5.4 ENGINE OIL
Check the oil level
every 5,000 km (3100 mi) or 6 months
As far as four-stroke engines are concerned, engine oil is used to
lubricate distribution components, base bearings and thermal
unit. An insufficient amount of oil can seriously damage the
engine.
In all four-stroke engines, deterioration of the oil and a certain
1
consumption are to be considered normal. Consumption, in par-
ticular, strictly relates to conditions of usage (oil consumption in-
creases if the vehicle is used with the throttle fully open).
2
To prevent trouble, check the oil level more frequently with re-
spect to the indications given in the MAINTENANCE TABLE, es-
pecially before long journeys.
3
The vehicle features a control system that activates the "LOW
OIL PRESSURE" alarm signal of the digital instrument board in
the event of trouble.
4
Checking the oil level
This check should be performed when the engine is cold, as
described below:
5
1) Park the vehicle on flat ground and put it on its centre stand.
2) Unscrew the cap/dipstick (A - Fig. 27), dry it with a clean cloth
and refit it, wrenching it firmly in place.
3) Remove the cap/dipstick and make sure the level falls be-
6
tween the MAX and MIN notches; if necessary, top up with Q8
FORMULA EXCEL SAE 5W40 oil.
The MAX level notch corresponds to quantity of about 1700
cm
3
of oil in the engine.
34
When checking the oil level, make sure the vehicle is
upright; slight tilting may alter the values.
If you need to check the level when the engine is warm,
remember that the level line will be lower. It is best to
wait at least 10 minutes from stopping the engine in or-
der to have a correct reading
ENGLISH
Max
Min
A
Fig. 27