| Author | Message | ||
     Sharkytattoo |
After reading all this, I called tech services to ask the proper way to check the oil. The PDI manual says to check it on the sidestand, and until we receive a service bulletin or tech tip from Buell, that IS the way to check the oil. | ||
| Buellborn |
Here is the latest procedure. You put your right foot in, You put your right foot out; You put your right foot in, And you shake it all about. You do the Hokey-Pokey, And you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about! | ||
| Court |
After reading this. . some ciphering and thinking . . I absolutely agree. There are several folks, Buell and Rotax, who will decide (it's their ass on the line) what is right. Right now . . . I'd follow the book, augmented with the PDI and any HDnet updates, to the letter. The incorrect capacity on the website will be changed pronto. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
So what IS the correct procedure? It might be Buell's ass on the line, but what about the possible engine damage in the meantime. Depending on the truth of the matter, we will have some running with too much oil or too little. Here is what my dealership emailed to me today. I pointed him to this thread--that's the "online" reference below. " I just got off the phone with our factory S.O.A.R. Rep, he contacted Buell directly and they stated that the owners manual is correct at this point and they stand behind what is printed.?? He stated that he spoke to the Buell tech side at the plant and they told him the manual is correct and it should be checked on the side stand on level ground and the engine at operation temperature, HOT. I have to believe my Rep as he works with the motor company. He does not know where the information from online came from but it is at this time incorrect. I hope this helps you. Thanks, Bobby" What was the genesis of this idea that the oil check procedure is incorrect? What was the source? Sorry if this is mentioned in the thread already.... | ||
| Court |
Check that one off the list. Let me know if you see any more bugs in the website. | ||
| Jlnance |
Depending on the truth of the matter, we will have some running with too much oil or too little. If you fill it to the top with the bike upright, then check it on the sidestand, does the oil level fall below the "add" line? It may be possible to have a good reading on both positions. Perhaps an anonymous can answer this. I'd expect a dry sump system like this to be fairly forgiving of low oil levels, and I assume there is some safety margin built in below the "add" line? I'd also guess part of the design process of the new motor was to run it low on oil and see how it handled it? Will the ECM turn off the engine if the oil level falls to an unsafe level? | ||
| Baggermike |
when changing the oil you have to drain it from to points and after leaning it to the right and put it back on the kick stand more oil came out of the left side so tilt the bike both ways back and forth to get all the oil out, and does anyone know a good way of cleaning the oil filter since there are none available, I already done one oil change and tried to clean the filter with wd40, I orderd 4 filters and have not heard of them in yet. Mike | ||
| Doerman |
Hi Mike, I just carefully blew my filter "clean" with compressed air. I read that somebody else rinsed it in a solvent. However you choose to do it, be careful so you don perforate the paper filter or degrade it with some sort of a solvent. If you use a solvent make sure it is the kind that evaporates quickly so it does not mix with the oil after installation and thins/degrades the oil. Asbjorn | ||
| Court |
>>>since there are none available That's inaccurate. Call your dealer and have them call their SPOC rep. There are 150 in stock at the Franklin Distribution Facility in Franklin, WI. | ||
| Donutclub |
I just got off of the phone with Buell Customer Service (talked to John)and he indicated that the bike should be on the side stand when checked. Give them a call to ask yourself at: 414-343-8400. John was likely reading from the 1125R manual. It and he are mistaken. Or he was thinking of the XBikes. (Message edited by blake on January 04, 2008) | ||
| Davegess |
If you fill it to the top with the bike upright, then check it on the sidestand, does the oil level fall below the "add" line? It may be possible to have a good reading on both positions. Until there is OFFICIAL BUELL COMMUNICATION on this I think the above idea is a good one. Could someone try this and give results? If doing both puts you close to the correct level I would do that. } | ||
| Doerman |
What do you mean there Dave? Here's my experience: Do the warm up shut down and idle for two minutes drill and then: IF: The bike shows oil level at the full line when upright after the above drill has been performed THEN: oil level will barely touch the bottom of the dipstick when resting on the side stand. Asbjorn | ||
| Davegess |
