Thanks Macb! I retrofitted the long stick to my 08 about 2 years ago when I first became aware of this. I puzzled it out and posted my guesswork on my uk home forum. My Striple has never used any appreciable amount of oil but I gather there have been quite a few Daytona riders reporting oil use.
It is a real benefit to the 675 community to have an authoritative source from you for this inexpensive and useful mod.

 

Not really a 'mod' though, is it??...you simply use the old dipstick and fill it to the top of the hatch-marks...job done!

 

MacBandit - I consider myself pretty OCD when it comes to servicing my bike, and have always, from day one, have had trouble reading the level on that stupid dip stick. I know it has to do with the stick being located directly under the fill hole, where it is prone to collect drips from above, ect. and give a "false" reading. To be honest, it's extremely hard to tell any difference between 3.5 and 4 quarts when filling my bike. I know many others have the same difficulty reading the stick as well. I've tried the "filling on the side stand and tilting slowly trick", as well as many other ways to do it, all with less than confident results.
I think it would go a long way towards killing this beast once and for all if we knew that an oil & filter change could be simplified into something like:

1. Drain oil.
2. Remove filter.
3. Wait 10 minutes.
4. Install new, empty filter.
5. Dump 4 liters of oil into sump.
6. Done, NO NEED TO CHECK LEVEL.

If we didn't have to "guess" what the real level on that stick was, it would be a whole lot easier. Do you have a typical method like the above scenario?

 

i must be even more ocd than you because even if there were a by-the-numbers instruction like that.....I would still check with the dipstick 2 or 3 times the end anyway.

 

No unfortunately I don't. As I typically do it strapped to a lift so it's level. Every bike drops a different amount of oil and each change can be different due to what position parts are in the motor at that time. Honestly what I do when I'm checking the oil is remove the dipstick wipe it down stand the bike up with one hand and balance it then screw the ship stick in and back out with the other. It sounds difficult but with some practice it's quite easy. As for anal there's no reason to be its not an exact process and you just need to be in the ballpark.

 

There was a great deal of conjecture and assumptions made surrounding this change with many people believing that Triumph had altered the oil pan or internals of the bike in order to increase the oil capacity. The truth is far simpler. There were no internal changes and the oil pan is the same...

Thank you MacBandit for this important posting.

When the second generation 675 was launched, the press at the time reported the larger sump. Maybe they were bamboozled by Triumph (actually Simon Warburton!), or maybe they saw the increased oil capacity on the new launch specs and assumed Triumph had increased the sump capacity by 0.5 litre. There were many stories at the time of engine failures and excess oil usage of the previous model after all. I remember some journo stating that the increased sump capacity was due to Triumph's experience in racing the 675!

You are of course correct I have just checked the Part No. for the sump on bikes from VIN 381275 (T1230008). It is exactly the the part no. for bikes up to VIN 381274.

Would I be correct therefore in assuming that the new dipstick will be good for pre-2009 Daytona 675's, i.e., from launch in 2006? Or alternatively, add 4 litres of oil to my 2007 675 and leave it at that -- as per the advice of Neanderthal?

Finally, do you have a part no. for the new condition dipstick?

 

Okay, I have just found the edition of Tech News (#112). Here is a screen capture of the actual advisement:

Strange though that Triumph recommend that "it is not necessary to replace older dipsticks and owners should continue to set their oil levels according to the dipstick that is fitted."

And yet the oil capacity will increase if the new condition dipstick is fitted.

Which is better? Less oil, possible engine failure. More oil: better protection against possible engine failure? Or is the extra oil capacity simply to provide a better reserve should the engine burn oil as some were doing?

 

I'm 99% sure their reasoning was for reserve in case of burn. That said more oil is typically better because it takes longer to break down and the added volume helps cool the motor.

 

Thanks Mac - good posting and answers for all

 

Thanks for the info - very useful!

 

x2...could you possibly add what brand and weight Triumph/your shop recommends? TIA

 

Reviving an old thread, but I recently got my '13 back from the dealer for the 500 mile service. I checked the oil after I went for a short ride in the cold (was hearing an ever so slight metallic tapping that I attributed to it being 30°F out, but wanted to check the oil just in case) and found that the oil had be filled all the way to the top of the hash marks. Could this cause any issues? Should I remove a bit of oil?

 

The difference is very slight. When faced with the same issue, I used a small (very clean) bit of tubing attached to a large syringe to draw the excess out of the dipstick hole. Worked like a charm and saved me the hassle, and potential mess of trying to either partially drain, or fully drain and refill.

 

Wouldn't hurt to drain and refill to the correct level.
I had a bike that was overfilled (dipstick reading) by a mechanic. By the time I was finished with a drain and refill, I found the engine was overfilled by 16oz. (measured content).

 

First check the oil per Triumph's instructions in your manual. Run for 5 minutes then cool for 3. I've found that even shorter rides cause the oil to look overfilled on the dipstick but checking with the advised procedure shows normal levels. To half-ass a compromise I shoot for the second line on the dipstick (2/3 up the hash marks). None of this deals with the really confusing illustration in the manual which one would have thought Triumph could have cleared up by now.

 

So on my 2011 speed triple my dipstick only has two of those little x's where as the short dip stick in this picture has like 11 x's. How do I read my dip stick?

 

You have a Speed tripe not a Street triple. This doesn’t apply to you.

 

Oh sorry, I didnt even realize it said street and not speed.

 

It happens a lot.