[ark207]

I just bought my bike used about a month ago. Today I checked the oil level and noticed that it seemed high. When I sit the bike up for a few seconds and try to crouch down and look at the glass I can't even see the oil level cause it looks to be filling the entire glass. Not good. This was with the bike cold but upright and having waiting about 30 seconds or so. I did it a few times.

I tried to record things. Note that in part of the video the reflection of the clouds might make it look like the sight glass is part empty, it's not. The whole thing is dark as if there is oil past the high point. It's so hard to see though, even in person.

Me checking the level video


I also opened the oil cap and noticed something that looks like string? Am I missing something? Should that be there?

Any help is appreciated. I was thinking of getting a turkey baster to drain out some oil.

 

[ark207]

If you pause the vid at 43 seconds you get a pretty clear picture of the sight glass. It's totally dark.

 

[nick]

have a buddy sit on the bike to level it off and loosen the oil filter till its releasing some oil and watch the level of your oil glass. or you could ust do an oil change and leave your filter if its new.

 

[Bob H]

The FZ07 holds a lot of oil in the top end of the motor.....therefore checking your oil level when the motor is warm is useless. It takes HOURS for all the oil to drain down into the sump. I let the bike sit ALL NIGHT LONG....and in the morning I get an accurate reading of true oil level.
Sit on a small stool beside the bike and balance the bike upright with the left handlebar. Then while balanced level....check the sight glass window. Hope that helps.

 

[ark207]

The manual says that to get an accurate reading you should run the engine for a few minutes and turn the bike off for a bit to get the correct level. That being so I doubt letting the bike sit all night would be the best way to get per Yamaha's recommendations.

I did as the manual said and the level went down a bit. It's still kinda high.

 

[Bob H]

The manual says that to get an accurate reading you should run the engine for a few minutes and turn the bike off for a bit to get the correct level. That being so I doubt letting the bike sit all night would be the best way to get per Yamaha's recommendations.

I did as the manual said and the level went down a bit. It's still kinda high.

Is that how you check the oil in your car? Start it up...and come back a few minutes later and check the oil level? Of course not. Your oil level is high because you didn't allow enough time for all the oil to drain down from the top end and cooler.

The mistake everyone makes is when checking engine oil..or changing engine oil...is that the owner will "adjust" the oil level to the top mark on the sight glass. This is incorrect and the service manual says to "adjust" the oil lever to BETWEEN the low and high marks. [that means in the middle} If the oil level is between the two marks....allowing the bike to sit all night allows all the oil to drain down and if checked again...the oil level will be even with the top mark.