OK to ride with cracked oil sight glass??? - Page 3

vintagerider · 05-02-2012, 10:32 AM

Q: I start my bike and the oil is actually circulating in the engine, the level falls well below the sight glass... Technically doesn't that mean that once the bike is running and the oil circulating, you don't really need the sight glass to hold the oil in the engine??

Early motorcycles built in the era of the Titanic had the total loss oil system. You might put a gallon of oil in your tank bag with a hose tube gravity draining it to the sump. The early design were roller bearings though and you expected to rebuild every 2k miles or so. We'll look forward to reading your ride report on your proposed total loss oiling mod for the 1200.

note: I'll cross link this thread for the fellow considering purchasing used 1200 GS.

Basic_Gerd · 05-02-2012, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIXR

...I once had a Kwaka 900 blow out its sight glass, about 100 miles from home. Completely gone, and lost. I just rode the thing slowly home without using high rpm (no choice). The new glass went in a few days later and I topped up the oil. It wasn't missing much, even after being ridden a reasonable distance with no glass at all. Bike did lots of hard miles after that...

4-cylinder engines breathe far less than a 2-cyl boxer. Try that with a boxer: remove the oil filler screw with engine running idle... but have your finger on the kill switch and a cloth ready

. And then imagine the effect with 4000/min.

JimVonBaden · 05-02-2012, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basic_Gerd

4-cylinder engines breathe far less than a 2-cyl boxer. Try that with a boxer: remove the oil filler screw with engine running idle... but have your finger on the kill switch and a cloth ready

. And then imagine the effect with 4000/min.

ask anyone who forgot to reinstall the filler plug on the TOP of the valve cover how much oil comes out at speed? Now immagine that being 8" lower and directly above the oil level.

Jim

LewisNClark · 05-02-2012, 01:06 PM

Bought a used 1150GS several years ago....owner told me he had just that day done a valve adj and sight glass was replaced since it had a minor leak.

Made it 2 blocks from seller's house..and the oil came out of the sight glass like it was shot from a cannon....at least 2 quarts blew out 2 or 3 feet out the sight glass. My riding buddy was riding it home for me and he did not even know it happened until I kept blowing my horn to stop him, and he smelled the smoke. When he stopped oil was still gushing out the sight glass...and his jeans and boot.

MsLizVt · 05-02-2012, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ikonoklass

No kidding. You'd think they'd be there Johnny on the spot to prevent you from having an accident and suing them.

ikonoklass, Hi!

In all seriousness, Max BMW in New Hampshire has had a pickup and delivery service for years. My best recollection is that it's free within 100 miles of their shop. They literally have two or three trucks on the road all week long. Twice they've taken care of me like that. One of those times they picked me up at the base of Mount Washington.

Sounds unusual, but the dealership(s) itself is pretty unusual when it comes to customer care.

Again, I was just trying to be helpful.

Enjoy,

Liz

MIXR · 05-02-2012, 03:54 PM

I never said he should ride the thing with a blown sight glass, just that a cracked one (if it did crack far enough to leak) would not be a big issue. Hence using tape to help secure the cracks!

The Kwaka example was just that - A real life example I had with a Kwaka 900. Nowhere did I say he should ride with NO sight glass!

If it was mine, I'd tape the sight glass and ride the thing to wherever it needs to go. Doesn't take much effort to look down on the way and see if there's a leak! And I wouldn't be sitting at 4,000 rpm either. Would anyone really be that stupid!

JimVonBaden · 05-02-2012, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIXR

I never said he should ride the thing with a blown sight glass, just that a cracked one (if it did crack far enough to leak) would not be a big issue. Hence using tape to help secure the cracks!

The Kwaka example was just that - A real life example I had with a Kwaka 900. Nowhere did I say he should ride with NO sight glass!

If it was mine, I'd tape the sight glass and ride the thing to wherever it needs to go. Doesn't take much effort to look down on the way and see if there's a leak! And I wouldn't be sitting at 4,000 rpm either. Would anyone really be that stupid!

That isn't a serious question, is it?

Jim

MIXR · 05-02-2012, 05:38 PM

Agreed Jim - I know a few guys who would! Apologies for the rant. Too easy for people to 'assume' stuff and to read the wrong 'tone' or 'meaning' into posts. It's a problem with every forum I've ever been involved with.

I'm still interested in the sight 'glass'. I never knew there was a 'glass' in the oilhead beemers and always thought the R11xx bikes were all plastic. Might have to check out my dealer and see what he's got. Maybe another upgrade that's snuck into the system. Never ordered one, so wouldn't know first-hand.

