Oil level - Upright or sidestand?

[Guest ratchethack]

Actually I pride myself on being a complete charlatan and wasting my life producing sollutions for problems that don't exist.

Hey Pete. If you came up with a urethane cush drive, and shamelessly marked it up to highway robbery levels of gross profit, there's at least a few hereabouts who've been clamoring for 'em to the point of already pre-ordering -- price being no object!!

 

From wot I've read posted hereabouts, no need to test 'em first (either short or long term) to see if they actually work, let alone work as well as the stock ones, or -- heaven forefend -- work as well as the drilled ones that as far as anyone knows have NEVER shown any evidence of being less than ideal for over 40 years. . . And for that matter, no need to as much as provide any claims of any replacement benefits wotsoever, either!

 

Now THERE'S y'er golden opportunity to GOUGE with some serious intent! Like shootin' fish in a barrel!

 

No more o' this trying to make up for low volumes by shipping at low margins!

[Dan M]

First of all his plate makes money change owners.

I think it's more an esoteric item, like dream catchers or earth radiation transformers. Those who buy such stuff normaly are happy people, in some way at least, those who don't are happy as well.

 

Hubert

 

First off, it does the job. Secondly, Pete gets to set the price at what ever he wants it to be. He certainly deserves to make a profit. Who here works for free?

 

Pete, I'd up the price. If you are going to have a reputation for stabbing people you might as well carry a knife

 

 

Quote: Maybe St. Peter-Of-The-Goose?

 

How about "Roper, Patron Saint of Geese"

[Ryland3210]

On a V11, IMO, you will get a higher (safer) oil level if you check the oil with the bike upright but with the dipstick threaded on just one thread (and the only reason to thread it on even one thread is just to ensure that the dipstick is not canted). Fill it to the full mark. This will help you avoid exposing the oil pickup under hard acceleration.

 

Agreed, Greg, but for those who may find it difficult to prevent the dipstick from drooping down into the oil and getting a false high reading before they get in threaded in one turn (like me), there is another approach. Carve a notch in the dipstick 0.69 inches above the original full mark and screw it in all the way for a reading.

[Greg Field]

Yes, that's a better way to do it. Might even then put it on the sidestand and add a mark to allow checking with the bike on the stand?

[Ryland3210]

Yes, that's a better way to do it. Might even then put it on the sidestand and add a mark to allow checking with the bike on the stand?

 

I tried that. Too many variables affect the reading: dipstick is even more inclined to the oil level, variations of suspension height, steering direction. It is a bit cumbersome to juggle the bike by hand to try to keep it level with one hand while screwing in the dipstick with the other.

 

If the dipstick and sidestand were on opposite sides, the dipstick could be screwed whilst on the sidestand, and then tilt the bike up to level for a second, and back down. Then take the dipstick out with confidence the reading was right. But NO! That would be too logical!

 

I've been using a chain hoist with a sling on the handlebars to hold the bike level. I haven't tried it, but a floor jack with a block of wood under the sump lifting it just enough to keep it level would probably be quick and easier. I'll probably do that next time.

[Ryland3210]

Actually I pride myself on being a complete charlatan and wasting my life producing sollutions for problems that don't exist. I chose to do this with Guzzis because there is such a huge, thriving market out there that my ability to retire to a private island with a bevy of Brazillian swimsuit models on the obscene proffits I make is guaranteed within weeks!

 

Coming soon to compliment the plates will be my bat-winged orgone accumulator, a thrunge grommet stabilizer and a new tank-pad elliminator that looks exactly like a tank pad! All of these under designed and poorly researched products will be available for obscene amounts of money and I'll try really, really hard not to deliver them .

 

Pete

 

Hey Mate,

 

Your self deprecating comments are totally unfair! They leave no room for sarcastic personal attacks!

 

Then again, maybe I'm just not creative enough and will be proven wrong!

[Greg Field]

I have a centerstand, which makes checking the oil level easy and accurate. Then again, I have a pressure gauge, so I rarely bother to check the oil level. I have never had to add oil between changes anyway.

[gstallons]

I have a centerstand, which makes checking the oil level easy and accurate. Then again, I have a pressure gauge, so I rarely bother to check the oil level. I have never had to add oil between changes anyway.

