Oil to full?

[Shasta]

Hello

I just checked the oil on my new 1998 tourer and it is to the top of the flat part.  I assume it's supposed to be at the line in the middle of the flat segment correct or slightly below.   I checked it warm after 5 minutes idling then let it sit for three minutes the sat on it and then checked with the dipstick not screwed in...just resting on the top.  What should I do and thanks!



Matt

[The emperor has no clothes]

If you checked it with the bike level and the dipstick resting on top I would change the oil and filter. I do that with any bike I buy anyway though. You don't really know what the P.O. has done.

[J.Mencalice]

These posts are from the 1500 Tech Board, where there are many more posts regarding oil changes, checking dipstick levels, and types of oil that riders choose to use.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,44427.0.html

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,84210.0.html

Take your time and you'll get it right.

[Bighead]

Drain it put on new filter and add 4 qts of oil, start, run then let it sit and check it they wa you did before(correct) and see where the level is then and you will be sure it is correct. It could have the wrong dip stick or last oil change too much was put in.

[cookiedough]

If on the level sitting on bike with dipstick like you said resting on top and oil above the top line, then what I would do  ONLY if the oil is very clean still just unloosen the drain bolt and let some oil drizzle on out no sense in wasting good clean oil.  Take 3-5 ounces at a time and keep checking until right at or slightly below the full mark.

[Bighead]

If on the level sitting on bike with dipstick like you said resting on top and oil above the top line, then what I would do  ONLY if the oil is very clean still just unloosen the drain bolt and let some oil drizzle on out no sense in wasting good clean oil.  Take 3-5 ounces at a time and keep checking until right at or slightly below the full mark.

That all sounds good but it might not have the correct dip stick. That is why I suggested to drain and check. If really worried about 4 qTS of oil it could be drained into a clean dry container and put back in

[Shasta]

Thanks guys

The oil looks good but it is almost a year old.  Even though it only has a few hundred miles on it I think I will replace with new oil and filter just to make sure I baby her from day 1.

PS-Whats the best oil?  Just kiddin.  I will be using rotella 15w-40 dino.  Same as the KLR

[Bighead]

Thanks guys

The oil looks good but it is almost a year old.  Even though it only has a few hundred miles on it I think I will replace with new oil and filter just to make sure I baby her from day 1.

PS-Whats the best oil?  Just kiddin.  I will be using rotella 15w-40 dino.  Same as the KLR

No NEED to baby her at all just keep the maintenance up and all will be good! They like to have their tails twisted from time to time

[Pete]

Does the oil smell like GAS?

If so you may have a carb leaking gas into a cylinder and running down into the oil.

[sheets]

If you are slightly over-full . . . steal the pump from the wife's shampoo squirt bottle . . . insert into the dipstick hole. Pump out a few or more squirts of oil to reach desired level . . . then promptly replace pump in shampoo jug before she notices it missing. Yrmv, 

[Bighead]

Still wouldn't determine if it is the correct dip stick!

[wiggydotcom]

As other's have said, I would confirm what dipstick you have. If the top is black plastic with a black metal flat stick, it's OEM. If it's a plastic chrome looking top, it's an aftermarket and the lines won't
measure the same as OEM. I put mine next to the OEM and scribed a new line on the chrome aftermarket one.

[cookiedough]

fyi,

the Valk takes 3.9 qts. of oil, not 4 qts.  UNLESS you use a larger oil filter which some have done.

I find that .10 of a qt. is about 4 ounces short of a full 4 qts. of oil.

However, I doubt an extra 4 ounces will hurt anything though.   

[Bighead]

100 + k and no damage so far. But think about it if you use 4 1 qt. bottles unless you let each drain for 3 or 4 minutes you are leaving at least an once in each one anyway.

[cookiedough]

100 + k and no damage so far. But think about it if you use 4 1 qt. bottles unless you let each drain for 3 or 4 minutes you are leaving at least an once in each one anyway.

I use Amsoil oil at 10.55 per qt..  At that price,  I always get almost every last drop out of every 1 qt. bottle.  I let bottle drip 10-15 drips, then turn qt. bottle upside down on it's cap and that fills up the cap easy enough of oil left and let that drain in the engine, then I do it again and get almost another cap full of oil out of the bottle, thus much less than 1 ounce left in the bottle still.