If while the bike is on the sidestand and the oil level hits minimum does it go to the overfull mark or beyond? If it does not I would make it read min with the sidestand method and leave it at that until we hear form Buell. You are OK at MIN and above the MAX line but below the ovefull I SUSPECT you wont get too much puke in the airbox. If you don't get puke in the airbox then you are likely OK. A little too much oil is better than too little. I would follow the factory method UNTIL they tell me different. I DO NOT HAVE ANY INFO FROM BUELL. I AM NOT IN CONTACT WITH ANYONE AT THE FACTORY IF YOU FOLLOW THE OFFICIAL BUELL PROCEDURE AND HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS YOU ARE COVERED BY WARRANTY, IF YOU DO NOT YOU ARE NOT COVERED. | ||
| Teach |
I love my 1125R and in Ohio they are forcasting temps in the 50's for Sunday and Monday, but I gotta tell you that this whole oil check thing is making my head hurt. | ||
| Blublak |
Your head hurt? Man, dont' get me started.. The question now is.. Where did Blake get his initial information from? I'm kind of in the dark here, since I would think that IF Blake were to start a thread like this, he would have gotten his information from a credible source. Like, someone that REALLY knows. I adjusted my oil level as part of my 'try out the check methods' and now am wondering if I'm running around with too little oil in my new bike. Of course, I'm the only one to blame.. after all.. I believed what was told to me by people I considered to be 'in the know'.. Now I'm really not too sure.. Do I ride this weekend or hide? I wish someone would let me know.. post haste so I can either go with what I got or correct the problem before I run it too many MORE miles. (Message edited by BluBlak on January 03, 2008) | ||
| Doerman |
Look. It isn't all that bad. The spec sheet on buell.com is now updated to show oil capacity of 3 quarts. That in my mind verifies that checking it upright is the correct procedure. If you check it on the side stand and it has 3 quarts in it after all the warm up procedure is duly followed, you will maybe see a drop at the end of the stick. If you check it in the upright position and the bike has 3 quarts of oil in it you will see oil on the stick 1/4 down from the full mark. The oil checking procedure differs just sightly from the XB in that you have to check it while the bike is upright after having done the 3 minute idle. Blueblack, I am no authority on the issue other than I happen to know I have 3 quarts in the bike since I just changed oil. (Message edited by doerman on January 03, 2008) | ||
| Fresnobuell |
The question now is.. Where did Blake get his initial information from? Yes, that is the question. The source is something that Blake should disclose, especially in light of the "official" Buell stance at this point. | ||
| C4bird |
So I have a question then for the owners/anon. My bike is overfull upright, and at the full mark on the sidestand. I've noticed that I get a strong distinct smell of oil when the bike gets warmed up, is everyone who has the bike full on the side stand have this happen as well? I know the manual says to check it this way, but smelling oil at every stop is kinda dis-heartening and a tad worry some. Where do I have to look to see if this smell is from puking out from overfull? | ||
| Court |
I would follow the factory method UNTIL they tell me different. I DO NOT HAVE ANY INFO FROM BUELL. I AM NOT IN CONTACT WITH ANYONE AT THE FACTORY IF YOU FOLLOW THE OFFICIAL BUELL PROCEDURE AND HAVE ENGINE PROBLEMS YOU ARE COVERED BY WARRANTY, IF YOU DO NOT YOU ARE NOT COVERED. I'm not sure Blake owes anyone an explanation. Common sense would dictate If you have an owners manual . . . follow it. I suspect we'll get a clarification soon. Eager to see the results of Dave's experiment. . . . frankly (PERSONAL OPINION) . . if I had an iota of doubt, I'd drain the oil, put in 3 quarts and ride merrily into the sunset. I suspect . . . like like itself. . . we'll grow wiser with time. | ||
| Sheridan_bueller |
Mine is also overfull upright and just at the full mark on the stand. I had the air cleaner off (just to check out the gaping maw that are the intakes) and didn't see one smear of oil from the crank case vent tube.... for what it's worth. If you haven't done it yet, you guys gotta have a look at the intakes. Very impressive. Just don't have any thing loose around them, like wrenches, nuts and bolts, pens, spare change 'cause they look like they're ready to swallow just about anything. | ||
| Ratbuell |
Yeah, I love that the intakes are just about the same size as the fuel filler. You could lose small children and pets in there! I don't have a manual handy...does ODIS give an oil pressure reading as one of its displays? One thing I remember from the bikes I rode at Pocono - they are clattery, so that's no help. If there's an oil pressure readout on ODIS that may be the way to go, at least until more information comes to light. And remember - the oil is still critical as a lubricant...but it is no longer a coolant as well, so the stress on the motor if you are a little off capacity isn't nearly what it is on the old XL lumps  Don't flame me. I'm not recommending folks ride around with no oil. Just saying that if you're within the dipstick range...GO RIDE. I'm jealous. | ||
