Change oil after tipping bike?

[Anonymous]

I went to put my bike on the sidestand last night, and darned if it wasn't there. The engine was running when it tipped, but shut off immediately. I got the bike back upright within a minute or so (just enough time to laugh at myself). I noticed a post this morning that mentioned changing the oil after something like this, in case gas got into the crankcase. The bike was hard to start immediately after uprighting it, so I wonder if this indicates a flooded condition in the cylinders.

Should I change the oil? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Michael

 

[daveo]

seeing as it wasn't down long, I wouldn't worry about it, it will possibly smoke a bit when first started but that should burn off in less than 5 min.

 

[Anonymous]

seeing as it wasn't down long, I wouldn't worry about it, it will possibly smoke a bit when first started but that should burn off in less than 5 min.

I would smell the oil to be sure

 

[Anonymous]

I bet the hard starting is because of the carbs. I'm still not sure if it's because they are drained and you have to crank a little for the petcock to let them fill again, or if it's because they flood the engine when they're sideways.

Why would it matter if you got some gas in the crankcase? There's lots of gas in there when you change oil, so how is the first start after an oil change different than the first start after tipping the bike over?

 

[Anonymous]

Why would it matter if you got some gas in the crankcase? There's lots of gas in there when you change oil, so how is the first start after an oil change different than the first start after tipping the bike over?

I must be missing something... Why is there lots of gas in the crankcase when you change the oil?

Michael

 

[earlfor]

Hard starting is more often due to low system voltage because of poor connections and corrosion than it is carbs. Whenever you encounter a problem that you believe may be carbs or timing, the first thing to verify is electrical supply. Without the correct voltage in the system arriving at the device to operate it, nothing is going to work right and that includes carbs.

As to, "Why would it matter if you got some gas in the crankcase? There's lots of gas in there when you change the oil." Well, one reason is that gas doesnt lubricate bearings and other metal parts and the engine will self destruct. Another reason is that gas contaminates clutch linings causing them to become useless. If you are running a bike with gas in the crankcase oil, plan on walking soon and scrapping the engine when it quits. It WILL quit, the only thing I cant tell you is exactly how long it will be, but dont worry, you will not have to wait too long. There should be zero gas in the crankcase oil. Your fuel petcock is guaranteed to be faulty and need replacing and your carb float bowl needles probably need replacing.

Earl

I bet the hard starting is because of the carbs. I'm still not sure if it's because they are drained and you have to crank a little for the petcock to let them fill again, or if it's because they flood the engine when they're sideways.

Why would it matter if you got some gas in the crankcase? There's lots of gas in there when you change oil, so how is the first start after an oil change different than the first start after tipping the bike over?

 

[argonsagas]

Make sure the exterior of the engine is clean of all gasoline, then open the fill cap and sniff.

If you smell A N Y gas at all in the crankcase...drain and change the oil. Now.

The appropriate per centage for gas in your oil is none/nil/zero.

 

[Anonymous]

Having dropped a Kawasaki KZ1000P several hundred times while on a course, I can tell you that the bike can be difficult to start after going horizontal for up to a minute at a time. The usual problem is flooding, so the cure is to open the throttle fully until the bike makes encouraging noises, then back off to about half throttle until it starts. It sometimes took 15 to 20 seconds of cranking before it would go, then another minute until it ran very well.

I personally wouldn't change the oil unless the level was too high. A small amount of fuel will boil out of there without doing any harm.

 

[frosty5011]

Earl,

Having read your thread, I kind of get the feeling (from the tone of your post) that there is a slight possibility that fuel in the crankcase might have some negative effects on the condition/shape of the internal engine parts.

But what you don't understand, is that we "L" version owners have to come up with ingenious ways to increase the amount of fuel that we carry with us on our bikes. With our fuel tanks being as small as they are (1.5 qts, or whatever the hell it is), every extra drop that we can carry with us may mean the difference between.....filling up at this gas station, or possibly even making it to the one on the other side of the intersection.

This being the case, we have to be very creative in finding ways to store extra fuel. The crankcase may be one place to hide a half a pint or so. Perhaps the headlight housing.....lots of wasted space in there too. Personally, I like to fill up my saddlebags (although, make sure your passenger doesn't smoke if you do this), as well as fill up 3 or 4 canteens with fuel, which I attach to my old Army web belt.

You guys, with your "standard" version GS's, and their big, oversize, 15-or-so gallon fuel tanks may not have to worry about such things, nor understand the plight of us "L"ers. The chance/opportunity to be able to make it to a whole, new different town far outweighs the risk of a little engine wear caused by storing a little extra fuel in the crankcase. All we ask is that you have a little understanding for us.......either that, or that you carry a siphon hose along with you when you ride, in case you meet one of us on the side of the road. :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

At least with an "l" you can fill up on pocket change

 

[frosty5011]

At least with an "l" you can fill up on pocket change

True! Who else can say that they are able to fill up their tank and buy a pack of gum at a service station for under a dollar? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[focus frenzy]

you can always just wrap jumper cables around the bike and connect them to the battery, that will get the gas out of the oil with out having to drain the oil! :twisted: ROFLAO!! :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

Hard starting is more often due to low system voltage because of poor connections and corrosion than it is carbs. Whenever you encounter a problem that you believe may be carbs or timing, the first thing to verify is electrical supply. Without the correct voltage in the system arriving at the device to operate it, nothing is going to work right and that includes carbs.

