oil level check.

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mrapriliafalco · #16 Post by **mrapriliafalco** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:51 pm

If I go for a blat then check the oil level the tube is completely full to overflowing even an hour later but in the morning it shows it as virtually empty and its plays on your mind with that reading.

Syltiz · #17 Post by **Syltiz** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:58 pm

D-Rider... thats a novel idea.... checking the manual... hmmm

I put my trust in this: http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/show ... hp?t=82247

Howard... I hear what you are saying re the comparison to a car's dipstick but on the Falco, the oil is not being splashed about the tube as is the case with a car's dipstick. In the Falco the level remains constant only increasing or decreasing in line with the revs.

fastasfcuk · #18 Post by **fastasfcuk** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 2:26 pm

i can't believe this is getting so complicated, it's so easy, switch it of when it's hot i e when the fans kick in, check the level, job done.

robertorolfo · #19 Post by **robertorolfo** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 3:43 pm

I gotta agree that things are getting too complicated. Just follow the manual... it seems simple enough. And be thankful that there is such a large margin between the MAX and MIN levels. On my last bike, there was a small sight glass with about 3/4 of an inch between the two marks (Ducati), so you had to make super sure the thing was perfectly upright.

Anyway, can we argue some more about sparkplugs? Just changed mine this weekend. The old 9E's on the rear cylinder were totally caked with white junk, and the gaps looked might big. The engine had been running pretty well though, with the occassional "EFI" blinking 3 times at startup (AFTER SATARTUP) and then going away.

Anyway, I put in new 8E's (only thing available, which cost 10 Euro each by the way, as opposed to $4 US)... but here is the best part. I couldn't pick up a plug gapper in any of the shops in my neighborhood here in Rome (and don't even get me started on the lack of a decent Aprilia dealer/mechanic in fuckin Rome, Italy!).

Anyway, an email from the folks at NGK said that it came from the factory at .8mm, so I just tightened it up a bit to fit the specs (althought I couldn't double check being without a gapper). Anyway, it was noticable smaller than the gap on the plugs I took out (and who the fuk knows when they were last changed, as I bought the bike with 39K Kilometers...)

Long story short, everything feels good but just a bit more vibey at higher revs. Does anyone know if this could be down to the gap? I'm probably closer to .6mm if anything, and I know that my Ducati was very sensitive to the plug gaps. A difference of .1 or .2 here or there could really be felt in the level of vibes. Of course, playing with the plugs on that bike was a 10 minute job (at most) and could be done almost dailly till finding the right gap. The whole deal with the airbox and hard to reach plugs is something I'm sure you are all familiar with.

sthomson1 · #20 Post by **sthomson1** » Mon Sep 29, 2008 4:56 pm

who would have thought checking the oil level would be sooooo complicated.

I took my bike for a run, checked the oil ... too much .... drained until it was just below MAX.

Checked it this morning (cold), oil was showing just above MIN ... im leaving it for now, im sick of adding and draining oil.

thanks for all the comments guys.
cheers
steve

HowardQ · #21 Post by **HowardQ** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 11:34 am

Interesting idea this looking at the manual thing, but what would we then do at dinnertime.

As for the plug gap again I have to say "I ain't got the manual at work", (should I start to bring it in?).
Can't remember the exact gap, but would not have thought a small difference in gap would cause a major difference in vibration on any V/Twin that you actually could feel. Lets face it V/Twins all vibrate through the range (one of the things I like about em !!), but I would not have thought you could tell the difference at high revs. Would be nice to test the theory this weekend, but since I had new plugs fitted a few months ago I'll not go through the pain of taking em out to change settings and road test it!

D-Rider · #22 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:03 pm

HowardQ wrote: As for the plug gap again I have to say "I ain't got the manual at work", (should I start to bring it in?).

But if you've got a PC at work (which it seems you have ....) you do have access to the manual (and hopefully I won't have to keep repeating this every day)

Owners Manual in all published languages (Official Aprilia website):
http://www.serviceaprilia.com/public/lu ... SL%20Mille

Owners Manual in English & Danish, Workshop Manual (English) and various other manuals and resources (Martin Poll's Website):
http://www.martinpoll.dk/div_april.htm

All the info is to hand

Aladinsaneuk · #23 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:12 pm

you have had your falco for HOW long and still do not know it by heart?

