Over fill Engine oil - issues?

[jandreu]

Changed my filter and oil. Having problems getting bike level and checking oil level at the same time, this design has to be the worst I've seen. I bet there's a Kaw. engineer somewhere laughing there ass off.

Anyway, finally figured out a way to get the bike level while on the jack. With the seat off I put a 3' level across the flat on the frame just to the rear of the top of the battery. Put a 2x4 under the far side of the jack and slowly lowered the bike. The left side remains at a fixed height due to the 2X4 and the right side pivots down as the jack drops until I get it level.

With the bubble in the middle the oil sight glass is full of oil, in fact I can lean the bike off center I'd say about 5 degrees to the left and the sight glass is still full. With the bike on the side stand there is no oil showing in the sight glass.

My question is, how dangerous is it to run the bike with the oil level to high? Will this cause any issues?

Thanks,

[macmac]

LOL you use a bubble level? All I do is grab a hand full of brake and kneel so my right knee hit the crash bar, and i ballance the bike to see in the window.

I park on more or less level ground. The oil should not hit the top mark cold.

If you are a lot over full loosen the screen plug, as it has 4 slots oil can drain from and still be controlled.

If the engine should have way too much oil and you leave it that way you risk leaking seals. I call it drowning seals.

Neither my 01 or 06 ever needed oil between changes. Not yet anyway.

So I just dump in 3 qts and fire the engine up, then tilt the bike my way and look and add as needed.

Oil expands rather a lot warmed up too, that is why you check cold and have the oil some place under the high mark.

In a oil lamp that holds apx 1 qt, if I don't allow 1/2 inch air space as the lamp warms the K-1 will over flow out the filler cap.

I know this because for the last 4 winters i have used 4 antique Aladdin mantel lamps for light and heat in my bed room.

[jandreu]

Thanks Mac,

I'll bleed some oil out. Bought my oil in a 1 gal./3.785 L jug and have some left in it. I did change the filter so needed to put about 3.3 L back in. I think next time I'll measure!

Thanks again,

On a side note I used the Rotella T6 and it may be my mind playing tricks or the suggestion I've read here that the Full Syn T6 quites the engine down but I just came back from about a 60 mile ride and I do think the engine is a little quieter.

[cactusjack]

Get yourself a telescoping inspection mirror. Any auto parts store should have them, as does Harbor Freight and Sears. Sit on the bike, straighten it up off the sidestand, stabilize it with your feet, and use the mirror to view the oil sight glass.

[nightflight1]

I have one, works for me.

[jandreu]

Yelp, I already have one of the mirrors. Just can't seam to get it in my mind when the bike is level. It looks like 5 degrees one way or the other and you are either over filled or low!

Bad design.

I bleed off about 1/4 qt. thru the screen nut [thanks Mac]and now the level is just below the high mark at least at what I'm calling level.

[macmac]

I got a mirror like that, but never used it for this. I am not gonna lay the bike down on me and the side stand out isn't gonna let it fall the other so long as I have the brake held.

My shoulders are shot from fixing cars under a lift most of my life.. If i can do this anyone can. Just gotta have working knees. My wrists are shot too. I can't hold a cup of coffee with one or the other going to sleep.

[ringadingh]

I kneel down and stand the bike up just the way mac described. It only takes me a couple seconds and its checked. That seems to be the easiest way by far.
When I fill my bike during an oil change I use an old measuring cup, add my 3.3 litres, and I know its perfect.

[MAS Tequila]

I have one of those HF wheel chocks fastened to the garage floor.

It's the safest way to service the bike. It can't go anuwhere.

MT

[dougster]

I do what Mac and Ring do. I grab the rear bar, and the handlebar, and balance it upright. Then look at the glass. (But I agree it is a stupid design).

[hammer]

+1 on the mirror. My wife gave me one of her purse mirrors and I taped it to an old 18" wood ruler and that works well. That's not why they call me old 1 and a half footer though ??? ;)

[macmac]

Anyone doing this my way needs a hand full of ft brake.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

The telescoping mirror works wonders. Sit on the bike and it should be very close to level. Be sure and run the bike and then let the oil settle. Should give a better indication that way.

It is far better for your oil level to be a little low than overfull. If overfull you run the risk of blowing seals.

I usually add three quarts then start adding slowly until you get it where you want the oil level. You can add the three quarts and then put oil in a measuring cup and add. Ever how many ounces you add is what you should need every time.

That was a great feature of the Goldwing I owned, it had the center stand and when you parked on level ground you just got on a knee or both knees and looked at the sight glass and you could tell exactly where the oil level was.

[desertdog]

I use the M/L printed on the side of the plastic bottle, 946 m/l per qt. I pour 3 bottles into the bike, which is 2838 m/l. Then I have a measuring cup calibrated in m/l, I have marked on the outside of the cup the additional m/l needed 262 m/l. Measure and pour which results in a total of 3100 m/l or 3.1 L.

You can get a measuring cup calibrated in M/L at any Walmart in the cooking utinsels section.

Let stand for a few minutes, then check the sight guage, it always comes up in the middle between the high and low marks.

Lot easier then tipping the bike, and its very accurate.

[blowndodge]

If you still have some oil left in the 1 Gal container (a quart or little more maybe?) you don't have to drain the crankcase. It's not THAT overfilled. Once the bike starts most of that oil is pumped to the upper end. Start the bike and then get it level and you won't see any oil in the bubble window it drops that far down in the crankcase when running.

If your substantially overfilled a tell tale sign would be pulling the right side dog bowl (injector cover) and see lots of oil in there from the crankcase breather tube pullling the excess oil into that area.