[Torque123]

Hi All,

Posting this on behalf of my friend -

"I need urgent advise on this issue as I do not want to damage my brand new Bullet 500. I took delivery of the bike on Wednesday the 25th of June but failed to check the oil level on the day of delivery. However, the next day when I checked, I found that the oil level in the sight glass was over the max mark even after the bike was parked overnight on center stand on absolutely flat surface. So I turned the engine on the let it idle for a few minutes to see if anything changed. But nothing did and the oil level was still above the max mark in the sight glass. I have heard that both low and high oil levels are bad for the engine. Please see the pics attached and advise what I need to do to fix this issue and also if any damage is done already. The bike has 90kms on the odo."

[ArizonaJim]

No, you or your friend haven't damaged the engine.

If there is too much oil in the engine, some of it will be blown out of the crankcase thru the crankcase vent. This is the black hose that goes from the right rear of the sidecase to the air filter box.
If oil were to be blown into this area it would wet the interior of the air filter box and possibly contaminate the paper air filter. If this happens, the worst situation would require wiping the oil out of the box and replacing the air filter.

The best advice I can give you is tell your friend to take it back to the dealer. Tell him what the problem is and ask him to fix it. It is the dealers job to deliver a properly prepared motorcycle to the customer and obviously in this case, that wasn't done.

If your friend wants to fix this himself/herself, he can remove a little bit of the oil by draining some out.

Before this is tried, your friend needs to know there are three different places on the bottom of the engine to drain the oil.

Two of these are on the bottom towards the rear of the engine.
One of these has a large hexagon head and one of them is a small casting, held in place with two small hexagon bolts. He should leave these alone. If he removes either one of them, it will drain all of the oil out of the main oil tank.

Further forward on the bottom of the crankcase (not the left sidecase) there is another large hexagon head bolt. This is located fore/aft, close to the center of the crankshaft.

By removing this forward oil drain, the oil that has accumulated in the crankcase will drain out. There will probably be about 0.2 liters.
After this is done and the drain plug replaced, he should start the engine and let it idle for at least 30 seconds. Longer is better.
After this period of time, shut the engine off and wait for 1 minute. Then, check the oil level again.
Repeat this until the oil level is down about to the middle of the sight window.

Attempts to suck or siphon the oil out of the engine using the oil filler plug as the access will be in vain. The convoluted path between the filler plug hole (right next to the right side of the electric starter motor) and the oil makes it very difficult to get a small tube down far enough to do any good.

The bottom line is, the dealer messed up. He owes it to the customer to fix this for no fee.

[mobius 1]

Guys,

After a couple of days of standing in monsoon rains(with the rain cover on though) my RE Classic 350 started missing in between today during the morning drive to office.

My wild speculation is either water entered the carb or somehow entered the fuel tank.
Any pointers to shortlist what the problem can be ? And any DIY fixes to try and rectify the problem. Please advice.

Thanks.

[Majumdarda]

Originally Posted by Torque123

...

That Oil level indicator is totally out of place. Once your friend goes to the dealer for rectification, ask him to get it rectified too. It can be moved using a screw driver, and the correct position can be viewed from another bullet standing by (preferably new)

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

...Attempts to suck or siphon the oil out of the engine using the oil filler plug as the access will be in vain. The convoluted path between the filler plug hole (right next to the right side of the electric starter motor) and the oil makes it very difficult to get a small tube down far enough to do any good.

Thank you Jim. I had this query too.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

That Oil level indicator is totally out of place. Once your friend goes to the dealer for rectification, ask him to get it rectified too. It can be moved using a screw driver, and the correct position can be viewed from another bullet standing by (preferably new)

You mean the circlip? Never use that as an oil level indicator. Use the markings on the crankcase all the time.

[Majumdarda]

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

You mean the circlip? Never use that as an oil level indicator. Use the markings on the crankcase all the time.

After using my bullet for nearly an year, now I observe those markings on the crankcase. All this time, I was just making the reading on the basis of the circlip. Infact, I went to the basement to check out, "where are the markings on my bullet that you are talking about".

[ArizonaJim]

Speaking of the circlip shown retaining the oil level sight guage in the photo above, that is another little improvement Royal Enfield has made since 2011.

On my 2011 G5 (Electra) it doesn't exist.

My sight guage relied only on the press fit of the guage to retain it.
Noting this, I cleaned the mouth of the hole and applied a small amount of Silicone Adhesive. Just enough to barely touch the outside of the clear window.