Hint:  as am sure most know, but if when draining the oil out of the engine, sit on the bike and lean it over to the right side as far as you can holding the weight of the bike up with your right leg for 2-3 minutes doing that 2-3 times and you do get another 4-5 ounces of old oil out of the engine.  I think that is worth doing in my opinion to get as much old oil out of the engine as possible.  My right leg gets tired of holding the bike up at that tilted angle after 2-3 minutes of holding it that way. 

[Red Diamond]

let it run till the fan comes on ... let it drain on the kick stand ... ain't gonna make no difference ... keep it simple ...
four full quarts and a new filter        .... screw the dipstick     

Thanks for the help John, I held that as long as I could.

[baldo]

If you are slightly over-full . . . steal the pump from the wife's shampoo squirt bottle . . . insert into the dipstick hole. Pump out a few or more squirts of oil to reach desired level . . . then promptly replace pump in shampoo jug before she notices it missing. Yrmv, 

    gulp......that's a youtube moment in the making...

[The emperor has no clothes]

If you are slightly over-full . . . steal the pump from the wife's shampoo squirt bottle . . . insert into the dipstick hole. Pump out a few or more squirts of oil to reach desired level . . . then promptly replace pump in shampoo jug before she notices it missing. Yrmv, 

    gulp......that's a youtube moment in the making...

I don't think YouTube allows videos of domestic violence of husbands. 

[Willow]

let it run till the fan comes on ... let it drain on the kick stand ... ain't gonna make no difference ... keep it simple ...
four full quarts and a new filter        .... screw the dipstick     

I'm sure you didn't mean that literally.  You have to take it off the kick stand and stand it upright to get the oil all, or mostly all, drained out.

I want to know the dipstick works right lest I, for some reason, don't get all the oil out.

[Gryphon Rider]

OEM Dipstick:

[Willow]

OEM Dipstick:

Is that a Canadian showing us a measurement in inches?   

[The emperor has no clothes]

OEM Dipstick:

Is that a Canadian showing us a measurement in inches?   

Sure looks like he's trying to cover up those pesky centimeters. 

[Roadog]

If you checked it with the bike level and the dipstick resting on top I would change the oil and filter. I do that with any bike I buy anyway though. You don't really know what the P.O. has done.

X2

[Willow]

let it run till the fan comes on ... let it drain on the kick stand ... ain't gonna make no difference ... keep it simple ...
four full quarts and a new filter        .... screw the dipstick     

I'm sure you didn't mean that literally.  You have to take it off the kick stand and stand it upright to get the oil all, or mostly all, drained out.

I want to know the dipstick works right lest I, for some reason, don't get all the oil out.

           yes sir , I did .... it's not enough oil for concern ... people freak out  over         insignificants ... i'm just say'in keep it simple .... 3.9 quarts .... your wife's baster   ....  .... " I want to know the dipstick works right " ....  I'm sure you didn't mean that literally .... how could the dipstick not work ?    it's a dipstick       

My experience and yours are limited so we tend to make our decisions and plans based upon less than a complete range of information.   

I replaced my OEM stick with a chrome handled stick.  It took me only a quick check to determine the measurements on the new stick didn't match the OEM.  I marked the new stick to match what the OEM indicated.

Yes, I meant it literally.  The OP is new to his bike and doesn't have a complete history of what's been done.  Overfilling your oil by .1 quart has a negligible impact.  Over filling by a half quart doesn't.

[Shasta]

Thanks guys

Looks like I do have the OEM dipstick.  I went ahead and changed the oil and filter and filled it to the center line on the flat part.  I believe this is the high end of the full mark.

We are good to go!

Thanks again, Matt

[john]

mr carl , sir .... I meant no disrespect ...  ???     please for give ... I understand ... I have truetemp and it's mark is off ... I have to lay it next to the oem now and then as a reminder ...       

[Willow]

mr carl , sir .... I meant no disrespect ...  ???     please for give ... I understand ... I have truetemp and it's mark is off ... I have to lay it next to the oem now and then as a reminder ...       

No problem, john.  I thrive on disrespect.  It's an annoyance to some of the folks around me.

I don't lay mine next to the OEM anymore.  I notched it with a file.  I figure it's not going to rust so long as I keep it in oil.   

[msb]

OEM Dipstick:

Sure looks like he's trying to cover up those pesky centimeters. 

"pesky centimeters" .... Yup, sure is a pain just multiplying/dividing by 10 or 100 for all measurements up here in metric-land   

For the first few oil changes after changing out my OEM dipstick for the chrome one, I kept the OEM one in the saddle bag just to confirm I had marked off the new one correctly when changing or checking oil.