my ignorance is showing again

[david Taylor]

there are four tubes that hang down from the middle of the frame on my 01 rsv. I'm not sure what they are but one of them is dripping oil, the other three are clean. can someone tell me what they are for and why one would drip oil. I tried to trace them down but it's easier to ask the experts.

thanks

[Tom]

IF its new to you and you changed the oil you MAY have it overfilled. When I had mine the ideal spot on the siteglass was a shade lower than in the center of the siteglass.

[david Taylor]

I checked the oil and it's right in the middle. I've put nearly 10,000 miles on it, changed the oil twice but this is the first time I've seen a little puddle. I usually put in 4qts with a new filter. that is slightly more than required but I wouldn't think it would be too much. but I will keep that in mind. thanks for the info.

[Kregerdoodle]

I will try and answer about the hoses, but may be wrong.. I think 2 are carb overflow, one is crankcase vent ( the oily one) and one is a gas tank vent...

[Yammer Dan]

I will try and answer about the hoses, but may be wrong.. I think 2 are carb overflow, one is crankcase vent ( the oily one) and one is a gas tank vent...

 

 

That sounds close. Clean out air boxes.

Edited November 1, 2011 by Yammer Dan

[RandyR]

4qts is too much oil. It'll overflow

[JerryT]

Just a FYI, when they say middle of the sight glass, they mean with the bike straight up and down, not on the side stand. If you center the oil in the sight glass while it is on the sidestand it will be way overfull. I normally put in 3.5 qts which works on mine.

[Guest Slab_Ryder]

3.5 liters is all I put in mine

[Caveman]

Yep..... I think it's too full.

[david Taylor]

the owners manual says 3.9 qts with filter change. would putting in 4.0 qts make that much difference?

[V7Goose]

the owners manual says 3.9 qts with filter change. would putting in 4.0 qts make that much difference?

Yes, 4 quarts is way too much. Even 3.9 is too much. You must go by the site glass when the bike is held straight up. If any air bubble is showing above the oil in the glass, your level is fine, but if it is above the top of the glass, you will blow more oil out the crankcase breather.

 

As for the tubes, two of them are drains for the air plenums above the carbs (the oil is coming from the drain on the left side), one is the coolant overflow, and one is the tank vent. The carb vents are routed forward in front of the air intakes, not below the bike.

Goose

[M61A1MECH]

You can never get all of the old oil out, the folks on this site are correct when they say 4 quarts is to much. I have been riding Royals in one fashion or another since 98 and have always done all of my own oil changes. Always used 3.5 quarts with a filter change, never had a problem. Sometimes after a prolonged high speed run on the interstate I will see a few drops of oil from the vent tube, but that is the only time.

 

Do make sure you are checking your oil level with the bike up right, the level should just at the mid point in the window with the bike up right. With the bike on the side stand there should be no oil visible in the window.

[david Taylor]

learned something new today. thanks for all the info. 3.5qts from now on.

[RandyR]

Putting on a new dry filter will result in the oil level dropping just a small amount after the engine is run the first time.

 

I've found that a brick or 2x4 under the kickstand will bring the bike to almost level, such that the bike can be further leveled easily while looking at the sight glass. Some members use a mirror on a rod so that they can observe the oil level while in the seat.

[Panjandrum]

Some members use a mirror on a rod so that they can observe the oil level while in the seat.

 

 

BRILLIANT!!!

[Kregerdoodle]

Thanks Goose..... I was close!!

 

 

Yes, 4 quarts is way too much. Even 3.9 is too much. You must go by the site glass when the bike is held straight up. If any air bubble is showing above the oil in the glass, your level is fine, but if it is above the top of the glass, you will blow more oil out the crankcase breather.

 

As for the tubes, two of them are drains for the air plenums above the carbs (the oil is coming from the drain on the left side), one is the coolant overflow, and one is the tank vent. The carb vents are routed forward in front of the air intakes, not below the bike.

Goose

[SilvrT]

Putting on a new dry filter will result in the oil level dropping just a small amount after the engine is run the first time.

 

I've found that a brick or 2x4 under the kickstand will bring the bike to almost level, such that the bike can be further leveled easily while looking at the sight glass. Some members use a mirror on a rod so that they can observe the oil level while in the seat.

 

I used to use 2 - 2x4 pieces, one on top of the other (essentially now a 4x4). This makes the bike almost straight up. I would sit on the bike, bring it up off the side stand, slide the 4x4 under the sidestand with my left foot, push toward the left with my right hand on the right handlebar and get off the bike on the right. I'd then place my left hand against the seat and apply pressure towards the left of the bike as I knealt down and checked the oil level.

 

Then I'd get back on the bike (all the time applying pressure towards the left, either on the seat or the right handle bar). Once on the bike, I could then slide the 4x4 out and rest the bike normally on the side stand.

 

Seems like a lot but once you've done it a time or 2 it's quite simple.... unless you're physically challenged in some way.

[allwx]

I usually put in about 3.2 quarts on an oil change with a new filter. Nevertheless, the drip hose under the frame still stays a bit wet, and occasionally a drip of oil will fall. It isn't much, and certainly nothing to worry about.

 

There probably would be more oil collecting in the intake plenum, and therefore more oil dripping from the tube, if the engine were filled to the top line. But in my observation of the two of these bikes I've owned and put over 100k miles on, is that it really doesn't make all that much difference. There will pretty much always be a wet end on that tube, and an occasional drip. Maybe environmental factors come to play, such as field elevation and whatnot, which could explain why some riders get more or less oil drip, I don't know. But I do know that mine have always dripped a little, and I've always found a small amount of oil in the plenum, no matter where I've run my oil level.