Overfilling the oil level? (Do the dealers routinely do this?)

[Odakyu-sen]

Hello All,

I got my KLR650 back from the dealer today after its 1,000-km intial service and oil change. The workshop has added so much oil that the sight glass is completely black when the bike is vertical. I have to tip it a few degrees over the other way for the oil level to come down to the "max" mark. Even when the bike is on its side stand, oil comes about a third of the way up the sight glass.

It is a common practise to do this or is the dealer just being slack?

Is this just a KLR650 thing?

[Box'a'bits]

No, that shouldn't happen. They have been slack & overfilled it based on someones recollection of how much it 'should' take. Needs the surplus taken out. Drop the oil into a clean container, then refill to the correct level. Too much oil can over pressurise the crankcase, & blow seals.

You can Nuke the duplicate post. Go to 'edit post', & select 'nuke post' from there

[Woodman]

On mine if I put in the recommended amount which is 2.4 litres it completely covers the sight glass as you describe. If I fill it to the top mark it is about half a litre short.

Don't panic it will soon go down, its a KLR after all.:niceone:

[Padmei]

I believe i had the same thing happen on mine when I did an oil change. You have been on www.klr650.net havent you- there's all the stuff you need to know about on there.

I stopped reading after the 40th Moose vs Trailhead panniers thread.

[James Deuce]

Yes. It so the excess oil waterproofs your boots when it leaks out of the completely loose oil filler cap.

[bart]

I always thought half way up the sight glass was the biz....but what do I know. I've never owned a KLR....and probably never will. :cool:

[Odakyu-sen]

Yes. It so the excess oil waterproofs your boots when it leaks out of the completely loose oil filler cap.

Great! Now I have to go downstairs and check that or I won't be able to get to sleep tonight. :(

[Odakyu-sen]

On mine if I put in the recommended amount which is 2.4 litres it completely covers the sight glass as you describe. If I fill it to the top mark it is about half a litre short.

Don't panic it will soon go down, its a KLR after all.:niceone:

Okay, that makes me feel a little better. I'll mention it to the workshop mechanic next week. (I've got a 2-year warranty so I guess I'm covered if the seals blow.)

Apart from that, I hope oil consumption is negligible. I don't want to have to carry oil when I go touring.

My R6 doesn't use a drop of oil between its 10,000 km services, and it has 117,000 km on it. I am thinking of selling it and concentrating on the KLR, but I like both bikes too much.

[Odakyu-sen]

I believe i had the same thing happen on mine when I did an oil change. You have been on www.klr650.net havent you- there's all the stuff you need to know about on there.

I stopped reading after the 40th Moose vs Trailhead panniers thread.

Yes, I have had a poke around there already for this subject, but their search engine isn't the best.

[gammaguy]

as a rule of thumb the bigger the piston ring seal area the more oil they will use(singles of large capacity obviously fit this description)

Having said that the late model Killer 650 seems to be overly hungry for saudi arabias finest.

This is a well documented issue with a number of theories and remedies surrounding it.

Maybe the mechanic was assuming yours would use oil as well.....

[Padmei]

Great! Now I have to go downstairs and check that or I won't be able to get to sleep tonight. :(


Okay, that makes me feel a little better. I'll mention it to the workshop mechanic next week. (I've got a 2-year warranty so I guess I'm covered if the seals blow.)

Apart from that, I hope oil consumption is negligible. I don't want to have to carry oil when I go touring.

My R6 doesn't use a drop of oil between its 10,000 km services, and it has 117,000 km on it. I am thinking of selling it and concentrating on the KLR, but I like both bikes too much.


Yes, I have had a poke around there already for this subject, but their search engine isn't the best.

You sound like myself when I first got my KLR. I have lived reasonably successfully thru KLR ownership & my advice is not to get too worried about all you read about them. There is a reason they are used as RTW bikes. They are comfortable, simple, reliable, hardy, economical workhorses. They are relatively bulletproof if you do the initial preventative things like greasing things & loctiting.

If I was to do a long overseas trip I wouldn't hesitate to use a KLR. DRs are similar however are so boring they make my eyes bleed. Their owners are usually pretty Ghey too. Not ghey like the guy at the gym with too much hair product ghey but full strength ghey - think Seigfreid & Roy or Liberace Ghey thats how ghey they are.

BTW if you click the "+ button next to the quote button you can reply to several posts in one fowl swoop.



I can't believe how ghey those DR riders are - phwwwewww

[bart]

I can't believe how ghey those DR riders are - phwwwewww

Do you still own that ghey 400? :lol:

[george formby]

You sound like myself when I first got my KLR. I have lived reasonably successfully thru KLR ownership & my advice is not to get too worried about all you read about them. There is a reason they are used as RTW bikes. They are comfortable, simple, reliable, hardy, economical workhorses. They are relatively bulletproof if you do the initial preventative things like greasing things & loctiting.

If I was to do a long overseas trip I wouldn't hesitate to use a KLR. DRs are similar however are so boring they make my eyes bleed. Their owners are usually pretty Ghey too. Not ghey like the guy at the gym with too much hair product ghey but full strength ghey - think Seigfreid & Roy or Liberace Ghey thats how ghey they are.

BTW if you click the "+ button next to the quote button you can reply to several posts in one fowl swoop.



I can't believe how ghey those DR riders are - phwwwewww

That just leaves Gas Gas, Yamaha or Kawasaki for my next adventure bike then. Shame, I did like the DR, but, yeah, they are a bit too pretty.

