SuzukiSavage.com - Changing Oil...No Dipstick?

dubbington Ex Member	Changing Oil...No Dipstick? 04/28/07 at 17:00:23 How do I know how much is in there? My first bike and I dont have the manual. '89 savage
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Brewbrother Serious Thumper Offline Just lending a helping hand. Posts: 953 Gender:	Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick? Reply #1 - 04/28/07 at 17:14:19 the bike uses a sight glass. Bottom of the engine case, same side as the oil filter. You will need 2.1qts or 2000ml
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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #2 - 04/28/07 at 17:28:27

The bike has to be level to check the oil -- so just set it up on the centerstand. oh. yeah. we don't have a center stand. Great thinking, Suzuki!

The little sight window is, as stated, low on the right. Kneel down and pull the bike upright -- when it's balanced, it's level. You should see a level line in the window -- dark oil below and clear above. If you are not willing to try to pull the bike on top of yourself, you can always have someone sit on the bike while a second person checks the window.

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justin_o_guy

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #3 - 04/28/07 at 18:29:38

Bike needs to be straight up & down & level, front to rear. IF ya fill the window with cold oil, it's actually gonna be overfull. The 2.1 quart is kinda hard for me. Seems I get .2 or so. I just put 2 in mine & warm it up, shut it off & let it sit a fe minutes so the oil drains down. Then I check the oil & carefully top it off. I have a funnel I have cut off & cut some relief in so it sits on top of the internal oil baffle but still empties easily. I can hold the bike & add oil, with a work lamp on the floor so I can see the window easily. It took me quite a while to learn how to "feel" the bike being straigh up. Of course, it is when the least amount of work goes into holding it. A centerstand would SOOO kikk butt. I think I'll fashion an oil change/fill brace, not to lift tires off the ground, just to hold the bike straight up & down. Any suggestions? Am I reinventing the wheel?

Ohh, welcome Dubbington,You'll be needing a manual.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick? Reply #4 - 04/28/07 at 21:04:46 There are a few pict's in a few of the threads of the fellows using a block of wood to stand the bike on. How about a block just big enough to hold it upright? Either on the swingarm or under the engine.
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smokey02

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #5 - 04/29/07 at 07:28:35

Welcome to the site Dubbington

I have a PDF copy of the OWNERS MANUAL
from the Technical Documents/Reference section

Its 11.8 MB so I'm not sure if I can email it to you, maybe someone can help me out with a place to post it, I got it from Kropatchek last year.

There is a link to it in the Technical Documents section but I'm afraid that link no longer works.

Click on my name and send me a private message with your email address, I will attempt to send you the Manual.

smokey

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mpescatori

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #6 - 04/29/07 at 07:53:53

I bame Suzuki of extremely poor engineering:

1) No center stand; "HD have no center stand"- so what? All other street bikes have one! Angry

2) No oil dipstick; "look in the transparent round window"- yeah, right... will a Suzuki engineer please stand and show me how to balance a 300lb bike and kneel, all at the same time, possibly with a hot engine? Wily Coyote, hellooo!!! Angry

3) The transparent round window is in the wrong position, it would have been sooo simple to move it up to a better location... Tongue

4) Spark plug trap door etc ???

5) Removal of fuel tank without having to remove seat, fuel, fuel petc0ck... Angry

Suzuki, for the 2008 model S40, please rent a vintage Matchless, Aprilia or Ducati and see how it's done... Roll Eyes

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justin_o_guy

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #7 - 04/29/07 at 09:30:26

2) No oil dipstick; "look in the transparent round window"- yeah, right... will a Suzuki engineer please stand and show me how to balance a 300lb bike and kneel, all at the same time, possibly with a hot engine? Wily Coyote, hellooo!!! Angry

I am with ya all the way. I have wondered why they didnt make the marks to check oil when it's cold. As is, gotta warm it up, then shut off, wait a few minutes for it to drain down. I am SUre there Is a real, no kidding good reason for that. I just am not seeing it. I guess the reason the bike has to be vertical instead of on the stand is because that would leave it open to so many ways to check it wrong. IF the spot the sidestand was on was a bit lower, the bike might look low on oil, when it was full, then I add & hurt something. Or the other way, So, it needs stood up.
One reason for no centerstand, I believe, is the thing is so low it really doesnt need anything hanging down to get in the way.

