Does anyone know what the difference is between checking the oil level cold vs. hot? I know Yamaha wants you to ckeck it hot.

If I run the engine for 30 seconds, turn it off & check oil level would the dip stick reading be close?

Thanks Don

Comments deleted...

You'll find that many of us on here never check the oil level in our bikes.

When we change the oil we put in 4 quarts and only 4 quarts and unless there's evidence of burning it(blue smoke) or leaking(puddles under the bike) we never ever check it.

The reason? The method for checking it is unreliable and will not indicate the true level of oil in your Road Star.

If you do check your oil, and it seems "low" you add oil thus overfilling it. This overfilling can cause or worsen the dreaded SVS and that's way worse that running a little low on oil. If you do see evidence of a leak and check your oil and find the level "normal" then you may possibly be running your bike low of oil. If the leak is severe enough you may be dangerously low on lubricant but never do anything about it because the dipstick said it was OK.

Change your oil at whatever interval you feel appropriate and as long as you have no indication that oil is somehow leaving your bike leave it be until the next oil change.

My .02

-M7

Yes....I've seen that. My problem is I lost count of how much oil I put in the bike. I think I am 2 qts low, however I do not want to overfill the bike, thus I want to check the approximate level cold
before putting oil in it.

Don

Well.....it looks like to be safe I need to drain & buy 4 qts of Amsoil, however I hate to spend $50
if I do not have to.

Thanks Don

Well I'd drain the oil into a clean container(filter as well) and then use the drained oil to refill it and keep count of how much you put in this time.

Again, do what your gut tells you to do, but I don't trust the method cited by Yamaha in determining the oil level. Besides, if you're two quarts low, you're going to have to do the Yamaha method twice. Once after you put in one quart and again if you check it and it's "low" after you put in the second quart.

Do you really want to spend 30+ min. checking the oil level? You could have drained it all out and refilled it correctly in less time than that!

-M7

blowing up your motor is worse than spending $50 on oil

You didn't mention if your doing an oil change or how many miles you have on the oil in it. Like Mark said you might want to drain it all out and see what you end up with. If you have close to 4000 on the oil just change it. Then you know how much is in it and write it down. Don't depend on the dip stick.

Sound like your doing and oil change and forgot how much you put in it. If that is the case do like Mark said and drain it and use the same oil going back in only strain it thru a coffee filter when you put it in. This time keep counf of the qurats you put in I have done this before too. Hate to ge interupted in the middle of an oil change. No I have the 4 quarts on hand and keep the empty bottles so I know how much I have in it.

This is the way I do it, here.