Misc: Everything Else Series 'D' Checking Oil on a Series 'D'
- Thread starter Pigstud
- Start date
No dip stick and check it just after a run to ensure that there is not a build up of oil in the crank case.
Yes, being a D the oil tank is at the rear I believe. On earlier models, we just peer inside the oil tank and if we can see the cross brace, add a smidge. A smidge is a technical term. One smidge = correct amount. Two smidges if we're talking Scotch. 
Not to be confused with a smudge which is what happens when you wipe your fingers on your pants after using them to clean your dipstick.
Not to be confused with a smudge which is what happens when you wipe your fingers on your pants after using them to clean your dipstick. 
The oil level should be visible on the back slope of the underseat oil tank. Worth a glance before you ride ideally with the engine running to check the return. Unlike the other post war models you cannot check this without getting off.
I've asked this question a couple of times and got various answers. First of all, Richardson quotes a figure for the capacity of the oil tank which is completely wrong. I took my tank off and measured the total capacity and found that filled to the brim, it wouldn't take his amount. Sorry, I don't remember the numbers. Once I knew that that wasn't going to help, I put it to the back of my mind.
The problem I've had and others seem to have as well, is that there's a fine line between having enough for the health of the engine and having so much that oil spits out of the cap. I've resorted to using a spoke as a dip stick and keeping the level at halfway up the threads. That's with the spoke slanted into the tank as far as possible. It may be too low but hasn't caused any problems yet.
I've also played with various breather solutions and have what I think is a fairly good setup in that respect, but the oil tank is the weak link.
The problem I've had and others seem to have as well, is that there's a fine line between having enough for the health of the engine and having so much that oil spits out of the cap. I've resorted to using a spoke as a dip stick and keeping the level at halfway up the threads. That's with the spoke slanted into the tank as far as possible. It may be too low but hasn't caused any problems yet.
I've also played with various breather solutions and have what I think is a fairly good setup in that respect, but the oil tank is the weak link.
Brian Chapman, amongst others extended the bottom of his open D oil tank by adding what I think was a BSA oil tank.
On a enclosed "D" remove the cap under the seat. Inside the hole you will see a square block of steel, on the backside of the block there is a hole in it. This hole is the oil return from the crankcase, start the engine and wait for the oil to come out of this hole. As for the level i always have mine about 1/2inch below this hole. Any higher than the hole can cause frothing and the blowing of oil out of the cap.