Magically appearing oil

[RickG]

Well, I did my first oil change including the filter. Let it drain for a good hour while I looked for my torque wrench. Filled it up from a 3.785 liter container. Fired it up and let it run for a few minutes and rechecked. It was near the low side mark so I added a little more, but still have a little bit left in the container. The world is great. I go for a short 20 minute ride bring it home and park the bike. Now the oil inspection window is completely filled with oil, way beyond the FULL mark.

I get my oil catch container out and measure the oil in it which is 3.075 liters. So it looks like I have about an extra .7 liters in the bike. What happened? Do I need to drain it down to the FULL mark?

[Newbie2it]

Well,

Rick, if you can keep that magic Kat producing oil like that, You can bottle it and sell it and get rich.

As for the oil level being high... Drain it down to the proper level. Maybe others with watercooled bikes might have an answer.. Possible antifreeze leak? <shrug> Not sure.

<Edit thought> Were you checking the bike while holding it vert and leaning over the side to see the window? Might have been leaning it a little beyond vert to get the false reading.

[md86]

When parked for a while , the window WILL be full . Normal . You check by running it for one minute , shutting it down and waiting a minute or 2 , then checking . Checking any other time will give a false reading .
BTW , don't use the centerstand . I parked in what I thought was a level lot and the oil was low . I added almost 1/3 of a quart and the level never went up . Put bike on sidestand , then held it up at balance point , and it was now overfull .

[steves]

Well,

Rick, if you can keep that magic Kat producing oil like that, You can bottle it and sell it and get rich.

As for the oil level being high... Drain it down to the proper level. Maybe others with watercooled bikes might have an answer.. Possible antifreeze leak? <shrug> Not sure.

<Edit thought> Were you checking the bike while holding it vert and leaning over the side to see the window? Might have been leaning it a little beyond vert to get the false reading.

NO kats are watercooled.... unless it's a one off custom job.

[Newbie2it]

Well,

Rick, if you can keep that magic Kat producing oil like that, You can bottle it and sell it and get rich.

As for the oil level being high... Drain it down to the proper level. Maybe others with watercooled bikes might have an answer.. Possible antifreeze leak? <shrug> Not sure.

<Edit thought> Were you checking the bike while holding it vert and leaning over the side to see the window? Might have been leaning it a little beyond vert to get the false reading.

NO kats are watercooled.... unless it's a one off custom job.

I dont know about the newer Kats LOL I've got a 93, I just assumed they went to watercooled near the end of the production life since most bikes went that way.

Lower the horns and back away slowly :P
Its why I said "Possible". Since I didnt know for sure.
Thanks for the info on kats not being watercooled. Now I know. Just figured it was a possible way for oil to suddenly increase, Like a watercooled bike could.

[md86]

Just figured it was a possible way for oil to suddenly increase, Like a watercooled bike could.

Oh , it can . It'd be from fuel getting past the rings .....

[The CyberPoet]

Oh , it can . It'd be from fuel getting past the rings .....

It can indeed be from fuel flooding out a carb and washing down the cylinder past the rings and ending up in the oil. But if the engine came up to temp during that ride, you'd also find a ton of fluid in your airbox as a result (when the oil hits full temp, the fuel in the oil would vaporize, get sucked back to the airbox via the vent tube and recondense there). I'd also expect the bike to run like crap if it was actively flooding while riding.

Thus, it simple sounds as if you measured it using the incorrect method the second time and panic'd.
Most likely, the other .7 liters that didn't find their way to your drain can can be accounted for by a couple of factors:
dry oil filter vs. the soaked one you removed;
oil level not at "full" mark before the oil change.

Use the method MD86 listed (also listed in the owner's manual) of starting the bike, letting it idle a couple minutes, then shutting down and checking the window literally 1-2 minutes later (not 5+ minutes later). Hot oil also flows much faster, so the time for the correct reading actually reduces as the engine temp increases. Leaving it parked for a while before checking will always give you an artificially high oil level.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[RickG]

TX for the input. I did indeed check it on the center stand. I'll warm it up, stand it on both wheels and get a reading.

[The CyberPoet]

TX for the input. I did indeed check it on the center stand. I'll warm it up, stand it on both wheels and get a reading.

As long as the surface is flat, the centerstand is the "owner's manual" preferred method for checking.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[md86]

Yeah , but if you hold it up at the tipping point , even on a hill you'll know it's level .....