Change oil before or after ride?

[Flyingpony]

Couldn't find an existing thread so here goes.

My bike will be getting an oil change within the month but because it hasn't travelled more than 10km per ride in the past 12 months, it's therefore not had a workout nor reached ideal operating temperature.

My current thought is to give it a short workout on the port hills behind Chch in a couple weeks time to properly heat things up and dislodge any sludge. Then it'll get a change of oil & filter (plus some other tid bits).

Is this the right idea?
Thanks

Edit: Would've attended the 'hill top' run but had commitments and still need new sprockets & chain to be fitted. University is nearly finished for this term. One more week to go - yaa! Then for new chain & sprockets.

[zadok]

I'm no expert, but your idea sounds ok to me. My only concern is how many clicks you have done on the oil in it now.
Is that a two stroke bike, by the way?

[inlinefour]

I've been changing my own engine oil since I was eight (I'm 33 now) on both 2-stoke and 4-stroke, 50cc-750cc. What I was taught as a young fella was to warm the bike up first on lidle , shut it off and then proceed to remove to remove the oil and filter (if it has one). The warmer oil allows it to flow better. I go off for a coffee and a read of the paper (the bike is inside in the workshop) to allow all the drips out. On with the new filter, sump nut and in with the oil. Just remember that the filter will fill up with oil, so a top up is needed. However once I buy the CBR600RR, I doubt if I'll bother doing it to that. More likely to leave that to the service mechanics :devil2:

[TonyB]

Doesn't really apply to your situation, but a mechanic once said to me (about changing the oil in the car), "why take it for a drive to warm it up? It was hot when you put it away, right? And all the oil drains to the sump, right....?"

[Sensei]

I do mine cold so there is no oil left sitting up the top end which can dirt the new stuff straight away when you start it back up plus you don't burn yourself with the hot oil either .

[FROSTY]

depends on how rich ya feel dude. 12 months no oil change--scarey
if ya can afford it I'd warm the engine up a little-dump the oil .Then throw in some cheap oil and do the port hills run.Then do ya oil and filter change.
I wouldn't normally suggest it but being as its been awhile since the last change ya might have a bit more crap in there than normal

[Yarg]

would certainly warm the oil first. it flows better when hot. Change oil at more frequent intervals.

[JohnBoy]

would certainly warm the oil first. it flows better when hot. Change oil at more frequent intervals.

agree, much easier. only issue is if your bike is like mine, you will probably end up burning your arm! :mad:

[250learna]

Doesn't really apply to your situation, but a mechanic once said to me (about changing the oil in the car), "why take it for a drive to warm it up? It was hot when you put it away, right? And all the oil drains to the sump, right....?"

it doesnt matter if its cold, it just takes longer to drain it proparly.
The up side is that you dont have to worry bout the "hot" bits

[inlinefour]

I've never burnt myself doing an oil change. If the oil is THAT hot then your an idiot :weird:
Sensei, I once asked about that myself, about mixing the old with the new. I was told by a qualified mechanic that if the oil is cold it tends to stick to the inside of the engine much more and getting it warm will ensure it gets flowing and along with gravity, out of the bike. At the end of the day I can't offer any factual evidence on what is best, just know what I've been told by people who should know. Either way: regular maintiance equals no worries :ride:

[250learna]

I saw a honda service guy from england say that when filter is hard to reach they do it on a cold engine, jst takes them longer. I always take the bike for a bit of a spin to warm it up... any excuse to ride :ride:
ive always changed on a warm engine, same with my car... and never go burnet
:niceone:

[Lou Girardin]

Drain it cold so that all the oil has settled in the sump. If your usage is a few, short rides use a good quality mineral oil and change it every 2000 to 3000 km.

[Motu]

We have to keep a balance here so I say change it hot,water is the biggest contaminant in oil,get it to max temp and drop it...oh dear you burnt your hand,that's tough,wrap it in your apron till it gets better.You won't get all the oil out,and you better hope you don't....you need some oil around for start up with drained filter.