AntonLargiader · 05-02-2012, 06:29 PM

Pressure-wise, I think there's a pretty big difference between blowing an old, unrestrained sight glass out of the case and blowing the actual glass out of the edge seal of a sight glass. Even if it were already cracked, but I suppose that depends on the crack.

The former has happened starting in the '90s, even with K bikes (no pressure fluctuation and all of that). But who has lost a circlipped sight glass, or lost just the element from the inside of a restrained sight glass? I just don't see the concern. I'd be more worried about getting hit by a car.

JimVonBaden · 05-02-2012, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AntonLargiader

Pressure-wise, I think there's a pretty big difference between blowing an old, unrestrained sight glass out of the case and blowing the actual glass out of the edge seal of a sight glass. Even if it were already cracked, but I suppose that depends on the crack.

The former has happened starting in the '90s, even with K bikes (no pressure fluctuation and all of that). But who has lost a circlipped sight glass, or lost just the element from the inside of a restrained sight glass? I just don't see the concern. I'd be more worried about getting hit by a car.

If it were plastic I don't think a cracked "glass" would be an issue. Being glass, cracked could turn to busted fairly easily. I too, though, have never heard of the whole sight glass being blown out of a circlipped bike.

Jim

05-02-2012, 01:06 PM	#34
LewisNClark Studly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2004 Location: North GA and Atlanta Oddometer: 916	Had the experience of a sight glass "blowing" Bought a used 1150GS several years ago....owner told me he had just that day done a valve adj and sight glass was replaced since it had a minor leak. Made it 2 blocks from seller's house..and the oil came out of the sight glass like it was shot from a cannon....at least 2 quarts blew out 2 or 3 feet out the sight glass. My riding buddy was riding it home for me and he did not even know it happened until I kept blowing my horn to stop him, and he smelled the smoke. When he stopped oil was still gushing out the sight glass...and his jeans and boot. __________________ The Trip: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...ht=Lewis+Clark Link to 3,000+ pictures of Lewis & Clark Trail:http://lewisandclark.smugmug.com/

05-02-2012, 03:54 PM	#36
MIXR Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Canberra, Australia, AKA 'Polly-World' Oddometer: 505	Read the post guys! I never said he should ride the thing with a blown sight glass, just that a cracked one (if it did crack far enough to leak) would not be a big issue. Hence using tape to help secure the cracks! The Kwaka example was just that - A real life example I had with a Kwaka 900. Nowhere did I say he should ride with NO sight glass! If it was mine, I'd tape the sight glass and ride the thing to wherever it needs to go. Doesn't take much effort to look down on the way and see if there's a leak! And I wouldn't be sitting at 4,000 rpm either. Would anyone really be that stupid!

05-02-2012, 05:38 PM	#38
MIXR Studly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2011 Location: Canberra, Australia, AKA 'Polly-World' Oddometer: 505	Yeah - Sorry about the rant. Agreed Jim - I know a few guys who would! Apologies for the rant. Too easy for people to 'assume' stuff and to read the wrong 'tone' or 'meaning' into posts. It's a problem with every forum I've ever been involved with. I'm still interested in the sight 'glass'. I never knew there was a 'glass' in the oilhead beemers and always thought the R11xx bikes were all plastic. Might have to check out my dealer and see what he's got. Maybe another upgrade that's snuck into the system. Never ordered one, so wouldn't know first-hand.

05-02-2012, 06:29 PM	#39
AntonLargiader Beastly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2003 Location: Charlottesville, VA Oddometer: 3,473	Pressure-wise, I think there's a pretty big difference between blowing an old, unrestrained sight glass out of the case and blowing the actual glass out of the edge seal of a sight glass. Even if it were already cracked, but I suppose that depends on the crack. The former has happened starting in the '90s, even with K bikes (no pressure fluctuation and all of that). But who has lost a circlipped sight glass, or lost just the element from the inside of a restrained sight glass? I just don't see the concern. I'd be more worried about getting hit by a car. __________________ Anton Largiader largiader.com BMWRA.org

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05-02-2012, 10:32 AM	#31
vintagerider Beastly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2005 Location: the west Oddometer: 1,744	Q: I start my bike and the oil is actually circulating in the engine, the level falls well below the sight glass... Technically doesn't that mean that once the bike is running and the oil circulating, you don't really need the sight glass to hold the oil in the engine?? Early motorcycles built in the era of the Titanic had the total loss oil system. You might put a gallon of oil in your tank bag with a hose tube gravity draining it to the sump. The early design were roller bearings though and you expected to rebuild every 2k miles or so. We'll look forward to reading your ride report on your proposed total loss oiling mod for the 1200. note: I'll cross link this thread for the fellow considering purchasing used 1200 GS.