Re: getting the motor up to temp

["Steve Makohin" <wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Rene,

From: <rene-didier@xxxxxxxxxxx>


> This might start a bit of a flury of activity. I know the answer
> will be it depends, but a guide line would be great
>
> How long should it take a R1100S motor to come up to
> temperature as to open the oil cooler valve and let the oil
> back into the bottom of the motor , so that the level can be read?
>
> I went for 20 miles, mostly highway, 4,500-6000 rpms, air
> temp of 38 F, and the oil level is at the bottom of the red
> circle in the sight glass (bike on center stand). On the side
> stand, the oil level over the top of the window.

The answer is: It doesn't matter. No, I am not being smug. BMW's user manual 
for the R1100S does not state if their expectation is for you to allow the 
oil in the oil cooler to drain into the oil pan, or whether they expect it 
to stay there in the cooler. Peoples' answers to you will be based on their 
*belief* (i.e., subjective interpretation) of what BMW actually says in the 
manual (i.e., 'keep the bike level,' therefore they want you to keep the oil 
in the cooler), versus what they think is implied or meant by BMW (i.e., 
you're talking an oil level reading, therefore it is reasonable to assume 
that all the oil should be in the pan and not in the cooler, therefore you 
should ignore what BMW's manual says, and you should tilt the bike left and 
let it sit there for a while before righting it to take a reading).

Guru Steve says: Since we don't know with certainty what BMW's intention 
was, take the worst case into account by doing the following:
 o Warm up engine thoroughly
 o Shut off engine and park bike while keeping it upright
 o Wait recommended time to allow warm oil to settle in pan
 o Take sight glass reading
 o If oil is below 1/4 from bottom of ring, add oil (a bit at a time, wait 
for it
   to pool in the oil pan before adding more)..
 o Do not fill beyond 1/4 from top of ring.

This process lets you err on the side of caution, and have the confidence 
that you won't be doing the wrong thing. The worst that can happen is that 
you will be adding oil to your bike more frequently than you would when 
using another process (though there is no risk of over-filling). Using 
another process, you risk allowing your oil to run too low, or overfilling 
it (assuming that BMW's high and low marks on the site glass do not have any 
margin for error built into them).

- -Steve Makohin
 '01 R1100S/ABS
 Oakville, Ontario, Canada 

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End of oilheads-digest V2 #284
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