SuzukiSavage.com - Sounds better , but no oil to be seen

blod Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 294	Sounds better , but no oil to be seen 03/02/25 at 15:03:27 https://youtu.be/rbo2_rDJ1hk
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ThumperPaul Serious Thumper Online SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2103 Houston, Texas Gender:	Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen Reply #1 - 03/02/25 at 15:10:12 Nice job on the Dyna install. Looks good! What did you try about your oil issue? Did you try adding some oil? I'm not sure what no oil showing in the window means with the bike running, and I think you have it leaning on the side stand away from the window.
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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #2 - 03/02/25 at 15:17:56

ThumperPaul wrote on 03/02/25 at 15:10:12:

Nice job on the Dyna install. Looks good!

What did you try about your oil issue? Did you try adding some oil?

I'm not sure what no oil showing in the window means with the bike running, and I think you have it leaning on the side stand away from the window.

There is no oil issue, apart from that it does not show in the window. If I add more oil it will take it above the recommended quantity. I put 2 liters in there and have not used the bike..

My other Suzuki ( DR200S ) is exactly the same.

The weight of the original silencer is incredible

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #3 - 03/02/25 at 15:27:05

blod wrote on 03/02/25 at 15:17:56:

ThumperPaul wrote on 03/02/25 at 15:10:12:

Nice job on the Dyna install. Looks good!

What did you try about your oil issue? Did you try adding some oil?

I'm not sure what no oil showing in the window means with the bike running, and I think you have it leaning on the side stand away from the window.

There is no oil issue, apart from that it does not show in the window. If I add more oil it will take it above the recommended quantity. I put 2 liters in there and have not used the bike..

My other Suzuki ( DR200S ) is exactly the same.

The weight of the original silencer is incredible

Like 16lbs! I call it a bazooka! The dyna is like 6lbs. About 10lbs of fat trimmed and it sounds much better!

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blod

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #4 - 03/02/25 at 15:54:08

ThumperPaul wrote on 03/02/25 at 15:27:05:

blod wrote on 03/02/25 at 15:17:56:

ThumperPaul wrote on 03/02/25 at 15:10:12:

Nice job on the Dyna install. Looks good!

What did you try about your oil issue? Did you try adding some oil?

I'm not sure what no oil showing in the window means with the bike running, and I think you have it leaning on the side stand away from the window.

There is no oil issue, apart from that it does not show in the window. If I add more oil it will take it above the recommended quantity. I put 2 liters in there and have not used the bike..

My other Suzuki ( DR200S ) is exactly the same.

The weight of the original silencer is incredible

Like 16lbs! I call it a bazooka! The dyna is like 6lbs. About 10lbs of fat trimmed and it sounds much better!

I will not be able to see the oil level window when I fit the sidecar in any case. I can use a cable tie as a dipstick.

I just wanted to get the bike maintainance and mods out of the way before the sidecar gets here. Done now.

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #5 - 03/02/25 at 16:23:37

That's a good approach.

I'd still be inclined to try adding up to 1/2L of oil to see. You can always drain some off. Like I said on your other post, I think it takes 2.4L after a complete engine rebuild. If it sat up a while, maybe closer to 2.4L drained out.

I think it's been mentioned, but the bike MUST be perfectly vertical. If it's leaning whatsoever to the left, it will read LOW or not be visible at all.

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #6 - 03/02/25 at 16:40:28

Very nice job on the Dyna muffler install. Sweeeet!

Regarding the oil sight glass, it is not intended to be checked with the engine running. Use the sight glass with the engine “off”. When the engine is running you shouldn’t see oil level in sight glass. The rotating clutch throws the oil away from the sight glass. In addition, the oil level goes down significantly when you start the engine because oil is pulled out of the sump and circulating through the rest of the engine.

Good luck.

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blod

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #7 - 03/02/25 at 17:00:11

ThumperPaul wrote on 03/02/25 at 16:23:37:

That's a good approach.

I'd still be inclined to try adding up to 1/2L of oil to see. You can always drain some off. Like I said on your other post, I think it takes 2.4L after a complete engine rebuild. If it sat up a while, maybe closer to 2.4L drained out.

