First Oil Change

[Hoghead]

Just completed my first oil change on new 2012 GL1800 Roadsmith Trike and have a question. After finishing and putting in a full gallon of oil and letting it run for about 3-5 minutes I shut it off and let it set for 3-5 minutes then put the dipstick in to where it just seats and not screwed in. There was no oil on the dipstick so I screwed it all the way in and the dipstick just barely touched the oil. Now do I need to put in more oil which I think not or is the dipstick wrong or is it because the bike has been triked and is setting different?

 

[Jim Smyth]

I have a 2002 1800 and did my first oil change a few months back. Same results as you have. When I drained the oil out of the bike 5 qts came out. I called the service manager where I have had some service done (they did the last oil change) and he said he never heard of that. I have read this same scenario as we have had in other forums. For me I ran the bike about 10 minutes before it was put into storage. Still nothing on the dip stick till the next day when I checked. Then there was some on the bottom of the stick but not up to where it should have been. So next spring I will be checking again and keep an eye on it. I dont feel comfortable running any motor with not enough oil in the crankcase/dip stick when everything has been done correctly. I will see next year how it looks again.

 

[Hoghead]

I have a 2002 1800 and did my first oil change a few months back. Same results as you have. When I drained the oil out of the bike 5 qts came out. I called the service manager where I have had some service done (they did the last oil change) and he said he never heard of that. I have read this same scenario as we have had in other forums. For me I ran the bike about 10 minutes before it was put into storage. Still nothing on the dip stick till the next day when I checked. Then there was some on the bottom of the stick but not up to where it should have been. So next spring I will be checking again and keep an eye on it. I dont feel comfortable running any motor with not enough oil in the crankcase/dip stick when everything has been done correctly. I will see next year how it looks again.

Jim, I am not going to put any more oil in mine but here is what I think happen. My Trike has been raked 6 degrees and the rear seems to set a little high anyway so I put my front tire on a 2x4 which is 1 1/2 inches thick and the oil level was where it supposed to be so I guess with the front end lower than the rear makes the oil dipstick off so do we supposed to carry a 2x4 block with us in order to check the oil?.....Seems that Roadsmith would have warned people of this. A lot of people would have added a quart which would have been too much.....

 

[Jim Smyth]

You may be onto something. I have a Lehman raked Kit on my wing and when I bought the trike this summer I brought it to the original dealer that had the Lehman Kit installed. The guy I bought it from also had all his service done at the same dealer. So you would think they would know if that was the case (with the rake) because they service Lehman Wings all the time.

I am positive though that the mechanic at said dealership must have read the dip stick the same way we did and kept adding till it read right. Because 5 qts definitely came out when I drained it. Usually I'm not that smart but when I filled the first gallon up with the old oil I had more leftover.

 

[Konrad]

Regardless of rake or trike kit, all 1800's have the very same engine and the very same oil capacity. If the manual calls for 4 quarts it does not make sense to overfill just to get the reading on the dip stick.

The only potential problem I see here is in-between-oil-change checking for oil usage. If you do not have a smoking exhaust and your oil light is not coming on, I doubt you are burning enough to warrant an additional amount. The 1800 engine is about as bullet-proof as it gets.

 

[BladeRunner]

I have read on other forums about the 1800's "disappearing oil". What they found or concluded was that it's a characteristic of the 1800's, the oil can take up 20 min. to drain & settle into the crankcase! It's normal even for warm oil apparently.ThumbUp I don't have an 1800 but that's what I've read....so don't overfill. :Coffee:

 

[Shimpy]

After a complete drain and new filter (OEM), and 4 qts of oil, see where the oil is after running for a few minutes to fill the filter then letting it cool down. Then when cold on the dip stick , use that from now on. Mine when setting overnight is about 1/8" over the too full mark. If I do the Honda recommend start, run for several minutes, wait for several minutes, it is well below that mark and just barely in to the acceptable range.

 

[Hoghead]

Regardless of rake or trike kit, all 1800's have the very same engine and the very same oil capacity. If the manual calls for 4 quarts it does not make sense to overfill just to get the reading on the dip stick.

The only potential problem I see here is in-between-oil-change checking for oil usage. If you do not have a smoking exhaust and your oil light is not coming on, I doubt you are burning enough to warrant an additional amount. The 1800 engine is about as bullet-proof as it gets.

I agree the 1800 is bullet proof but I still want some ideal of how much oil I have in the engine whether it burns,leaks or does neither. I have now in my garage parking space a 2x4 block that I park my Trike on so it raises the front so that way it raises it up to the proper level so the oil is on the dipstick as Honda states it should be. I assume when a bike is raked it lowers the front some as well the Roadsmith kit raises the rear a tad making measuring the oil with the dip stick impossible.

 

[RRSCOTT]

Mine holds 4.5 qts, 2 wheel or trike from day one. Even when dealer changed it, they
charged me for 4.5 qts.

 

[Hoghead]

Mine holds 4.5 qts, 2 wheel or trike from day one. Even when dealer changed it, they
charged me for 4.5 qts.

