MS: TOO MUCH oil!! Damage? K&N air filter replacement?

[AdamBomb]

Just finished the return leg of a 400-mile trip (Fresno-San Fran from Fresno). Pulled over for gas about 10 minutes from being home (why try my luck when the orange light is screaming at me?) There I found engine oil all sprayed over the right side of the bike.

Rode straight to the dealer instead of my home. Guy asked me right away who changed my oil last.

Me: "Me."
Guy: "You put way too much oil in it."
Me: Gulp.

He said to drain & replace the oil, but (obviously) don't overfill next time. Also said that there's so much oil in the system that it's back flowing around/into the air filter. Told me to remove and clean the filter really good with something like gasoline.

My questions:
1) Did I potentially do damage to the bike?

2) Is there any sense replacing the stock air-filter with a K&N? Everything else is stock on the bike for now. But I'm thinking, if I wrecked the stock filter, why not?

3) Is there something else/better to use to clean the filter than gasoline?

4)Probably already know the answer to this one, but is there anything else I need to do when replacing the air filter, or does the EFI computer "figure out" there's a K&N (better filter) in there and compensate the mixture?

I humbly await your replies.

[Neverdun]

If it's the stock Filter you have I definitely wouldn't be cleaning it with gas. Either get a new one or a K&N. I go for the K&N it's definitely worth the money. You can do the caddman mod on Gadjets website also if funds are low.

[troop]

Check your oil cap and gasket. I was getting a light mist of oil on my rear cylinder exhaust pipe and side cover. No leaks to be found on oil line or air filter. It ended up being a too compressed oil cap gasket that wasn't sealing my cap threads. Make sure also that your cap is tight.. Troop

[NY_Guy]

Aerosol carburetor cleaner works well. You should probably add injector cleaner into the gas or maybe Sea Foam to clean out the fuel injectors. But I'm confused re: oil in the air filter-- do you have a Caddman mod on the right side? I'm just trying to figure out how oil could get into the filter on the left side???

I overfilled the oil once and was revving the engine when oil came out the crankcase vent hose (I had a Thunder air kit on my 2000 Nad). You likely didn't do any damage, just a little extra oil in the combustion chamber. Might want to check/clean/replace the plugs though and clean the injectors. BTW: I used to live in Old Fig Garden!

[twoskinsoneman]

wow...how much oil did you put in it?

[AdamBomb]

Originally Posted by twoskinsoneman

wow...how much oil did you put in it?

Ha! About a half-quart more than it takes.

[AdamBomb]

[quote=I go for the K&N it's definitely worth the money. You can do the caddman mod on Gadjets website also if funds are low.[/QUOTE]

I have a totally stock setup right now. Am I mistaken thinking that I can just get a K&N filter to replace the stock filter?

[AdamBomb]

Originally Posted by NY_Guy

Aerosol carburetor cleaner works well. You should probably add injector cleaner into the gas or maybe Sea Foam to clean out the fuel injectors. But I'm confused re: oil in the air filter-- do you have a Caddman mod on the right side? I'm just trying to figure out how oil could get into the filter on the left side???

I overfilled the oil once and was revving the engine when oil came out the crankcase vent hose (I had a Thunder air kit on my 2000 Nad). You likely didn't do any damage, just a little extra oil in the combustion chamber. Might want to check/clean/replace the plugs though and clean the injectors.

I'll get some injector cleaner and some aerosol carb cleaner then if it turns out the filter is saturated. I just got home and had to suck down some cold water and take a load off.

I don't have first-hand knowledge of the air and oil plumbing in the bike, and took the mechanic's word for it that oil was backing up in the system and finding its way to the filter element. I was delirious with heat stroke when he was looking at the bike. I figured I'd get home and take the filter cover off and have a look-see. But first I wanted to get on here and ask the Experts.

Any recommendations for injector cleaner for a motorcycle?

Originally Posted by NY_Guy

BTW: I used to live in Old Fig Garden!

You're not missing much here, my friend.

[NY_Guy]

With a stock system, IF the filter needs replacement (which I doubt unless Mean Streaks have the crankcase vent on the left side), you can get a K&N free flow filter. But if it's like the Nads, the vent's on the right side, bottom. You can pull off the right side cover and clean everything with the carb cleaner (but I'd suggest taking off the rubbber seal on the cover first). Get a lint-free cloth (not paper towels) and clean the inside of the throttle bodies too. Add the injector cleaner (any should be okay) to gas.

Then pull off the left side (air cleaner cover) and inspect. I don't see how oil could get from the right side to the left, since the air flow is from left to right. I think you should be okay on the left side (maybe the mechanic thought the filter is on the right).

I've ridden to SF and back from Fresno (and Monterey) many times, but it sounds like you've got some HEAT out there now. Hope you're feeling better!

[AdamBomb]

Originally Posted by NY_Guy

With a stock system, IF the filter needs replacement (which I doubt unless Mean Streaks have the crankcase vent on the left side), you can get a K&N free flow filter. But if it's like the Nads, the vent's on the right side, bottom. You can pull off the right side cover and clean everything with the carb cleaner (but I'd suggest taking off the rubbber seal on the cover first). Get a lint-free cloth (not paper towels) and clean the inside of the throttle bodies too. Add the injector cleaner (any should be okay) to gas.