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jjn Junior Member Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 61 Keaau, Hi. USA Gender:	Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick? Reply #8 - 04/29/07 at 17:04:16 You might be able to pit a little section of 2x4 under the sidestand-it works on my KLR650-to get the bike to an upright (or close to upright) position where you can check the level. jon
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Savage_Rob

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #9 - 04/30/07 at 03:29:13

jjn wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:

You might be able to pit a little section of 2x4 under the sidestand-it works on my KLR650-to get the bike to an upright (or close to upright) position where you can check the level.

jon

That does work on the LS650... provided you haven't changed the height of the shocks. With the 12.5" shocks on mine, it's necessary to elevate the front end to level the engine and then check. Fortunately, the do-it-yourself lift works close to perfectly for this.

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courtem YaBB Newbies Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 4 Toney, Alabama Gender:	Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick? Reply #10 - 05/29/07 at 12:19:06 I'm glad I read this! I thought I was missing something. The user's manual simply says to remove the fuel tak to service the valves. This is the first bike that I have owned that requires removal of the fuel and petcock to remove the tank!
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justin_o_guy

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #11 - 05/29/07 at 13:09:35

Some require fuel drained & petCoCkremoved, others don't. Mine doesn't. Some frames are a bit different, or the tank, maybe, but I dont drain fuel, I just slip the tank off. I used to drain, but someon explained how to wrestle it off. Others have tanks on that just won't come off without draining & pulling the Petdoohickey..

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verslagen1

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #12 - 05/29/07 at 15:17:09

I had the opportunity to try wood blocks just high enough hold it up level. Which might be concidered a variant of the poor man's bike stand.

It held it level, fairly easy to do, and it's adjustable.

Lay a 3' piece of 4x4 under the bike behind the kickstand from the exhaust pipe side. Push it in until it touches both sides of the frame while resting on the ground on the kickstand side and you lifting it on the exhaust side. Now block up the exhaust side directly below the frame on the exhaust side. Now go to the kickstand side and tilt the bike upright. When I did this the 4x4 came up with the bike. Slide the same amount of blocks under the 4x4 and you're done. Since you don't want to lift the bike more than a little, it's fairly easy to do. Hard part is finding the right height of blocks. Grin

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justin_o_guy Ex Member	Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick? Reply #13 - 05/29/07 at 18:51:38 A wooden centerstand, cool. I have a tablesaw, I think I can get the blocks to fit Juuust right. Thanks for the idea. This is gonna make oil checking & topping off easy.
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Changing Oil...No Dipstick?
Reply #14 - 05/29/07 at 20:30:30

verslagen1 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:

I had the opportunity to try wood blocks just high enough hold it up level. Which might be concidered a variant of the poor man's bike stand.

It held it level, fairly easy to do, and it's adjustable.

Lay a 3' piece of 4x4 under the bike behind the kickstand from the exhaust pipe side. Push it in until it touches both sides of the frame while resting on the ground on the kickstand side and you lifting it on the exhaust side. Now block up the exhaust side directly below the frame on the exhaust side. Now go to the kickstand side and tilt the bike upright. When I did this the 4x4 came up with the bike. Slide the same amount of blocks under the 4x4 and you're done. Since you don't want to lift the bike more than a little, it's fairly easy to do. Hard part is finding the right height of blocks. Grin

I understand. I got another system.

Mine is sitting on sections of 2 x 12. I bought the boards just to cut them in sections about 18" long for holding up vehicles. I have a stack of 20 and I use them under my truck and car tires. With 5 - 2 x 12's under each tire you can get a vehicle a good working height...I prefer the stability of boards under tires to jack stands under the frame.

For the Savage, I use 4 of them and then I tip the bike to one side and insert a short 2 x 4. Then I push it the other way and stick one under the other side. The back wheel is up. Good to go.

I suppose that I could call that The Poor Man's Jack Tongue

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