New bike, 07 KTM 450 XC-W.
Ran for 3 hours, drained oil (completely, including sucking out oil in filter cavities) adjusted valves. I used the old oil filters which were still soaked with oil, added some oil to filter cavitiy.
Put in 1300 cc or 1.3 ltr total into bike, including oil filter cavity. Being anal about the oil in the site glass I vacked out approx 40 cc just to bring the oil to the half way point in the sight glass.
Both bikes had fresh oil at the mid level (approx 1250cc or 1.25 ltr.) in the sight glass, bike level. Neither bike had been started since the oil change.
Took both bikes (I have the same bike, bought same time, same oil change procedure, valve adjust...everything identical) out on a 1 hour ride. Both bikes ran great, no problems.
The only thing that happened is, she tipped the bike over on the left side. Shut it off, picked in up and went back riding.
Came home, let the bikes settle and checked the oil level in my bike while it was hot. Oil was just slightly below the sight glass window, bike level, good.
Her bike, no sign of oil. Bike level, WTF?
Maybe sight glass problem...tipped bike over on right side, sight glass filled up and drained back down.
No sign of oil leak on bike.
I checked the air box and all the breather tubes. No sign of oil.
Checked oil drain plug, small screen plug, large screen plug and all four filter bolts, torqued to spec. Good.
Added approx 250cc oil, just barely showing in sight glass, started bike up, ran approx. 2 minutes, shut down, checked oil level after about 5 minutes, it was halfway between the bottom and center dot, bike level.
Stopped at this point.
Where has the oil gone?
Bike showed no signs of leaking anywhere or burning oil, runs great, starts and hauls .........
Only thing I haven’t done yet is drain all the oil out and measure it. I will do this tomorrow only if I have to.
Has ANYONE heard of this or experienced this? Please PM me or reply as I am a "bit" concerned.
Update:
Warmed up bike, drained oil from every hole and cavity except for the amount the filters hold when wet. Unsure what that amount is...maybe 100cc total for both.
I measured 1.25ltrs...hmmm, this is the amount KTM says the bike holds...This is good.
Cleaned all the screens and made sure they were seated ok.
Poured this amount back into motorcycle and it went way above the site glass, I understand, oil hasn’t had the opportunity to get throughout the engine.
Took the bike out for a 10 minute spin.
5 minutes later, with bike level, no sign of oil in site glass...tilt bike to right side, site glass fills up, level out bike, no oil in window.
About the 1.25.ltrs drained out. *Either I only put in 1000ml when I did the oil change and then 250ml I added later (hence the total amount of 1.25ltrs.
Or...the motorcycle lost or consumed approx. 200-250ml...This seems unlikely and I’ll really only know on the next oil change.
Or...maybe there is a blockage somewhere and the oil is unable to return to the case.
How can this be determined?
Why does the oil not appear in the site glass as with the other bike?
I understand the site glass does not represent the amount of oil in the bike. In this instance the site glass seems useless.
*I swear I did not start drinking until after the oil change.
Ran for 3 hours, drained oil (completely, including sucking out oil in filter cavities) adjusted valves. I used the old oil filters which were still soaked with oil, added some oil to filter cavitiy.
Put in 1300 cc or 1.3 ltr total into bike, including oil filter cavity. Being anal about the oil in the site glass I vacked out approx 40 cc just to bring the oil to the half way point in the sight glass.
Both bikes had fresh oil at the mid level (approx 1250cc or 1.25 ltr.) in the sight glass, bike level. Neither bike had been started since the oil change.
Took both bikes (I have the same bike, bought same time, same oil change procedure, valve adjust...everything identical) out on a 1 hour ride. Both bikes ran great, no problems.
The only thing that happened is, she tipped the bike over on the left side. Shut it off, picked in up and went back riding.
Came home, let the bikes settle and checked the oil level in my bike while it was hot. Oil was just slightly below the sight glass window, bike level, good.
Her bike, no sign of oil. Bike level, WTF?
Maybe sight glass problem...tipped bike over on right side, sight glass filled up and drained back down.
No sign of oil leak on bike.
I checked the air box and all the breather tubes. No sign of oil.
Checked oil drain plug, small screen plug, large screen plug and all four filter bolts, torqued to spec. Good.
Added approx 250cc oil, just barely showing in sight glass, started bike up, ran approx. 2 minutes, shut down, checked oil level after about 5 minutes, it was halfway between the bottom and center dot, bike level.
Stopped at this point.
Where has the oil gone?
Bike showed no signs of leaking anywhere or burning oil, runs great, starts and hauls .........
Only thing I haven’t done yet is drain all the oil out and measure it. I will do this tomorrow only if I have to.
Has ANYONE heard of this or experienced this? Please PM me or reply as I am a "bit" concerned.
Update:
Warmed up bike, drained oil from every hole and cavity except for the amount the filters hold when wet. Unsure what that amount is...maybe 100cc total for both.
I measured 1.25ltrs...hmmm, this is the amount KTM says the bike holds...This is good.
Cleaned all the screens and made sure they were seated ok.
Poured this amount back into motorcycle and it went way above the site glass, I understand, oil hasn’t had the opportunity to get throughout the engine.
Took the bike out for a 10 minute spin.
5 minutes later, with bike level, no sign of oil in site glass...tilt bike to right side, site glass fills up, level out bike, no oil in window.
About the 1.25.ltrs drained out. *Either I only put in 1000ml when I did the oil change and then 250ml I added later (hence the total amount of 1.25ltrs.
Or...the motorcycle lost or consumed approx. 200-250ml...This seems unlikely and I’ll really only know on the next oil change.
Or...maybe there is a blockage somewhere and the oil is unable to return to the case.
How can this be determined?
Why does the oil not appear in the site glass as with the other bike?
I understand the site glass does not represent the amount of oil in the bike. In this instance the site glass seems useless.
*I swear I did not start drinking until after the oil change.
