My oil level window is very hard to see through!

[JimmyR]

So how do I know if there's enough oil in there? I just drained all the old rather smelly oil and put in the new stuff. It's an '82 GS1100G and it says on the side that it needs 3000mL. So I have put in around 3L but I can't tell from the little window if it's right. I did change the filter too.

Are there any tricks? How can I be sure the oil level is right?

 

[platinum2]

there arent any tricks , you really need to make sure it has plenty of oil at all times
if cleaning it doesnt help, maybe just get a new oil window and put it in i believe there still available

 

[tkent02]

Cold engine,bike on center stand, run it a minute or so, let it sit a minute, look in the oil window. It should be between the high and the low mark. Too low will fry the stator, too high is worse.

 

[Suzuki_Don]

My oil level window is very hard to see through!

Then CLEAN it. The best way I found of doing this is the remove the clutch cover, lay it face down so all the oil can dran away from inside the cover. Then poke cotton buds through the slots in the sight glass and wipe away old oil and residue. Do that over and over again until it is clean. It may take 10 or 12 cotton buds to get it thoroughly clean.

The result is you will be able to see your oil level.

Check it with bike on center stand. See instruction from Suzuki manual following:

OIL CHECKING

1. Start up cold engine to run if for about 10 secs. at idle speed.

2. Stop the engine and after waiting 1 minute check the oil level (bike on center stand).

3. Add oil as necessary to raise the level to the "F" mark on glass sight window.

Good luck with it.


EDIT: Tom is a faster typist than me, he beat me to it.

 

[JimmyR]

Oh I read about how to change the oil. I know how to do that. The point is that the window is old and yellowed. I can't see the level of anything through it. I will try cleaning it. Obviously I have cleaned it on the outside but that hasn't helped. I didn't know you could clean it - I assumed it was some kind of plastic that aged and went yellow. Is it glass? It really looks like the clear bit has gone opaque.

Sometimes there are other ways to judge oil levels. Obviously not in this case.

 

[tkent02]

Oh I read about how to change the oil. I know how to do that. The point is that the window is old and yellowed. I can't see the level of anything through it. I will try cleaning it. Obviously I have cleaned it on the outside but that hasn't helped. I didn't know you could clean it - I assumed it was some kind of plastic that aged and went yellow. Is it glass? It really looks like the clear bit has gone opaque.

Sometimes there are other ways to judge oil levels. Obviously not in this case.

It can be replaced easily enough, the windows are still available. Kawasaki has the same size windows, but a better design which is easier to red, and apparently a few bucks cheaper. They both fit the same.

 

[JimmyR]

Cool - thanks! I'll check it out.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Another vote for replacing it. I did it last year and it took me all of 20 minutes.

 

[ptexotik]

I just cleaned mine with cotton buds. (removed clutch cover)
5 mins. cheap

ps.with bike on side stand... no need to drain oil.

 

[chuck hahn]

Dump the sight glass area full of some rubbing alcohol to help the Qtips scrub the residue off the glass. Clean the engine case and cover from all old gasket material and reinstall with a new one. Good to go for another 40 years or so.

 

[JimmyR]

Ok - cool! I was thinking I'd have to drain the oil to clean it. But it makes sense that you'd be able to take the clutch cover off if the bike is tilted to the left because I took the stator cover off with the bike tilted to the right! Isn't it amazing that you can do this - I mean there's 3 litres of oil in there. Good. That's something I can do tomorrow.

Thanks guys!

 

[platinum2]

if its the out side of the sight hole i believe there is a plastic cleaner, you can buff it with a dremel or something, it might come clean enough, other than that just replace it

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

As always the rape a gasket folks peep in.

Get a damned hot dryer or hot-air gun and slowly warm then heat the glass.

It will release the water and the haze.

Removal and manual cleaning is for girls, guys who want to be girls, and folks that cannot understand basic physics.

Even if you drain and replenish the oild on the basis of a measured container. If you get the damned cases hot enough the water will boil out.

God how did we lose Stalingrad to those uppity Russians?

Oh was it the condensation in our sumps that the sortie length could not excrete via effulgence?

 

[platinum2]

As always the rape a gasket folks peep in.

Get a damned hot dryer or hot-air gun and slowly warm then heat the glass.

It will release the water and the haze.

Removal and manual cleaning is for girls, guys who want to be girls, and folks that cannot understand basic physics.

Even if you drain and replenish the oild on the basis of a measured container. If you get the damned cases hot enough the water will boil out.

God how did we lose Stalingrad to those uppity Russians?

Oh was it the condensation in our sumps that the sortie length could not excrete via effulgence?

i dont think water is the problem, it is probably like my old one was, dry and faded on the outside, only cure buff clear,or replace
the inside are usually clean or have oilywater grey goo grey goo is not big deal , but the out side of them dryout like the instrament lenses do

 

[GateKeeper]

I just had the cover off, and used some Q-tips to clean the glass, plain and simple

and mine was dirty on the inside, not the outside

 

[platinum2]

I just had the cover off, and used some Q-tips to clean the glass, plain and simple

and mine was dirty on the inside, not the outside

nice and clean how much to get my cases like those?, i might invest in some buffing tools but i would rather someone else did it, im going to hate putting mine together unpolished dang u gk! dannggg u lol man its goin to be nice

 

[GateKeeper]

platinum2, first case will be free all others there will be a charge.....LOL

and I think before I put the cases back on, I will be redoing them again, I am not happy, there is just not enough shine to them, and I can't stand seeing some of those scratches, so I bit more sanding, finer paper, and then hit the buffing wheel once more...

in all honesty it really does not take that long, if done in stages, going finer and finer on the sandpaper, and then hit em with the buffer...

 

[JimmyR]

Well I did it. Tilted my bike to the left - don't have a sidestand at the moment but will have one again soon. Took the clutch cover off and cleaned the entire part while it was off. I went through a few Q-tips (or cotton buds as they are called here) as the bud bit gets caught in the little metal cage bit quite easily. But now I can see through it - yay!

So I changed the oil as per the manual and my bike must really like new oil. It is running much more smoothly and probably the best it has run since I got the bike. Mind you I have put a lot of work into it so it's just as well.

Interestingly it took a lot more than the 3000mL it says on the side - I used almost 4L. I guess that's because I changed the filter as well?

 

[7981GS]

Well I did it. Tilted my bike to the left - don't have a sidestand at the moment but will have one again soon. Took the clutch cover off and cleaned the entire part while it was off. I went through a few Q-tips (or cotton buds as they are called here) as the bud bit gets caught in the little metal cage bit quite easily. But now I can see through it - yay!

So I changed the oil as per the manual and my bike must really like new oil. It is running much more smoothly and probably the best it has run since I got the bike. Mind you I have put a lot of work into it so it's just as well.

Interestingly it took a lot more than the 3000mL it says on the side - I used almost 4L. I guess that's because I changed the filter as well?

Yes. Very close to 4 Quarts or just less than 4 L.

Daniel

 

[chuck hahn]

Yes it does take a bit more to soak up the new filter. Did you run it for a few minutes and then let it sit for about 5 minutes and then recheck the level?