Oil Level !??

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PhilBret

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Few days ago i checked the oil level , could not see any oil on the oil screen. bike 900km. i called the dealer and he explained the level was to be taken motor warm. did another check after 20km ride , waited 5mn as said and level was at the lower limit of the screen but still OK.
Yesterday i did the 1000Km maintenance . this am when i checked the level , engine cold , it s close to max on the screen . I don t understand anymore... :unsure:
Could you tell me what is your oil level engine cold ?
Thanks.
 
PhilBret said:
Few days ago i checked the oil level , could not see any oil on the oil screen. bike 900km. i called the dealer and he explained the level was to be taken motor warm. did another check after 20km ride , waited 5mn as said and level was at the lower limit of the screen but still OK.
Yesterday i did the 1000Km maintenance . this am when i checked the level , engine cold , it s close to max on the screen . I don t understand anymore... :unsure:
Could you tell me what is your oil level engine cold ?
Thanks.
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You might be just overthinking this. LOL!! The manual gives you good basic info...check the oil level when the bike is warm (and upright - off the side stand - of course). When in this state (warm and upright) the "perfect" level is dead center of the circle. Once you've completed your oil change, run it a few minutes, shut it down, wait about five minutes and check your level. If it is close to dead center you're good to go. Once it is cold (like the next morning), and unless there's a gigantic puddle of oil under your bike, you KNOW there's oil in it and you know that whatever the sight glass shows is not accurate UNTIL you warm it it up and check it by the book. Don't screw around and over fill it because you will regret it that move. Remember the definition of a Perfectionist - Someone who screws with it until they break it. heheheh
 
I had an R1100RT.

After the bike has been running for at least 1/2 hour, park on the side stand for 15 minutes, then put on the center stand and check the oil in the window. Anywhere in the window is OK. We called this the oil dance. This was because the oil cooler could hold the oil unless it was hot. OUR oil cooler is lower.

ALL BMW, the window is 1/2 LItre or A Pint from top to bottom. I think it even says that in the manual of R 18.

I have a mirror because there is no center stand.
I had my wife look while I hold the bike level. Once...

I hooked up the scanner to it, and used the internal digital bike level once. :) It reads tilt in degrees for Traction control, and the adaptive head light.

Check hot because it looks like more oil.

This is the first BMW of 4 that does not use oil. So Far.
David
 
David R said:
I had an R1100RT.

After the bike has been running for at least 1/2 hour, park on the side stand for 15 minutes, then put on the center stand and check the oil in the window. Anywhere in the window is OK. We called this the oil dance. This was because the oil cooler could hold the oil unless it was hot. OUR oil cooler is lower.

ALL BMW, the window is 1/2 LItre or A Pint from top to bottom. I think it even says that in the manual of R 18.

I have a mirror because there is no center stand.
I had my wife look while I hold the bike level. Once...

I hooked up the scanner to it, and used the internal digital bike level once. :) It reads tilt in degrees for Traction control, and the adaptive head light.

Check hot because it looks like more oil.

This is the first BMW of 4 that does not use oil. So Far.
David
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You may have just "gilded the lily" I offered him earlier! But more precise information such as yours surely doesn't hurt the matter! :)
 
Hey Gaylord , Thanks for your help !
The bike just comes back from the local BMW motorad dealer which did the maintenance ,and their mecanic had no clue about oil level motor warm ! So he had to take some off ! I did not do the oil change . I just find it Strange to have oil level at top of window when the Engine cold. if your not interested to let me know what is your oil level motor cold , No issue . I ll take it for a ride when weather gets better and check what it looks like , as per manual :)
 
PhilBret said:
Hey Gaylord , Thanks for your help !
The bike just comes back from the local BMW motorad dealer which did the maintenance ,and their mecanic had no clue about oil level motor warm ! So he had to take some off ! I did not do the oil change . I just find it Strange to have oil level at top of window when the Engine cold. if your not interested to let me know what is your oil level motor cold , No issue . I ll take it for a ride when weather gets better and check what it looks like , as per manual :)
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PhilBret it's not that I'm not interested to let you know...I just never check it cold!!! When I bought the bike, I assumed the dealer had checked such things and I just followed the manual when checking it during break-in. When I did my first service, right before I warmed the motor before I drained the oil I looked at the cold level out of curiosity and noticed it was a little high (and this is after those break in miles and always seeing it lower). Although it seemed odd I didn't pay it any mind because after reading the manual I figured the reason it should be read at operating temperature but after sitting a few minutes was if you follow those instructions you'll always accurately read the level because even tho' the majority of the hot oil will drop immediately into the drain pan some will stay up in the engine if you don't let it sit too long...hence those picky German engineers' instructions!! A couple of my HD's had similar instructions but they also had a dipstick that had two readings - a Cold Level and a Hot Level.
 
between bikes and cars, I've owned a dozen bmw's. wouldn't own any other brand (have had other "fine german engineering" vehicles like porsche and mercedes). However the method needed to check the oil is ridiculous since no center stand and no way to check without a warm up. I love the "solutions" for checking it... especially utilizing a wife. I stole a couple of stout styrofoam blocks (she uses them for some yoga shit) that fit nicely under the cylinders and balances the bike upright. If the bike is just a wee bit too warm, the styrofoam begins to melt! Timing gotta be just right... pretty chicanada (mexican slang- look it up) for renowned german engineers!
 
Lunasea2 said:
between bikes and cars, I've owned a dozen bmw's. wouldn't own any other brand (have had other "fine german engineering" vehicles like porsche and mercedes). However the method needed to check the oil is ridiculous since no center stand and no way to check without a warm up. I love the "solutions" for checking it... especially utilizing a wife. I stole a couple of stout styrofoam blocks (she uses them for some yoga shit) that fit nicely under the cylinders and balances the bike upright. If the bike is just a wee bit too warm, the styrofoam begins to melt! Timing gotta be just right... pretty chicanada (mexican slang- look it up) for renowned german engineers!
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It's called Wheeldock. The remedy to your problem.
 
I put 4 liters in the case and figure the oil is still in there. Might change oil sooner than normal as I have been riding a lot in sub freezing temps. Never rode in super cold weather until this year because the R18TC has superior wind deflection.
 
I put my bike upright during the Winter season with the Kern-Stabi X-518 stand; it's pretty simple to setup & remove if some warmer weather presents itself for an opportunity to sneak out and ride.

I really like that it presents an opportunity to properly check the oil; in addition, it makes lifting the bike a shit-ton safer for oil changes, other maintenance and cleaning chores.

However, one member posted that he uses his phone's camera and takes a picture of the viewing window while sitting on the bike in its upright position - I've used this method a bunch of times, it's quick, super simple and practical IT WORKS...!!
 
Good advice from those posting above. I use the cell phone method too. I usually do it after I stop for petrol. The engine is warm and by the time I fill the tank and enjoy a bottle of water she has had enough time to settle the oil level and it takes less time to reach down with my phone to snap a photo than it took to write this. No oil use during break in nor two “regular” service interval changes and that is with routinely “stretching her legs”.

0A67E587-AC6B-4AC8-B407-956B138372CB.jpeg
 
BobW said:
Good advice from those posting above. I use the cell phone method too. I usually do it after I stop for petrol. The engine is warm and by the time I fill the tank and enjoy a bottle of water she has had enough time to settle the oil level and it takes less time to reach down with my phone to snap a photo than it took to write this. No oil use during break in nor two “regular” service interval changes and that is with routinely “stretching her legs”.

View attachment 9011
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Sir- I think your arms are longer than mine!
 
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