| Author | Message | ||
     Percyco |
Found this old post with the search engine... "New XB12XT, 450 miles. Past Thursday morning, 26 degrees out, started bike. Stumbled and stopped (usual on this and the 12R when this cold). Started again and now it ran poorly. Ran it for about a minute and a half to confirm it was only firing on the rear cylinder. Took the car to work, no time to move things around to get the other bike out. Lunch time, started Uly again. One cylinder for sure. After work I changed the front plug (definitely fuel soaked) and it started right up, but the oil light flickered while idling. Rev up and oil light out. At idle it initially was fine then the oil light flickered some more. I turned the bike off and unscrewed the dipstick. The oil came out like it was overfilled. I have not had to add any since new. Afraid of harming things, I stopped my amateur efforts. Stopped at the dealer the next day to get their opinion on my next move. There's a tech bulletin about a bad ground that's related to the oil light, but they couldn't offer anything about the oil flowing out of the dipstick hole. They said bring it in, it's under warranty. To make a short story long... Today I started it up and there was no problems at all; no oil light flickering, no oil coming out. It all seemed normal. SO... I changed the oil and filter (the oil smelled of gas from the single cylinder incident). I took it for a ride and everything is normal. The advice I seek is.. Do I need to worry anymore? Do I need to take it to the dealer when it seems normal now? I feel this was a fluke due to the cold weather and last ride being only 4 miles. Any comments appreciated. Thanks, Rich." My new XB12SS (119 miles) did the same exact thing as Rich's description above. Only difference is that my bike never left the garage. The one thing that we do have in common is that both bikes came from the same dealer in Syracuse NY....could it be that who ever set up the bikes were just filling the swingarms to the top? I drained 3 quarts out of my swing arm and no the oil didnt smell like gas....Hmmm} | ||
| Ulynut |
3 quarts is 1/2 a quart too much. As for the XT, that could be a bad oil check valve, or too much oil. With a fouled plug thrown in the mix. | ||
| 1313 |
could it be that who ever set up the bikes were just filling the swingarms to the top? My theory is that the oil level was set with the bike on a lift table while the bike was upright. Which, while proper for an 1125, is incorrect for an XB. My uneducated theory only, 1313 | ||
| Greg_e |
Normally at a dealership the least experienced guys are the ones doing the setup, might have had someone new that couldn't be bothered to read the directions. If I remember correctly the directions also specify that it be checked hot though I'm not sure how much difference there is between hot and cold. | ||
| Swordsman |
On the XB, it's a huge difference. 2.5 quarts doesn't register on my dipstick when cold, but rises to the halfway mark when warm. 1313 could be right... XB's are designed for the oil to be changed and measured while on the kickstand, not perfectly upright. ~SM | ||
| Darksaber15 |
SM - Thanks for posting on my thread! I just want to be sure of what you are saying about oil levels. Whey you say 'rises to the halfway mark when warm' are you saying halfway between full and fill or halfway on the stick period (below fill)? | ||
| Ulynut |
Also, wait a few minutes for the oil to drain back into the swingarm to get an accurate reading. | ||
| Jbolt |
Same thing happened to me when I picked up my new 12R in '08 from Carson City HD. I drained almost 1.5 quarts to get it to the right level. Dealership changed oil around every 500mi. or so until fuel smell wasn't so bad plus the O2 sensor. No problems since, 14,500mi. so far. |
