Checking Oil Question

[Flashman]

New to Spyder (2 weeks now) I checked the oil when the bike was at a stand still and cold. Engine is the 1330 ACE
It showed at the low limit, but the manual says to ride it for about 9 miles then stop on level surface for about 10 minutes
then check. Does the oil level really change that much hot opposed to being cold? I have never use synthetic oil I don't know if it acts differently. Also: Is there a trick to read the oil level as its very transparent when on the dip stick. Does any one make a 3rd party one that may be easier to read.

thanks

 

[SteveLaoyster]

Hot oil & engine expand giving you the correct oil level. Also the engine is a dry sump so by running the engine & warming things up it insures that the correct distribution of oil is in the tank and engine for the proper reading of the dip stick.

Bob clued me to use a dry paper towel to lay the stick on & watch where the towel gets oil on it. It does work. Takes a couple tries before you know what to look for.

 

[Don K]

New to Spyder (2 weeks now) I checked the oil when the bike was at a stand still and cold. Engine is the 1330 ACE
It showed at the low limit, but the manual says to ride it for about 9 miles then stop on level surface for about 10 minutes
then check. Does the oil level really change that much hot opposed to being cold? I have never use synthetic oil I don't know if it acts differently. Also: Is there a trick to read the oil level as its very transparent when on the dip stick. Does any one make a 3rd party one that may be easier to read.

thanks

I have had the same problem with my Spyder and my wife's Spyder.
I have the same 1330 that you have/the wife has the v-twin engine.
It's not easy to get accurate/consistent readings.
Best of luck to you.

 

[youngers]

slick

I let mine get one bar showing on the temps , turn off , pull out the dip stick , ---> my dip stick is a matte black , and with oil on it , it looks glossy , so where the glossy black stops and the matte flat black starts is where the oil level is ! ( or the paper towel trick , hold the towel in your hand , roll the dip stick slowly , and look at the stains ) happy trails !

 

[Chupaca]

Lucky you

The 1330 does not use oil like the 998/990 's do. Nonetheless the best method to check it is to come in off your ryde , pull off your gear then check your level. The paper trick works or paint the area with flat black engine paint...:thumbup:

 

[Flashman]

Great Tips On Oil

The paper towel trick is so simple its brilliant, I will try. I wish my dip stick was flat black but its a yellowish cream and blends with the oil color.
Thank You to All, I will have more questions I'm sure and will post as they come up.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

OIL CHECKING

The 1330 does not use oil like the 998/990 's do. Nonetheless the best method to check it is to come in off your ryde , pull off your gear then check your level. The paper trick works or paint the area with flat black engine paint...:thumbup:

:agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree: ....... This is the most intelligent and least time wasting way of doing this ..... and I have been Spydering since 09 and the 1330 doesn't use oil.... I have NEVER added any between oil changes ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[ricford]

Can Am branded oil is Castrol. I was told this at Valcourt on the assembly line. On my first oil change when new, I changed to Amersoil full synthetic. My engine thanks me when I ryde. I use Mobil 1 full synthetic in my Silverado and with over 150K miles, all is well. I believe in synthetic obviously. But opinions vary.

 

[JayBros]

The reason you are supposed to allow the engine to run for 10 minutes after being fully warmed up before checking is to allow the three scavange pumps in the engine to return all the oil from the dry sump to the oil tank. The dipstick is measuring the amount of oil in the tank. It isn't that the oil expands that much when heated, it's that when the engine is left to cool gravity takes over and some oil drains back into the dry sump. Therefore, if you check the oil level on a cold engine you are not accurately measuring the total volume of oil in the engine.

 

[Bob Denman]

Everybody seems to get hung up on "riding the bike for 10 miles/9 minutes/letting it idle forever in the driveway, etc... :banghead:
Check the bike's oil level after you've got it FULLY warmed-up by actually riding it! nojoke
Let it idle for 30 seconds while you find a cloth to wipe off the dipstick, and pull the cork on it.
It's pretty much that easy, and is clearly spelled out in every Spyder manual ever printed.
Read your manual, and there'll be no more questions about this simple chore.



(End of rant, and the soapbox is put away.)

 

[JayBros]

Steve from BRPCare explained the reasoning behind the oil checking procedure a couple of years ago in post #1 of this thread.

http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...-engined-Spyders&highlight=level+verification

 

[BajaRon]

I let mine get one bar showing on the temps , turn off , pull out the dip stick , ---> my dip stick is a matte black , and with oil on it , it looks glossy , so where the glossy black stops and the matte flat black starts is where the oil level is ! ( or the paper towel trick , hold the towel in your hand , roll the dip stick slowly , and look at the stains ) happy trails !

The 'Temp' gauge measures coolant temperature. Not oil temperature. With 1 bar (or even several bars) on your temp gauge your oil is probably still cold. To idle your Spyder long enough to actually heat the oil up not only wastes fuel but is detrimental to the engine.

That is why they tell you to ride the Spyder. That actually brings the oil to operating temperature which is usually about 10%-15% hotter than your coolant temp.