Old new bike - Double oil change?

[Lord Derosso]

Hi all. I have barely used my 1998 600F the last 14 months and it only had 2000 miles on the clock when I got it. I am planning a long tour in several months and will get a 'C' service as I have just got to the 3000 mile mark. I have changed the oil and filter a 1000 miles ago(1 year ago) but I was wondering if its a good idea to do a double oil change due to the bike being 8 years old. What I propose is:

Do normal oil change, heat engine, drain and refill.
Repeat procedure but install new filter with second oil change.

I know it may sound like a waste of oil but I have no problems spending the extra $$ for a one off 'flushing' and especially since I would be intending to double the mileage afterwards with the touring. She runs real nice and thats with the original sparkplugs etc so I may be a bit fussy but really it comes down to oil being the main contributor to engine live and I reckon you can tell the difference in proformance after a full change etc.

ANy recommendations on the oil to use please? As I said, $$ isnt a factor as the oil is too important to the wellbeen of the engine. Cheers

[imdying]

If you're looking at big miles, ask aroundthe GSX forums for things that commonly break (for example, maybe the cam chain tensioners are known for giving trouble, or something like that...). Then spend your money on a little preventative maintenance. If everyone bitches about part XYZ failing, then maybe doing it while you've got the time to sort it out would be better than on the road?

[car]

Do normal oil change, heat engine, drain and refill.
Repeat procedure but install new filter with second oil change.

I do that with every new old vehicle I get, although I generally run it for a few days rather than just warm it up. Which reminds me, I should probably source some decent 4T mineral oil and do the ZXR -- it's running on Castrol GTX at the moment.

Everywhere I go, all they sell is ludicrously expensive synthetic oil.

[Lord Derosso]

I think I have been using that since my first bike in the 70's.

Whats this other oil like?

[car]

I think I have been using that since my first bike in the 70's.

I'm probably just being a tool of the doghouse makers, but I was under the impression that regular old car engine oil wasn't the best thing to use in a four-stroke motorcycle engine, because it lubricates the gearbox, possibly clutch, which car oil may not be suitable for.

But the GTX was to hand, and I figured that a few hundred Ks wouldn't kill it. Also, given that the previous owner was either an idiot or a bastard, that I'd be best getting any known quantity in there.

Whats this other oil like?

Which other oil?

[MSTRS:Me]

A double change is probably a good idea, but take your bike for a decent fang between changes to ensure that all the sludge (if any) is well stirred. A good semi-synthethic might be a good idea from then on

[MSTRS:Me]

I'm probably just being a tool of the doghouse makers, but I was under the impression that regular old car engine oil wasn't the best thing to use in a four-stroke motorcycle engine, because it lubricates the gearbox, possibly clutch, which car oil may not be suitable for.

But the GTX was to hand, and I figured that a few hundred Ks wouldn't kill it. Also, given that the previous owner was either an idiot or a bastard, that I'd be best getting any known quantity in there.

Car oils often contain friction-modifiers (whatever they are) and are not good for wet clutches (will slip). But is not bad for your engine/gearbox per se. If car oil does not contain....then will be fine in your m/c esp. if yours is a 70's or older model.

[car]

Car oils often contain friction-modifiers (whatever they are) and are not good for wet clutches (will slip). But is not bad for your engine/gearbox per se. If car oil does not contain....then will be fine in your m/c esp. if yours is a 70's or older model.

Ah. Well, mine's a '90, but cheers.

I've had terrible clutch slippage with every synthetic I've ever used, and consequently used to just use Silkolene's least belled and whistled four-stroke mineral motorcycle oil, changing every minor service. But I'm coming to the conclusion that a semi-synth is as close as I'm going to get in local garages. Might just wait until all the GTX has leaked out before I change it, though.



Seriously, I'm not having any slip problems and I'm not going to change it again until I've got an idea where that leak's coming from.

[Bonez]

HI have changed the oil and filter a 1000 miles ago(1 year ago) but I was wondering if its a good idea to do a double oil change due to the bike being 8 years old.

Waste of money and effort IMHO.

[Lou Girardin]

If you do that, use diesel engine oil for the first change and run it for 100 k's. This oil has more detergent additives than petrol engine oil.
But I wouldn't bother with two changes. Do it once, use good oil.

[Lord Derosso]

I'm probably just being a tool of the doghouse makers, but I was under the impression that regular old car engine oil wasn't the best thing to use in a four-stroke motorcycle engine, because it lubricates the gearbox, possibly clutch, which car oil may not be suitable for.

No, I was referring to the Motorbile version, whatever that was, GTS ?


Which other oil?

4T mineral oil you mentioned?

[car]

4T mineral oil you mentioned?

Ah. I was under the impression that "4T" was a fairly common shorthand for "four-stroke". At least, where I came from.

Not a brand name or anything.

[manyrevs]

I've just been through an oil episode and I was amazed at the lack of different oils suitable for bikes available. It has been a while since I owned a bike and actually changed oil in it (quite a few years) but the one thing I always knew was to NEVER use oils made for cars, in a bike. That includes the likes of Castrol GTX. It may not ever show up but this oil is definitely not made for wet clutches. As was quoted somewhere above, many car oils contain certain additives and other modified contents which aid in pure lubrication as far as metal on metal goes but where you have metal and fibre coming together, then it is far better not to use these oils. As I said - it may never show up in day to day use but I have personally seen a wet clutch all of a sudden develop a slip while using car oil, and the only thing to get rid of it was to completely flush out the oil and replace the knackered fibre plates in the clutch,, and when I say flush out the old oil, I mean flush it out bigtime. I can't completely remember what he used to do this but I think it was kero or similar that he tipped in and rocked the bike from side to side for a while then drained - I could be wrong there but I thought it was kerosine... Anyway, he did this 3 or 4 times and then put the new clutch plates in and after leaving the bike for a few hours, he poured in the new oil. All went well after that but he learned the hard way not to use car oils...

Unless it is made for bike engines, DON'T use it, as it MIGHT induce problems. I asked a question in here about what oils are available and I was quite surprised about the types of oils some of you said you were using. Castrol and Mobil do make bike oils but take care in choosing them. In the end I just stuck to Motul... I have a habbit of changing my oil about every 3000 kms. I have noticed that in every bike I have ever owned, the oil tends to start really discolouring and getting quite dirty at about 2500+ kms, so I set my limit at 3000 kms. Just because the oil changes colour, it doesn't mean that it is losing its quality, but I just like to make sure that good, clean oil is always in my bikes..

Leaving a bike sitting for a year wont hurt the oil but what you should do is to take off the spark plug cables and crank it over for a handful of seconds before you rev the snot out of it, just to get some oil into those galleries and where it is needed but dried away over that time. It is also important to make sure you change that filter. I like to change oil and filter together, again, just to be on the safer side. Cheap insurance...

[Bonez]

I've just been through an oil episode and I was amazed at the lack of different oils suitable for bikes available. It has been a while since I owned a bike and actually changed oil in it (quite a few years) but the one thing I always knew was to NEVER use oils made for cars, in a bike. That includes the likes of Castrol GTX.

Thats quite a broad statement. I've used car oil for years no problem. Generally use the cheapest and change it regularly.

Oh and I'll think you'll find the GTX has change in composition from what it use to be.