Oil level confusion...

[Fil]

This may be a dumb post, but here goes anyway!!

I've just changed the oil for the first time on my Mastiff (used to take it the dealer for the oil change). When I changed the oil, I followed the procedure explained in the handbook. By the time I'd finished, the oil level was sat just below the 'max' mark.
The next day I checked the oil level after idling for 30 sec and it was only just on the dipstick (below the 'min' level). I then added oil until it was half way between max & min.
The next day I checked the level before starting the bike, and the tank is full, almost to the fill hole!! I could feel the oil by poking my finger into the fill hole. I then idled the bike for 30 sec and re-checked the level, and it was back to being halfway between the 'max' and 'min'... Once the bike has been stood, the oil level rises back to completely cover the dipstick.

The bike seems to me to have waaaay too much oil, yet if I follow the procedure in the manual, it is only halfway between max & min

What am I doing wrong?? Will having this much oil have harmed the engine (I've not riden it more than a mile since doing the oil change)??
I check the oil level with the bike upright, and the gearbox is not filling up with petrol as this is a UK bike.

Help!!

[old paul]

Since this is a dry sump engine, there is no oil stored in it. Rather, it is all in the frame. It would follow then, that when the engine has recently been run, some oil is still in the engine, so the reading you get out of the frame tube will be lower. So, what is the method supposed to be? I tend to follow factory instructions in these situations. In this case, they want the oil checked with a cold engine. That would indicate that you indeed have too much oil in your bike. No problem though, as you can simply drain some out and then top up to proper level. Photo of that page attached if I can get it right.

[Fil]

Thanks for the reply Paul. I followed the exact same procedure in the handbook (as you have reproduced ), and this is what was giving me the funny readings. Today I sucked some of the excess oil out of the frame tank so that without having run the engine at all, the level was just below 'max'. I then ran the engine for about 5 minutes, let it idle for at least 30 seconds and switched it off. I read the oil level, and it was just below the 'max' mark.
I'll keep an eye on it anyway - it just seems odd that I was getting such a low reading after following the directions in the owner's handbook...

[phlat65]

the oil expands quite a bit when warm, also the bike needs to idle for the 30 sec or longer for the scavenge pump to stabilize the engine level. I check mine when the frame tank is quite warm to the touch, but not hot.

[Fil]

Would any damage be done to the engine due to overfilling? I would hope that being a dry sump engine, the result of over filling would just be having more oil in the frame tank. Surely the oil pump would only be able to pump the same volume round the engine no matter what the oil level was (as long as it's not too low).
I'm not that familiar with the ins and outs of dry sump motors though!

[ma5k]

I've had exactly the same difficulty getting a reliable reading as the OP. I've been advised by a specialist who tuned the bike for me to ignore the manual and let the bike warm up thoroughly before checking the level, then it should be just (only very slightly) below the max. This seems to work fine and also give consistent/reliable readings.

[sapperk9]

Rare earth magnet drain plugs for the 660....

http://tinyurl.com/bbtv9

and to add to the woes...

Overfilling the oil reservoir, will achieve, in the main, two outcomes, pressure leakage from the fill plug, DRIPS ON THE REAR TYRE!!!

and

difficult gear changes.

Notwithstanding the potential to blow bearing seals in the motor.

Here's my four pennyworth....

I cannot read the filler level dipstick, 10/15 viscosity oil tends to fall down by sheer force of gravity before I can read the damn thing!

In my first oil change, I carefully filled with the correct quantity, I forget, two litres then plus a bit after bleeding the filter?

Checked it with the motor hot, as a level by eyeballing the tank, sucked out a bit with my oil syringe. Once happy, I got a timber chopstick, and put it into the filler hole until it struck the tank bottom, withdrew, and marked my chopstick - nice dark stain on the timber.

Now I just warm her up, unscrew the cap/dipstick thingie, and use my chopstick, which my aged eyes can read, unlike the metal dipstick.