Can the fluid capacity specs from Guzzi manuals be relied upon?

[bobbyfromnc]

This isn't an oil thread per say. After the Matthews Fun Machines fall out I have decided to change out my own fluids ie. motor and transmission and rear drive. I learned via AF1 out of Austin Texas in the 1400 manuals Guzzi calls the Rear Drive... (Transmission) and the transmission is called... (Gear box) Okay I can wrap my head around their (Guzzi) thinking.

That being said can the fluid capacity specs Guzzi calls for be relied upon? What have been your experience concerning capacity's?

Thank you, bobbyfromnc

[Kev m]

Define rely?

Some manufacturers (mostly Honda) gives different capacities for:

1. Oil change only
2. Oil and filter change
3. Complete rebuild

In most cases the instructions for refilling any motor or gearbox is to add fluid slowly and check level, topping off as necessary.

I'm not sure about the Cali 1400, but of course on the 6-spd smallblocks Guzzis has "gone their own way" and not provided any way to check the level so we're going to have to "trust" on that one.

And some say the oil level holes on the rear drives can be off and shouldn't be relied upon, so I measure and pour, but I've always found them to be close or exact enough so I believe them.

On everything else I add a little less than spec, then check and top off.

[twowheeladdict]

Don't forget to follow the drain instructions carefully, or you may not drain out enough fluid to put in the measured amount.  Whether it needs to be hot, warm, cold, upright, on sidestand, etc. 

I used to let the dealership perform the first service on my bikes as long as they would let me watch.  The manual explicitly stated to NOT rotate the rear wheel when draining and filling the rear drive on my Concours 1400.  I watched the tech rotate the wheel as he was filling it and told him, "now you have to wait until the fluid runs back off the gears to determine if it is at the proper level"  He would have put too much fluid in and risked a seal leak.   

[chuck peterson]

Quarts...liters...i t's all about the same. ..........

If all else fails follow directions?

[Sasquatch Jim]

No!

[zebraranger]

No, at least not on the Griso 1200, I use it as a guide but go with the dip stick reading on the oil. If I use what the manual states (3500cc's) its too much. I figure with even draining the oil with a hot motor for as much as an hour with the bike straight upright, there's still some residual still in there. Most of the other fluids, its pretty close to what the manual says.

[jpv7]

No, at least not on the Griso 1200, I use it as a guide but go with the dip stick reading on the oil. If I use what the manual states (3500cc's) its too much. I figure with even draining the oil with a hot motor for as much as an hour with the bike straight upright, there's still some residual still in there. Most of the other fluids, its pretty close to what the manual says.

+1 my experience with my V7ii.  But straightforward once you figure it out.

[Guzzistajohn]

Your best bet would probably be asking this guy and the 3DBB (or follow instructions and apply liberal amounts of common sense)

[kballowe]

Whatever you do -
DO NOT put 4 liters in the crankcase on a 1400.

My experience says 3.2 liters on a normal drain/refill with a filter change.

[Dilliw]

 :boozing:Q

No!

Yeh why would you do that 
 
More than 3 qts in the Griso or 2.5 in the EV and they puke. And an entire bottle of gear oil gets split somehow out back so there's a little extra somewhere.

[bobbyfromnc]

Whatever you do -
DO NOT put 4 liters in the crankcase on a 1400.

My experience says 3.2 liters on a normal drain/refill with a filter change.

Thanks. I do believe your correct in your assessment. I didn't buy the 4.25 etc stuff. I did put in 3. 8 quarts and it's reading about shy of a half inch above the top line on the dip stick just stuck in not threaded with bike level. I let it sit overnight before I checked it. Luckily I have a pump to take some out with. 

[twowings]

After 47,000 miles on a 1200 2v, I've always filled to 1/2 to 2/3 of the "Full" mark and not encountered a single problem...that's about 3250-3300 cc...manual calls for 3600....YMMV