Strange delay in oil fill (2014 300)

[95jersey]

It is the weirdest thing I have ever seen. If I put in the correct amount of oil, it takes a good 20-30 minutes for the oil to reach the correct level in the case window after I have filled the casing. I have overfilled the case a few times before I figured this out. I use Rotella T6 5w-40

How the heck is this even possible? I could see there being a minute delay due to the new thicker oil moving slower, but 20+ minutes?

It amazes me every time. I can fill it with the right amount of oil come back in 10 minutes and not see any oil in the window, then come back 30 minutes later and the oil is at the exact height it should be (1/2 way up the window).

What is the deal with that?

 

[Neil E.]

You are probably the only one who is trying to fill by using the sight glass. The usual method is to drain then refill with 900ml of oil. If your funnel is too far into the gearbox, flow with be restricted by the gears.

I use a clear bottle prefilled with 900ml and squeeze it until the bottle is empty. The filling process is slow, but it goes OK.

 

[95jersey]

You are probably the only one who is trying to fill by using the sight glass. The usual method is to drain then refill with 900ml of oil. If your funnel is too far into the gearbox, flow with be restricted by the gears.

I use a clear bottle prefilled with 900ml and squeeze it until the bottle is empty. The filling process is slow, but it goes OK.

I have learned to do the same, but it is still very odd. Owned many bikes and have never seen anything like this.

 

[nknudsen]

Is it winter time out in Jersey already?

 

[95jersey]

Is it winter time out in Jersey already?

Not for a long time. Oct and November are very nice here, and we even have 50F+ degree days into mid December in South Jersey

Today is 81F. It has been really hot and humid this summer, looking forward to the cooler fall weather.

 

[Moto7man]

I use the same oil and yes, it is slow. I use a long funnel with a brake fluid vacuum pump tip and strap to hold up the funnel. I pour in about 920 in the funnel, go have a beer, then come back take the funnel off, seal her up. I never look at the side case glass during filling.

 

[95jersey]

I use the same oil and yes, it is slow. I use a long funnel with a brake fluid vacuum pump tip and strap to hold up the funnel. I pour in about 920 in the funnel, go have a beer, then come back take the funnel off, seal her up. I never look at the side case glass during filling.

Just to be clear, I am not talking about how long the oil takes to fill the crankcase from the funnel, this happens in 30-45 seconds give or take. I am saying, once the case is filled and the funnel has been removed, it takes another 20+ MINUTES (not seconds) for the oil to fill up the sight glass.

So I understand that you guys are not using the sight glass and that is fine, just wondering how in the hell the oil takes 20-30 minutes to show up in the sight glass after being poured into the case. Even the thickest oils should not take that long to evenly disperse.

I am not worried about mechanical issues as the bike runs great and has been doing this since I bought it, more or less just found it to be a weird mystery.

What makes it more of a mystery, is that when I drain the oil, it instantly drains in seconds and not a drop to be seen in the sight glass.

 

[Jakobi]

As you can see the fill point, and drain point are both on the gearbox side of the engine. Oil has to work its way across to the rhs case/cover clutch side through the bearings.

One you have the complete gear set installed things look more like this.

It still doesn't explain why it drops so quickly when you dump the oil. Possibly a case that the oil viscosity has broken down more and flows more freely?

 

[95jersey]

That makes sense, but your right, it drains very quickly in comparison. I just never seen anything like it on another bike.

But if it ain't broke...

 

[Jakobi]

I assume you dump the fluid at temperature as well, and put room temp fluid back in. Also adds to a significant variance in viscosity.

 

[Moto7man]

I assume you dump the fluid at temperature as well, and put room temp fluid back in. Also adds to a significant variance in viscosity.

Jacobi,

Good point and Me like the shiny pictures,thanks for posting.

 

[Jakobi]

And to be honest, I've never watched the sight glass. 900-1000ml of fluid into the cases. None leaks out. Never felt the need to cross check against the sight glass.

Dump the oil, transfer back into an old bottle. Make sure same volume comes out - good to know the bike isn't using oil (main seal failure).

Repeat.

 

[GasGas]

Is there not a oil passage right beside the drain plug?

 

[barossi73]

mine does this too,drains fast,comes up slow on the sight glass.A lot of engines do this 'to a degree',eg.my wife told me her car oil was low when she checked it hot,by time i checked it cold later the level was fine.most engines only need a couple minutes though!anything with dry sump must be checked cold or you'll find they read low for up to an hour or more also.

 

[Jakobi]

Is there not a oil passage right beside the drain plug?

There probably is one right where the drain plug is, but I'm not seeing it in my pics.

From this side it appears there could be one, bottom left, right of where the shift shaft goes.

But from this side I'm not seeing it (likely hidden behind the actual drain plug).

Even if this is the case, same logic applies. Cold thick fluid being added to that side and having to bleed through a somewhat restricted orifice to make its way across and self level vs dropping thinner warm/hot oil back out.