[Racing Dave]

Having said that the late model Killer 650 seems to be overly hungry for saudi arabias finest.

This is a well documented issue with a number of theories and remedies surrounding it.



I've just got back from a 4000km light-duty adventure ride in British Columbia, and my rental KLR650 with 25,000km used one litre of oil in that time. Never blew smoke, never leaked, never a smell of burning oil, but gradually the sightglass level went down. On returning to Vancouver, I mentioned it to the rental company, and they agreed with the above quote, that some do seem to use oil. That's the way it is with KLRs, it seems.

Cheers, Dave B

[Odakyu-sen]

I've just got back from a 4000km light-duty adventure ride in British Columbia, and my rental KLR650 with 25,000km used one litre of oil in that time. Cheers, Dave B

My Ducati 900SS (1992) used to burn about 250 ml of oil every 1,000 km, so that's a litre for 4,000 km. Talk about progress.

BTW, I went for a ride on the KLR with some mates from Kopu to Hikuai this morning over wet roads. I had no trouble keeping up with a Ducati 749RR and a new BMW1000RR through the wet, tight, shiny stuff (45-55 km corners). Of course, once the road opened up they were gone.

I don't want to go much over 120 km/h until I get my fairing windscreen sorted out. I'll get a square of smoky polycarbonate (3 mm thick) and make a (shorter) windshield to eliminate the wind roar component. About 15 cm lower should do the trick.

I am surprised at how the KLR manages to do 100 km/h just about everywhere on the tarmac. It's really relaxing to ride at 110 km/h.

[NordieBoy]

DRs are similar however are so boring they make my eyes bleed.

That was the awesome brakes making your eyes bleed.

[Woodman]

I've just got back from a 4000km light-duty adventure ride in British Columbia, and my rental KLR650 with 25,000km used one litre of oil in that time. Never blew smoke, never leaked, never a smell of burning oil, but gradually the sightglass level went down. On returning to Vancouver, I mentioned it to the rental company, and they agreed with the above quote, that some do seem to use oil. That's the way it is with KLRs, it seems.

Cheers, Dave B

So how did you find the bike afte 4000kms? Good, bad otherwise?

[warewolf]

So how did you find the bike afte 4000kms?He just looked above the oil stain, et voila! there it was! :lol:

[alane]

If i accedently overfill a motor with oil,iI suck it back out with a drench/pooron gun.:niceone:

Its pretty messy,otherwise, trying to get a bit of oil out the sump hole.:eek:

Works a treat,the hose will fit down the dipstick pipe on most motors.

You "townies" should be able to buy one,pretty cheep from a vet clinic ,or farm supply store.

[AllanB]

U can buy a big arse syringle from the chemist and a bit of plastic pipe from para rubber or bunnings etc that slips over the end - pop the tube down the oil filler hole and pull back on the syringe. If necessary tilt the bike to ensure the oil is on the filler side.

[pete376403]

Once the revs get up to about 5000 and stay there (eg sitting on about 120ish) the oil consumption will go up. My own opinion is that crankcase pressurisation is forcing oil past either the rings of the valve guide seals.

I've tried the PCV mod using a 3.8 commodore PCV but it didn't make much difference and it makes a hell of a ticking noise at idle as the valve opens and shuts. Maybe an open breather pipe into a catch can like the old Brit 500 singles used might help. Or just ride slower.

[gammaguy]

My Ducati 900SS (1992) used to burn about 250 ml of oil every 1,000 km, so that's a litre for 4,000 km. Talk about progress.

BTW, I went for a ride on the KLR with some mates from Kopu to Hikuai this morning over wet roads. I had no trouble keeping up with a Ducati 749RR and a new BMW1000RR through the wet, tight, shiny stuff (45-55 km corners). Of course, once the road opened up they were gone.

I don't want to go much over 120 km/h until I get my fairing windscreen sorted out. I'll get a square of smoky polycarbonate (3 mm thick) and make a (shorter) windshield to eliminate the wind roar component. About 15 cm lower should do the trick.

I am surprised at how the KLR manages to do 100 km/h just about everywhere on the tarmac. It's really relaxing to ride at 110 km/h.

sounds like you should buy a 2T

at least you would be riding a bike that is supposed to use oil,and get more power at teh same time.:msn-wink:

[Racing Dave]

So how did you find the bike afte 4000kms? Good, bad otherwise?

In a word - Ideal for our purpose. With a friend (on an early model KLR650) we were taking in a route to catch all the 14 inland fresh water ferries that make up part of the roading in BC. They are well spread out, and may be linked in an interesting manner if you use various logging and forestry roads. Nothing more difficult than poor shingle roads (more like Dansey's Pass than Old Dunstan) so the relative comfort of the seat and riding position, the long range (nearly 500km) on a tank of gas (at equivilent of our $1.60 per litre for (ha!) regular, which is 87 Octane) were all good features. Vibration over 5000 rpm meant a (GPS true) 105 km/h was the fastest we held for long periods, and despite the 'upgrade' to a twin-piston front caliper I'd never have mistaken it for a brake. Good lights and mirrors, adequate punch from the pleasant engine makes calm progress easy, but you're aware that it's still relatively heavy and not very powerful. Exactly useful for long hours per day with nothing more than a chain oil each night.

Cheers, Dave B