Low Oil (pretty urgent)

[Draper]

Right, i am without a haynes or anything so i apologise for having to publicly look like a supernoob

Just warming up bike now, thought i'd check oil as it hasnt been done for a good few weeks

It is not on the screen, but as the bike tipped slightly over upright the oil was visible which means i have some but not enough

Can i just top up the oil abit or does it have to be drained and renewed totally?

what oil do i need?

and if i have to drain the oil anyone got any ideas how i would do that? dont have anything to catch it or then anything to place it as i need to use the bike to go back to wolvo tomorrow noon.

also its the black twist top above the viewing lens where i need to fill lol?

[Draper]

if i top it up does this mean i waste all the money on the oil, only using a small amount, or can the oil be kept for a while? i thought it shouldnt be kept

[Daimo]

You can just top up the oil yeah.

My oil catcher is the bottle it came out of (so a large bottle) then cut a large square hole in the side. Undo bolt, place under bottle, take out bolt, watch it fill up.

Then you can just undo the lid and easily pour into a safe transport container :)

[Alpinestarhero]

Did you let all the oil settle down after stopping the engine? After starting, the oil will be sloshed around everywhere and might need 5 minutes to drop back down


Oil can be kept for a while as long as you keep it in a sealed container (its bottle, then) and keep it somewhere dark and reasonably cool (so the garage or shed)

Matt

[gettin2dizzy]

When was it last toppped up?
Was the bike level?
Was the engine off when you measured it?
for starters

[Daimo]

Oh, btw, oil should be checked when the engine is off, cold, and upright.

2 measurements on the viewing glass. Try not to go over the top marker (below top of viewing glass).

[Xan173]

Look up the right service manual for your bike here (http://www.sv650.org/sv_manuals.htm).

1. Lookup the oil capacity.
2. Measure out 75% of that capacity into another container.
3. Slowly add the contents into the engine. Bit by bit, allowing time to settle and checking the view window level indicator.
4. When you're done - guage how much oil went in and make a note so you have a better idea of much to use next time against where the level indicator was.

If you go about it that way you should not risk an overfill. At this time of year it's better to run with levels half way between the min/max as less oil warms up quicker. Brim it in summer when you need maximum cooling benefit.

[gettin2dizzy]

Look up the right service manual for your bike here (http://www.sv650.org/sv_manuals.htm).

1. Lookup the oil capacity.
2. Measure out 75% of that capacity into another container.
3. Slowly add the contents into the engine. Bit by bit, allowing time to settle and checking the view window level indicator.
4. When you're done - guage how much oil went in and make a note so you have a better idea of much to use next time against where the level indicator was.

If you go about it that way you should not risk an overfill. At this time of year it's better to run with levels half way between the min/max as less oil warms up quicker. Brim it in summer when you need maximum cooling benefit.


That's the Deliah method :)

[Draper]

cheers lads, i didn't leave the oil to settle no, which seems abit stupid of me now i think about it

will have another check when i go back to it (in the middle of lectures atm)

yeah the bike was upright and everything, also nice one xan on the halfway advice, sounds like it makes sense

cheers, Draper

[gettin2dizzy]

I'd rather have too much than too little, put it that way.

[Daimo]

Yes, i can assure you you don't want to run low...

Especially whilst having a top speed blat against a Hornet :look:

[wheelnut]

I'd rather have too much than too little, put it that way.

Too much oil does as much damage as not enough, plus you will struggle to get any gears if you overfill it.

What you need to do is to work out the difference between min and max in the window

[the_lone_wolf]

Oh, btw, oil should be checked when the engine is off, cold, and upright.
two out of three ain't bad;)

engine should be off and level, but you should do it after running up to temp then leaving for a couple of minutes to settle

so sayeth the manual:cheers:[-o<

[sv-robo]

engine should be off and level, but you should do it after running up to temp then leaving for a couple of minutes to settle

so sayeth the manual:cheers:[-o<
+1:D

[TEC]

so sayeth the manual:cheers:[-o<
Be the first one that does say that, it may say something like if the oil has been changed then run for a few mins to fill the filter and leave for a few minutes or if the bike has been run leave for a few minutes. But the best time to check the oil is when the engine is cold because then you will get a true level, it takes more than a few minutes for the oil to drain down into the sump, checking while warm can give a false reading, ie low, you add more thinking its needed and only discover the error later on

And if my mechanics have all been wrong about that little bit over 30 years then I must have been lucky

[the_lone_wolf]

And if my mechanics have all been wrong about that little bit over 30 years then I must have been lucky
Page 6-14 of the K6 manual:

ENGINE OIL LEVEL CHECK

Follow the procedure below to inspect the engine oil level.

1. Start the engine and run it for a few minutes.

2. Stop the engine and wait 3 minutes.

3. Hold the motorcycle vertically and inspect the engine oil level through the engine oil level inspection window on the right side of the engine.

filter change is the next section, completely seperate

make of that what you will, but i'd say suzuki know how to check the oil on their bikes;)

[Sid Squid]

Be the first one that does say that, it may say something like if the oil has been changed then run for a few mins to fill the filter and leave for a few minutes or if the bike has been run leave for a few minutes. But the best time to check the oil is when the engine is cold because then you will get a true level, it takes more than a few minutes for the oil to drain down into the sump, checking while warm can give a false reading, ie low, you add more thinking its needed and only discover the error later on

And if my mechanics have all been wrong about that little bit over 30 years then I must have been lucky

No, you're absolutely correct, the manual advice whilst not wrong is simply un-necessary. Plus there is the fact that oil will 'bulk up' when air gets trapped in it in use leading, possibly, to a false reading.

make of that what you will, but i'd say suzuki know how to check the oil on their bikes;)Hmmmmm...

[rigor]

make of that what you will, but i'd say suzuki know how to check the oil on their bikes;)

Hmm, would this be the same Suzuki that put the oil sight glass in the wrong position on the first TL's :D ;)

[the_lone_wolf]

fair dos to the nay-sayers, i'm off to the NEC tomorrow, but on saturday i'll test the theory by checking the oil cold then hot, see if they're the same, it would certainly be easier checking it without starting it...

[petevtwin650]

Oil can be kept for a while as long as you keep it in a sealed container (its bottle, then) and keep it somewhere dark and reasonably cool (so the garage or shed)

Matt

Haven't heard that before. Surely that's for distilled water?