Correct 1981 550 maxim oil capacity

I'm somewhat confused here. I called two yamaha dealers and they said to refill with just over 3 qts of oil with a filter change. On-line here, there is a posting that states roughly 2.3 qts with just an oil change, about 2.6 qts with oil and filter and a total capacity of 3.1 qts. I put in 3.1 qts with a filter change. Should I drain about 1/2 a quart?

 

I'm out the door to change oil on my 550 right now. I'll put in 2.5L and then keep topping it up to the top of the sight window. As long as you are close and then fill it according to the site window I'm sure it will be fine. Even slightly overfilled probably won't hurt.

 

Look at the figure stamped right next to the Fill Cap.

Convert that to Quarts.
Put that much in.

-or-

Drain it all.
Refill slowly keeping your eye on the Oil Level Window.
Fill it until the Air Bubble in the Window is just about gone.

(I fill it until the Air Bubble IS Gone. Then, I just look for a FULL Window before heading out. (Bike on Centerstand)

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Would the site window step work on the 650 as well?

 

Sure.

That's why they put the window right there!

 

Cool, I thought it was just to see the quality and to make sure there was atleast some in there. Hadn't got to the oil change yet. Got the new air compressor today..YEAH.....and spent the afternoon tryin to get all the right parts that fit and that I need. Did put some oil in the case; was low in the window; and did try to turn it over for the first time. So far just alot of starter whirring. But Im gettin closer!

 

Just make sure you check the oil level with the bike on the center stand, if you check with the bike on the side stand you will put too much oil in!

 

The Haynes/Clymer service manual for a 1981 XJ550 states an approximate refill capacity of:
- 2.3 quarts without filter
- 2.6 quarts with the filter

You don't want to overfill the oil above the max line near the site glass. Too much oil could lead to an over pressurized oil chamber while the engine is running. At that point, oil will try to find the path of least resistance, which I think are the piston rings. Someone can correct me if that's wrong.

 

It's 2.5l however you wan't to do it.

 

1982 xj550

 

Just change oil and filter added 2.6 Quarts of 20w40 and After riding at speed of 50 mph for 10 minutes turned the bike off and found oil underneath the bike, rear engine, looks like it was spraying off the chain gaurd then coming down the fram near the center stand. To mucch oil, blew a seal? What gives? Just had the countershaft seal replaced in the fall. Is it possiple the new seal blew?

dy

 

While we're on the subject of oil, how long you guys going between oil changes? I'm not changing oil these days so much as "rotating" it, lol....just a quart a week...

Hopefully my parts order to chacal can help with that.

 

Oh the 1981 Maxim 550 I'm drooling. I bought 2 of them new in 1981. Had the 1st one 3 1/2 weeks 685 miles. Got run over by a Christler New Yorker. Got another one 3 days later and rode the hell out of it. I was recently looking to find another one for my son and stumbled across a 1982 Maxim XJ1100 with only 15k miles for $1000. Hope you have as much fun with yours as I had with mine. Very good all around bike for both city and hyw.

 

I just put 2 bottles of oil in, and just over half of the third bottle of 20w 40 semi synthetic Lucas oil. Because it is semi synthetic I am going to change every 3000km, instead of 4000.