Check oil when hot or cold?

Should I check the oil when the engine is hot or cold?

 

I like to check when cold because all the oil is in the case! If you wait a few min you can check when warm as well.

 

Hot or cold doesn't make any difference, as long as the motor is rested.

 

No matter either way - just as long as you are nice and high in the window with the motor off, and that it doesn't dip below the MIN mark when running.

If you run 20w50, fill just past the max mark (make no bubble)

 

It will dip below the MIN mark when running.

Overfilled is overfilled, regardless of oil viscosity. Furthermore, keeping a small bubble makes it really easy to check that the fuel tank hasn't emptied into the engine. Bubble disappears, you know to check things out.

 

Mine hasn't dipped below the min when running.

Maybe it dips below if you run thinner oil than me? (less than 15w40?)

I do believe RickCoMatic himself said to use 20w50 and 'make the bubble go away'.

Just passin' on what I am told here!

Carl - how you feeling? How's the bike?

 

Thanks guys. I need to add oil but none on the engine or the ground. Guess I must be burning some off. I have been a little lazy at checking it, but that needs to stop. I checked this afternoon and it was about 1/4 down the window. I wondered if checking it warn would change things so I ran the bike for a little while. Now after it has cooled off for better than an hour, the oil is about halfway down the window. Any idea why it would drop that much that quick without dumping any out of the engine?

 

Yes, it would change a little if your driveway sloped, and you compared the oil level leaning one way or the other, a quarter inch ??

A tip I heard on these excellent forums is to fill until you just see a tiny air bubble. Then if you check and there's no air bubble, you dumped gas in your motor from a flodded carb. If it's lower than that, you are using oil.
Having the oil a little higher than average would only help in it's cooling capacity.

 

On the sidestand, you should see no oil; on the centerstand, just a bubble as posted above. This is with the engine off, and if not warm, at least run for a few and then shut off; if the bike has sat for a few days it may appear slightly low until you run it a bit; then shut it off, wait 5 minutes and check it.

The "just a bubble" does represent a slight overfill (about 100cc worth) this keeps the "low oil" light from coming on during brisk acceleration.

I wouldn't be too concerned with a bike with 42K on it using a bit of oil; as long as it's not smoking or fouling plugs you're fine; just keep an eye on the level.

 

I always check the level on the center stand and usually in the garage which is pretty level. The bike has sat since Monday evening.