[g34l]

thanks for the idea!! i thought i can just let the oil out as it is!

[Ixion]

We have to keep a balance here so I say change it hot,water is the biggest contaminant in oil,get it to max temp and drop it...oh dear you burnt your hand,that's tough,wrap it in your apron till it gets better.You won't get all the oil out,and you better hope you don't....you need some oil around for start up with drained filter.

I wonder if anyone still uses flushing oil. Or if it is even obtainable

[inlinefour]

Hot/cold? Has anyone just heard of plain old warm?

[eliot-ness]

I wonder if anyone still uses flushing oil. Or if it is even obtainable
Yep. Still available. wouldn't use it though. Modern high performance oils keep the gunk in suspension and it's trapped in the filter.Water contamination is the problem with engines that are not run up to temperature regularly. In extreme cases condensation build up in the crankcase will eventually dilute the oil. Run the engine up to operating temperature to evaporate the moisture, a short ride will do it, and change while hot. As commented previously change oil more often if you don't ride much.

[Motu]

I wonder if anyone still uses flushing oil. Or if it is even obtainable

You can still get it,but is frowned apon by those in the know - but those in the know don't work in the real world.If I get a real nasty one I will use a flush or just a water soluable degreaser like Turgosol,this will take out the water as well.

I once read something an oil expert had to say on a US site - on start up an average engine (V8 I presume) produces 3 litres (quarts) of water vapor,scary eh?

[Flyingpony]

12 months no oil change--scarey

How frequently should it be changed?
Currently I do 3-4 thousand km per year.

[Flyingpony]

Is that a two stroke bike, by the way?
FXR's are four stroke. It's cousin the RGV is two stroke.
Can see some spec's here. http://www.fxr150.ws.net.nz/index.php

[250learna]

FXR's are four stroke. It's cousin the RGV is two stroke.
Can see some spec's here. http://www.fxr150.ws.net.nz/index.php

hahaha 150kph on an fxr... maybe if you ride it of a cliff and have a realy long drop to pick up speed :niceone: and thats if you are taking into account the speedo being bout 10% off

[TwoSeven]

I change my oil once in a blue moon. The krappisaki gets left overs out of other bikes and it last had a filter change about 5 years ago.

Doesnt make any difference now if you use hot or cold (I always thought modern bikes run oil at 60C anyhow).

Modern oil works as a cleanser as well as a lubricant and separates muck from the oil (diesel car oil suspends, normal oil doesnt). So you dont really want the bike sitting because you wont get the muck out of the bottom of your sump.

I think the biggest thing is the old wives tails havnt caught up with modern technology.

[Paul in NZ]

Some of my bikes you change the oil while you are riding it...

Just top it up when you stop!

[Ixion]

Some of my bikes you change the oil while you are riding it...

Just top it up when you stop!

That's standard for Briddish bikes.

They have a separate oil tank and a total loss oil system. The oil is pumped from the tank to the engine bearings etc, then squirts out here there and everywhere. Makes me laugh when people talk about buying chain oilers, for years all the bikes I rode had an automatic chain oiler . T'was touted as a special feature on some with a feed from the primary chaincase, on the others the chain just got lubed by the general oil mist that surrounded the bike and lubed everything in sight, including the rider, and any pedestrians silly enough to come close.

[eliot-ness]

That's standard for Briddish bikes.

They have a separate oil tank and a total loss oil system. The oil is pumped from the tank to the engine bearings etc, then squirts out here there and everywhere. Makes me laugh when people talk about buying chain oilers, for years all the bikes I rode had an automatic chain oiler . T'was touted as a special feature on some with a feed from the primary chaincase, on the others the chain just got lubed by the general oil mist that surrounded the bike and lubed everything in sight, including the rider, and any pedestrians silly enough to come close.


Pommie ingenuity old chap. Chain oiler, paint and chrome protector, rear tire lubricant and boot waterproofer. All fitted as standard and we had it 60yrs before anyone else. Buy British, help support the immigrants.