LOL

andy is right, the links are useful - I am that sad the pdf files stay on ,y usb stick on my house keys :)

Falcopops · #24 Post by **Falcopops** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 12:15 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:I am that sad the pdf files stay on ,y usb stick on my house keys :)

Phew I thought I was the only one

robertorolfo · #25 Post by **robertorolfo** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:38 pm

Hey Howard, you would be surprised. I mean, of course they all vibrate to some extent... but sometimes it is slightly worse than others (on the same bike I mean). I don't know the best way to describe it, other than to say sometimes you can get the sensation that the motor is somewhat isolated, and you don't feel much through the bars and pegs. Other times you really feel it through the bars to the point it is intrusive.

Like I said, on my Ducati you could easily feel the difference in the plug gap.

My Falco is just strange. I mean, it was in pretty bad shape when I got it, and it has always been weird. If you ride for more than 10 minutes, turn the engine off (to get gas, run an errand) and start it up again, the engine feels totally different. And then sometimes there is that random EFI light when you first start it. Only happens on occasion, with no predictability.

Anyway, it is just that sometimes (again, hard to predict) my Falco motor feels really smooth. Past 6k RPM, you hear it wailing a bit, but you don't feel a thing. I mean nothing through the bars and pegs, totally smooth (the old sewing maching reference comes to mind). Really makes you want to rev the thing and enjoy it.

But this is the exception for me rather than the rule... and I am looking for a way to keep it like that all the time. I've tried different brands of fuel, injectot cleaners... still nothing. What I really would like is to try another Falco to see how the engine feels (and I guess how it should feel), but I don't know anybody here that has one.

D-Rider · #26 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 4:56 pm

If it was just consistently rough, I'd say check that your throttle bodies were synchronised and, if you are running with a PCIII to try a different map .... but it doesn't sound that simple.
I'll have to have a look at the manual to remind me what the EFI means when it flashes like that.

Can't help much with another Falco to try in Rome - do you know anyone with an old shape Mille - the general feel should be about the same - basically the same motor.

Cheers.

HowardQ · #27 Post by **HowardQ** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 11:41 am

Would agree with Andy's comments regarding the EFI Flashes, it sounds like it could be some sort of intermittant problem, just possibly one caused by heat sink when the bike is switched off when hot, like at a petrol station, when the heat is still there but no oil or water flowing and no cooling air.

As for some of the useful links, yes it would be nice if I could see them, we have pretty evil email filters here, so get virtually no images/links at work, not even bike pictures.

And finally.
As for Styltiz's comment about the viewing tube, mine always seems to be covered in oil when running/just run, which I always assumed was part of the flow from the gravity/pumped (?) oil return system, so have to leave mine a while until this runs down, then can clearly see the level in the tube. As I said previously checking can be a bit of a pain but levels are not as critical as some other bikes, so just keep your end up folks, with no worries about engine blow ups. (front end that is)

robertorolfo · #28 Post by **robertorolfo** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:01 pm

I've read the manual over several times (in Italian and English) in hopes of an EFI answer. Nadda. Hooked up the wires near the ECU for a diagnostic last week, and found nothing. These random problems are always the worst. Really, I don't worry about it too much though. The EFI does NOT have a dirrect correlation with the rough running, so it isn't my priority. And the manual only says to worry if it comes on during "normal engine operation"... which it technically does for a second, but it goes away right after. If it came on while I was riding, and stayed on, then I would be worried.

Anyway, If I have time (and I think I will) I will regap the plugs this weekend and report back. As much as a pain in the ass it is, I really do enjoy working on it.

Firestarter · #29 Post by **Firestarter** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:09 pm

I've had periodic EFI on start-up since day one. Hasn't ever concerned me, I just assumed it was something in a not-quite ideal situation on start up (like the mixture not being quite right due to temp or something?), but like you say, it clears straight away so I've never bothered looking into it. The engine hasn't blown up on mine...yet (famous last words) :smt073

joecrx · #30 Post by **joecrx** » Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:45 pm

my bike is in for a MOT and all fluids and filters changed i hope hope the aprilia dealer i put it into knows how to do it right , maybe i should print d-riders thread just in case

i will be checking when i get it back