Checking Oil

Jagster said:

I thought this video was quite useful so i'm putting it here.
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Very good video, thanks for sharing. We say counter clockwise here in the States. LOL

The oil check procedure for the R3 isn't much different to other dry sump bikes. I've had three KTM V-twins, all dry sump, and the process is much the same. The only difference is the KTMs have a sight glass on the oil tank rather than a dip-stick. I prefer a sight glass as you quickly learn roughly where the oil level should be during various states of engine activity, ie. hot and unsettled with oil distributed, stone cold with oil settled, and warmed and rested for the true reading. You can see at a glance if something is wrong. You still have to follow the correct procedure to get an really accurate reading of just how much oil is in the system, but being able to visually monitor it at all times is useful.

For instance, I know that if the oil level is at it's optimum - one increment away from max when the level is checked with the correct procedure - when checked hot immediately on stopping after a ride and before the oil has had a chance to settle, it will show one quarter full, which will rise to the correct three quarters as the engine cools and the oil settles. It's useful because while we all worry about low oil levels, it's easy to overfill a dry sump engine as well and that can be equally bad. If I push the bike upright after a ride and see that the oil level is at max with a hot engine, I know it has been overfilled. And that's happened when the bike was serviced by a dealer and I had to suck out about half a pint of oil from the tank with a syringe and tube. I don't have to wait for the engine to become stone cold and go through the whole checking rigmorole from scratch to get an early indication that something isn't right.

I also find it is sometimes difficult to get a clean reading from the (very long) dip-stick on the Rocket, as it gets smudged with oil as it's inserted into the tube. I get the same problem on My Landrover Freelander. It can take three or four dips and wipes to get a clean mark on the stick.

Perfect
I kept wondering why nobody has done this on the late models
Best information I have seen in a long time.

Jagster said:

Huh?

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A1A Rider said:

Already leaking oil

Only approx. 1,900 miles and the R3 GT is already leaking oil. It seems to be coming from the seam/gasket along the lower side of the transmission, near and behind the forward controls. Of course, further back the wind from riding has blown it all over including along the side of the starter...

www.r3owners.net

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Is that what your bike is doing?
Mine isn't.

If so, most likely the gear position sensor is leaking, not the gasket, although it may appear that way before you check the sensor.

As to checking the oil level I check mine regularly. My bike uses oil. I got it used and don't think it was properly broken in.

Journeyman said:

If so, most likely the gear position sensor is leaking, not the gasket, although it may appear that way before you check the sensor.

As to checking the oil level I check mine regularly. My bike uses oil. I got it used and don't think it was properly broken in.

2.5 using oil

Found out my bike has been leaking oil. It's always "used oil" and I wonder if this could be where it's been going all along- seems likely. It's coming from the gear position sensor and is slow enough that it never drips beneath the bike and may only happen when the bike is running. If so, the...

www.r3owners.net

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Mine was using oil with no sign of any leaks. When I took for a service last October the dealer said the oil drain plug seals were leaking (there are two of them apparently).
I'm lucky to have a very good main dealer locally with an excellent workshop, so I'm not questioning them, but I'm slightly sceptical that it could have been leaking so much from the drain plugs without any visible sign when the bike was parked up.
On the other hand, I chucked a litre of oil into it in 1500 miles and if it was burning that amount I would expect to smell it and see it.
I also bought mine used from a dealer. It was a little rough around the edges, no corrosion as such, but slightly furry alloy in places like it had been left outside in all weathers, and the odd scratch on the paintwork, which I would have thought an owner would have been more careful to avoid, so I suspect it was an ex-demo bike. I bought it on a punt sight unseen because it was a very good price. It could be that it was abused before properly borken in. On the other hand, it can't be that easy to abuse an engine this size...
So I'm reserving judgement. I'll see how it does when I get it back on the road in the spring. It's still under warranty until July.

What I will be doing is using the exact same procedure every time for checking the oil level until I'm satisfied I've figured out what's going on. Typically I tend to do at least 150 miles every time I take it out, so I'll be checking the oil level the day after each ride in the same way. Exact same amount of idling time to the second, exact same amount of resting before checking the dipstick. We shall see.

Gimlet said:

When I took for a service last October the dealer said the oil drain plug seals were leaking (there are two of them apparently).

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Three total, in fact. It's a bit confused down there.