Oil level ?

On my 82'XS650HS I am wondering about the OIL level on the dip stick......
I read somewhere on here that the dipsticks were not accurate or something like that
but I don't remember if it was a particular year or model....
I'ed like to run a tad more oil in my engine to calm down the noise a bit from the worn primary to clutch basket gear...... do you think that would hurt anything ? I don't want to blow any seals or anything ... but I'm thinking like 1/4" more on the dipstick shouldn't hurt anything....
opinions anyone ?
.....
Bob........

Banana Skins...............If we had a whine in the diff and wanted to sell the car we would use some banana skins in the diff to quieten it down for the sale. Of course the fix was only temporary but the problem wasn't ours anymore............

More oil wont quieten your problem. With the crank twisted it is the wobble effect on the primaries that is doing the damage and noise......banana skins would probably quieten it down, in fact it may make a bit more noise before it is quite for good...........

Could always do a search on the dip stick oil level............I'm sure it has been mentioned somewhere

But you evaded the question ...will a 1/4 cup or half cup of more oil Hurt the motor ?
have you hurd of anyone blowing seals by adding slightly too much oil before ? how much is too much for the XS650 ?
.....
Bob.......

I see nothing wrong with adding another quart. Won't blow any seals. What the engine doesn't want will be puked out the breather vents.

My cousin put a piece of tape over his Cavalier's "check engine" light, and it ran just fine.

For another 50 miles...

I didn't evade anything............i answered about the extra oil helping to eliminate the noise......and gave a solution to the dipstick issue.........

on the third question.............Will extra oil hurt the motor.......or blow seals........no it wont hurt the motor but could under certain circumstances blow a seal. If factory air-boxes are used with the factory system intact then the extra blow by may cause some plug fowling or smoke

Since Yamaha revised the dip stick around 73 or 74, the correct oil level is half way between the 2 marks. You could add oil until its at the top mark, and it will not hurt the engine. However, there is the possibility that the clutch might slip a little when you really crank hard on the throttle, depending on how strong your clutch springs are.

650Skull said:

Banana Skins...............If we had a whine in the diff and wanted to sell the car we would use some banana skins in the diff to quieten it down for the sale. Of course the fix was only temporary but the problem wasn't ours anymore............

Click to expand...

Hi Skull,
back in the war we couldn't get Banana Skins in the UK, we had to make do with sawdust.
And iron filings to restore a gearbox's notchy feel.
And old torn nylons in the crankcase to muffle the clatter of worn big ends.
(you got them off your sister who got them off a Yank)
And oatmeal in the radiator to stop the leaks.
(Or crack an egg in there but eggs were rationed.)
But back to the extra oil question.
No, it won't quieten things or damage stuff.
What it will do is puke out the breather and make a mess.

You need it to be louder, not quieter.

Ok Skull I stand corrected.... thank you !
Well, Obviously the best answer is to fix the noise Problem at it's source...but that ain't going to happen as I can't afford it.
I may tear it down this winter and see if I can nudge the crank back into alignment but I dunno if I want to go to all that work for the
minute possibility of actually fixing it <grin> as I don't have much faith in my ability to get the crank back to within a thousandth of an inch
I'm thinking it's probably better if I leave it alone and ride it like it is, it will probably last allot longer ! HAHAHAHA!
I'm not thinking of doing this to Sell it guys..... I wouldn't do such an underhanded thing ...I wouldn't be able to sleep at night heheheh!
I'm just thinking of trying to quiet it down a bit so it's not so noisy....for ME ! if I ever do sell it i will tell the buyer of the crank issue, just so you know.....
but in all truthfulness, it's probably not as bad as it sounds.... I did see some movement of the end of the crank when I had it apart.
it was not very much at all and could very well have been the washer under the nut being a bit off center because I did not put a dial indicator on it. so for this case a full tear down is the only thing that will cure the problem and Use a dial indicator to measure the end play
.... I do know there is too much slop in the primary gear to the clutch basket, which means replacement of the pair. so if I do tear it down I at least need those 2 parts to make it quiet again..... and you know...it doesn't bother me quite that Much to justify $300+ bucks to fix it !
LOL.....
I have never added Crap in the OIl in order to quiet worn parts before.... and don't plan to thicker OIL I have done and had very good results doing that..... I am wondering is straight 40 wt not the multigrade 20~40wt that is in it , might help in that respect.
that change in oil may very well make hard shifting..... i wouldn't doubt that at all. but it Might be worth a try
( I never have liked multigrade Oils from the get go anyway LOL .)
.....
Blowing out oil really isn't an option for me..... I like keeping the tires down and shiney side UP ..... My Mother was crippled for life because of blowing out oil and it covered the rear tire..... first corner down they went...Dad rolled Mom didn't....
so I have a built in fear of loosing Oil in a bike and watch that stuff very carefully.
......
all in all , sounds like I'll shit can that idea ! HAHAHAHA !
thanks guys ! I appreciate your input !
Bob......

xjwmx : that's IT !!!!! why didn't I think of that ? HAHAHAHAHHA !
......
Bob.......

