Low oil level

[Star Cruiser]

I have noticed that after about 2500km (1500mi) I am down about one quart of oil. I don't have a problem topping it up, just wondering if this is common. I don't have any leaking that is noticable nor burning going on. I have been topping up with BRP synthetic. The last oil change (a couple of days ago we used the summer "blend". I am not expecting much of a difference. I have about 20,000km (12,000 miles) on my Spyder now

[zzneonzz]

I have noticed that after about 2500km (1500mi) I am down about one quart of oil. I don't have a problem topping it up, just wondering if this is common. I don't have any leaking that is noticable nor burning going on. I have been topping up with BRP synthetic. The last oil change (a couple of days ago we used the summer "blend". I am not expecting much of a difference. I have about 20,000km (12,000 miles) on my Spyder now

I had the same problem or atleast i thought i had that problem so i spoke to my dealer and they said i need to ride it for about 10 min prior to checking the oil to get a true reading. They said that just letting it idle won't get all the oil moving and show accurate. After doing this i noticed i was no were near a quart low but maybe 1/8th of a quart low. Not sure if this is your case or not but its what i was doing wrong.

[patches]

Yes, operating tempature is subjective at best. I only check my oil after I ride. If I just try to check after idle or just a short ride, inconsistant results. Go for a nice little ride to the store, buy yourself a snickers and come back and check it and eat your snickers with a smile.

[Lamonster]

I have noticed that after about 2500km (1500mi) I am down about one quart of oil. I don't have a problem topping it up, just wondering if this is common. I don't have any leaking that is noticable nor burning going on. I have been topping up with BRP synthetic. The last oil change (a couple of days ago we used the summer "blend". I am not expecting much of a difference. I have about 20,000km (12,000 miles) on my Spyder now

Just as a comparison, I just checked my oil after my Sturgis trip 3,000+ miles and I was down 1/2 a quart on a motor with 40,000+ miles on it.

[Biker]

It's funny you brought this subject up. Since I'm still learning about this totally different machine that what I am used to riding, I checked my oil one day and found it down a quart also. Went to dealer, told him my problem and he didn't understand why since it was a new machine. Now this was the parts guy. He actually gave me a quart of the old synthetic oil since it was his last quart. BRP has gone to a "Blend" oil now. I don't know the reason. Probably because it is so darn expensive. So I did add some to bring it up to where I thought it should be. About a week ago, I went for the 3,000 mile check up and they changed oil for me. The mechanic told me don't fill the tank up to the top of the mark on the dipstick. He said keep it down a bit. I said ok but didn't know the reason why. So, it must be ok to have it down and not up to the top level mark on the stick. He also said, "Make sure when you do check it it is hot", like Lamonster said. I'm still finding strange things about this machine that I have never encountered before.

[Tom in NM]

It's funny you brought this subject up. Since I'm still learning about this totally different machine that what I am used to riding, I checked my oil one day and found it down a quart also. Went to dealer, told him my problem and he didn't understand why since it was a new machine. Now this was the parts guy. He actually gave me a quart of the old synthetic oil since it was his last quart. BRP has gone to a "Blend" oil now. I don't know the reason. Probably because it is so darn expensive. So I did add some to bring it up to where I thought it should be. About a week ago, I went for the 3,000 mile check up and they changed oil for me. The mechanic told me don't fill the tank up to the top of the mark on the dipstick. He said keep it down a bit. I said ok but didn't know the reason why. So, it must be ok to have it down and not up to the top level mark on the stick. He also said, "Make sure when you do check it it is hot", like Lamonster said. I'm still finding strange things about this machine that I have never encountered before.

. . . . but it is "different".

This is scanned from my BRP Spyder Maintenance Manual, pages 38, 39, and 40.
Image 1 gives the warm-up procedure. BUT, look at image 3 for what "Normal Operating Temperature" is.

Image 2 describes where the oil should reach on the dipstick. The difference between the bottom mark and the top mark is just over a half a quart (.52 quarts).

Image 3 gives what normal operating temps are; 176 F . It notes that if you check the oil at room temperature, it should be half-way between the ADD and FULL marks. It also specifies the oil volumes of the SE5 and SM5.

It is easy to see how you could overfill the oil. Note that if you are checking the oil level at "room temperature" - you still need to run the engine for 30 seconds or more.

Tom

[NancysToy]

. . . . Image 3 gives what normal operating temps are; 176 F . It notes that if you check the oil at room temperature, it should be half-way between the ADD and FULL marks. It also specifies the oil volumes of the SE5 and SM5.
Also remember that the oil temperature doesn't normally rise as quickly as the water temperature, and is seldom the same, especially with a dry sump system with an oil cooler. Just because your temp gauge reached three bars, doesn't mean the oil is up to "operating" temp yet.

[Tom in NM]

Also remember that the oil temperature doesn't normally rise as quickly as the water temperature, and is seldom the same, especially with a dry sump system with an oil cooler. Just because your temp gauge reached three bars, doesn't mean the oil is up to "operating" temp yet.

It sure would be nice if the dipstick was also a thermometer.

Just out of curiosity, I have a small handheld laser non-contact thermometer. I am wondering if that would give an "accurate" temperature reading of the oil? I am thinking it will - or at least be in the ballpark.

I am currently using it to take different temp readings of the Spyder to see if some heat management techniques have an effect and where. Still getting my baselines. I will add some oil temp readings to my reads and see where it goes.

Tom

[capt.jim]

mine seems to lose some oil if i fill it to the full mark but stops if i run it with the oil closer to the bottom of the stick

[NancysToy]

Longer dipstick would be nice, sight glass would be even better. I don't know why BRP feels the oil level is so critical on a dry sump engine. Most of the time as long as there is oil in a dry sump tank, and it is not so overfull that it can't return readily, or so low you lose cooling capacity due to low oil volume, you are OK. I also find it hard to believe that the entire oil tank (to normal level) holds four quarts, yet a half inch on the stick is supposedly a half quart. Must be one of those metric conversion things again. :dontknow:

[M2Wild]

Any oil blew by into the air filter area?

[Tom in NM]

Longer dipstick would be nice, sight glass would be even better. I don't know why BRP feels the oil level is so critical on a dry sump engine. Most of the time as long as there is oil in a dry sump tank, and it is not so overfull that it can't return readily, or so low you lose cooling capacity due to low oil volume, you are OK. I also find it hard to believe that the entire oil tank (to normal level) holds four quarts, yet a half inch on the stick is supposedly a half quart. Must be one of those metric conversion things again. :dontknow:

. . . or Canadian.

I made a mistake last month. I thought my oil level was low, so I added about a half a quart. I zipped around 150 miles that afternoon. Checked the oil when I got back after and the engine cooled down a little - it was over-filled.
I had warmed it up, but got distracted for a while and when I looked at it, it was just above the Add mark. I should have run the engine for the 30 seconds before checking the level and adding the oil, even though it was warm. Siphoned out about a half quart, checked (properly) again and it was right where it should be.
About a week after that, I took the panels off for some reason or another and noticed the telltale signs of oil in the airbox. Had not had it before that.

I am guessing; too much oil = oil in the airbox.

I am not sure what too little oil would do. I am making it a point not to find out.

Tom