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Oil Change Question

  • Thread starter Thread starter spadefoot
  • Start date Start date
S

spadefoot

Guest
I have an 82 gs650gl with an odd oil change "issue". I just bought this bake a couple of months ago and got it on the road recently. I decided to do an oil change w/o filter this time and then do a full change later. These bikes have a sight glass for the oil level. If I add oil to the point that I can see the oil level at the top of the sight glass, after I run the bike for a little while, there appears to be no oil what so ever in the sight glass at all. It seems like, if I rock the bike a bit, the oil shows back up. My hypothesis is that it's either sitting in the top end, or in shaft drive area.

I guess I'm confused about using the sight glass. If I do an oil change, should I add oil until it's in the right spot via the sight glass, or should I go with the listed volume in the clymer manual and not worry about the sight glass. If it's the latter, how do I check the oil leverl on a regular basis?
 
I have the 650G. I just did the same thing as you. Didn;t change the filter, just drained from the pan and added fresh oil. anyway, I wait till it fills in the glass. Then I run around on it for a few minutes and put it back on the center stand. within a few minutes it should settle and you should see it in the glass.
 
Hi Mr. spadefoot,

Just to add to Mr. maro's good advice: If you don't change the filter, then add the amount of oil that's imprinted on the case cover near the fill plug. When you do change the filter, add a little more (around 600-800ml). In both cases, run the bike a little, turn it off, place it on the center stand, let the oil settle for a few minutes, check the sight glass, add as necessary. I suggest checking your oil level every day before you ride, just to be sure. Be careful not to overfill your crankcase.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Ok, thanks for the advice... So it should come back to level in the sightglass after some time sitting, right?
 
Suzuki GS650 Service Manual states the bike should be on the center stand and the oil should be checked one minute after turning off the engine.
 
Nessism said:
Suzuki GS650 Service Manual states the bike should be on the center stand and the oil should be checked one minute after turning off the engine.
Click to expand...


Wow, based on that my engine has no oil in it. So I should run it, put it on the center stand, wait one min and them add oil until I see it in the sight glass?
 
spadefoot said:
Wow, based on that my engine has no oil in it. So I should run it, put it on the center stand, wait one min and them add oil until I see it in the sight glass?
Click to expand...

Yes. Bike needs to be on level ground, not a slope.
 
No, you SHOULD change your oil and filter. Frams are less than $4 at Advance Auto Parts.

(I know, many of you hate Frams. But a cheap, clean filter is much better than a filthy old one!)

It's not just that you are leaving in a dirty filter, but all of the dirty oil that's sitting in the filter will be mixing in with your new, virginal oil. So you will still have dirty oil in your bike along with a dirty filter to try to clean it.

Anyway, let the bike sit on the centerstand (on level ground) for several minutes before you believe the level in the site glass. I wait at least ten...

You can find something to do during this ten minutes, such as cleaning bugs off the bike or check the tire pressures
 
highmileage said:
No, you SHOULD change your oil and filter.
Click to expand...

I agree. I do change my filter every time I change my oil. I know some people don't and I hope they understand the risks.

Mr. spadefoot, your bike is on the center stand, right? Not the side stand.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
highmileage said:
No, you SHOULD change your oil and filter. Frams are less than $4 at Advance Auto Parts.

(I know, many of you hate Frams. But a cheap, clean filter is much better than a filthy old one!)

It's not just that you are leaving in a dirty filter, but all of the dirty oil that's sitting in the filter will be mixing in with your new, virginal oil. So you will still have dirty oil in your bike along with a dirty filter to try to clean it.

Anyway, let the bike sit on the centerstand (on level ground) for several minutes before you believe the level in the site glass. I wait at least ten...

You can find something to do during this ten minutes, such as cleaning bugs off the bike or check the tire pressures
Click to expand...


unless of course you actually put too much oil in because you thought you were low because it was really HOT out and thought you were leaking and burning oil, only to discover you are wrong and now you have WAY too much in there, so you drain out from the main drain plug just to bring up the level to a normal state. ... also, removing the filter in this case is overkill, as I feel at risk of stripping those soft metal bolts on the filter cap (ask me how I know) and then not having a bike to ride for a few days while scrambling for new ones.......

