| Author | Message | ||
     Nvr2old |
08 with 1000 miles. I've added 27 ounces since I changed oil at 50 miles. Level never went over the top of the bottom 2 X's, always read when hot. Readings are always low, mostly below the add mark. Manual says to keep the level between the add and full marks when hot. Now it's got oil in the airbox. Guess I finally filled the crankcase. Taking it in to the dealer this week, maybe they'll offer me a deal on a Harley. I hate to say that, it's so much fun to ride. I was looking forward to lotsa great miles this summer. I certainly won't be buying any accessories until this is resolved. | ||
| Froggy |
Or you could stop being paranoid and adding oil every 5 minutes and actually ride the thing. | ||
| Nvr2old |
Funny, oh, I see, you have an '06. | ||
| Froggy |
So? I have put a thousand miles in about 2 weeks on a 09, which has the same oiling system as your 08. I checked it a few times because of the reports from others about issues with checking the oil, and I found it to be no different than my two 06's. If you oil light hasn't come on, you don't got anything to worry about. Granted yes, the light turns on when its already too late, but there are bigger things for you to worry about than keeping the oil level 100% perfect. | ||
| Nwforester |
After 3 weeks and 500 miles (over 1000 total) on my new 08 I have checked the oil once, it was a little below the add line, figured that was good enough. Even when I had my 06 I found out real quickly that being worried about oil as long as it is on the stick and close to the add was not worth the brain cells. I do not think Froggy was being totally snarky, the oil dipstick seems to far from an exact science. | ||
| Ulyranger |
Don't sweat it, ride. I have an 08 w/6K+ as long as it's wet on the stick it's all good. BTW, I only had to add a few onces once between the break in service and the 5K service(maybe around the 2.5-3K range). | ||
| Ulyscol |
You have to check the oil on these bikes??? | ||
| Tginnh |
Here's an idea: Do the meat thermometer mod to the dipstick. Or, drop the $80+ to get a fancy one. How much heat would exist in the swingarm if it were void of oil? Would it be somewhere around the outdoor ambient temperature? Just an idea to help assuage concerns over the lack of oil since this has been such a hot topic of late. | ||
| Dad4 |
09 Uly here. Ive had the bike for 2 months and Ive got 6xxx mikes on it. 1 3000 mile trip to Daytona about a week after I got the bike. I checked the oil after I got home, and it was about 1/2 low. I added 1/2 a quart. In one week a group of us are going to the Grand Canyon(about a 5xxx mile round trip). I just changed the oil last night. I put in what is recommended. I also filled the oil filter before I installed it. Just check the oil, make sure it's within the level range(or close) and ride. It will be OK. In my opinion, since the engine is a dry sump system, you should be able to over fill the swing arm, allowing room for expansion of hot oil of coarse. Maybe someone needs to 1: remove the swing arm and see how much fluid it will hold. 2: need to know how much oil expands when it gets to operating temps. I think as long as there is oil on the dip stick it will be OK! (Message edited by dad4 on April 19, 2009) | ||
| Wheelybueller |
"Nvr2old" Dont worry,be Happy. I have an 08,6500m. I check my oil regularly,between the lines when hot is good. my M2 with 40kwas the same,it liked the lower side of the lines on the stick | ||
| Petereid |
Have you been checking the airbox for oil often? Maybe thats where all 27 ounces went | ||
| Ratbuell |
Relax. Ride. My '06 can give wonky reads, but like mentioned above...if the stick is wet, I don't worry about it. No knocking, no noises, no light....time to ride. I did overfill it once (my own fault, it was still near cold when I checked it) and all it did was piss it out the dipstick threads once it warmed up. "Self regulating oil level", lol. 06 to 08 has a different oiling *system*, but the same oil *storage* setup. I must have missed a bunch of threads...what's the difference between '07-earlier, and 08/09 as far as checking the level? | ||
| Panhead_dan |
I can't tell you what to do but I can tell you what I do. If there is no evidence of leaking, if I have not done any very high speed extended runs and if I change my oil every 2500, I don't need to check the oil level. There is no magical "where did the oil go?". I know that sounds bad but it works fine for me. You may think "I'll never leave for an extended trip without checking my oil". Neither would I. I would change it before I left. If your oil level drops dramatically, you will see evidence of it. If you run at 115mph for twenty miles or more, you will burn a half a quart. Even that half a quart won't hurt you between oil changes. Don't worry, be riding. | ||
| Stevem123 |
