So a little bit of a head scratcher....did first oil change today (Mobile 1 4T) with new filter at 626 miles. On fill up, added a bit LESS than the 4.4 quarts that the manual calls for, thinking I would add some if needed. Started it up, oil light went right off, took it down the road for a few miles and came back. Oil is at top line of the sight glass? I was expecting it to drop some once filter took in what it normally holds? Am I missing someting.....

The top line of the sightglass is fine. My Gen2 would blow oil up into the airbox if the oil level was higher than that. The level shouldn't be lower than the bottom line. Hopefully you won't need to add but my Gen2 seemed to use some oil after a thousand miles or so and I believe many others do as well. The only time I needed to add between checks was when the valve cover was leaking.

Always check the oil level in the same spot on the same floor with the bike positioned exactly as it always is positioned. An un-level surface could effect the reading of the oil level. Also, you really need to make sure the bike is exactly perpendicular to the floor because the level will change a great deal if the bike is tipped a few degrees. You probably already figured that out. A rear stand is probably going to support the bike a few degrees off of perpendicular so don't check the oil level with the bike on a rear stand. It's a challenge to get your head down there level with the sight glass and hold the bike up at the same time, you might want to hold the bike balanced on perpendicular while a helper marks the oil level with a piece of tape so you can check it. My method was to put the sidestand on a 2x4, go over to the RH side and kneel, crouch down to the sight glass level with left hand on top of seat, with shin against muffler pull seat to the right until you feel the bike is balanced perpendicular and use shin to push it back if it tips too far to the right. When you get the bike balanced between your hand on the seat and your shin, you read the level. Some people have reached down with a camera while sitting on the bike or else held a mirror down to the sightglass. Not a bad idea if the bike if you want to avoid dropping the bike on top of you.

It's really important to check the oil level after the bike has not run for at least 12 hours. A lot of oil gets trapped throughout the engine and it takes that much time for all of it to run back down to the bottom. Also, hot oil takes up more volume than cold oil. Let it sit until it's cold and all oil has drained down.

Same spot, same floor, perpendicular, only when cold.

Too much new oil added.Doesn't need to be extreme,but it will expand heating up.Did you recheck after it cooled down some?

So after sitting overnight, looked at again this evening and still looks to be at the top line, maybe even a bit above. Crack drain plug and release some, or just leave it alone?

Thanks for the help fellas,
Mike

I would release a little if it's over the top line when cold. It's not a huge deal if the airbox gets a coat of oil. It eventually dries out without needing any measures to clean it, there's an airbox drain tube and the oil eventually creeps out until dry. The air filter will get oiled too though. That's not terrible either but I'd rather have a dry air filter. this is what I observed on my Gen1. A little over the high line and it might spray up to the air box.

Just changed the oil. Found it topped over and above the sight window. I'm leaving it alone. Let the breather balance it off. This way also, I'll see if it burns oil in general within the next 3k oil dump.

If there's too much oil in the bike, the oil will eventually end up at the proper level all by itself. After enough oil blows up to the air box and drains out of the breather tube, the bike should stop using oil. Then you just have a lubed airbox and reduced the life of that paper air filter. So what I'm saying is if the oil is overserviced, you SHOULD see the oil level come down in time. However, you're better off avoiding the messes by releasing those few extra ounces of oil before they find their own ways out. Personally, I think my Gen1 used some oil since new. It still used a bit after fixing the valve cover leak. It didn't look like it was burning oil though. Doesn't overserviced engine oil burn on the valves as well? There's your burning oil, it's burning because it was overfilled, not because of engine wear.

* Last updated by: Rook on 6/1/2022 @ 10:12 AM *

"and still looks to be at the top line"...well,that's okay then.Manual says between upper and lower level lines.Either line is okay I presume...although I keep mine right in the sightglass center when bike is vertical.I always fill with the recommended amount.
Like Rook says..cold and topped out...not so good...I wouldn't leave it like that.Is this level you see with bike on kickstand?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/1/2022 @ 6:07 PM *

Consensus seems to be.....to leave it alone, so that's what I'll do. On next oil change, I'll throw in just the 4 quarts and see where it lands on the glass. Appreciate all the input!!

My bike took exactly 4L (4.2 qts) on a cold oil+filter change just last weekend after it had been sitting untouched for 9 months. I changed it cold this time so first start wouldn't be on old oil.

I initially put in about 4 qts but forgot that of course the filter would take some (my oil change process was a bit rusty after so long, I suppose). After the first ride (and my what an awesome feeling it was after the break) and cool down, the oil level was barely touching the low mark in the window which slapped the rust right off my mind. Pouring in the remaining oil from the 4L container brought it to the 3/4 mark between the two markers, which is where I prefer keeping it.

A helpful tip from one of Revzilla's videos is to slide a clean spray straw down the oil fill hole until it reaches the sight glass, then simply spray out the extra oil into a container. I plan to do that if I ever overfill. Being a car detailing nerd, I have plenty of spray heads+straws laying around.

* Last updated by: ManiZ on 6/1/2022 @ 7:53 PM *

Good idea on the spray pump extraction, Manni. Worth a try but the clutch plates are right in the way. You might get a long thin straw to reach the oil if the straw bends a little to reach in front of the clutch.

Consensus seems to be.....to leave it alone, so that's what I'll do.

https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shopping-guides/what-happens-when-you-put-too-much-oil-in-your-car

The crankshaft whips the oil like an egg beater if yu have way too much oil.

Never having split a crankcase, I don't know how low the ZX-14 crankshaft lobes travel. Looking at it from outside, I kind of doubt the lobes travel low enough to contact oil that is at the level of the sight glass. The oil level undoubtedly gets even lower while the engine is circulating the oil. You would really have to over-service in order for the crankshaft to hit the oil or so it appears.

I don't think a few extra ounces of oil is going to hurt but you might reduce the life of your air filter as mentioned previously. If you find that oil has run out of the air box breather, you know this is the case. If so, don't bother wiping out the air box. It is all rough cast in there and fibers from the cloth will catch on the surface of the metal. The air box will dry out on its own after several months to a year. You might get a little leakage past the intake boots but that is easily cleaned off from the outside.

If it were me, I'd probably leave the oil level alone if the level is right on the top mark. If it's any higher, it's not much trouble to crack the drain plug and let a little seep out.

Man, I really need a new ZX-14.

There's one calling out to you somewhere, Rook!

"On next oil change, I'll throw in just the 4 quarts and see where it lands on the glass. Appreciate all the input!!"

So I came a bit late to the party..how did you change the oil?Maybe I missed it?..

Was a very first oil change at 626 miles Grn14...my manual says it takes 4.4 quarts with a new filter. I felt I went a little shy of that, but it's certainly at the top line of the site glass, maybe a tick over. I haven't really pushed the bike too hard as of yet (just a few 6th gear roll-ons to just a bit over 100 mph), and even thought the manual also says you are free to cut loose on it after 600 miles, still feel like things are very tight. Gonna ease into it is my point for the next several hundred miles. Not to mention I'm still getting used to insane speed this bike generates, lol. Closest thing I had in the past to this was when I bought a brand new CBR 900RR back in the day. That bike was fast, but nothing like this 22 14R.

Mike

If it's just a tick over the the top line like a thirty-second of an inch or less, that is probably just fine. I'm sure I've run my 2008 that high. It's when it was about an eighth inch over that I had oil blow up to the air box.