oil sight glass?

[pdee4t]

hey guys.

how accurate is the sight glass? i fixed an oil leak by replacing the copper washer on the drain plug.

i did a complete drain and full top up but noticed that the oil level in the sight glass remains the exact same when hot or cold.

 

i topped up with 1.25 litres of oil as stated in the manual. i measured it. 

i put the motorcycle on a horizontal motorcycle stand, and ran the bike. when i checked it while the motor was cold, the oil level was about 3/4 of the way up, then i ran the bike until the cooling fan came on, re-checked the oil level in the sight glass and it was about half way. then i let the bike cool down, to go wash it, re-checked the oil level in the sight glass and it was still half way(on a cold motor).

bike was on the stand the whole time.

just wondering if anyone would know why? or if its normal or not?

doesn't make much sense to me.

 

the bike is a KTM 450 EXC 2004 model.

[Flagstaff]

Don't know about your specific bike but using the sight glass always worked for me.

 

Speculation, lot's of little things going on. cold bike, oil in case, cold. heats up some oil dispersed, but oil also expands due to heat, etc.?

 

Mike

[pdee4t]

yeah in the manual it says that the oil level should be 1/4 of the way up when cold(bottom edge of sight glass) and 3/4 of the way up when hot(top edge of sight glass).
just wondering why the oil level stays the same hot and cold?​​ doesn't make sense. shouldn't it expand/thicken?

[Flagstaff]

yeah in the manual it says that the oil level should be 1/4 of the way up when cold(bottom edge of sight glass) and 3/4 of the way up when hot(top edge of sight glass).

just wondering why the oil level stays the same hot and cold?​​ doesn't make sense. shouldn't it expand/thicken?

 

Don't know, could you be over thinking this? I'd only be worried if it was going one way, like constantly losing or apparently gaining oil (coolant).

 

Get out and enjoy your ride!

 

Mike

[pdee4t]

maybe....but usually when something doesn't make sense or something should be doing something and isn't, there is a bigger issue.

Edited August 4, 2014 by pdee4t

[Flagstaff]

maybe....but usually when something doesn't make sense or something should be doing something and isn't, there is a bigger issue.

 

Check the bike specific forum, maybe it's common, maybe not.

 

Mike

[pdee4t]

ive looked and done a search. can't find any answers relating to it.

[Still Bill]

Normal for Summer.

[pdee4t]

im not in summer. im in winter...

[sirthumpalot]

Hot is relative. On the stand the fan may come on, but I doubt it's as hot as if you had just finished a wide open run. It's in the OK area so you're fine, don't get stuck on the insignificant details. ?

[DR.billZ]

^this. Don't over think it.

[4strokeridertt]

If you see oil in the site glass your good to go. Top to bottom of site glass is only about 75ml of oil. Get the oil in the site glass and go ride.

[dirteta]

The sight glass in general is useless. Oil gets trapped under the crank. Fill with 1.25l and forget about it.

[hithebrakes]

you have enough oil. Did  you change brand  of oil sometimes oil is foamy

[pdee4t]

you have enough oil. Did you change brand of oil sometimes oil is foamy

Nope. Didn't change brands.

[UH-1H]

If you see oil in the site glass your good to go. Top to bottom of site glass is only about 75ml of oil. Get the oil in the site glass and go ride.

+1 If you see oil in the window ride it.