[St] Canuck Oil Change Follow-up

[Brian Pitman <snowsurfer@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi guys!
 
Well, after all the follow-on commentaries, I feel obligated to wrap up my not-so-short story from earlier today.
 
Denis, you are quite right about fairing pieces - no disassembly required!  
On my current ride of the last 15 yrs (Yamaha GTS), one must remove the lower two fairing pieces to access the oil filter and drain plug.  
Old habits die hard.  However, like I said, it was a good learning experience for the next time I ever have to pull the fairing apart although it will NOT be for the next oil change :-) ...
 
Yes, I do apply a dab of oil on the O ring.  I should also take up your trick of putting some oil in the filter as well before screwing it on.
I rerad the owner's manual again to see how to "operate" the dipstick (I too, am a big fan of sight glasses). Of the few dipsticks I have come to know (now there is a good line if I ever heard one!), all are placed in the engine case without screwing it in.  Not so on this ST, sigh...  I must've screwed that little sucker in and out half a dozen times.  However, the oil is now exactly at the top of the hash mark after dumping in about three litres of  fresh oil. 
 
Thanks to those who noted that 4L is the specified volume and that 3.2L is what works!!!  I will check my oil level again after my next ride.
In great frustration I read my manual several times again.  Under all the sections that mention engine oil, it consistently repeats that 10W40 (or 15-50 synthetic) is the type of oil to be used, but NOWHERE is the volume specified!!!  I thought for sure the spec chart in the final pages would have this crucial info.  2.4L of coolant, 21L of fuel, spark plug gap and torque figures for the major nuts and bolts.  No oil capacity.
 
Neil, I had the same thought as you - to just compensate for the difference that the height of the threads but the hash marks are located at the very end of the dipstick and the threads are at least as tall as the min/max marks of the hash area, so you would only see oil when the oil is at the max level.  Now here is a great opportunity for an aftermarket manufacturer - to make a longer dipstick that does not have to be screwed in to check the oil level!!!
 
Back to oil capacity... I even pushed the ST out of my garage into the sunshine to have a good look at the cases.  After a 30 yr diet of Japanese motorcycles that all had the oil capacity permanently marked next to the filler cap, I was very surprised to see that Triumph has not adopted this standard...  I guess after a half century I am finally turning into a curmudgeon...
 
Anyhow, thanks again to all the good advice you guys passed on. 
Next time an oil change will only take me 30 mins instead of two days!
 
Brian
GWN

PS Karl - once I get the motor fully broken, I will work at draggin' the pegs on my way to Halifax, NS.  In two weeks time I will be on the road to catch the Cdn SBK races at Shubenacadie where I used to flog a two-stoke RD350LC many moons ago.  I will be riding with a long time friend (also a GTS owner) who will be on his FJR1300.  I am definately looking forward to getting into the back roads of Maine!
 
PPS John, How is the "Black ST" hunt going?  and how many days left on the bank guarantee?

----- Original Message ----
From: Denis Liakos denoose@xxxxxxx


  My first question would be why you'd remove any body work from your ST, as 
the drain plug, a 13mm head,  is on the bottom of the sump!  And what "oil 
cap" are you referring to?  With the bike on the center stand, my  method 
with a warm motor is to remove/ drain/ toss the old filter, and replace the 
filter with a partially filled (with fresh oil) new filter- don't forget to 
put a dab of oil on the O ring, remove the oil drain plug, contemplate the 
sky and trees for a bit of time, replace the drain plug, check the washer 
while doing so, and administer roughly 3.2 litres of Triumph's synthetic. 
I've been using Triumph's filters and oil on all of my bikes since my first 
Hinckley in '96...I then run the bike for a minute, clean up all tools, 
rags, etc. and then check the oil level, looking for the midway point on the 
dipstick....miss my '01's sight glass....YMMV, etc...
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