Proper Oil Level Verification Procedure on 1330-engined Spyders

[BRPcare]

Hi everyone,
There have been some questions on the right way for checking your oil on the 1330 engine. Below is the correct procedure:

Given the oil system design of the 1330 engine, oil level verification must be done under specific conditions which can influence the quantity of measurable oil in the engine.

These conditions are:

• Engine oil temperature must be between 80°C and 95°C (176°F and 203°F) which is considered as being the engine's normal operating temperature. Don't mistake coolant temperature for engine oil temperature! Coolant will heat up faster than the engine oil.
• Engine oil temperature is crucial since its volume changes based on temperature; that's enough to affect the measurable level.
• Engine must idle 10 minutes. The 1330 engine is a dry sump design with 3 scavenge pumps and 1 pressure pump, 10 minutes of idle time allows the scavenge pumps to stabilize the quantity of oil returned.

Complete oil level verification procedure:

1. Bring engine to operating temperature.
2. Ensure vehicle is on a level surface.
3. Allow engine to idle for 10 minutes.
4. Stop the engine.
5. Within 2 minutes of stopping the engine:
   1. Remove and wipe the dipstick clean.
   2. Insert dipstick and completely screw it in.
   3. Remove dipstick and read oil level on dipstick.
6. Adjust level as necessary without overfilling.

Tips and Tricks:

Here are 2 ways the crucial criteria can be reached:

• An engine started cold (20°C or 68°F) will take approximately 25 minutes to reach oil level verification criteria (oil temperature and idle time). Oil level can be reliably verified when the radiator fans have cycled ON twice,

or

• The unit can be taken on a 15 km (9 mile) drive (normal riding) or a 6 km (4 mile) drive in 1st gear at 50 km/h (30 mph) which is approx at 4400 rpm THEN idled until the radiator fans have cycled ON twice.

When performing an oil change on a cold engine, the above recommendations must be done to reach oil level verification criteria. When performing an oil change on a hot engine, the new oil will heat up faster since the engine is hot therefore letting the engine idle until 10 minutes or until the radiator fans have cycled ON twice indicates the oil level can be verified.
We thus recommend checking the oil level at the end of a decent ride following the complete oil level verification procedure as outlined above.
​

 

[Bob Denman]

Thank you for this very thorough and complete explanation!

(10 minutes of idling-time... Wow! :shocked

 

[Dragonrider]

Thanks for the information, but my fuel pump is so noisy, I never hear the fans run, so I just check it after a reasonable run...

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

The oil procedure

Thanks very much for the clarification on this.......I am not an ECO freak But I would very much recommend everyone do their oil level checking AFTER they take the Spyder out for a ride........Not before ......Because AFTER the ride it's already warmed up ( 99.999 % of the time ) .....This way , you will always know that the oil is correct before you go riding ..........I have ALWAYS done it this way with all 3 of my Spyders , so I have probably saved 100 or more hours of waiting time and who knows how much gas. I mean who takes their Spyder out for less time than it takes to fully warm it up !!!!!!...................just a thought ........Mike :thumbup:

 

[Chupaca]

Good to know..!!

thanks for posting the correct procedure, this will help many with doubts or doing it wrong....:2thumbs:

 

[cognaccruiser]

Make this a sticky?

Wouldn't it be a good idea to make this a "sticky" under the ACE 1330 Shop Talk heading for all future readers?

Just a thought.

Gary

 

[Bob Denman]

Good idea! :agree:

 

[wis2013rtltd]

That sir, is an

Wouldn't it be a good idea to make this a "sticky" under the ACE 1330 Shop Talk heading for all future readers?

Just a thought.

Gary

EXCELLENT idea!!!

 

[scott16119]

Is there any internal combustion engine powered machine out there with a more complicated procedure to do such a normally simple task as checking the engine oil level?

 

[vided]

Is there any internal combustion engine powered machine out there with a more complicated procedure to do such a normally simple task as checking the engine oil level?

The twin is no slouch on being complicated. :yikes::yikes:

 

[tigerdr]

Is there any internal combustion engine powered machine out there with a more complicated procedure to do such a normally simple task as checking the engine oil level?

Why make it simple when you can do that complicated. [emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]

 

[tip]

checking oil level

.....
......

[*]Engine oil temperature is crucial since its volume changes based on temperature; that's enough to affect the measurable level.

[*]Engine must idle 10 minutes. The 1330 engine is a dry sump design with 3 scavenge pumps and 1 pressure pump, 10 minutes of idle time allows the scavenge pumps to stabilize the quantity of oil returned.


Complete oil level verification procedure:

1. Bring engine to operating temperature.
2. Ensure vehicle is on a level surface.
3. Allow engine to idle for 10 minutes.
4. Stop the engine.
5. Within 2 minutes of stopping the engine:
   1. Remove and wipe the dipstick clean.
   2. Insert dipstick and completely screw it in.
   3. Remove dipstick and read oil level on dipstick.
6. Adjust level as necessary without overfilling.

Tips and Tricks:

......
​

The manual that came with my 2014 RT states (on page 124 ) that the engines only needs to idle for at least 30 seconds at normal operating temp. - 10 minutes seems excessive to me.
my 2 cents worth
Tip

 

[BRPcare]

Is there any internal combustion engine powered machine out there with a more complicated procedure to do such a normally simple task as checking the engine oil level?

The entire procedure can be summed up as "Make sure the engine is at proper engine operating temperature when checking the oil". There was some uncertainty among folks on how to best achieve that, so we've simply broken it down into smaller steps.

 

[Bob Denman]

Is there any internal combustion engine powered machine out there with a more complicated procedure to do such a normally simple task as checking the engine oil level?

Just look upon it, as a chance for some FUN!!

hyea:hyea:hyea:

 

[bgame]

You know.... I have checked my oil level when it has been cold and when it has been hot..... It has always been within being 1/10th of a inch on the dipstick either way..... I'll just keep checking it when it is cold...... would not want to run the engine for that many miles and it be low....So knowing where the oil level is when cold and being sitting is the way I will check it.....

 

[gypsy_100]

The entire procedure can be summed up as "Make sure the engine is at proper engine operating temperature when checking the oil". There was some uncertainty among folks on how to best achieve that, so we've simply broken it down into smaller steps.

The normal operating temp is fine, and not unlike the V-twin. It's the 10-minute idle after the engine is at normal operating temp that seems a bit much. Are you saying that if you come in off a hot run, let it idle for a minute or so to stabilize things, and then take the reading you will be in error? I know that's what you are saying but I have to ask again. Just don't comprehend that.

 

[ARtraveler]

Thank you for posting about the recommended procedure. :yes:

 

[GunDoctor]

I'm a graduate of K.I.S.S.. one would assume once you note the proper level after the 36 steps was completed according to the recommended steps. Let the bike cool down and the measure...wouldn't this be the proper level when cold?

 

[SpyRyd]

BRPcare


Steve, what about the qty of oil to add after an oil/filter change. Understand the qty has been changed from 5.6 quarts to 5 quarts. Pls clarify/verify. Thanks.

 

[Bluehole]

Steve, a couple more questions about oil on the 1330. Recently ran across suggestions that the 1330 motor be filled with only 4.9L of oil instead of the 5.3L that the 2014 manual shows for the SE6. Is this true?? Also, much confusion about oil change interval---after the initial break in service at 3000 miles, is the next oil change done at 9300 miles or 12,300 miles??

Your input would be much appreciated. Thank you.