So today visited mother to warm up engine, drained out everything and dropped filter and gauze thingy. Left it all to drain, refilled oil filter before screwing on, sealed gauze thingy and did up the sump bolt all ok, gently filled until middle of the glass and started up bike, left running for approx 10 mins, left sat there while coffee was served, topped up and run again and switched off. Just checked after two hours and the oil is a gnats cock above the max on the centre stand, should I remove a little or would that be good? Ta
I don't think that's a problem. I'm sure I've overfilled mine at times as I often do it in the middle of a long run whilst touring and can't always find level ground. I think the problem with overfilling is that the oil can be frothed up if the level in the sump is too high and it gets pounded by moving parts. Pumping frothy oil is not good for an engine but there will be tolerance built in to protect against modest overfilling. Perhaps @nelly can comment.
You may well find you get a slightly different reading with the bike on its wheels on level ground and upright, as per the handbook I believe.
Oil level should be checked with the bike on both wheels, not on the centre stand. I have always been advised by my workshop not to overfill and that between half way and above the bottom mark is fine. Andy
If the oil level is checked on centre stand will it be lower or higher when checked with both wheels on the ground?
No idea, but when her indoors refuses to hold the bike while I look the only way I can check is to raise the front wheel up with a long crowbar to give the same clearance under both wheels and then look.
I've tried checking the oil level using both methods - on two wheels and holding the bike upright, and on the centre stand. I couldn't see any difference, if there is any it is very slight. So now I always top up on the centre stand as with no chance of dropping the bike it is safer, and more consistent and easier.
I have always found that the levels between bike on both wheels and centre stand to be negligible, the offset in degrees is minimal so I have always used centre or paddock stands. As regards levels, a cats cock hair above the max mark I would say is also negligible.
Got a neighbour to hold the bike on the wheels, can’t see any difference at all so I drained a bit out just to make sure it was right, and peace of mind as well.
In defence of Ducati the centre stand is an option, so they are covering the default/all models. But it wouldn't have taken much for them to give direction if the level is checked on the centre stand.
The main problem is people just don't think. By simply checking with and without the center stand one can quickly determine the levels are almost identical. For those who insist on checking with both wheels on the ground you simply use a mirror. Why would anyone think it's takes two people to do this?
On the odd occasion where I have overfilled. I use a big syringe and some old (clear) fuel pipe stuck in the filler hole to suck some oil back out and get it to the correct level. Doing that is far easier than trying to drop any out via the sump Its that easy to do, there is no reason to leave it overfilled in fact
I was told take note of oil level with a rider on, no centre stand and it should be between the halway mark and the max. normally a buddy popped over as the rider so I can check it or I have used in the past, a go pro or mobile phone aimed at the oil window then set to video.