My thinking at the time was, "That doesn't look good. If the press fit wasn't enough to keep that window in place it would end up dumping the oil out of the engine."
No, this is not a quality issue where they forgot to install the circlip. There is no machined groove for a circlip in that area.

I have not heard of this ever happening on one of the older UCE powered motorcycles but I think it's good that Royal Enfield has improved the design in that area.

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by Majumdarda

After using my bullet for nearly an year, now I observe those markings on the crankcase. All this time, I was just making the reading on the basis of the circlip. Infact, I went to the basement to check out, "where are the markings on my bullet that you are talking about".

The circlip may rotate around the window due to vibration or someone playing with it. I have never paid attention to it! Now, after reading the absence of circlip on Jim's '11 G5. I remembered just now that my '09 TBTS too didnt have it! I just realized it only now!

OFFTOPIC: After selling my '09 TBTS back in November last year, I accidentally bumped on to him (a.k.a Bucephalus) again. I was at a fuel station yesterday and just when I just gazed beyond the bike standing in front of me, I saw an unmistakable silhouette standing below a dim light. My heart instantly skipped a couple of beats or more. There he was, standing in all the glory in the same condition that he was when I left him, still looking majestic. All the memories of our epic rides came gushing in! I agree with the genius who said first love and first bike will have a special place inside a man.

There he is, along with my new companion.



Pls dont mind. Just wanted to share the joy of meeting him again with you guys!

[Majumdarda]

Originally Posted by man_of_steel

...
OFFTOPIC: After selling my '09 TBTS back in November last year, I accidentally bumped on to him (a.k.a Bucephalus) again. I was at a fuel station yesterday and just when I just gazed beyond the bike standing in front of me, I saw an unmistakable silhouette standing below a dim light. My heart instantly skipped a couple of beats or more. There he was, standing in all the glory in the same condition that he was when I left him still looking majestic. All the memories of our epic rides came gushing in! I agree with the genius who said first love and first bike will have a special place inside a man.
...

Its never out of topic. Its the bond between the man and the machine. I remember to have had a Sleek in my college days, which I was forced to sell off, as the repairing was not properly performed [its never the problem with the machine, but the guys who tend to them]. The bike had a leakage in its tank, white fumes the moment I crossed 40, mileage drastically reduced post 40. But still now, whenever I see a Sleek, I remember mine. Number was 1108. I had to sell it off, but it still is there in my heart.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by mobius 1

Guys,

After a couple of days of standing in monsoon rains(with the rain cover on though) my RE Classic 350 started missing in between today during the morning drive to office.

My wild speculation is either water entered the carb or somehow entered the fuel tank.
Any pointers to shortlist what the problem can be ? And any DIY fixes to try and rectify the problem. Please advice.

Thanks.

Is the issue still there?
If the bike was covered, I don't think water would have got in any place. Check the spark plug first or replace it to see if the issue is still there and then go to the carb and air fillter/fuel filter pipes.

[mobius 1]

Thank you tharian.

The problem got solved a little bit of time in dry weather
Thanks for the checklist though. Will use it if i face the issue again.

[abirnale]

Originally Posted by Torque123

I took delivery of the bike on Wednesday the 25th of June but failed to check the oil level on the day of delivery. However, the next day when I checked, I found that the oil level in the sight glass was over the max mark
.....
I have heard that both low and high oil levels are bad for the engine
....

My thunderbird 500 also has similar oil levels and I think there is nothing to worry about it. As long as there are no signs of oil spill on crankcase or anything like that, absolutely nothing to worry.

Maybe as jim said, check for signs of oil blow on various areas. Also note any abnormal changes on your subsequent rides. And if you have been able to look visit the service center, check with actual mechanic. That should be all in my opinion.

[Abeer]

Which oil is recommended for 350 (CI) Electra model?

[tharian]

Originally Posted by Abeer

Which oil is recommended for 350 (CI) Electra model?

Motul Technosynthese 3100 Gold 20w50

Good oil for the Cast Irons, there is one from Valvoline as well, not sure which one exactly though.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by tharian

Motul Technosynthese 3100 Gold 20w50

Good oil for the Cast Irons, there is one from Valvoline as well, not sure which one exactly though.

I have three cans of exactly this same oil waiting in my cupboard for Doppie's next change! Supposed to be very good, almost like synthetic in price of mineral.

Isue with cast irons though, especially well run ones, is that they are not partial to fancy oils. For them anything slimy and chikna is fine. Synthetic oil, mineral oil, lal ghoda dielsel trucker oil, castor oil, even codliver oil. I've actually used all of those (except the last one of course ....). They'll keep thumping as long as they are not running dry - which is always the main thing to look out with them.