Oil capacity...nevermind

[dandantmm]

*** Update - Nevermind, I found another thread that says everyone puts in 5 qts


I'm posting this for my friend who is forum shy. :^)

How much oil does the 1700 hold? According to his book it's

4.3 no filter change
4.5 with filter change
5.3 when dry

It says to check it with the bike perpendicular to the ground and it should register between the low and high marks. He drained the oil, put on a new filter, and put in 4.5 qts of oil. He then ran the engine the 10 minutes it said and let it sit the proper amount of time and it doesn't even register on the dip stick when perpendicular to the ground (bike level off the side stand). If he puts it on the sidestand it registers fine. He's a little gun shy about adding more because the dealer overfilled the thing when he got it and oil was all inside the breather chamber and down the side of the bike. Plus the book says 4.5 with filter change so why doesn't it register? He did let it drain for a while but I think that's what most do with a regular oil + filter change...I do that.

So, if you let it drain a long time is it really the 5.3 qts you have to put back in? I helped clean up the first overfill by the dealer so I understand why he's apprehensive about adding much more that 4.5 qts.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I wouldn't think you would ever drain out the entire amount. When I change oil in my car or the Nomad I have the oil warm and in some cases almost hot. I let it drain until it is down to a drip ever now and then. Put the filter back on and put the drain bolt in. I have never put the amount of oil that is stated for when dry. I only think you would have dry engine after a rebuild. Hope that helps.

[Sin City Stan]

I put at least 5 Qts. in my 1700 every oil change. I put in 4 1/2 Qts.. Start it up, shut it down and let it set a few minutes. Then I have someone hold it up straight and I slowly add and check oil level in multiple checks until it's full.

Never overfilled it yet.

I think it holds more than 5 1/2 Qts. as I've refilled with 5 1/4 Qts more than once. Or maybe it just drains well.

[mrclean]

5 qts. is what i put in my Voyager.

[dandantmm]

He ended up with 5qts as well. I think the Kaw owners manual is just plain wrong and confusing. They should have oil capacity with filter and oil capacity without and they should actually match real world experience. Nobody cares how much you put in out of the crate except the dealer and if they have to look in the owners manual for that then there are bigger issues.

[jimbo279]

I agree about the confusing part. I did my first oil change yesterday to my 2011 Voyager and encountered about the same results. I had checked the oil level a few times during the first 600 miles and it seemed OK. Certainly wasn't low. Before I drained the oil I warmed the engine well and actually drained the oil with the bike on the kickstand. That made it real easy to get to the drain plugs. I had a pan that fit perfectly and when I saw it wasn't going to overfill the drain pan I stood the bike up perpendicular and caught the rest. I actually measured what I drained out and it was 5.6 quarts which is about 1 quart over what Kawi has in the manual. I changed the filter and put 4.5 quarts back in which seems to be on the money. I guess my dealer was confused when they prepped the bike as well. It's just like ma Kawi to make things confusing.

Jim

Originally Posted by dandantmm

He ended up with 5qts as well. I think the Kaw owners manual is just plain wrong and confusing. They should have oil capacity with filter and oil capacity without and they should actually match real world experience. Nobody cares how much you put in out of the crate except the dealer and if they have to look in the owners manual for that then there are bigger issues.