REF: Oiling & Lubrication - Sub-05C

Homemade Primary Oil Sight Gauge

Article by asasial of the XLFORUM 1)
This should be done with the primary cover removed to keep the shavings from the drilling and tapping out of your engine.

  • Parts:
    • 1/8“ MIP to 1/4” 90° brass fitting
      (any hardware store should carry these and you can also get creative with 90° fittings in your choice of brass or stainless steel)
    • 1/4“ clear tubing (or the milky colored tubing used for an ice maker works as well)
    • 1/8” pipe tap
    • Pipe dope
  • Mark the holes for the length you want (the site tube should extend higher than the optimum oil level).
  • Pre-drill the holes
  • Tap the threads with a 1/8“ pipe tap (tapered thread)
    • Only run the tap in about half way and check your fitment.
    • If the fitting needs to go farther in, take it out and run the tap back in a little more and then re-check fitment.
      With the tapered pipe tap, the hole gets bigger the further you screw it in. Run it in too far and it can make for a bad fit and cause leakage.
  • Install the fittings with some pipe dope on the threads and put a piece of clear tubing between them and that's all there is to it.
  • With the bike on the kickstand, the level may be a little over the top of the tube. But, if you put a mark with a sharpie on your cover (level with the check plug towards the front of the cover) you will see where it should be with the bike level.
  • Once you get use to seeing where it should be, you won't have to worry much about having a mark.
Primary Site Plug 2)


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