Honda plainly states in their maintenance schedule the 2012 1800 holds 3.9 qt. I did put 4 and see no need to put 4.5 qt. in it. What does the dealer say about this? I would think it is too much.....

 

[Jim Smyth]

Any motor has a sump and or drain pan. That's where the oil flows down to and it returned to lubricating the motor through the action of a pump. If the bike rides nose high or low, whatever the dip stick reads is whats in the sump. I am one that needs to check levels of fluids. Otherwise if you cant read it whats the use of having a dip stick if there's nothing on it to read.

For me if the oil doesn't show something on it when I take my Wing out of storage next spring I will be adding some more oil. I usually run everything I own at the top level of full so if some burns before I change it again it works its way to the lower end of full on the stick. Since I know I am adding potentially more oil in my wing than the manual states I will run my oil on the low end of full on the stick.

I have to imagine that between low full and high full on the stick is a quart difference. I don't think adding a little more is going to hurt a motor this size. Especially since I rode mine 3000 miles last summer after the dealer had 5 quarts in the motor.

 

[Hoghead]

Any motor has a sump and or drain pan. That's where the oil flows down to and it returned to lubricating the motor through the action of a pump. If the bike rides nose high or low, whatever the dip stick reads is whats in the sump. I am one that needs to check levels of fluids. Otherwise if you cant read it whats the use of having a dip stick if there's nothing on it to read.

For me if the oil doesn't show something on it when I take my Wing out of storage next spring I will be adding some more oil. I usually run everything I own at the top level of full so if some burns before I change it again it works its way to the lower end of full on the stick. Since I know I am adding potentially more oil in my wing than the manual states I will run my oil on the low end of full on the stick.

I have to imagine that between low full and high full on the stick is a quart difference. I don't think adding a little more is going to hurt a motor this size. Especially since I rode mine 3000 miles last summer after the dealer had 5 quarts in the motor.

Why not add about 1/2 inch to the dipstick so the oil can be read instead of putting more oil than the manufacturer recommends? I have read where too much oil can cause the oil to be sucked back into the breather, I know this is a fact on a Kawasaki lawn mower engine.....Personally I like to have the exact amount of oil the manufacturer recommends.......I see no reason to add or subtract from the manufacturers recommended amount.....

 

[Shimpy]

I have to imagine that between low full and high full on the stick is a quart difference. I don't think adding a little more is going to hurt a motor this size. Especially since I rode mine 3000 miles last summer after the dealer had 5 quarts in the motor.

It's not a quart difference. When I first got mine I overfilled it and used a syringe with a tube on the end to draw out the excess oil. It was amazing how much it went down. From one mark to the other on the dip stick I'd guess it's only about a cup of oil.

 

[FRR]

Some folks here are making this more complicated than it needs to be. I've owned 8 Goldwings over the past 31 yrs and have NEVER burned one ounce of oil. Drain the crankcase, put 4 qts back in and forget it. Unless you have a leak somewhere, ( I'm not sure how that would happen} you will never have to worry about it. Forget the readings on the tip stick. The rake and the fact that the bike is now level may affect readings, but pay no attention. Get on it and ride it. You'll be fine.

 

[jfingalls]

Great advice FRR! Thank you...

 

[RRSCOTT]

Hoghead, that is what it takes too put it up to the full mark. On the center stand and just holding it up straight when it was a 2 wheeler and now on all 3 wheels.

 

[Jim Smyth]

Some folks here are making this more complicated than it needs to be. I've owned 8 Goldwings over the past 31 yrs and have NEVER burned one ounce of oil. Drain the crankcase, put 4 qts back in and forget it. Unless you have a leak somewhere, ( I'm not sure how that would happen} you will never have to worry about it. Forget the readings on the tip stick. The rake and the fact that the bike is now level may affect readings, but pay no attention. Get on it and ride it. You'll be fine.

Your probably right, mine doesn't leak at all. I am sure since I don't have the benefit of owning a Wing on 2 wheels it makes a difference when you convert it to a trike. Its just I like to keep an eye on things and its hard to think you cant check your oil quantity occasionally.

 

[Hoghead]

Hoghead, that is what it takes too put it up to the full mark. On the center stand and just holding it up straight when it was a 2 wheeler and now on all 3 wheels.

What is what it takes to put it to the full mark? I never rode the bike as a two wheeler but I'm not going to own a piece of equipment that I can't check the oil although knowing it is Ok. That is the reason there is now a 2x4 block of wood on top of my tool box. I would have thought Roadsmith should have advised everyone that bought a kit to disregard their oil readings. Adding oil above manufacturers specs. is not the way to remedy the problem.....

 

[Jim Smyth]

Or if this is a common problem with all triked Wings. The Kit maufacturors should have come out with a new Oil dip stick that actually works correctly.

 

[Hoghead]

Or if this is a common problem with all triked Wings. The Kit maufacturors should have come out with a new Oil dip stick that actually works correctly.

I certainly agree with that Jim. I am calling Roadsmith tomorrow on another issue and will ask them about this......will let everyone know what Roadsmith says if anything.....