Checking the oil level

[z_light11]

Does everyone follow the book exactly to check the oil level?

The owners manual says to go for a ride of at least 9 miles, then let the engine idle for 10 minutes, shut down the engine and then check the oil within 2 minutes.

Just wondered how other people were doing it? Has anyone compared checking the oil with the engine cold versus hot versus how the owners manual says to do it?

[vondalyn]

wow -- I've never let it idle for 10 minutes. I hope that's not super important I do let it idle while I get off, take my helmet off (and maybe coat depending on the weather and temperature), get a paper towel and pull the maintenance panel off, so maybe 3-5 minutes.

[SpyderAnn01]

Sometimes I do let it idle for 10 minutes. I think I read something about the fan cycling twice if you let it idle. When it is 100 here I ride it then check it and don't worry about the 10 minute idle. I have never had to add oil between changes on my 14 RT.

[Peter Aawen]

It's probably not essential that you ride it to warm up & then wait for exactly 10 mins of idling, but it is definitely a good idea to both ride/run it for a while to get everything warmed up properly & then to let it idle for a bit after running it before checking the oil. Why? Simply because regardless of which one you have, the engines in our Spyders are dry sump engines!!

Regardless of anything else, oil volume varies with its temperature, so getting the to the right temperature to check the oil level in a tank which relies on the oil volume being known is pretty important. On top of that, dry sump engines have the oil tank remote from the oil pump & its pick-up/s or scavenge pumps (at least one of which is usually in the bottom of the sump) so if the engine's been stopped for a while, it's important to run them for a while before checking the oil level because the oil is going to be 'cold' and oil from the raised oil tank can gravity feed/seep back past the seals etc & collect/puddle in the sump; only to get scavenged/sucked up & put into the oil circulation system immediately the engine starts!! So if you don't run it for long enough before checking, it can read low in the tank cos the oil is cold & some oil is in the sump still & therefore you risk over-filling it with oil which can lead to blowing oil seals &/or maybe even bending cranks, con-rods, or holing pistons!!

And on the other end of your ride, if you've been revving it a bit, working it hard & getting it hotter than normal, the oil pump pick-up/s or scavenge pumps will have been scavenging the sump of all oil as soon as it gets there & pumping it at max pressure around the system, so there's a good chance that ALL the oil is in engine/circulating, AND you need that 'few minutes' of idling for the oil level in the tank to stabilise both the 'static but warm' level & the oil volume/temperature (the temp of the oil will significantly impact on its volume!) to get a 'good' reading. So if you don't let it idle for long enough after a brisk ride before checking, amongst other things it can read low in the tank cos more oil than 'normal' is in circulation &/or it's hotter than expected & you risk over-filling it with oil which can lead to blowing oil seals &/or maybe even bending cranks, con-rods, or holing pistons!!

So it really is a good idea to both: ride your Spyder for a while to get things warmed up & to suck the oil outta the sump before checking your oil level; AND let it idle for a minute or three (or even the 10 mins that BRP recommend) after riding it to let the oil temp cool down/stabilise & to let the oil level in the tank stabilise to the 'normal' level BRP designed for the engine, or you can do dastardly & very expensive things to your engine!!

Sure, you might not be all that likely to blow your engine up the very first time you don't follow the procedure exactly as per the BRP recommendations, but you do stand a good chance of overfilling with oil just a tad & starting things leaking that really shouldn't, even if it's just leaking oil into the air filter via the crankcase ventilation system!! And if you get slack & fall into the habit of not checking the oil properly, the likelihood of getting the oil level wrong enough to do significant damage grows each time you don't follow the recommended procedure! Just how lucky are you feeling today?

[petegtsv10]

Very well explained. Dry sump motors have an oil-check protocol for a good reason. I've had dry sumps in several cars and often read where owners have failed to follow protocol and massively over-filled their oil. Even dealers have been caught overfilling due to improper procedures. Many European cars have gone to no-dipstick-engines now. Oil is checked via electronics and the human variable has been removed. The dry sump was said to be part of the motivation for that change. Initially, I didn't like that tech, but I must admit it's nice to check your oil while idling at a stoplight.

