ralfyguy wrote on 09/08/12 at 06:06:09:


...limits in construction. It would make the head of the engine about 1" higher and longer in horizontal. Orientation of the valves had to be different (how they are actually placed is near the optimum)  Then the frame had to be larger as a result. OK, it could be still a Savage or a S40 but a bit larger.

Another point: The camshaft has two and a half bearings. The outer ones could me made as roller bearing or needle bearing. But not the middle one without giving the camshaft a different construction. The middle bearing has to bear the most burden and has to avoid oscillations. Therefore it mus be that large.

...and at least, a slide bearing isn't that bad at all! It just needs an assured lubrication. Like other bearings do, too.

Last, when talking about oil, don't only think of lubrication, think about heat dissipation, too. Just another reason to care about the oil level, -quality and aging of it...

 
Yup,  it is correct.   More oil is better, up until that point it tries to get up over the crank splash shelf anyway.

And you have the hot test to protect you from that.   Each modified bike needs to be hot checked by its owner at least once on flat level ground to verify the fill level & check method the owner is using.


===============


What is really dangerous is running out of oil, which the standard Suzuki oil check method puts you too close to that dangerous neighborhood, especially with a bike that commonly sips some oil between oil changes like our Big Single is known to do  ....



Using the standard Suzuki method on a highly modified frame bike sure doesn't make a lot of sense, now does it?    I mean, you changed too much wheel & frame-wise to make the standard check "meaningful", right?

 
This is the HOT TEST that is recommended for all modified bikes.

A pass condition is being able to see the top oil level at the top of the window while the hot idling bike is being held vertical.  You need to do this, and if your window is full remove enough oil so you can see the top level in the window while the hot idling bike is being held vertical.


So, you set the cold oil level using your sidestand and your oil window  --- and then you check it with a HOT CHECK to make sure the resulting expanded hot oil isn't too much.

Beautiful, then your oil setting system and your running oil level both are in agreement and are both of them "good to go".