Hey Nvr2old, I hate to chime in like everyone else but I have owned Buells for almost 10 years and one thing is for sure. It can be frustrating to someone that likes to keep the level up. That being said, there is a lot of expansion both in the oil itself and in the reservoir due to temperature. Yes the oil level on Buells tends to like being low on the dipstick. Unlike your car or big Harley, the low to high range on the late model Buells is only a quarter to half quart depending on temperature. For instance: I went for a ride yesterday and checked the level cold before startup. It showed 1/8th inch from the bottom add line. I rode 8 miles to the gas station and checked again. It showed half way between the low add mark and the full mark. Last year before a long trip to Sturgis from Cali, I checked the level before leaving and it was at the low add mark but I didn't have any oil with me to top it off was running late to meet other riders so off I went. We stopped along the way and I bought a quart to add some and put in a half quart. Checked it later at a gas stop and it was way over the top line! Most of it puked into the airbox but it didn't hurt anything and I didn't need to add any for the rest of the trip. I know this is a long read but the bottom line is stop worrying about it and ride it. The level on the dipstick is misleading due to it's half quart range and the fack that the Buells like to stay nearer to the bottom of the add line. It is very important to remember that the temperature of the oil, the swingarm, etc. will cause varying readings on the stick and it will appear more than it really is due to the narrow range of the stick from what you are used too. Relax and ride. BC Steve | ||
| Ulynut |
+1 to what Petereid said. I am willing to bet a weeks pay that you are over-filling it, and it is simply puking out of the breather. Thats why you have so much oil in the airbox. If it was leaking, you would see it. If its burning it you would probably see blue smoke coming from the exhaust, or at least smell it. I keep mine at the lower end of the "safe zone" on the dipstick, and have no problems. | ||
| Etennuly |
I also run my Uly from the bottom two X's down. If it touches the stick it is good to go. What if you try this as an experiment? Wire an extension on to your dip stick that will reach near the bottom of the oil reservoir. Run it making sure there is oil at least near the stick. See if it stabilizes. Mine seemed to seek a full level at the bottom X and will stay there through out 3000 mile intervals. I did however have an '05 City-X that I was running dino HD oils in. I had some 20-50 left from winter time and used it after the weather warmed up. Using the prescribed oil it never lost any. This time, that oil went away in about 500 miles. As I was coming home from a ride one day the oil light came on as I turned around for my driveway. I coasted in. Checking the stick nothing. Added a quart, still nothing. More than another half quart got it to the stick. I went back to the book on oil viscosity and never had that happen again. I ran my Uly 30,000 miles with HD dino oil following the book on viscosity. I wanted a long break in before switching to synthetic oil. I run Mobil 1 20-50 now and don't loose any between changes. | ||
| Mark_weiss |
'08 with 12k miles. At the first oil change, I noted that with the specified amount of oil added that the dipstick read at the low end of the scale. The bike ran fine but I added more oil anyway. It ended up in the airbox. I drained the oil and re-filled with the specified amount and did not worry about it again. I check the oil every few tanks of fuel. Oil is always on the dipstick and it seems to be fine that way. No worries. My last dry-sump bike, a Honda CB 750 also had variable oil depth. A nice feature on the Honda was that you could look into the tank and see the oil. Mark in Arizona (Message edited by Mark_weiss on April 19, 2009) | ||
| Thunderbox |
Hey guys give Nvrold a break maybe he does have an oil burner. What kind of oil are you using Nvrold? When you change your oil how much do you put in. I would recommend you put 2.5 quarts as require, ride it around for 1/2 hour and then let it sit for a minute an check the level. Don't fill it up past that level. You may try a different oil also. | ||
| Nvr2old |
The oil burner thing is what really worries me, but it's looking more like it. I used HD 20/50 at 50 mile change. I've added 27 ounces and have a tablespoon full in the airbox. No leaks, where has all the oil gone? Snarky? I kinda like snarky. Dealer's probably gonna say if it's under a quart per 1000 miles, it's normal. Then I may get snarky. | ||
| Bartimus |
You need to get the thing broke in before you start worrying about the oil usage. All bikes are different. My '08 used about a half quart every 500 miles back when I first got it. It's got 14,000 on it now and uses about a quarter of a quart every 2000 miles. Go ahead and take it into the Dealer, and they will probably tell you it's normal. You really should wait until you get about 5000 miles on it before you start worrying... | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Anal retentive people and Buells rarely mix. Your 27oz are in four places: 1) In your swing arm 2) In your airbox 3) In your intake track and into the combustion chamber 4) In your combustion chamber (past the rings) You are inadvertently overfilling your bike. If there is oil on the stick, leave it alone. It's not a liquid cooled Japanese bike. It's an aircooled engine. The tolerances are not as tight as a liquid cooled engine because the heat variations are greater. All aircooled engines burn a little. Harleys, Ducatis, Buells, etc. How much they burn is dependent upon how it was broken in, how it was assembled, how you ride it, the oil you choose, the time of year, the riding conditions, etc. You'll also find that you will get much more assistance from BadWeb if you don't start your threads with a bitch about Buells. This is a Buell enthusiast board after all. We are more than happy to supply decades of expertise available NO WHERE else on earth. We are also more than happy to yank your chain and go tell you to F yourself. You pick. | ||
| Nvr2old |
