PDA

View Full Version : something weird happend when checking the oil on the 400ex



yellowrider
03-26-2002, 06:28 PM
what happend to marcums atv?? i thought they sponsored this site well anyways

my oil has bubles in it but it still looks clean? what does that mean ??? i never seen bubles before when checking my oil on my 300ex .. we are about to get it service soon for the first time... and i was wondering if i should ask them why i have bubbes?
do you all have bubbles on you dip stick when you check your oil??

yellowrider
03-26-2002, 07:20 PM
HEY !! somebody please respond i would have never noticed it. but for some reason it just look stranged to me so .. i called soem people with warriors and 250exs they said they dont have no bubbles and i need to get that checked out? so what should i do ?

should i change the oil?

DuffManIllusion
03-26-2002, 08:25 PM
How long has it been since you changed the oil?

Leo
03-26-2002, 09:38 PM
was it overfilled..? that might be a possible cause.. or very low..? If the oil level gets to high it can get whipped up by the moving parts of the motor.. if it get's to low the pump can draw air in with the oil causing it to foam up.

how long since it's been changed..?

if it was my bike I'd change the oil + filter, make sure it's set to the correct level, and keep an eye on it.

Leo

yellowrider
03-27-2002, 04:13 AM
its like three weeks old one day i checked it and it wasnt were it was supposed to be so i added a little oil then .. i let it set there for a while and then i started and let it run then i checked the oil after i let it cooled off and it was back to the full mark..

it looks clean???
well i havent got it serviced yet so i guess i should go ahead and do taht and let them mess with it..

but if this happends again i will have to do it cause weee are not taking to have it service all the time cause it will cost to much money but i was thinking.....

the deaaaler told me not to mess with that screw on the bottom of the oil container and that they dont even mess witih it.. just take that hose off that goes to the motor off then take the bolt off of the motor and let it drain then turn the key on and make sure the kill switch is off and push the start button and oil will pump out of the lines..

has anyone ever done this ??? does anyone have a easier way to do this?

Leo
03-27-2002, 05:19 AM
the deaaaler told me not to mess with that screw on the bottom of the oil container and that they dont even mess witih it.. just take that hose off that goes to the motor off then take the bolt off of the motor and let it drain then turn the key on and make sure the kill switch is off and push the start button and oil will pump out of the lines..

has anyone ever done this ??? does anyone have a easier way to do this?

huh...?

the easiest way to change the oil is per the service manual.. you do need to be very carefull when tightening the oil drain bolt on the tank, if you overtighten it odds are good that the tank will break the next time you go to remove it..

it can be very tricky to check the oil on the 400.. the best way is to let the idle for 5 minutes (don't rev it up at all!) then shut it off and immediately check it.

if I was betting, I would say it's slightly overfull....

Leo

PsychoDave
03-27-2002, 07:03 AM
I would never crank the engine to get out all the oil!!! I would rather have a little dirty oil at start up than a "DRY" start. Remember it takes a couple of seconds to get the oil flowing....if the lines are clear it takes longer to get oil to the parts...

03-27-2002, 08:01 AM
When I changed the oil in my old Xr200r one time I over filled it and it bubbled up like that. I would say to much oil in it. You should just change the oil yourself. Its very easy to do and will save you saome cash..

03-27-2002, 10:18 AM
Mine also has bubbles in it,,and I add the almost 2 quart recommended amount,,,I think it's done that since day one,,whether new or old oil it's like that.

03-27-2002, 11:07 AM
Bubbles are ok!!!!!!!!!!!! My 300ex does not bubble on the dipstick, but my 400ex has always bubbled on the dipstick when I checked it after letting it warm up. I had the 400ex for 3 years now, no major problems other than a reckless driver.:D

Kadafiy
03-27-2002, 05:52 PM
I get real little bubbles on the dipstick when checking my oil, if that is what you are talking about. That is right after changing th oil and filter. So I think (hope) it's normal.

big-guy
03-27-2002, 06:33 PM
I'm pretty sure the bubbles are just a product of the dry sump set up. bubbles on top won't hurt since the oil flows back into the engine from the bottom of the tank.

yellowrider
03-27-2002, 07:16 PM
yo leo that is what they said that they did cause they was replacing oil jugs left in right and they had to cover it casue they are the one who broke it so sthey start doing it the way i just said above .. i know that seems like alot of work but i rather not replace the oil tank if you knokw what i mean so i guess i will just leson to them

yeah tthat is what i am seeinglittle bubbles ...

VegasEx'r
04-02-2002, 11:58 PM
Originally posted by yellowrider
yo leo that is what they said that they did cause they was replacing oil jugs left in right and they had to cover it casue they are the one who broke it so sthey start doing it the way i just said above .. i know that seems like alot of work but i rather not replace the oil tank if you knokw what i mean so i guess i will just leson to them

yeah tthat is what i am seeinglittle bubbles ...

No way would I let someone do that to my quad, car or any other internal combustion engine I have. Yeah, they are saving themselves money by not having to replace oil tanks, but they are doing it at the cost of your engine. Firing it up to pump all of the oil out is just plain stupid. you are just asking for trouble (in the long run) if you do it like that.

"BLAHH"300!!
04-04-2002, 01:20 AM
i got a headach man......all this talk about "bubbles"
you got bubbles? i got bubbles! why you got bubbles?
i don't know whay i got bubbles!! i got bubbles too? wanna go blow bubbles? yay bubbles!!!!!!

BUBBLES THE SLOTH YAY!!!!!

i've never had bubbles. :(

04-12-2002, 08:23 AM
Here's the story I was told on BUBBLES........... It is in the type of oil used. Conventional car oil does not have some type of additive in it that allows it to bubble up. Your more expensive race oils that are specifically designed for 4 strokes etc. have some type of somethin in it that makes it not bubble up at high vibration/revs. The Castrol 4 stroke oil I used to use had this additive in it. Could be it, might not be it!!!!!!!!

big-guy
04-12-2002, 10:11 AM
As far as I know, all 4 stroke oils will have anti-foaming agents in them. As well as corrosion inhibitors, detergents, and on and on...
There is bound to be some foaming in the tank from all the turbulance of flowing through the lines, and being sloshed about.

I'm not going to worry about foam on the dipstick, as long as there is oil on it.

400exRacerX
04-12-2002, 01:31 PM
Mine bubbled for awhile until I finally noticed it was being overfilled. I think thats one of the reasons my valve seals blew,,,,because my quad had too much oil for a couple of months. Now instead of 2 quarts I put in the 1.9 quarts and it hasnt bubbled since.

04-12-2002, 04:02 PM
I had bubbles before and so has my friends that ride with me so I think it is safe to say, your in the clear! :macho

JOEX
04-12-2002, 11:34 PM
Doesn't Micheal Jackson have a pet monkey named Bubbles?:devil

Chef
04-12-2002, 11:41 PM
I think that part of the reason it bubbles is because of where the oil flows back to the tank at, the top. I think that the oil flows to the cooler, to the motor, then back out into the top of the oil tank, then it has to drip/run down into the resivoir. This could cause bubbling because the oil falls through air...