[journeyman]

imported post

Hi all. New to the forum and new (old) (bike and me) wing owner. Just got a 79 GL 1000 yesterday. Rides beautifully with 65000km. Seems to be a lot of engine noise so I checked the oil...well i tried to check the oil. Seems the filler cap...rear right side of engine near output shaft...is missing thte dipstick ...or is it supposed to have one? No ow3ners manual so thought I'd ask her while waiting for the service manual to arrive. Any help would be appreciated although it sounds like a stupid question. Thanks in advance

 

[fatalattraction]

imported post

HI journeyman and welcome. If you do a search for "oil dipstick" you will pull up quite a few threads about it. I have a 1500 so can't really comment, but the search will give you lots of info.

 

[Goldwinger1984]

imported post

Welcome to the site journeyman. No dipstick on your bike, just a window down at the bottom on the right side. If you have a chrome cover it may be hiding the oil level window. Use a flashlight to check it and try not to overfill with oil or else it will smoke on startup.

Vic

 

[Tonys96]

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The old sight windows, if I remember correctly there'll be a screw in the middle of the sight window for a "wiper" on the inside to clean the window.

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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Yep, if it hasn't broken off.

Vic

 

[Hobie1]

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http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Product/tf-VehicleBrowse/s-10101/Pr-p_Product.CATENTRY_ID:2005450/showCustom-1/p-2005450/N-10111+200008236+111+1983/c-10111

Buy one of these. Simple to install, eliminates laying on ground trying to read through the oily site glass. Costs $20 + shipping.

Hobie

 

[rcmatt007]

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not sure what you mean by a lot of engine noise... the older wings definitly have a rattle with the primary drive chin at idle... do you have the noise at speed? Also, the older wings have tappet noise, so you might adjust the tappets for the valves.

if you still arne't sure about the oil level... at oil change the engine should take about 3 1/2 us quarts of oil.

 

[shydog]

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Don't know if this will work on a GW with sight glass, but I had a Vulcan with sight glass. I just kept a mirror and flash light on a shelf next to where I parked the bike. I could just hold the mirror down in the right area and using the light, get a good view of the sight glass. Would just sit on bike and keep it in upright position to get good reading. That bike didn't have a center stand, so checking the oil off the bike was not very safe...shydog

 

[JDuggan]

imported post

Welcome to the forum journeyman:byebye:. I didn't know the GL1000 had a sight glass, but the one on the GL1100 was a real pig to look through :realshocked:. All the good suggestions in the world don't makefor the fact that it's a poor design. If the bike is on the sidestand you just can't tell if there is oil in the sump, you need to get someone to hold the bike up straight and then check it.
You are better off buying one of the aftermarket dipsticks. They work like a charm .

Oh my God, I'm getting as bad as Redwing with all these smilies :doh:.