Total Motorcycle Community Forums

First off, thank you for reading my post and I appreciate any replies.

I changed my oil about 300 miles ago and I don't think I will do it in dimlight ever again. The dipstick appeared to be fine when I measured my oil and I looked at it again and realized I had overfilled the amount of oil. Like this is the dipstick: min|---------|-Omax: (Where that O is, is about where my oil level was registering.

I traveled 300 miles or so before I started hearing some rattle/clicking happening when downshifting. I checked my oil and found out I overfilled it. I dumped all my oil out and filled it back up with 1.6 qt. I'm now at the halfway mark on my dipstick.

I was doing some reading and apparently too much oil = too much pressure and the oil can actually get bubbles in it from mixing with the air and bubbles don't lubricate very well. So I think I might have some metal filings running around in my engine and that is what is making the clicking noise.

If I'm right, how do I fix this? If I'm wrong, educate me on whats going on.

Thanks,

to see if any metal is in the oil remove the oil filter and cut it apart.

What happens is the oil level gets high enough to be whipped into a froth by the crankshaft. As you state, this mixture doesn't lubricate well. As for the clicking, I don't know if it would be caused by filings. Dissect the filter and see if you find and metallic particals. The clicking could be a symptom of something else.

My 250 doesn't have an actual filter, just the screen.

As an update, it doesn't happen just with downshifting, it also happens when the throttle is closed. Quite frankly this is making me a little nervous every time I'm hearing it, and that's pretty often.

Something else you can do to check for the presence of filings and particles is drain your oil into a clean container with an open top, then examine the contents under a light. You could probably also drain your oil through a coffee filter in an attempt to catch foreign particles. I haven't the slightest idea what might be causing the noise, unfortunately.

I may be way off base here but check that your chain is adjusted and lubricated. That will cause a noise like the one you are describing.
It doesn't sound like you OVERfilled it. It should be fine. Your air filter would be soaked in oil from the crankcase breather if you had WAY TOO much oil.
Tranny's are pretty tough and would not be the first item to go with a lubrication problem. Good luck.

Quick thought here, do they make magnetized drain plugs like they have on vehicles? (I haven't done a 1st ever oil change on a bike yet)

I'm in agreement with Corsco on this one folks. The chance you've done damage to your engine is slim to none. A rattling clinking noise when you're downshifting is probably from excessive chain slack.

Put the bike on its sidestand (with the engine off), and place one finger underneath the bottem of the chain. Life gently, how high can you push it (don't push hard, just lift it).

As for metal shavings in the engine... I REALLY doubt you did THAT much damage, you'd start blowing oil out of gaskets from excessive pressure first and all kinds of other fun stuff. Which you haven't written about, so I wouldn't worry overmuch.

I just finished fixing a Rebel 250 at work that the oil was high on. It turned out to be the fuel petcock. It never shut off so gas just overfilled the carbs, which is not to hard to do on the side stand, and drained slowly into the cylinder. So it ran into the crankcase. All you have to do is check your petcock by pulling off the line and see if gas runs out on OFF. Also in the past week I have had to change out three Rebels carbs cause the seat snak. In other words your floats can not fully shut off the gas and it keeps running. If you havent noticed im a motorcycle tech in Fresno CA. Hope this helps.

Also adjust your valves. They loosen up eaisly and the make an clinking noise in the motor. .003 in. .004 ex. Remember the pistons move at the same time just on oppisite compression strokes. If you don't know what I am talking about have someone help you. If there wrong you can put a hole in you pistion trust me I have seen it happen many many times.