Then pull off the left side (air cleaner cover) and inspect. I don't see how oil could get from the right side to the left, since the air flow is from left to right. I think you should be okay on the left side (maybe the mechanic thought the filter is on the right).

I've ridden to SF and back from Fresno (and Monterey) many times, but it sounds like you've got some HEAT out there now. Hope you're feeling better!

You know, maybe the mechanic got the filter side vs. vent side mixed up. Or maybe I just did. I would imagine the MS is the same set-up as the Nomad. In which case, I'm now guessing that my point about a replacement air filter is now moot. I'll take it apart in a little bit once the temp dips to the low-100's.

I did the ride to SFO up the 99-5-580-Bay Bridge going, and the 101-152-99 coming home. I think I liked the first way better. But today's ride home was so much hotter (late start) than the cooler AM ride up that the scenery was secondary to the the heat.

I got a set of Baron's Customs highway bars today that I'm sort of anxious to put on. Not sure if I'm going to like them or not. I will definitely post pics, as I know the Highway Bars or Not question is an ongoing topic here.

[Sledder]

You didn't hurt anything,you just got too much in there and it puked some out.Long high speed runs can do that,especially if too full. 21/2 quarts is usually plenty. use the sight glass.

[AdamBomb]

Originally Posted by Sledder

You didn't hurt anything,you just got too much in there and it puked some out.Long high speed runs can do that,especially if too full. 21/2 quarts is usually plenty. use the sight glass.

I didn't trust the sight glass. Don't ask. I knew it was dumb at the time I changed the oil, but I just wasn't seeing the level rise at all after draining all the oil.

Live. Learn. Trust the sight glass.

I took off the THROTTLE VALVE cover (duh--NOT the air filter cover). About 1/4 cup of oil poured out onto the garage floor, by way of the side of the engine and pipes.

I mopped up most of the oil inside the throttle valve housing, but it's still pretty oily in there. I'll clean it up some more once I get some more shop rags, but is this going to be a worry? The barrels in the upper half of the housing looked and felt kinda dirty.

[Frankt07]

you should be ok as far as not hurting anything in the throttle body side. but if you want to clean up, go to the auto parts and get you a can of carburator cleaner spray and spray the inside of both covers and into the crossover tube. any residual oil should come out and the carb cleaner will do a nice job of cleaning up.
then get you some seafoam and run a couple tanks to make sure shes all clean

[bjones]

I would clean it with the k&n cleaner and soapy water.
I think I still have the stock air filters off the 2002 1500 drifter I think they would fit they don't have many miles on them still pretty clean as I remember. if you pay to ship you can have them. get me at bobby.jones@meadhunt.com out till July 5th now.
good luck

[Xlr8n]

Originally Posted by AdamBomb

Just finished the return leg of a 400-mile trip (Fresno-San Fran from Fresno). Pulled over for gas about 10 minutes from being home (why try my luck when the orange light is screaming at me?) There I found engine oil all sprayed over the right side of the bike.

Rode straight to the dealer instead of my home. Guy asked me right away who changed my oil last.

Me: "Me."
Guy: "You put way too much oil in it."
Me: Gulp.

He said to drain & replace the oil, but (obviously) don't overfill next time. Also said that there's so much oil in the system that it's back flowing around/into the air filter. Told me to remove and clean the filter really good with something like gasoline.

My questions:
1) Did I potentially do damage to the bike?

2) Is there any sense replacing the stock air-filter with a K&N? Everything else is stock on the bike for now. But I'm thinking, if I wrecked the stock filter, why not?

3) Is there something else/better to use to clean the filter than gasoline?

4)Probably already know the answer to this one, but is there anything else I need to do when replacing the air filter, or does the EFI computer "figure out" there's a K&N (better filter) in there and compensate the mixture?

I humbly await your replies.

With the stock airbox, the K&N filter isn't going to provide any more airflow than the stock filter due to the extremely constrictive cross-over tube, so there is nothing to compensate for. That being said, considering the price of a factory filter, the K&N is money well spent IMO, if you are planning on keeping the bike a while, and if you have no plans to upgrade the intake/exhaust down the road.

[ryanmross]

Would have been nice if Kawasaki made the sight glass functional when the bike is on the kick-stand.. Or a dip stick.. Just a thought..

[Illus]

Originally Posted by Sledder

2 1/2 quarts is usually plenty. use the sight glass.

I thought it was 3 1/2?

[ppark]

Originally Posted by AdamBomb

Rode straight to the dealer instead of my home. Guy asked me right away who changed my oil last.

Me: "Me."
Guy: "You put way too much oil in it."
Me: Gulp.

He said to drain & replace the oil, but (obviously) don't overfill next time.

Go pick up a turkey baster for a buck at a grocery store and remove the oil with it rather than draining and refilling it.

[Sledder]

Originally Posted by Illus

I thought it was 3 1/2?

The bike calls for 2.9 if you don't change filter,..or 3.1 if you do.

2 1/2 -2 3/4 is usually plenty if you use the sight glass. If I put the 3.1 like they say with mine big bored,it will puke it out...it will not if I keep it right on the sight glass.(just below half)

[redpony]

the glass can really be a pain, i wouldn't think 1/2 qt over would cause that big of problem?