I'm even nervous about that dayum drain plug.......which I had to re-tap last year

hehehehe
 
maro said:
I feel at risk of stripping those soft metal bolts on the filter cap (ask me how I know) and then not having a bike to ride for a few days while scrambling for new ones.......
Click to expand...

With my last Bike Bandit order, I included a dozen of those oil cover acorn nuts just for this reason.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Last edited:
BassCliff said:
With my last Bike Bandit order, I included a dozen of those oil cover acorn bolts just for this reason.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
Click to expand...

Great call!

I need to get into the habit of that as well!
 
Ah, now I understand.

I stripped my little nuts ages ago (boy that sounds dirty) and screwed up the little studs. By nuts I mean the tiny acorn ones on filter cover.

Using a vice grip, I unscrewed the studs and replaced them with three regular bolts (of the correct size, threads the same as the studs and length the same as the studs after they were removed and with the acorn nuts on them).

Now, I just bolt the filter cover on (being careful not to damage those precious, dainty little threads in the cases and on the little bolts). Always push in against the oil filter spring while I hand tighten the bolts before they ever get a wrench and never try to torque those tiny suckers down much!

I've never had any issues with the drainplug, though. Although it's been a while, as I recall I use a spark plug socket on it.
 
Last edited:
I forgot to mention that I ordered three of the stud bolts too, just in case I ever need to replace one of those. It's cheap insurance. I'd hate to have to park my bike for a week over a dollar part.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
that sounds like a great idea basscliff

i need to do that next oil change....
 
BassCliff said:
I agree. I do change my filter every time I change my oil. I know some people don't and I hope they understand the risks.

Mr. spadefoot, your bike is on the center stand, right? Not the side stand.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
Click to expand...


Yep, I'm using the center stand on level ground. It takes a good deal more than a minute for the oil level in the sight glass to return to "normal". I don't know exactly how long it takes. I do know that when I let it sit for an hour, the oil wasn't showing in the sight glass at all. The next day, it was right where I expected it to be.

Yes, I should have done the filter, I'll do it soon, as I was planning a short interval for this go around (maybe 500 miles).
 
I follow the manuals advice; wait one minuet or so and adjust the level accordingly. The instructions don't say anything about waiting till the next day.
 
Great info

Great info

Glad I found this thread, it answers my question on how to check oil. I was wondering if it needed to be on center stand. I may have started mine with it low on oil ! Seemed to be running hot, but did not run over 20 min. oil showed in sight glass but I was not sure how to check. My oil light never came on though and I am doing a complete oil & filter change. You guys are the best help a guy could get!
 
Now that you all have a warm fuzzy feeling let me add:

Now that you all have a warm fuzzy feeling let me add:

On my 81 -750E oil does the following:

Adding 3800ml = cast on housing (4qts) with filter at oil change puts the oil 1/4 way up the range with the bike on the centerstand after one minute and filter full of oil running for long enough to fill filter. Bike has back tire off the ground tipped forward.

If I check the oil with the bike in level riding position using my level device it reads 1/2 way between full and low when cold. Both tires on level ground.

After the bike is run hot (more than 20minutes) it will read nearly full after one minute of sitting and close to that on center stand too.

So I learned from various checking that at one time I was overfilling the oil when stone cold near the full line on the centerstand!!! So now I NEVER fill more than 1/3 way up the sight glass when cold.

So that's the story for my bike and have to assume all the aircooled ones are the same with the internal basket filter?

**Also if I am on a very long trip vastly exceeding oil change recommendations I think it wise to just drain and replace the oil to avoid losing acorn nuts/leaky o-ring gasket on the road OR just switch to synthetic which lasts longer between changes.

My 4 cents:-k
 
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