Author Topic: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400  (Read 1426 times)

Offline JohninVT

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Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« on: May 16, 2018, 06:26:57 AM »
I rode my bike through torrential rain yesterday to a conference in northern Maine.  I changed the oil and filter the night before.  I put in 3.7 liters.  Every time I stopped it was puking oil out of the air box.  At least I hope it’s engine oil. I feel like an idiot because I can find the gearbox drain to check that.  It’s not coming down the drain tube but appears to be dripping out of the lower corner of the air box when I stop and put it on the side stand.  When I filled the engine oil I had the bike standing and didn’t screw the dipstick in.  Evidently I should have check it on the sidestand.  I think 3.2 liters would have been more like it than 3.7

Offline Ncdan

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2018, 06:48:50 AM »
I rode my bike through torrential rain yesterday to a conference in northern Maine.  I changed the oil and filter the night before.  I put in 3.7 liters.  Every time I stopped it was puking oil out of the air box.  At least I hope it�s engine oil. I feel like an idiot because I can find the gearbox drain to check that.  It�s not coming down the drain tube but appears to be dripping out of the lower corner of the air box when I stop and put it on the side stand.  When I filled the engine oil I had the bike standing and didn�t screw the dipstick in.  Evidently I should have check it on the sidestand.  I think 3.2 liters would have been more like it than 3.7
Thanks for the info John as I will learn from your oversight when I change oil in my 1400.

Offline mmcwhitehead

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2018, 06:56:05 AM »
Gear oil has a distinct odor, you should be able to tell whether it's engine oil or gear oil by performing a "sniff test."

3.5 liters seems to be just about right for my '14 Cali Touring. I know it calls for 4 liters, but my guess is that the radiator retains about 0.5 liters.

The dipstick is designed to check the oil with the bike upright, not on the side stand. At my first oil change, I filled the sump to the point where it shows full with the engine fully warmed up and the bike upright. Then I leaned it onto the side stand and checked it again. I made a mental note of where the oil level is and I use that as a quick and easy check. This seems to work well so long as the bike is parked on a very level surface. It's easier than trying to check the oil with the engine hot while sitting on the seat and fiddling with the dipstick.

Seems odd that you have oil dripping out of the air box. Maybe the air box drain tube is disconnected from the air box. If mine pushes out any oil, it accumulates in the plugged drain tube from the air box. I just put a rag under it and pull the plug on the drain tube from time to time. I never seem to get more than a cc or two.
2014 California Touring
1973 Eldorado w/ Velorex Sidecar

Offline JohninVT

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2018, 07:16:10 AM »
It was difficult to perform the sniff test while on my hands and knees with water running down my neck in a thunderstorm.  Did I mention we had small tornados in Southern Vermont in the storm yesterday?  Lol. 

I think part of the problem was that I used a Hi-Flo 565 which sits flush with the oil pan rather than the filter that was on it, which was almost 2” taller. 

I’m hoping I just overfilled it.  I would have checked the gearbox but I don’t have a large enough Allen wrench in my tool kit.  I’ll probably stop at a Bond on Napa today to check it.  Where is the drain plug?  Hidden behind a cover?

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2018, 07:16:10 AM »

Offline Dilliw

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2018, 07:18:01 AM »
Both my EV and my Griso prefer their oil levels to be closer to the min line than the max line.  I start fresh at the halfway mark and work from there.

YMMV
George Westbury
Austin, TX
2003 EVT "The Tank"
2011 Griso SE

L-824 and L-825

Offline kballowe

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2018, 07:23:50 AM »

I think part of the problem was that I used a Hi-Flo 565 which sits flush with the oil pan rather than the filter that was on it, which was almost 2� taller. 

I would have checked the gearbox but I don�t have a large enough Allen wrench in my tool kit.
Where is the drain plug?  Hidden behind a cover?

I just completed my 1st Cali 1400 oil change on a brand new bike.  The factory filter sits flush and still had the little yellow check mark on it from "prep".  The Hi-Flo 565 is the correct filter.

Rode bike home from work, then..... bike level on a jack - drain for 1/2 hour. 

3 quarts - and a 10 mile ride, then checked the oil (bike upright) and it was at the "add" mark.  Poured in half a quart and off I went.  200 miles since the oil change.  Nothing leaking..... yet

Gearbox drain is hiding behind that cover.  Two allen bolts.  I had to remove the muffler heat shield to get to one of the fasteners.  Gearbox oil would come out the vent and it's stinky.

P.S.  I like the filter installed "flush".  In my mind, that might help to keep me from dragging it on a curb or having road debris damage it. 



« Last Edit: May 16, 2018, 07:38:04 AM by kballowe »

Offline Sasquatch Jim

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2018, 12:19:11 PM »
 Unscrew the fill plug and hold the bike upside down.
Sasquatch Jim        Humanoid, sort of.

Offline Bulldog9

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #7 on: May 16, 2018, 12:25:45 PM »
On my 8 valve Norge I found that anything over the halfway mark on the dipstick will be puked out of the motor into the air box. The grease show isn't as sensitive but I will normally go on the halfway mark on that as well. I'm not going to argue with saving a half quart, that damn Motul is expensive stuff...
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Offline Kiwi Dave

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #8 on: May 16, 2018, 03:29:41 PM »
I think 3.2 liters would have been more like it than 3.7

I would go a little further and just add 3 litres.  That's what I do, and then check it after a short ride.  Never needs any more.

Offline HarveyMushman

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #9 on: May 16, 2018, 04:51:30 PM »
I would go a little further and just add 3 litres.  That's what I do, and then check it after a short ride.  Never needs any more.

My Stelvio gets 3 liters, including the little bit I pour in the new filter.  This results in the level being roughly half-way up the dipstick. 
Tim

Offline Dilliw

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2018, 06:15:43 AM »
My Stelvio gets 3 liters, including the little bit I pour in the new filter.  This results in the level being roughly half-way up the dipstick.

 :1:

3 liters, fill the filter, pour the rest in the hole. 
George Westbury
Austin, TX
2003 EVT "The Tank"
2011 Griso SE

L-824 and L-825

Offline JohninVT

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Re: Overfilled the oil...again Cali 1400
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2018, 07:57:17 AM »
My 1200 Sport was the same way.  I have no idea why Guzzi isn't capable of measuring the engine oil capacity and listing the correct information in the manual. 

Other than the bike pissing oil everywhere, I had a great trip.  I spent the day yesterday riding the White Mountains.  I rode the Kancamangus, Bear Notch Road, 113 over Evans Notch, Hurricane Mtn. Rd, Franconia Notch, Crawford Notch and across 302 all the way to rt. 100, which I took home.  The bike ran great and I chased a Subaru WRX driven by a couple of flat-brimmed trucker hat wearing kids up I89 for 20 miles at 110mph.  The engine turns exactly 5,000rpm at 100mph in 6th gear.  It made me chuckle to imagine the engineers at Guzzi having a conversation:  "Hey Luigi, what gear ratio should we use in 6th for the new California?"  "I dunno, Mario.  How about we do the math and make it turn 5,000rpm at 100mph?"  The Italian idea of symmetry.           

 

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