Oil Change Question/Thoughts


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lwclancers

New Member
Wanted to get your thoughts. Up until October the dealer did my oil changes...I then did my first one myself in October. I switched out to Amsoil full synthetic :thumbup: and a new oil filter.

I was able to get about 300 miles riding in before I pretty much winterized her and put her up on the stands. I have started it a couple of times this winter just to make sure the battery was still charging, etc.

Now my question is, should I do another oil change now for the spring? Or since I have barely ridden, and its on full synthetic should I be good to for for awhile?
 
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lwclancers

New Member
Thanks, that's my thinking too. Just wanted to confirm with more people that know a bit more about this then me :)

Chevyfazer said:
Since it has a high quality synthetic and was only sitting through the winter you should be fine.
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S

Superzoom

New Member
I agree that you're perfectly fine. The theory is that you don't want old oil to sit in your bike all winter because the oil is contaminated with corrosives (water, etc.) which will corrode the interior of your engine. You wouldn't have got many contaminants in your oil in only 300 miles of riding.

Starting your bike while winterized is generally a bad idea if you don't get the bike up to full operating temperature. Supposedly condensation is created which can lead to more corrosion. Better to put the battery on a motorcycle battery specific trickle charger.
 
J

JSP

Super Moderator
Don't start the bike if you are not going to ride it and get it up past normal operating temps for a little bit of time. That can cause condensation and not get burned off in your crank case.

The charging system will not really charge your battery at idle. This can actually drain your battery and hurt the battery. So you should be using a battery tender in the winter if you cannot ride it.

Lots of people have different thoughts about storing the bike with used oil in it. I believe you really do not want to store a bike with used oil in it. Once the oil has been run through the bike, it breaks down and can turn acidic with all the combustion by-product in the case. This can start to eat at the metal.

It is recommended to top the gas off and add fuel stabilizer. Heat the bike up to operating temps, drain the old oil, put in a cheap MC oil and do not start it again through storage. Put the battery on a battery tender and leave it be. Store on stands if you can. If not, move the bike around ever couple weeks so the tires do not get flat spots. Then come riding season, drain oil, add your preferred oil and go. (after normal checks, tire psi, etc.)

I can always get a ride in at least twice a month so I do not winterize.
 
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lwclancers

New Member
Oh I know. I should have been a tad more descriptive of the other things. I only started it twice...and both time it ran for over 20 minutes and some slow steady revs to let it heat up. And it was stored on front and rear stands. And has been on a battery tender the whole time. The tank was full with Seafoam in it :)

I was just concerned with the oil. If it had been cheap oil and I ran it longer I'd swap out for new oil no questions asked. I have to get it inspected next month too (just remembered haha). I think I might take her off the stands this weekend and get her ready for the spring.
 
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Rawknrohl

New Member
I change the oil and filter when I park it for the winter, fill the tank and put stabilizer in it. In the spring I change the clean oil and filter out again and there is some nasty looking stuff in the clean oil (looks like white slime/mold -may be nothing but it looks gross. Oil costs less than your engine. :) I actually did this tonight to get ready for summer, almost there, whoo! Oh, I also drain the fuel that sat in it all winter and put in fresh fuel and some starbrite fuel cleaner in the first tank. Do not run oil that sat all winter or ever park it for winter without fresh oil...imho. Keep it tires down and enjoy the coming summer!!!:rolleyes:
 
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fz6r marc

New Member
That might be excessive..

Rawknrohl said:
I change the oil and filter when I park it for the winter, fill the tank and put stabilizer in it. In the spring I change the clean oil and filter out again and there is some nasty looking stuff in the clean oil (looks like white slime/mold -may be nothing but it looks gross. Oil costs less than your engine. :) I actually did this tonight to get ready for summer, almost there, whoo! Oh, I also drain the fuel that sat in it all winter and put in fresh fuel and some starbrite fuel cleaner in the first tank. Do not run oil that sat all winter or ever park it for winter without fresh oil...imho. Keep it tires down and enjoy the coming summer!!!:rolleyes:
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Dude, I am as OCD as it gets but to change your oil--put the bike away--- and change again in the spring? I don't know but it seems like a huge amount of time and some money for nothing. However, I have no idea what the slime/mold is.
 
J

JSP

Super Moderator
fz6r marc said:
Dude, I am as OCD as it gets but to change your oil--put the bike away--- and change again in the spring? I don't know but it seems like a huge amount of time and some money for nothing. However, I have no idea what the slime/mold is.
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It is generally moisture. Water and oil do not mix. It turns up looking like streaks of milkshake.
 
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Nastybutler

Cynical Member
Elite Member
fz6r marc said:
Dude, I am as OCD as it gets but to change your oil--put the bike away--- and change again in the spring? I don't know but it seems like a huge amount of time and some money for nothing.
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This is what I do too. And like the OP I had just put Amsoil in a few hundred miles before I had to put her away. The oil I put in over the winter is the cheap stuff though.
 
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fz6r marc

New Member
Great , now I have something else to be neurotic about!

Nastybutler said:
This is what I do too. And like the OP I had just put Amsoil in a few hundred miles before I had to put her away. The oil I put in over the winter is the cheap stuff though.
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I guess I will have to rethink the whole oil/winter prep.
 
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Nastybutler

Cynical Member
Elite Member
It doesn't take much for the oil to turn acidic, from what I've been told (no proof to back it up and no links to data or experts so be nice Useless Pickles & Chevyfazer).

Let the record show that this is the first winter for my 6R and it's the first time I've done it like this. I wasn't so nice to my Ninja 500.
 
J

JSP

Super Moderator
A lot of people actually even go so far as to pull the spark plugs and put some oil in the top of each cylinder for storage.
 
J

JSP

Super Moderator
danieljardim said:
Instead of putting fuel stabilizer for the winter and a fresh tank of gas on srping. can i just drain the tank and leave empty?
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No, you want to have it as full as possible so there is no air in there. Air = rust. Rust = baaaaad.
 
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Nastybutler

Cynical Member
Elite Member
danieljardim said:
Instead of putting fuel stabilizer for the winter and a fresh tank of gas on srping. can i just drain the tank and leave empty?
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Well there is another way that some owners manuals say is the correct way, but I've never wanted to go through the hassel. It is to empty your tank, remove it, coat the inside of the tank with fresh oil and leave it like that for the winter. But then when you go to dewinterize it (unwinterize?) you have to put some kind of solvent in there to clean out the oil. Seems like a PITA to me.
 
J

JSP

Super Moderator
Nastybutler said:
Well there is another way that some owners manuals say is the correct way, but I've never wanted to go through the hassel. It is to empty your tank, remove it, coat the inside of the tank with fresh oil and leave it like that for the winter. But then when you go to dewinterize it (unwinterize?) you have to put some kind of solvent in there to clean out the oil. Seems like a PITA to me.
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Yeah, that would be more work then necessary. PITA indeed! I dont see why you need to drain the stabilized gas either. That is what the stabilizer is for, keeps the gas fresh.
 
K

KeysRider3

New Member
Jspansel hit all the check boxes, particularly keep the fuel tank full. Gasoline tends to get funky after 90 days, but a good fuel stabilizer will keep it usable for up to 6 months. We don't winterize in South Florida, but we do have power equipment that's used primarily for hurricane season, that even if it's started and run on a regular basis during the off-season may be using fuel that's 4-5 months old. You may also want to consider using reconstituted gasoline (non-ethanol) to fill your tank for the winter.
 


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