Checking oil on z1000

[gordon62]

Hi ALL,
I was wondering abouit checking the oil level on the z1000, which is the proper way to do this I"ve always done it with the bike on its wheels off the stand and level on level ground, I notice in the official manual it says either on main stand or on its wheels, but both ways will give a different reading so which is the proper way?

[Pigford]

As long as the bikes reasonably level - and reading is within the marks - don't have to be too accurate

If oil gets out off breather into airbox - aim for just over lower mark & keep an eye on it

[gordon62]

Cheers,
reason for asking, as on way back from protest yesterday, I pulled away from traffic lights and the oil light came on, so I stopped, checked oil, and level ok, within, but stayed off after that, it did this some while back,over a year back, and I change the pressure switch, so this is the first time its come on since..

[Gus]

Did you pull away from the lights quickly?

This can sometimes cause the oil light to come on as the oil is forced to the rear of the sump and the oil pick up gets starved of oil for a short period.

[Mark Tiller]

Drag racers used to put baffle plate in the sump to stop oil rushing rearward under hard acceleration

[davy thomson]

I allways check my oil when the bike is on its wheels.

[Taffus]

I think the effect is called "windage". My GPz will do it if I am really going for it up the hill to my house.
Click on the description and this info is halfway down the page

Oil pan gate, OPG1 This simply bolts into the sump and only closes when the oil is surging towards the back of the engine which happens under hard acceleration, with the oil moving backwards the oil passageway through the bafles is blocked which keeps the oil at the front under the oil pump pick up, in normal conditions the oil the oil is free to pass both ways without restriction.
Price: £14.30 (Excluding: VAT at 20%)

[jimmock]

I'm an "on the wheels" kinda guy myself.

Jimmock.

[Pigford]

I think the effect is called "windage". My GPz will do it if I am really going for it up the hill to my house.

A "Windage Tray" is a plate (tin like sheet) that fits snuggly under the crank & reduces the amount of oil the crank webs have to spin thru - thus increasing power output I fitted one on my old RedZed a few years back.

I have fitted a sump pan oil gate on my Mk.II Sprinter, to reduce the chance of oil starvation at the pump. The oil light coming on - especially after a bit of hard acceleration with hot oil - is not uncommon.

[Taffus]

I think the effect is called "windage". My GPz will do it if I am really going for it up the hill to my house.

A "Windage Tray" is a plate (tin like sheet) that fits snuggly under the crank & reduces the amount of oil the crank webs have to spin thru - thus increasing power output I fitted one on my old RedZed a few years back.

I have fitted a sump pan oil gate on my Mk.II Sprinter, to reduce the chance of oil starvation at the pump. The oil light coming on - especially after a bit of hard acceleration with hot oil - is not uncommon.

Thanks mark, I wasn't sure of the term

[jimmock]

I think the effect is called "windage". My GPz will do it if I am really going for it up the hill to my house.

A "Windage Tray" is a plate (tin like sheet) that fits snuggly under the crank & reduces the amount of oil the crank webs have to spin thru - thus increasing power output I fitted one on my old RedZed a few years back.

I have fitted a sump pan oil gate on my Mk.II Sprinter, to reduce the chance of oil starvation at the pump. The oil light coming on - especially after a bit of hard acceleration with hot oil - is not uncommon.

Cranks can actually break "going through oil in a sump". The oil level should really be below the cranks radius when turning???


Jimmock.

[gordon62]

I have checked the oil level again today, and it would appear it was a trifle low, and I have topped it up with nearly half a litre I guess it musta used a bit on the mag run sunday,going slow on the motorway, oil did get fairly hot, anyhow sem ok now, I may still invest in a oil-gate though
cheers,

[rogz1a]

I had this problem with the oil light flickering on hard aceleration and the only way I could improve it was to fill up to the max level but, as pigford has already said , oil would find it's way into the airbox.
When I rebuilt the motor I fitted one of the Debben oil pan gates and now problem solved with oil level midway between the marks.
It looks a bit cheap and I did wonder how this little gizmo would work but so far it does the job. Well worth the money for that peace of mind (what do you get for £14.30, not even a hangover!)
You have to be a bit accurate in the drilling of your sump pan to line it up between the cooling fins (bit of an ass-twitching moment in case I messed up) and I sealed it with Kawabond and all is good

[PETER KZ1A]

Good information there,I've had the oil light come on a few times at the "traffic light challenge".

[andyb1962]

I check my oil on wheels (or main stand when fitted over winter). It does make a subtle difference but not much. i try to run at mid mark on window level and as yet have not noticed any oil in breather.