It would seem that the information in Royal Enfield Manuals can vary. Today when doing an oil change I picked up that the service manual quotes 2L of oil on refill and the standard Manual Advises 1.6 / 1.8 Litre. Personally I put in 1.75 Litre and this brought the level to the top markings in the oil level window when the bike is standing perfectly upright. I am just curious about the experience of others when doing oil changes.
Oil Capacity 411 Engine
- Thread starter Scrammy
- Start date
I can't give you exact measurements, but after 15 or so of my own Himalayan changes can say you are right on target. Others have mentioned the discrepancy in the past, don't recall if the root of the discrepancy was ever identified or explained.
How much oil is actually drained for changes, which impacts how much is needed to fill back up, depends for me on whether I remove the strainer cover on the left side and whether I do that while on side stand before getting up on center stand.
The 4 liter oil bottle I use seems to give enough to do two changes and their top offs in my experience so again you are right on.
How much oil is actually drained for changes, which impacts how much is needed to fill back up, depends for me on whether I remove the strainer cover on the left side and whether I do that while on side stand before getting up on center stand.
The 4 liter oil bottle I use seems to give enough to do two changes and their top offs in my experience so again you are right on.
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
The procedure for checking the level is set out in the owners manual and is done on a warm motor.
My procedure is to check for the correct level before I start, measure what comes out , refill initially with the same volume, then check as per the book.
It is usually slightly low due to losses connected with the filter, etc, and needs topped up a little, but not much.
As TomD has said sometimes less comes out than you might expect, for whatever reason, which is why some measure to avoid overfilling.
Easily get two changes out of 4L too, but I change at 5000 km so not many top ups, even at 80,000 km.
My procedure is to check for the correct level before I start, measure what comes out , refill initially with the same volume, then check as per the book.
It is usually slightly low due to losses connected with the filter, etc, and needs topped up a little, but not much.
As TomD has said sometimes less comes out than you might expect, for whatever reason, which is why some measure to avoid overfilling.
Easily get two changes out of 4L too, but I change at 5000 km so not many top ups, even at 80,000 km.
- Location
- The Pacific Nothwet
My FSM tell us 2.0 liters is first factory fill, 1.6 to 1.8 liters is typical oil change refill. Let me share a Service Bulletin on checking the oil level.
I change the oil and filter every 5k. Before changiing I ride a few kilometres to heat up the engine.
Find a level place (don't hesitate to use a spirit level: just a few degrees off will result in different reading in the glass) and put the bike on the centerstand. Remove the oilfilter cover (no need to remove the plug, want to check the filter anyway) and drain the oil. Tilting the bike a bit helps getting all the oil out. Once that side has been done I remove tho oilfilter and let the oil drain from that side, also tilting the bike a bit.
The first three times a checked how much came out and that was about 1.4 litre. Give or take a few cc that were spilled on the floor....
I fill up with RE recommended oil without measuring how much goes in. (oh, do replace the covers on both sides beforehand)
I fill to well above the top line.
My theory is that an engine will sooner suffer from too little than too much oil.
As Tom D says, a four litre bottle serves two changes and topping up.
Find a level place (don't hesitate to use a spirit level: just a few degrees off will result in different reading in the glass) and put the bike on the centerstand. Remove the oilfilter cover (no need to remove the plug, want to check the filter anyway) and drain the oil. Tilting the bike a bit helps getting all the oil out. Once that side has been done I remove tho oilfilter and let the oil drain from that side, also tilting the bike a bit.
The first three times a checked how much came out and that was about 1.4 litre. Give or take a few cc that were spilled on the floor....
I fill up with RE recommended oil without measuring how much goes in. (oh, do replace the covers on both sides beforehand)
I fill to well above the top line.
My theory is that an engine will sooner suffer from too little than too much oil.
As Tom D says, a four litre bottle serves two changes and topping up.
Slightly off topic, but there is a Moto Guzzi book by Dave Richardson called Guzziology. It is several hundred pages long, has been self published and updated for decades ans is considered the parts and service bible for ALL Moto Guzzi air cooled twins.
He, as do i, advocate more regular oil changes than the factory recommends, say 5000kms intervals change to 4000 if possible, and the oil filter changed every 3RD oil change. I have been doing this on mine and customer Guzzis for 3 decades.