 

The automotive term for this plate Mr.Roper is making is a "windage tray". Anyone who uses this does so for a number of reasons. The highly modified trays are made so they just miss the arc of the c/shaft and rod.This purpose is to catch the oil spray from the clearances of rotating parts.The theory is to cut down on the effort of the crank traveling through a rain of oil. The next reason is to act as a baffle in the crankcase to slow down the sloshing of oil through turns, stops , etc. These are theories at worst. I figure if high performance engines have them you can too. You want the best and you are going to have it. Isn't that the reason you have a V11.

p.s. People pay BIG $$$ for carbon fiber slip-ons because they are visible.Installing this is "your little secret".

[Guest ratchethack]

Exactly right, Gstallons. FWIW, there've been so many threads on this topic that went into greater depth -- I think mostly about 2-3 years back, that I won't attempt finding which one to refer to on this, but Pete did a great job back then of explaining the theory as well as the practice behind this, which goes back many decades on Guzzi big blocks and far far before this on racing engines.

 

Pete was also careful to distinguish what he'd designed and has been shipping as different from a "windage tray". The distinction is that this thing isn't nearly as sophisticated, nor nearly as highly engineered as what racers use to "slice" the oil mass off the crank with knife-edge adjustable "slicers" carefully positioned within thousandths of an inch of the crank webs to duct oil off into a relatively quiet, baffled area of the sump where it's unable to hamper crank rotation. I can't begin to do as good a job as Pete did to describe the differece, but the upshot of it was that Pete's plate isn't designed as a "windage tray", and isn't intended to perform this function. He was careful to refer to it as a "sloppage sheet" so as not to mislead. It's intended purpose is preventing exposure of the oil pickup. Mine works like a Champ by direct comparison pre- and post- plate installation. I will also say (again) that my motor ALSO seemed to rev more freely above 5K RPM with the plate in there, and could possibly have benefited in some small way in the direction of the value a windage tray provides, but I have no objective measurement on this.

 

And as always,

 

Others' MMV.

[luhbo]

There are some very easy rules that make forums easier: First read a posting, second switch on what brains you've left, third try to comprehend what your eyes try to tell you, and only fourth sit down for writing an answer.

 

I wrote above, this plate is making money move. No word about profit, about making people rich, or about cheating other people. So calm down, stay easy and be happy to be a member of this forum. Just think of those hundreds and thousands of poor Guzzi fellows who never have heard of this problem and it's solution. Aren't we all rich already?

 

Hubert

[Guest ratchethack]

Way back in post #11 I was merely aghast.

 

Now I'm both aghast -- and agog.

 

--Cdr. "Crash" Hatchracket, Esq.

[luhbo]

Sorry, Ratch, can't see the text, only poor Marty's for ever abused image. But out of curiosity: how many lines this time?

 

No, hold it, won't see figures as well, again only his face

 

Hubert

[Dan M]

There are some very easy rules that make forums easier: First read a posting, second switch on what brains you've left, third try to comprehend what your eyes try to tell you, and only fourth sit down for writing an answer.

 

Hubert

 

Well, I was reading and comprehending your entire post. You should be careful Hubert, it doesn't take much around here to get dinged for a personal attack. I'll let this one slide so I don't get a second mark on my license.

[Richard]

Actually I pride myself on being a complete charlatan and wasting my life producing sollutions for problems that don't exist. I chose to do this with Guzzis because there is such a huge, thriving market out there that my ability to retire to a private island with a bevy of Brazillian swimsuit models on the obscene proffits I make is guaranteed within weeks!

 

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit... Welcome to the club....!

 

P.S. Pete, how much are the sloppage sheets going for over here in the UK atm?

[pete roper]

I wrote above, this plate is making money move. No word about profit, about making people rich, or about cheating other people. So calm down, stay easy and be happy to be a member of this forum. Just think of those hundreds and thousands of poor Guzzi fellows who never have heard of this problem and it's solution. Aren't we all rich already?

 

Hubert

 

No, but to me the implication was there Hubert.

 

As for wealth? You can afford a V11? You're rich beyond the dreams of avarice compared to most people in the world. Perhaps living 'In the Continent Where Guzzis are Made' your experience of true poverty is somewhat limited? I dunno? All I do know is that fact that if I decided to give up work tomorrow and live on my investments I could, comfortably. I don't have a MOTIVE to gouge people, but then of course there are always those who seek an ulterior motive in anyone.

 

Most places it's called 'Paranoia'

 

Pete