoming a member.

Thank you,
-Rick

[AndyRR]

He explained that the oil contracts so very much I would not see oil in the glass even twenty minutes after riding. Hence the check it not four, not six, but five minutes after riding, and don't put it on the sidestand. I was very impressed with the thermal characteristics of BMW oil after his description, but figured I would try it his way.

Between that BS and the condescending attitude I would never go back. These bikes are easy enough to work on. I have a good dealer fairly close by and my '02 R1150R has never seen the inside. I changed my brake pads in their parking lot though.
I'm fairly certain that the center stand was only an option, so the procedure couldn't have the bike rest on one.
Welcome to the club!

[rsperko]

Hurray, I can see oil in the glass! I am a little over the halfway mark now. I was about 3/4 quarts short it appears.

I planned on doing my own maintenance. I am a bit concerned about throttle body synch, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

Once again, thanks for the help.

-Rick

[boxermania]

First, welcome aboard.

Second do away wih the dealer, operating the engine without seen oil on the window will damage the engine and not make you very happy. Sidestand, center stand and oil in the middle of the window is the key. Always check the level before riding.

Third, basic maintenance on these bikes is fairly easy and any info or help is available on this site.

Enjoy and be safe.