Dino vs synthetic oil levels

[terham]

I hate to start an oil thread, but are the engine oil levels the same whether you use synthetic or dino?

I have an '04 R1100S that I've always used dino in and have always had to add oil every couple of hundred miles to keep the oil level in the sight glass at half way. I'd heard at 10K miles this should stop, but I have 16K miles on it now and I still have to add oil regularly.

At my last service I mentioned this and it was suggested I try synthetic, so I did. After I got the bike back from the dealer and rode home, I noticed that the oil level is now above the sight glass. When I start the engine, the level quicly drops below the sight glass.

Is there any reason why more synthetic oil is being used compared to dino? My owners manual says never exceed the max level on the sight glass. What says ye?

[35634]

When I start the engine, the level quicly drops below the sight glass.

Are you checking with the bike on centerstand, level ground, and after sitting at least
10 minutes? There is no difference in levels between conventional and synthetic. But
they may drain back into the sump at different rates.

[terham]

Yes, yes and yes.

I originally thought the synthetic had somehow fogged the sight glass since the sight glass was all the same color and I couldn't see an oil level. It was only after I started the engine did I see the oil level drop and I realized the oil level was much higher than I've ever seen it.

[BUBBAZANETTI]

your S sounds like my S was

i ran dino till 15K or so, then went to synth, noticed a marked increase in consumption, went back to dino, goofed around with some various "post break in" consumption reducing techniques then went back to synth around 23K or so and stuck with that till i sold the bike around 50K.

it always burned oil, whoever had the bike for it's first 4K miles didn't so something right.

just keep it at or below the dot in the center of the sight glass after doing the sidestand, 10 min, centerstand routine. above that and you get a pool in the bottom of your airbox and way too much oil could potentially damage the engine. i would personally drain a bit out (do the quick pull the plug for a second then screw it back on, worse that happens is you lose it all and have to refill, better safe than sorry though).

[jasontdi]

The level is subjective. I run mine at the top end of the glass. The motor is quieter there. And it never drops oil in the airbox.

[terham]

it always burned oil, whoever had the bike for it's first 4K miles didn't so something right.

I bought the bike with 7K on it and don't know how it was treated before that. I'm going to do a quick drain. If it continues to burn oil I'll switch back to dino. Synthetic is kind of expensive to keep topping off. With dino I don't think I ever needed to change the oil since I probably added several quarts of new oil in between oil changes.

[ANDYVH]

Oil volume is oil volume, whether its dino oil or synthetic oil. As to the oil level as viewed in the sight glass, from the midpoint to the top of the glass (bike on the centerstand) is only a matter of a few ounces of oil. I wouldn't be concerned about it.

I have been running synthetic on my 94 R1100RS for nearly 15 years and 140K+ miles and it uses no oil, no leaks, and consistently shows the oil level at right on the sight glass midpoint to near the top, depending on daily conditions.