Bob, if you're unsure of crank runout, there's a simple test you can try.
In post #117:

http://www.xs650.com/threads/that-wrrrr-noise.50290/page-6#post-520678

Primary gear backlash may be inconvenient, but the real risk is the right crankshaft ball bearing. It establishes and maintains crank lateral positioning. Let that loosen up, and more expensive things start touching each other, which is a felony in this state...

TwoManyXS1Bs said:

Probably a better, definitive test:

Refit the crank primary gear and clutch basket.
Left hand operating a wrench on the rotor nut.
Lean over, or lay on the bike, right hand grasping the basket.
Wiggle the basket, feeling the primary gear lash.
Slowly rotate the engine while feeling the backlash.
See if the backlash increases, decreases, increases, ...etc.
Which would indicate runout.

If the crank's right flywheel twisted on its crankpin, expect the tight/loose spots to occur at TDC and BDC...

Click to expand...

I remember that discussion 2M but I guess I overlooked that particular post in my dismay..... I was thinking at the time that it all makes sense and there is crank wobble.....now...I'm not so sure HAHAHAHA!
If I remember correctly I did do that,.... and it did get tighter and looser as the crank was turned....just confirming that it's out of whack
.....
I may pull it apart this winter and I may not...I haven't decided..... I may just drain the gas out of it and take the battery out and wait for the hopes in the future that we will have more money to spend on things and I can actually fix it properly then.
it COULD happen, I could sell the Ranch at some point in the future, that should get me around $50k bucks at a minimum.
but for the foreseeable future I can't see any improvement in the financial situation in the next 3 or 4 years....
My sister and I own the Ranch and she has gone quiet.... heck she could be dead I do not know..... but it takes communication with her or her descendants to sell the Ranch and I have NONE at all with any of them at this time.... I am about ready to drive all the way down there and see what the heck is up and why she won't answer my letters .
she lives outside of Santa Rosa CA. where they are having the forest fires... she may well have been burnt out....or worse.
..... time will tell I suppose ! .....hard to say
.......
Bob............

In reference to the original posting: I have an 81 XS SH (US model). When I drain the oil and put in 2000cc the dipstick is bang on the middle and the level in the sight glass is between 3/4 and the top. I'd say the dipstick is quite accurate.

Edit: Go to Entries 25, 27 and 28 to see the actual dimensions with photos and the conditions under which the measurements were made.

Ahh ! thanks Paul !
Bob..

Hey, Bob. 7 months later, how is it now?

Probably just like it always was - unregistered with a nearly dead motor, lol. I'm all for helping folks fix these up but I kinda have to draw the line when it's a guy who plans to then take it out and ride around the public roads illegally on the thing. I guess as far as problems in the world go, this isn't high on the list, but I still think it's wrong.

Well , I thought seriously about tearing down the motor and trying to repair it or at least get it to a position where i can try to straighten the crank and weld it so it wouldn't move any more.... but other things have crept up in priority..... I finally did go FREE TV and am not paying for satilite TV any more
however do not believe those Maps they say of the tv channels you'll get... they said I would get at least 24 channels here...we get 4 and a hint of one other ... and most of the time you cannot watch that one at all..... so I am saving a bit of money there
we did bite the bullet and get net flix and have been watching it every night any way... so that has been great and with the local channels for news and weather that is good enough.
.... Financially it makes no sense at all to repare the xs650 unless i am going to ride it. because it certainly won't sell for $1500 bucks and
it would take it running perfectly to get $1200 for it.... so it just doesn't make financial sense to sink money into it at this time
and as much as I would ride it hell a 100cc would do.... so I am killing time and trying to convince myself to sell my last motorcycle
getting old sux guys ...don't do it ! LOL
.....
Bob..........


!

I know this is an old thread but a portion of it partly addresses a question I have. On my '81SH the site glass shows 1/4 full while the dipstick shows 3/4. I have checked it cold, warm, hot on center stand and level floor. Which is correct, glass or dipstick?

Glass.... the dip sticks are known to be off a bit.... just keep the oil at the halfway hark in the glass
....
Bob....

Bob Kelly III said:

the dip sticks are known to be off a bit.... just keep the oil at the halfway hark in the glass

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Hi Bob Kelly ! wondered when you'd chime in again. Good to hear from you ..
-RT