[z_light11]

It's probably not essential that you ride it to warm up & then wait for exactly 10 mins of idling, but it is definitely a good idea to both ride/run it for a while to get everything warmed up properly & then to let it idle for a bit after running it before checking the oil. Why? Simply because regardless of which one you have, the engines in our Spyders are dry sump engines!!

Regardless of anything else, oil volume varies with its temperature, so getting the to the right temperature to check the oil level in a tank which relies on the oil volume being known is pretty important. On top of that, dry sump engines have the oil tank remote from the oil pump & its pick-up/s or scavenge pumps (at least one of which is usually in the bottom of the sump) so if the engine's been stopped for a while, it's important to run them for a while before checking the oil level because the oil is going to be 'cold' and oil from the raised oil tank can gravity feed/seep back past the seals etc & collect/puddle in the sump; only to get scavenged/sucked up & put into the oil circulation system immediately the engine starts!! So if you don't run it for long enough before checking, it can read low in the tank cos the oil is cold & some oil is in the sump still & therefore you risk over-filling it with oil which can lead to blowing oil seals &/or maybe even bending cranks, con-rods, or holing pistons!!

And on the other end of your ride, if you've been revving it a bit, working it hard & getting it hotter than normal, the oil pump pick-up/s or scavenge pumps will have been scavenging the sump of all oil as soon as it gets there & pumping it at max pressure around the system, so there's a good chance that ALL the oil is in engine/circulating, AND you need that 'few minutes' of idling for the oil level in the tank to stabilise both the 'static but warm' level & the oil volume/temperature (the temp of the oil will significantly impact on its volume!) to get a 'good' reading. So if you don't let it idle for long enough after a brisk ride before checking, amongst other things it can read low in the tank cos more oil than 'normal' is in circulation &/or it's hotter than expected & you risk over-filling it with oil which can lead to blowing oil seals &/or maybe even bending cranks, con-rods, or holing pistons!!

So it really is a good idea to both: ride your Spyder for a while to get things warmed up & to suck the oil outta the sump before checking your oil level; AND let it idle for a minute or three (or even the 10 mins that BRP recommend) after riding it to let the oil temp cool down/stabilise & to let the oil level in the tank stabilise to the 'normal' level BRP designed for the engine, or you can do dastardly & very expensive things to your engine!!

Sure, you might not be all that likely to blow your engine up the very first time you don't follow the procedure exactly as per the BRP recommendations, but you do stand a good chance of overfilling with oil just a tad & starting things leaking that really shouldn't, even if it's just leaking oil into the air filter via the crankcase ventilation system!! And if you get slack & fall into the habit of not checking the oil properly, the likelihood of getting the oil level wrong enough to do significant damage grows each time you don't follow the recommended procedure! Just how lucky are you feeling today?

Thank you! Great explanation!

[Kenuck]

Would I be over simplifying this to suggest that once you have confirmed the perfect amount of oil , that I could leave the spyder over night, and recheck in the morning and notch the dipstick at the spot where the oil has settled to? That way it can be checked cold without all this warming up procedure?

[Capt. Bob]

Would I be over simplifying this to suggest that once you have confirmed the perfect amount of oil , that I could leave the spyder over night, and recheck in the morning and notch the dipstick at the spot where the oil has settled to? That way it can be checked cold without all this warming up procedure?

Your approach sounds good in theory but it is my limited understanding that at shutdown, the various oil reservoirs hold different amounts of oil each time you do an engine shutdown and your readings could be misleading?

[Steamer]

When doing an oil change, It is my understanding that BRP has changed the amount of oil to be added to 1330 from 5qt 9oz (as stated in my owners manual) to 5qt 2oz.

[Bob Denman]

Make it simple:

If you follow the instructions EXACTLY as they are laid out in the book: you'll never have problems.

Why on earth do folks seem to think that there just has to be a shortcut?

This is NOT your lawn mower...

[keefer]

Initially, I didn't like that tech, but I must admit it's nice to check your oil while idling at a stoplight.

2014 RT Owner's manual says to stop the engine before checking oil.

[petegtsv10]

2014 RT Owner's manual says to stop the engine before checking oil.

My reference was to some cars I've owned, not a Can-Am....