My Meriden cast iron barrel Triumphs i change the oil at a maximum 3000kms, sometimes sooner.
He, as do i, advocate more regular oil changes than the factory recommends, say 5000kms intervals change to 4000 if possible, and the oil filter changed every 3RD oil change. I have been doing this on mine and customer Guzzis for 3 decades.
My Meriden cast iron barrel Triumphs i change the oil at a maximum 3000kms, sometimes sooner.
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
There was a time when Triumph rather optimistically, suggested changing at 500 miles .
But by then enough had usually leaked enough that you had done that already!
It even came out through porous castings on some!
They had rudimentary filters , shell big ends , and a plain RH main bearing and feed bush, which really needed better filtration.
But not all bad, a collapsed RH bush let me buy a nice 10 year old sprung hub Tiger 100 for 30/-, back then a weeks wages for a 16 year old apprentice, and another 30/- let me buy the mainly Morris Minor parts for essential repairs. Pop did the machine work , mainshaft regrind and rebore on the ancient belt driven machine tools in the smithy. And the valves with hand cutters!
Then two quid for a 3134 profile inlet cam and followers!
Went fine with the Minor flat tops, rode it for a Scottish summer (around six weeks) then sold it to buy a car, a Austin A40 sports coupe with a alloy body by Alvis.
And a leaky rag top which put a bit of a damper on, er, back seat activities!
Sold it just in time, the new cam followers picked up and wiped the new cam not long after I sold it - I told him he was using the wrong oil, but I always wondered ---!
You are thinking of the unit 350-500 3TA and 5TA which were released in the very late 50's. All BSA twins also used that T/S bush till the very end.
All pre unit 500 and 650 twins, 1937 till 1962 used a mains ball on the T/S and a ball or roller on the D/S, inc your sprung hub T100. As did all unit 650 and 750 twins 1963-83. The unit 500's right at the end finally did away with that bush and replaced with a mains ball, coinciding with the twin carb Daytona's.
Yes, filtration was rudimentary, and generally always on the return side, but, along with the crankshaft sludge tap, bottom end mileage of + 100,000 kms is not uncommon.
Top ends are another matter, if you got 30-40,000 kms without lifting a head and barrels you did well.
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
The Met Police's Speed Twins were reputed to do between 110,000 and 120,000 miles. With proper service of course
Yep , I recalled having to have the crank reground and a new bush turned up , but you are correct, that bush was outboard of the large ball, was in the cover and was mainly for oil feed, and sometimes replaced with a oil seal and circlip.
But it was almost 65 years ago, when I was buying, fixing and reselling bikes almost weekly to fund my time at the Herriot Watt college, so memories may be a little blurred, and I did a few later Triumphs Beesas too!
Mine had a ball on the drive side too, my recollection was a Morris Minor half shaft bearings fitted there, but no recollection of the timing side!
Yes, all pre units ran a bronze bush in the timing cover for oil pressure till the units came out in '63 with a timing cover oil seal and circlip. A very common mod to this day is converting older pre unit timing covers to the later seal/circlip design. I must have personally done over a 100 when i had my shop 1988-2003.
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
If you were around then you might know my local guy and fellow BSA club me Martyn Adams.
Traded then as Serco, Small Engine Repair Company, now I think MDA.
Semi retired now and prefers re manufacturing the internals of some ancient obscurity to valve jobs, but always a source of friendly advice and information and a great help when I was rebuilding my B44.
With one piece valves made from Jessops valve steel , of course!
I've heard of Serco, but not your fella. What part of the UK is he?If you were around then you might know my local guy and fellow BSA club me Martyn Adams.
Traded then as Serco, Small Engine Repair Company, now I think MDA.
Semi retired now and prefers re manufacturing the internals of some ancient obscurity to valve jobs, but always a source of friendly advice and information and a great help when I was rebuilding my B44.
With one piece valves made from Jessops valve steel , of course!
Roy Gavin
Well travelled
- Location
- Adelaide Australia
He was a Northener, now resident in the Adelaide Hills.
He advertised in Classic Bike and featured in a few of their articles.
He wrenched for one of the few Englishmen to win the World speedway championship so knows his way around reliable air cooled singles!