I think it's been mentioned, but the bike MUST be perfectly vertical. If it's leaning whatsoever to the left, it will read LOW or not be visible at all.

I have known that since I bought the bike. I have lost count of the number of times I have been told ffs, but for the last time it makes no difference if it's vertical

What's the point in having a sight window on a bike with no center stand, ? especially when you have to get down on your knees just to see the bloody thing.

In future I will not bother with the window, I will use a dip stick, it's easier,

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #8 - 03/03/25 at 06:09:35

Your bike. Suit yourself. No need to get agitated.

Your bike isn’t any different than anyone else’s and with the right amount of oil and holding the bike vertical, 99% of us can see the oil. It’s a bit of a contortion exercise, but even I can do it myself on 2 bikes over 500lbs.

If you end up with low oil problems, don’t look at me.

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blod

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #9 - 03/03/25 at 22:08:01

ThumperPaul wrote on 03/03/25 at 06:09:35:

Your bike. Suit yourself. No need to get agitated.

Your bike isn’t any different than anyone else’s and with the right amount of oil and holding the bike vertical, 99% of us can see the oil. It’s a bit of a contortion exercise, but even I can do it myself on 2 bikes over 500lbs.

If you end up with low oil problems, don’t look at me.

I'm going to end up with low oil problems when I don't know the oil level that's for sure.

How would you look at the oil level window with a sidecar fitted ?

I will stick with the old tried and proven method that works every time.

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« Last Edit: 03/03/25 at 23:16:04 by blod »

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Ruttly

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #10 - 03/04/25 at 04:02:42

Amazon has these stick on levels , blue fluid with a bubble. I had one on my bike , think I had it stuck on the starter , find level , put it in gear , I would lean bike against my tool box , now real easy to kneel next to bike double check level then look at sight glass.
Your bike should be level once sidecar is mounted , you might need to rig a small mirror and maybe a led light too to check your oil level. I hate the sight glass , much prefer a dipstick too.

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blod

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #11 - 03/04/25 at 04:39:19

Ruttly wrote on 03/04/25 at 04:02:42:

Amazon has these stick on levels , blue fluid with a bubble. I had one on my bike , think I had it stuck on the starter , find level , put it in gear , I would lean bike against my tool box , now real easy to kneel next to bike double check level then look at sight glass.
Your bike should be level once sidecar is mounted , you might need to rig a small mirror and maybe a led light too to check your oil level. I hate the sight glass , much prefer a dipstick too.

It's not hard to make a dip stick from a large cable tie, I have already done it. The serrations hold the oil and make it a piece of cake to read.

The reason why the sight window does not work here in Sask is because it's very cold here in the winter, it was -35C not long ago.

A while back I removed the drain plug from the transmission of an old truck and the oil did not drain out, it had turned to a consistency of toffee, the same thing is happening now with the Savage, only it's made worse by the concrete base of my shop which acts as a temperature reservoir. When I walk into the shop when it's mild outside my feet stick to the floor.

If the Suzuki had a center stand there would not be a problem.

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Surviving Philly Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 293	Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen Reply #12 - 03/10/25 at 15:01:29 The next time you change your oil, take a look at the sight glass before you fill it with the new stuff. I have a feeling you're seeing a completely full sight glass, that's why it looks empty -- it's kind of an awkward placement.
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blod

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Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen
Reply #13 - Today at 03:49:04

Surviving Philly wrote on 03/10/25 at 15:01:29:

The next time you change your oil, take a look at the sight glass before you fill it with the new stuff. I have a feeling you're seeing a completely full sight glass, that's why it looks empty -- it's kind of an awkward placement.

That did occur to me, but it's not the case, it's temperature related.

It will soon be impossible to look at the oil level window as the sidecar for the Savage is now in Canada

The oil level problem has been fixed with a dipstick.

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ThumperPaul Serious Thumper Online SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 2103 Houston, Texas Gender:	Re: Sounds better , but no oil to be seen Reply #14 - Today at 04:51:57 Hey, show us a pic of that dipstick! I’m guessing you designed it such that the “full” and “low” marks are accurate with the bike being level (as would be the case with a sidecar). Maybe you could mass produce them and get a little size hustle business going! You could be the sidecar dipstick guy!
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