Dang, so that explains my lack of power and that extra wire hanging down below the carbs. One question Earl, which carb do I hook that wire up to?

 

[Anonymous]

Gas in crankcase is dangerous......

Gas in crankcase is dangerous......

I had this problem on my 1980 GS1000G about a year ago or so....The detremental aspect is, if there is gas in the crankcase you could come to a screeeeching hault at a high speed......This might kill you when it seizes the transmission and engine.....I rebuilt my petcock and it took care of the problem.......PLEASE change the oil immediatly for you own personal well being and any passenger you might be carrying......Change the oil, run it a couple of miles and crack the oil open and see if you smell more gas.....I literally changed my oil 3 times to get all of the smell out......
The prospect of being hurled over the handle bars at the speeds I like to ride is plain scary.......
:!:

 

[Anonymous]

gas in oil

gas in oil

I've never heard that gas in the oil will hurt anything. How would the gas get into the crankcase to begin with? There's no way in, other than getting past the piston rings. Or maybe through the crankcase vent. In any case, I've had my dirtbike on the ground a million times, sometimes upside down, never had a problem whatsoever.
I would not change the oil because the bike fell over.
Klaus

 

[earlfor]

Seriously though Andy, if the voltage is low, the spark is weak or the electrical system isnt up to specs for whatever reason, you can have black burning plugs and first instinct is that the carbs are set too rich.
If your carbs are set right, the plugs run normal and then you notice they are fouling, its unlikely they have taken it on themselves to try different settings. The cause will not usually be found with the carbs. If the bike starts running poorly, carbs are the last thing you would check and adjust.

Earl

Earl

Dang, so that explains my lack of power and that extra wire hanging down below the carbs. One question Earl, which carb do I hook that wire up to?

 

[Anonymous]

Re: gas in oil

Re: gas in oil

I've never heard that gas in the oil will hurt anything.

...I've had my dirtbike on the ground a million times, sometimes upside down, never had a problem whatsoever.
I would not change the oil because the bike fell over.
Klaus

Yeah, I agree. Although you don't say so, I suppose your dirtbike is a four-stroke? Anyway, In the described circumstances, there couldn't be more than an ounce or two of fuel in the crankcase as a worst-case-scenario.
A simple two-stroke engine has a crankcase that is purposely stuffed full of fuel/oil mixture at 50/1 or similar. Why doesn't the two-stroke blow up or seize?
If a tiny bit of oil in all that fuel can lubricate the two-stroke engine, certainly a tiny bit of fuel in our four-stroke oil won't cause our engines to fail! Certainly fuel/oil ratio in this contaminated GS engine is 1/50, not 50/1!

Diluting the lubricating oil to a tiny degree in a four-stroke is not going to harm the engine, especially when the volatile elements in that gasoline are going to boil out quickly.

It is SOP in cold-weather operations to significantly dilute lubricating oil in aircraft engines with fuel just prior to shutdown. There is a cockpit control to do so. When the engine is next started, the diluted oil provides superior lubrication until the engine warms, at which time the fuel boils out through the crankcase vent. No explosions!

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry for the confusion Earl, when I read gas I read it as air, not as gasoline, hence my head scratching. As hard starting I mean that after picking it back up you crank and crank and it doesn't start. This is what I meant with the carbs:

Having dropped a Kawasaki KZ1000P several hundred times while on a course, I can tell you that the bike can be difficult to start after going horizontal for up to a minute at a time. The usual problem is flooding, so the cure is to open the throttle fully until the bike makes encouraging noises, then back off to about half throttle until it starts. It sometimes took 15 to 20 seconds of cranking before it would go, then another minute until it ran very well.

I personally wouldn't change the oil unless the level was too high. A small amount of fuel will boil out of there without doing any harm.

 

[Anonymous]

Gravity feed is the key....

Gravity feed is the key....

My petcock is gravity fed, stays on all the time, prime for starting and reserve for god help you......When in the on position, not prime, the gas should not flow anywhere......Leave it on prime for a night, if working, gravity fed you will have gas everywhere you don't want it......I agree that dumping the bike should not have put gas in the crankcase, but, jar the petcock just a little (brittle) and it will malfunction.....Gas in crankcase... 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Gravity feed is the key....

Re: Gravity feed is the key....

My petcock is gravity fed, stays on all the time, prime for starting and reserve for god help you......When in the on position, not prime, the gas should not flow anywhere......Leave it on prime for a night, if working, gravity fed you will have gas everywhere you don't want it......I agree that dumping the bike should not have put gas in the crankcase, but, jar the petcock just a little (brittle) and it will malfunction.....Gas in crankcase... 8)

Your purple prose is hurting my eyes!