MOTOR OIL

[818Zee]

Hi guys, when I just purchasede my Spyder RSS the guys at the sales dept said it has been fully serviced. I just check today after 2 weeks and the oil seems to be on Zero! would the engine oil light come on if the engine oil was low? I just happend to check! And is it okay if i buy the oil from pep boys? What oil do you guys recommend and how much should I add?

[Mcubed45]

I know it sounds counter intuitive, but you need to have the Spyder warm before checking the oil. Go ride around the neighborhood for 15 or 20 minutes then check the oil. You'll be surprised.

[chuck gross]

Only use BRP oil or equal make sure the oil temperature is good and warm take it for a long 30 minute ride when you get in the driveway let it Idle for at least 1 minute while you take the access panel off and get a rag then turn it off and check the oil right away.
If you check it when it is cold it will appear low and then you can overfill it!! if you do overfill it then it will get oil in the air box

[818Zee]

Okay I am going to take it for a ride now but I see little drips of oil in the garage, Should there be any drop of oil? also I see alot of greese on my back tire rim.

[BikerDoc]

You can buy the oil at Walmart so long as it is a blended synthetic or full synthetic that meets the Spyders specs.
I had a pinched oil ring once and lost two full quarts of oil.. even then the oil warning light did not come on so you can not rely on that as a warning. you must check the oil level diligently yourself

[818Zee]

Okay I just got back from the ride and checked the oil, it seems to be foaming but the level showed full oil. I put a piece of paper on the bottom of the oil tank to see if it leaks. that is really tricky that you have to ride it to get it warmed up, where does the oil sit then when the bike is parked? should it not be in the oil tank? doesnt make sense to me. Like a car you would check the oil when the car has been parked not right after you come back from a drive.

[crazyspyder]

yea my spyder fooled me too, at first I thought it was weird too

[BajaRon]

Hi guys, when I just purchasede my Spyder RSS the guys at the sales dept said it has been fully serviced. I just check today after 2 weeks and the oil seems to be on Zero! would the engine oil light come on if the engine oil was low? I just happend to check! And is it okay if i buy the oil from pep boys? What oil do you guys recommend and how much should I add?

Always check oil level before leaving the dealership when your Spyder has been serviced. Hopefully unnecessary, but you don't know until you check.

Be sure to purchase the proper viscosity motorcycle specific (read 'Wet Clutch') oil for your Spyder. 5w-40 or 10w-40 is good. 20w-50 is also good for topping off between oil changes. It needs to have a JASO rating of at least MA (MA2 is better). You don't want MA1 rated oil. If it does not have a JASO rating, it isn't going to work well in your Spyder. You want to avoid SM rated oils.

The best time to check your oil is when you fuel up or when you return home from a ride. Presumably your engine will be at operating temperature and the parking surface is flat.

Okay I am going to take it for a ride now but I see little drips of oil in the garage, Should there be any drop of oil? also I see alot of greese on my back tire rim.

There should be NO drips of oil ANYWHERE! There should be NO grease on the rear tire or anywhere else. Something is not right. You need to find out where these lubricants are coming from and get these addressed. If the grease is on the left side of the rear wheel they may have put too much grease on the drive pulley.

Okay I just got back from the ride and checked the oil, it seems to be foaming but the level showed full oil. I put a piece of paper on the bottom of the oil tank to see if it leaks. that is really tricky that you have to ride it to get it warmed up, where does the oil sit then when the bike is parked? should it not be in the oil tank? doesnt make sense to me. Like a car you would check the oil when the car has been parked not right after you come back from a drive.

BRP oil foams quite a bit. You need to wait a little longer until the foam subsides to get a good reading. There are other oil options that don't foam nearly as much.

The Spyder is a 'Dry Sump' system. Meaning that there is no oil pan. The oil pan is remotely located (oil tank). So this is where the majority of oil is stored and circulated through the system. This allows the engineers to locate the engine lower in the chassis. After sitting for a period of time, some of the oil can migrate from the oil tank back into the engine giving you a false, low level reading.

A car has an oil pan below the engine and that is where all of the oil resides so you can check the level and get a pretty accurate reading when cold. But not with a dry sump system.

[bronzeflex42]

Yea i was wondering the same thing to when i got my RT. Look like the oil would settle back in the oil pan/container after it is parked and you can check it then, but you wonder where does the oil go when it is cold.

[chuck gross]

And if you are into changing your filters and oil yourself Baja Ron will sell you the right oil and filters at a great price.

[jerpinoy]

Rule # 1. What is your ride, year, model, mileage? This informations will give us idea and clear picture and how to response.

[Chupaca]

Do be aweare that these engines do use oil and you should check after long rydes 300 miles or more. The rest you need to know was mentioned above...

[BajaRon]

Rule # 1. What is your ride, year, model, mileage? This informations will give us idea and clear picture and how to response.

In many cases this is true. But in this case, it doesn't really matter. As far as engine lubrication goes, there have not been any changes in this model since the 1st one hit the showroom floor.

Oil on the floor and grease on the rear wheel is a bad sign for any Spyder. They have their issues but oil leaks and flying grease are not among them.

[jcthorne]

Okay I just got back from the ride and checked the oil, it seems to be foaming but the level showed full oil. I put a piece of paper on the bottom of the oil tank to see if it leaks. that is really tricky that you have to ride it to get it warmed up, where does the oil sit then when the bike is parked? should it not be in the oil tank? doesnt make sense to me. Like a car you would check the oil when the car has been parked not right after you come back from a drive.

The check oil level when hot is very normal for ALL vehicles with dry sump oil systems. Its just likely you have never had a bike or car that had one.

My GT, some Vettes, Porsche and most Harley V-twins all have dry sump oil systems.

[Bob Denman]

Here's my dumb question for the hour ...
Have your read, and do you fully understand; the instructions in the owner's manual about how to check the oil level?
This is a dry sump engine... different cat, with different rules of engagement!

[mob133]

Okay I am going to take it for a ride now but I see little drips of oil in the garage, Should there be any drop of oil? also I see alot of greese on my back tire rim.

They had problems with the water pump seals leaking. Had mine replaced under warranty .

[Bob Denman]

"Grease on the back tire rim"...
Are you sure, that isn't just "belt dust"?
Really messy stuff...

[818Zee]

"Grease on the back tire rim"...
Are you sure, that isn't just "belt dust"?
Really messy stuff...

I guess it could be? does the belt give off alot of dust?

[bmccaffrey]

All these lubricants have very distinct smells

[coz]

All these lubricants have very distinct smells

That's what SHE said.

[BajaRon]

I guess it could be? does the belt give off alot of dust?

Only if the belt is way out of alignment and rubbing hard against the lip of the pulley.

Under what area of the Spyder are you finding an oil drip? Hopefully, not under the counter-shaft sprocket.

[Princeau99]

All these lubricants have very distinct smells

and tastes.

[818Zee]

Only if the belt is way out of alignment and rubbing hard against the lip of the pulley.

Under what area of the Spyder are you finding an oil drip? Hopefully, not under the counter-shaft sprocket.

right under the oil tank.