Dunno if this has been asked before. The oil sightglass on my streetfighter, is it double glazed? When the engine gets hot the glass goes white as if there is moisture between 2 panes of glass. The oil is new and can clearly be seen when the bike is upright but is behind the whiteness and doesn't wash it off. Any ideas?
Common problem in Winter, do you do a lot of short journeys? The oil isnt getting up to temp for long enough, the white is a milky emulsion... not much you can do bar take the long way home? Remove your filler cap when you get home - this will allow the engine to *breathe* and the condensate to find its way out? ** Put the filler cap in an upturned aerosol lid on your filler cap so you dont forget to replace it.
Yes I do use shell. No it's not emulsion as the oil is new hot and clear. It's not moisture in the oil. It is a white misting on the glass both above and below the oil level that does not move with the oil.
470four is spot on with his answer, it is condensation on the inside of the sight glass due to the colder winter conditions and short trips with the bike. Needs a good run to get up to full temp then leave the oil filler cap off to let some of the moisture out as the engine cools
It's not water in the oil. It looks more like a white powder residue on the glass. If it was water or moisture it would be disturbed by leaning the bike over and getting the "clear" oil the wash it off.
Its a milky emulsion, water and oil... Pull the tube off your engine breather and look down it, it will look like a porn-shoot has just happened in there! Creamy goop everywhere...
I have a little cloud right in the middle of my sight-glass with a 5mm clear gap all the way round? Maybe something to do with the centre of the glass not getting as hot as the alloy cases?
Just ignore it........... .............but what's that yellow cr*p that has been leaking down the left side? AL.
The lads 620 has it worse than that, it is as previously stated and not worth worrying much about. He has been leaving the filler plug out when not in use and taking it for a couple of longer runs; it is slowly clearing.
As has been posted, it's moisture in the oil on the sight glass. Remember looking under the oil filler cap of an old car with a duff head gasket, it's the same thing but obviously not to that extent!
I have exactly the same on my SF 848, mine is not used for short journeys and still it does not go away after a 200 mile jaunt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think something has stained it and i only use castrol oil.
Using Rock Oil and getting clouding, has more to do with the temps methinks... Would going down to a "Winter" grade oil help? From a 15w50 to a 10w50 or maybe a 10w40? May heat up quicker?
Its just your bikes way of telling you its too bloody cold.Now be sensible and put it away for the winter!
