“NEW” 2011 RT, question on oil level sight window

[BruceInMass]

I just bought a 2011 R1200RT and had it shipped up to my home in Massachusetts from Florida. The bike is super clean and only had 4,600 miles on it. I’m the 3rd owner, the first put about 3,200 miles on it, and the guy I bought it from had it for 8 years and only put about 1,400 miles on it. It has the original Metzeler tires on it, but after 10 years it’s time to replace those. [size=78%]The Florida dealer said the last time they say the bike was for an oil change in 2017.[/size]

Naturally I changed the oil and filter right away. The oil I drained looked and smelled “normal” as far as I can tell. Even though I added the specified amount of oil, the oil level sight window didn’t register anything, so I added a few more ounces and still nothing. In fact the window is cloudy, a brownish color. I’ve since put on about 300 miles and it’s still the same.
Can anyone guess why and what I can do to fix it?
Thanks,

[milleplod]

Did you make sure that the engine was up to the correct operating temperature before the oil change? By that, I mean did you go for a run out beforehand? It's generally held that simply letting the bike run whilst stationary won't get it hot enough - most owners haven't got the patience! - which means that when you drain the oil, the oil cooler retains its capacity as the thermostat remains closed. This in turn means that, when you refill with new oil, there's every chance you've overfilled it.....so, you may well be looking at a very full sight glass....ie looking through the lovely, new, brownish oil and not seeing what should be the silver backdrop of the glass, which is what usually enables you to see the oil level (brown against silver).
Overfilling isn't the end of the world, in extreme cases it could end up in the airbox, I suppose....in any case, it's a damn sight better than not having enough in there! You could perhaps take the filter off and empty it, then refit it and start the engine....see what happens in the sight glass then.
Pete

[David.]

Seeing what should be the silver backdrop of the glass, which is what usually enables you to see the oil level (brown against silver).

[David.]

In fact the window is cloudy, a brownish color.

Does the sight glass look like this one.


Or this one which is overfull.

[David.]

Which means that when you drain the oil, the oil cooler retains its capacity as the thermostat remains closed.

I didn't know that the oil cooler has a thermostat. That'll explain why the oil level should be checked "only after a lengthy trip."
"Then wait five minutes for the oil to drain into the oil pan."

Recently had the oil & filter changed on my Camhead at a BMW dealer. The oil level is above the top of the sight glass. I queried this, was told that a measured quantiy (4 l) of oil was used. If this is added to the quantity held by the oil cooler, then it's too full. The dealer didn't take the bike for a "lengthy trip" and re-check the oil level after 5 mins. I was told it'll be ok and won't blow up!

Why can't BMW come up with an oil level when the engine is cold. It would be much easier that way to check the oil level before setting off, much like tyre pressures!

[scunny12]

Now we get into the argument of should tyre pressures be checked cold or hot. Bike manual says one thing, my car manual says the opposite!

[simbo]

Where's the 'Thermostat' that retains oil in the oil cooler??

[David.]

Haynes manual 2.50 Oil thermostat 26 The oil thermostat is located in the top of the crankcase on the right-hand side, below the flange for the oil cooler feed pipe.

#14

[Graham88]

Thermostat will only control flow to the cooler, not from it.

[David.]

These photos are of a Hexhead GS but the same as a Camhead RT.

[simbo]

Interesting stuff. 

[milleplod]

Thermostat will only control flow to the cooler, not from it.

Hmmmm. It might not 'control' oil coming from it, but when the engine's properly hot, the thermostat is open.....switch off, filter and drain plug removed.....thermostat's still open, oil drains out of engine and cooler I would've thought. I can't see why else the BMW-mandated method is as it is. I'm all ears if anyone knows different though!

Pete

[Graham88]

Cold thick gloopy oil will stick to everything, every crevice especially with horizontal cylinders - if there is no oil pressure moving it on then it will lurk all around the motor including the cooler. Warm thinned oil is much more compliant with gravity. The LC method is the same.
I would also suggest the volume of oil in the cooler is actually pretty small, but in any case it doesn't sound very German to start a cold engine with a quantity of oil 'locked' away from the coal face until the engine heats up.

Start a cold engine and shut it down, the oil pan will look empty for a few hours maybe even a day but eventually it will fill back up.

[milleplod]

Cold thick gloopy oil will stick to everything, every crevice especially with horizontal cylinders - if there is no oil pressure moving it on then it will lurk all around the motor including the cooler. Warm thinned oil is much more compliant with gravity. The LC method is the same.
I would also suggest the volume of oil in the cooler is actually pretty small, but in any case it doesn't sound very German to start a cold engine with a quantity of oil 'locked' away from the coal face until the engine heats up.

Start a cold engine and shut it down, the oil pan will look empty for a few hours maybe even a day but eventually it will fill back up.

Not sure what point you're making really. Why would cold oil stick 'especially with horizontal cylinders'?

Even if there's only a small amount of oil in the cooler, it needs to come out at oil-change time....which is why the correct procedure is what it is. Unless somebody knows differently, of course......

Pete

[Graham88]

The point i am making is that the oil cooler and the rest of the engine will empty if its cold or hot, just at a different rate, whether that is relevant or useful is up to whomever, but it is factual nonetheless. The notion that oil is locked away somehow, isn't.

The horizontal part is very important forgive the analogy but if you take the lid off a tin of room temperature treacle and lay it down on its side (or horizontally, or even upside down) it will take a long time to empty but if you heat it up and repeat it will empty a lot quicker. The procedure is the same for an LC model which doesn't have a cooler, which also implies that heating up is not really connected to the cooler.