Anal retentive, you bet, my middle name actually, hyphenated of course. The only time I added oil was when nothing or almost nothing showed on the dipstick. I can see where overfilling would push some out the breathers, but not past the rings. Unless the bypass valve isn't doing it's job. I didn't overfill it according to the dipstick, never over 2 X's from bottom. And why does the oil level in the swingarm decrease rapidly when you shutdown the motor? Following the path of the feedline, it has to go upwards from the swingarm to the oil pump when on it's sidestand. Does the feed gerotor create a vacuum that still exists when the motor is shutdown? The Ulysses is my 4th Harley, and yes I still consider it a Harley. Even though they don't wave to me anymore. You know, that 2 fingers low thing. The only water-cooled Japanese bike I've owned was a '85 KX250. And the oil going into it's heart was measured with anal retentive precision. It had a dog-bone rear suspension that caused it to slap me in the rear end coming off of steep faced jumps. Now that's a quirky thing, disappearing oil is not quirky. Anyway I'm not going to "F myself" but if you feel I'm deserving of a good chain yanking, please let me have it. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
My 2008 ate almost a quart of oil in its break-in 1000 miles. It's fine now. Just ride the thing! It will feel good by the time it gets 12,000 on it. Get to work! | ||
| Jlnance |
And why does the oil level in the swingarm decrease rapidly when you shutdown the motor? My WAG would be that the oil being returned from the engine contains bubbles, which raise the level. When you shut the motor down, they begin to pop, and the level falls. | ||
| Etennuly |
N2O, If you are running Dino oil switch to the straight 50W. Really it works. As I said on my City-X the only time the 20-50W would stay in it is if the temperatures stayed below 50F. When the temps didn't drop below 70F for morning start ups I ran the 60W. Just keep it in mind when cold starting, warm it up before you rev it up. It seems like the dino oil will vaporize and go away if you run the thinner stuff. | ||
| Hughlysses |
IIRC the tubers (and Sportsters) had a check valve in the line from the scavenging section of the oil pump to the oil reservoir. This valve would occasionally leak which would result in much of the oil leaking from the reservoir back into the crankcase if the bike wasn't cranked for a substantial time. They'd have a similar problem- check the oil, none in tank, add oil (overfilling the system), crank engine, and the dipstick would blow out spewing oil everywhere. Maybe it's something this simple? Anyone got an 08/09 shop manual that shows a schematic of the oiling system? | ||
| Hughlysses |
BTW- Ulys aren't the only new adventure bikes with oil level issues. See thread here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45 4533 | ||
| Nvr2old |
Et, something to consider, I certainly won't be using synthetic at this point. Jl, Good point, with the shallow angle of the stick I'm probably just measuring the bubbles. Nate, that's good to hear. Hugh, the service manual has verbiage describing oil flow, but not the usual schematic. No mention of a check valve. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
This should go without saying but our engines are both air and oil cooled. The one thing I have learned because of my Oil Temp Dipstick is that the letting our Ulys sit and idle does not cause the oil temp to increase once your engine is warmed up. I used to think that idling would overheat the engine but have watched my Dipstick Thermometer not increase in temp while the engine idles in the driveway after a nice bike ride. I like to ride far enough that my fan operates at shutdown. This keeps the condensation burned off and eliminates watery oily goop from accumulating on the top of the dipstick. The swing arm is a great oil cooler because it is aluminum and has a large surface area. I recommend that everyone build themselves an oil temp dipstick and you can do it very cheaply and will reach way further into the oil than a normal dipstick. The $80 oil temp unit you can purchase might look nice but is made out of aluminum and will get as hot as the posted temp (burned fingers) which will be over 200+ F on 08' and 09' models, maybe caused by the higher temps on rear jug before the fan kicks on. Oil runs much cooler in 06 and 07 models, typically 190 and under unless the ambient temp approaches 100 F outside. Realize that I'm reporting oil temps within the swing arm which are cooler than temps the oil achieves within the actual engine. The oil is sprayed on the underside of the very hot piston and on cylinder walls. A zero to 220 F thermometer with a 7" stem can be ordered for $8.95 which includes shipping from here http://www.kitchenkaboodle.com/product_detail2.php ?sku=IRTL220!316&multi=0 If you are worried about screwing up your dipstick then order one from your dealer. They are only about $5.00 If you folks are interested in knowing how to make one for yourselves just let me know and I'll post instructions. I'm not interested in making them for others because BadWeb frowns on that without becoming a sponsor. Very easy to make your own and it is well worth the time to do it which might take you an hour. Oil temp is a very important thing with these bikes because oil is the life blood of our bikes. Looking down to see the oil temp really eases the mind and you'll find that you know when that fan is going to come on or when it's not just by seeing the oil temp in the swing arm. (Message edited by electraglider_1997 on April 20, 2009) | ||
| Petereid |
Post the instructions Electraglider! I'd be interested in seeing how you did it. Pete |
