Teo Lamers dip-stick extension *Warning*

[GTM®]

It has come to my attention, that the Teo Lamers dipstick is likely marked wrong, which gives an over-full condition. Resultant is an excessive amount of oil in the drain tube, and in a most recent case, a possible cause for a rear main seal leak. FYI.

 

[frank73x89]

I've got one which I installed just before winter. Any ideas on the exact hi-low level correction on the dipstick (i.e distances)? I was a bit puzzled when I installed it as it looked like the tube could be slid up or down in its bushing and adapters bolting to the engine. I bottomed the tube in the nut not letting it go past (lower than) the nut.
Any info greatly welcomed! TKS

 

[guzzibob]

There's never any reason to be misled by a dipstick. You know how much oil you are supposed to put in your bike. So drain the oil, change the filter, put in the amount that you are supposed to put in, replace the dipstick, run the bike a couple minutes to be sure the filter is filled up, let it cool off while the oil returns to where it belongs. Then pull the dipstick, wipe it off, replace the dipstick & bottom it in it's place, then pull it again, see what the level is. Whatever it shows, that is where it belongs at full when cold-or warm if you don't wait that long, whether on the main stand or side stand. Remark it if so inclined, & always check under the same conditions (warm or cold, main or side, screwed all the way in or just touching if you have that kind of dipstick). It ain't rocket science.

 

[kiwi dave]

Or even easier, replace with the original dipstick and compare.

 

[Cat City Rider]

In the installation instructions it said something about checking your oil level before installation and marking your new dipstick to show the same correct level and also installing the tube firmly seated. At the time all looked OK to me including the level, but shortly after, for some reason, all went wrong. All related to an overfull crank case. Jamason spotted my problem and corrected it with the new and improved official Guzzi mod using a more easily reached dipstick that still requires a pair of long nose or regular pliers to pull, but far better than the old crappy one.
In my case all this resulted first, in a lot of oil coming out of my overflow tube and possibly a few thousand and now out of warranty miles later down the road, a very expensive repair job taking a lot of billable hours to replace an inexpensive part (most likely a seal) that should have never failed. inch: inch: inch:
I am guessing that excessive crankcase pressure may have caused an premature failure but can't say for sure as the bike is still in the shop. I may learn more later. $$
Maybe some of you folks who are far better at wrenching than I can share some opinions?

 

[azccj]

On my 07 Norge with the stock yellow pull out dipstick and rubber fairing plug, if I fill the oil to the top mark on the dipstick I will get a lot of oil in the airbox very quickly. I now only fill the oil level to midway on the dipstick. Very little oil now dumps from the airbox into the drain tube and I have never had to add oil between 6250 oil changes.

 

[guzzibob]

Brian, since you say you still need a long nose pliers to pull out the later dipstick, I presume you do not have the later port hole & rubber plug that makes getting to the new dipstick oh, so easy without any tools. If you want, should be able to fix that by measuring the hole & it's location on a Norge with it & getting a hole saw to cut the correct size hole. Or I could measure it on mine in the morning, but some advantage to comparing position on a bike right next to yours. Rubber plug has got to cost next to nothing. Maybe Jameson would be willing to do that for you while he has the bike anyway? Or maybe not due to risk of maybe cracking the expensive plastic? Wonder if anyone has actually done this? Glad mine came with the porthole, easy & cheap enough to get the later type dipstick when it became available. No opinion as to whether or not the overfill could have caused the seal failure. Somehow seems unlikely, but on the other hand even on cars they warn you about the danger of overfilling crank & auto trans causing seal failure, so maybe there is something to it.

 

[Brian UK]

The kit of parts I got to install the later Guzzi dipstick came with a template to locate this hole position, and the rubber bung (which is the same one as that on the front of the alternator belt cover).

 

[Cat City Rider]

The kit of parts I got to install the later Guzzi dipstick came with a template to locate this hole position, and the rubber bung (which is the same one as that on the front of the alternator belt cover).

All I got was a slightly longer dipstick with a larger finger loop at the end of the stick and no kit. Although I usually don't mind using pliers in the garage, It's still a wee bit pesky. On longer rides I take a pare of pliers with me anyway.
I'll look in to the hole drilling and plug.
No trouble drilling such a thin piece of plastic? I have drilled boat hulls before but that is quite a bit different from a thin bit of plastic.
Since all this started with the excess oil thing, even with the official dipstick, it is best to keep the oil level slightly south of the full mark. Halfway is good.

 

[Cat City Rider]

Bob, The next time we hook up maybe we'll do a stare and compare. Don't know when that will be though.

 

[GTM®]

No need to worry Brian, I'll take care of marking it for you.

 

[Cat City Rider]

No need to worry Brian, I'll take care of marking it for you.

Thanks Todd, but Teo Lamers :twisted: dip-stick gone. Replaced with Guzzi replacement dip-stick. Unfortunately, just a tad tardy to save the seal.