Oil Check

[Chet Van Aken]

I got the bright idea to take the dip stick cap off while on the side stand. About a quart of oil fell on the floor and with all the mess I almost screwed up the plastic threads. I ran it a few miles to warm and put in a chock and the oil was barely 1/4 quart low.

Check your oil from the dealer, and I understand why the oil cap is plastic but it is pretty fragile be careful with it. I did not repeat the side stand oil cap check, one mess a day is enough.

 

[John in PA]

BTDT. My dealer also apparently overfilled oil. Didn't spill too much, but need to recheck it with bike on the level.
Note to self...

 

[Glen72]

Bit ridiculous because early prototypes all had sightglass on right side. Still has casting mark where it used to be. MG probably saved a few cents by deleting it. I ordered optional centrestand to make it easier to check and change oil.

 

[John in PA]

BTDT. My dealer also apparently overfilled oil. Didn't spill too much, but need to recheck it with bike on the level.
Note to self...

Follow-up on oil level. With the bike on the center stand and the front wheel shimmed so as to level the bike fore and aft, I sucked out 8 oz overfilled oil with a syringe to get the level to the TOP of the full mark. Definitely overfilled before delivery ( I assume by the dealer?)

 

[Selkie]

Are you guys measuring hot or cold?

 

[Tebax]

All bikes must be checked when in upraised position, dipstick or sightglass doesn’t matter (I may stand corrected if there are any exceptions ).

That said, I checked my V100 a little while ago, and the bike have run about 2200 miles (3600km) since first service.
The oil level was approximately in 2/3 between low and max level.
Checked with cold engine (several days without use).
This mentioned as people have commented that Guzzis must never be topped up with oil to the max level due to that excessive oil will go up to the air box (via engine ventilation).
But as this is the first Guzzi with a wet clutch, and also developed by Aprilia (mainly or totally?) perhaps they designed it more conventional with regards to oil level?
I have no clue, and this is also my first Guzzi, so people with more experience can in due time confirm this.
In any case, either my V100 hasn’t consumed any oil at all, or it has been fine with a slightly higher oil level after first service.
All good.

 

[Alessandro]

MG probably saved a few cents by deleting ...

No they didn't saved anything.
The sightglass was designed for the original oil capacity of 3,5 liters BUT, during the test the oil level was increased up to 4,9 liters.
So to modify the casting would be too expensive and the put the dipstick.

 

[Chet Van Aken]

MG says to check hot with the bike level

 

[GRD2]

All bikes must be checked when in upraised position, dipstick or sightglass doesn’t matter (I may stand corrected if there are any exceptions ).

That said, I checked my V100 a little while ago, and the bike have run about 2200 miles (3600km) since first service.
The oil level was approximately in 2/3 between low and max level.
Checked with cold engine (several days without use).
This mentioned as people have commented that Guzzis must never be topped up with oil to the max level due to that excessive oil will go up to the air box (via engine ventilation).
But as this is the first Guzzi with a wet clutch, and also developed by Aprilia (mainly or totally?) perhaps they designed it more conventional with regards to oil level?
I have no clue, and this is also my first Guzzi, so people with more experience can in due time confirm this.
In any case, either my V100 hasn’t consumed any oil at all, or it has been fine with a slightly higher oil level after first service.
All good.

Why is the oil level on brand new v100 s 30 mm above the max mark on the dipstick. This is 500 ml above the max mark.
With the bike on the side stand, if you undo the dip stick oil runs out. I quickly screwed in the dipstick and checked the level with the bike upright, 30 mm above max mark.
The next day I was able to try removing the dipstick on a demo bike (less than a week old) same thing happens.
Saw a UK review by Lambchop. The V100 he had was the same.
Are these the only three bikes like this?
Are all like this?
Are only some like This?

 

[Vagrant]

A. your dealer screwed up and put in too much oil. I'd suck out a bit to get it between the top line and the middle.
B. Guzzi decided after testing that it needed more oil in it than originally planned so the sight glass was eliminated and now the dipstick hole is too low. They will fix it in 3-10 years or so when they need to make another crank case modification.

 

[Jan Cermak]

Why is the oil level on brand new v100 s 30 mm above the max mark on the dipstick. This is 500 ml above the max mark.
With the bike on the side stand, if you undo the dip stick oil runs out. I quickly screwed in the dipstick and checked the level with the bike upright, 30 mm above max mark.
The next day I was able to try removing the dipstick on a demo bike (less than a week old) same thing happens.
Saw a UK review by Lambchop. The V100 he had was the same.
Are these the only three bikes like this?
Are all like this?
Are only some like This?

How did you measure it? Dipstick must not be screwed in to check the level. Just unscrew the dispstick, clean it with celan wipe and then jus put it back into the hole and take out and check the oil level. and are you sure with 30 mm, it means 3 cm and I think in that case oil will spill out from the dipstick hole even in upright position. ;-)

 

[GRD2]

Ok, had another look at the dipstick and remeasured . I was a little out with my measurement.
With the dipstick NOT screwed in the initial oil level was 2-3 mm above the mold mark on the fat part of the dipstick.
This makes it 25 mm above the max mark, still 18 mm below the top of the threaded portion so, the bike in the upright position would not have oil running out of the dipstick hole.
There are a number of things here that don't add up.
We sucked out 500 ml. This got the the level down to about 3-4 mm below max.
If the sight glass was deleted because the oil capacity was raised from 3.5 lt to 4.9 lt, what about the dipstick?
Is the dipstick for 3.5 lt capacity?
If that were the case then removing 500 ml should show a level that is 900 ml above max. on a 3.5 lt capacity dipstick.
All pretty confusing. no wonder there's nothing on oil level in booklet that comes with the bike.
Do I put the 500 ml back in and run with an overfilled level according to the dipstick, or do I go with the dipstick.??????????

 

[Vagrant]

You're overthinking this. It would have cost a lot and a long delay to make/modify a crankcase. It was simple to change dipsticks.

 

[Chet Van Aken]

I'm having a hard time reading the black dipstick myself, even with a white cloth and plenty of light but I would not advise running the bike overfilled with oil, so if you can see it, go with the dipstick.

 

[Vagrant]

I din my EV in a flat white. Stayed on for the next ten years and made it easier to see.

 

[JPC56]

The early V100's had a sight glass and there was no provision for a dipstick. Instead of changing the gearbox casting with a higher sight glass to show the new level MG made a new lower crankcase with a dip stick. I do not know why the need to increase the oil volume by 1.4 litres was made. I think the bikes arrive with a factory oil fill, mine was showing just above the max mark, I removed 250 millilitres to bring it to the max mark.

 

[Kevin.NZ]

I read somewhere that they found the clutch was overheating so increased the oil level, that then messed up the levels on the sight glass.

 

[JPC56]

I read that too but I can't understand how increasing the volume of oil in the sump would keep the clutch cool.

 

[GuidoVeloce]

I am tempted to lower the oil level to the minimum on the dip stick to see if that alleviates the first gear lurch and clunk.

 

[stromcat]

I am tempted to lower the oil level to the minimum on the dip stick to see if that alleviates the first gear lurch and clunk.

Why would it?