| Court |
I'll share a xecret with you . . . . fully cognizant I'll be crucified. In this day and age . . . . given the current quality of materials and oils . . . it the motor EVER had a teaspoon of oil in it . . . . it'd be nearly impossible to damage it due to oil starvation. The motors, with oil in, are run in Austria. They are run again in "rolls" . . . so you know the bike has had oil circulated a couple times. You've all seen the demos of the motors having the oil drained and the throttle pinned WFO for hours . . . . the days of "bad oil" are behind us. By the way . . . I'm not getting too crazy about the batteries yet. The first 1125R I saw had been started "what's it sound like?" and run for 60 seconds or less . . . well, probably 30 times the day it arrived. There are two things I can think of that . . . to operate at full potential . . . .simply need to be ridden for a looooooong time from time to time. | ||
| Old_man |
I replaced the battery with a new one on my 03. It took several long rides and time on the battery tender for the new battery to get up to full capacity. When I'd return from several long ride on the new battery, I would put it on the tender, the red charging light would remain on for a long time. Now it goes almost immediately to the green tender mode. | ||
| C4bird |
Pulled off the air box cover to see if I could find any oil, dry as could be. Maybe burning a little with the break in? Quite the amazing sight to behold, had to take a pics with the butterflies open. Could definateley loose your first born if you weren' careful Definately understandable now why mileage is a little lower, and the fun factors is a lot higher. This is truly one amazing machine. Maybe buell should get into the android business  Give that Honda robot a run for it's money.... | ||
| Xb9 |
Open the butterflies....not only are the throttle bodies big - look down in there at the fine port work and you can see both valves clear as day. Talk about a straight shot going in! | ||
| Ratbuell |
...and the clear shot to the valves is the reason for the 72 degree vee instead of the 60 degree.... ....it all makes *sense* now, LOL. | ||
| Doerman |
While we have the airbox cover open and admiring the throttle bodies (and they are something to behold). There's one thing I noticed. There was quite a bit of small rocks, sand and other road debris in the box. Obviously the filter does the job to keep the debris from gumming up the works. But I think the a combination of a short front fender with the relative low ram air intake tends to collect road debris. I vacuumed the stuff out but will keep an eye on it going forward. | ||
| Blake |
I understand completely the need/requirement to follow official channels concerning such issues. I can only assure everyone that the source of this information is extremely reliable and responsible. The information provided atop the parent page here is accurate and reliable. Besides the word of an Anonymous poster on BadWeB and some guy in Kilgore, Texas, how can we know for certain? There may be a way. Here's how... The engine oil capacity is three quarts not four quarts. That fact is not in dispute. Putting more than 3 quarts of oil into a Buell 1125R motorcycle constitutes significantly overfilling it. If when changing oil and filter the oil is fully replenished by adding the full 3 quarts specified capacity of oil, the oil level should register within the required range on the dipstick. If however the oil level registers low with three quarts, then since we know that the three quarts capacity is correct, it follows that we can deduce that the procedure for checking the oil level with the bike on the sidestand is likely to be mistaken. If we then check the oil with the bike upright/vertical and the level registers within expected operational range, then we can probably safely assume that having the bike upright/vertical is an accurate method for checking the oil level. We also know that some new 1125R owners have already changed their oil and have reported here that in following the prescribed (erroneous) "on the sidestand" method of checking oil level, they had to add upwards of four quarts of engine oil to raise the oil level to within the required range on the dipstick. The above corroberating information combined with a little logic and thoughtful analysis would seem to give credence to the assertion that the oil level should be checked with the bike upright/vertical, not on the sidestand. But nothing is truly certain at this point, so again, I understand completely the need to adhere to prescribed official channels on such issues. I'm confident that the folks at Buell will soon settle the issue through official channels. Or maybe its part of an OPEC conspiracy. I blame George Bush. | ||
| Court |
>>>I'm confident that the folks at Buell will soon settle the issue through official channels. That's an accurate statement. | ||
| Buellborn |
No hurry. |
