oil change frquency

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by tbtapper, Jun 3, 2003.

  1. tbtapper

    tbtapper New Member

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    Just wanted to get an idea of what folks were doing on frequency of oil changes. Factory cycles are pretty long. I found out why when I did my 600mi. service.
    Major pain getting off the lowers and getting into the filter with the old wrench I had.

    Of course the factory $30 oil filter works better but boy it must be pretty special metal.

    I plan on swithching to Syn when I have about 2k mi on the bike and typically change the filter about every 1,000 mi and top up. Basically never really drain the oil out from that time on.

    Any comments on this program??

    tbtapper
     
  2. Jake

    Jake New Member

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    My humble opinion:

    2000 miles might be a little early to switch to synthetic.  

    Not replacing all your oil should work with the shorter interval.

    FWIW YMMV etc.,
    Jake
     
  3. PaulAmico

    PaulAmico New Member

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    So let me get this straight, you never actually drain and replace the oil after your first change? Just the filter?

    Hmmmm. Never heard of it done that way. Interesting.

    I run Golden Spectro 4 semi-syn in my bike. I've heard that full syn can cause clutch slippage. I change the oil and filter every 3000 miles religiously. I got my bike with 31K on it and want it to laaaaaast. ;D

    I have a '93, so all I have to do to get the filter off is to remove the side fairing and maybe 1 screw in the lower. This allows me to move the lower out of the way enough to get the filter out. The other thing I do is to stretch the change out over a night. Ride hard, come home, drain the oil and let sit overnight. Next day come out and remove the filter and put oil back in. I could do the change in about 10 minutes, but I don't care for burnt knuckes.
     
  4. Guest

    Guest Guest

    $30 bucks for an oil filter? :eek: Do they supply the vaseline, or do you have to pay for that too?

    Order a bunch of filters online from servicehonda.com or ronayers.com and save yourself a pile of dough.

    As for only changing the filter (every 1000km) and not the oil, that's a pile of bunk. You should change the oil AND filter every 3000 miles or 5000km.

    Leaving the same oil in there and topping off is foolish. It's false economy. The few bucks you save on oil is a pittance if you only knew what was happening to your oil over time. Fuel dilution reduces the viscosity, the clutch and gearbox shear the oil, and what are you left with? Minimal film strength to separate the moving parts.

    Use a good, brand name oil, with a non-energy conserving rating, 10W-40 viscosity or better. Your engine will thank you.
     
  5. FlyBoy

    FlyBoy New Member

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    Must say I agree with Rob - simply changing the filter and topping off isn't a good idea. Years ago racers just ran their oil through a sock and put it right back in the engine. Needless to say, they'd never finish a race if they did that today.

    Modern multi-vis oil is chemically complex. I attended a technical forum put on by Mobil a few years ago. Found out that multi-vis oils do what they do by using long-chain molecules. The "oil for idiots" explanation is simple: When things warm up, the molecules elongate and the interlinking between those molecular chains increases. This increases viscosity at higher temps. The converse is true at the lower temps.

    Problem with the idea of running old oil is that those long chain molecules shear down inside your engine over time. The moving parts within the engine have very tight tolerances in many areas. This literally cuts those molecules apart, and thus breaks down the oil over time. So, old oil won't have the proper viscosity properties if left in too long.

    Finally, the base stock the oil is made out of will loose its ability to protect the motor over time too. Synthetic base stocks will last longer, in fact ALOT longer than natural ones will. I routinely run synthetic about twice as long as I'd run a standard oil - as long as I also run a double pass high efficiency filter. If you do the numbers on the $$, running the high-dollar oil will actually cost less and protect the engine better. (I have no experience with the clutch slippage issue, which might alter your thinking about full synthetic)
     
  6. Guest

    Guest Guest

    It is amazing what people do. I am shocked that a person would never change the oil and just top it off. (Synthetic oil or otherwise.) I am also amazed that humans would hijack a plane and crash it into the World Trade Center. It is amazing what people believe and do.
     
  7. Guest

    Guest Guest

    I just bought a 03 VFR. What to get an opinion on when to do my first oil change? What type of oil? Thanks this is my first street ride and I must say I really having fun with it.
     
  8. Tourmeister

    Tourmeister New Member

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    Howdy,

    I would not start using full syn until 6K. This lets the clutch get nicely bedded in. After that, use whatever you please and you should never have any clutch slippage problems. I've got a hair over 58K on my 98 with nary a slip and have been running the syn since about 9K.

    I do a lot of touring, upwards of 25K a year. I change my oil when I remember... that works out to about 5-6K and I replace the filter as well. The bikes are running perfect right now. 47K on the 01 and 58K on the 98. If you live in a really dusty area and ride in nasty conditions all the time, you might want to change the oil and filter ever 3K religiously, but seriously, it is not that big a deal nowdays. ::)

    You only have to remove the left side cowling to do the oil on the 98-01 models despite what the manual says.

    Adios,
     
  9. Webbfire2004

    Webbfire2004 New Member

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    One thing no one has mentioned here is it is wise to drain and replace the oil when you store the bike for the winter ( or for any extended time ) because the acids and contaminates in used oil will over time damage the internals of any engine. The added benefit is it is one less thing to do in the spring when you get that first primal urge to ride!
     
  10. Tourmeister

    Tourmeister New Member

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    Winter?! What the hell is that?! :p

    Ride my babies year round ;D
     
  11. Webbfire2004

    Webbfire2004 New Member

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    Lucky you...
     
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