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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Frequency of changing oil
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Message started by stewmills on 07/08/14 at 07:22:36

Title: Frequency of changing oil
Post by stewmills on 07/08/14 at 07:22:36

No oil wars please, just a quick question for those educated above my knowledge level (which is most people on this forum) ;D. I have the owner's manual, but as with a lot of things on these bikes I want the real answer from real life experience and expert users, not just what the book says.

Got my bike a couple of years ago with 400 miles on it which was sitting in a barn for 3+ years. Changed the oil to the Suzuki flavor immediately as part of my initial overhaul and at about 1000 miles changed it to Rotella T6 and have had no issues, noises or oil burn (knock on wood). I tend to be a little anal about taking care of my toys and just turned over 3000 miles. The oil through the glass looks clean and the bike shows no signs of needing anything but my "analness" wants to do an oil change (T6 again of course).

Good idea since it is keeping the engine clean and fresh, or bad idea because "if it ain't broke don't fix it"?

Thanks folks!

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by Dave on 07/08/14 at 08:22:41

I have owned my bike about 3 years and I can't say I have a good handle on the miles I ride each year. The first year I had the Savage I rode my Trials motorcycle a lot, the next year I rode the Savage a lot, and this year I sold the Trials Bike but bought a Honda ST1100 for road trips. I use the Rotella T and it is pretty cheap so I change often.

I change my oil twice a year. At the end of the riding season with a new filter, and again just before I go to the Dragon Run but I don't change the filter. I believe that gets me about 2,000 miles between changes. Since I got the Honda I don't use the Cafe" Savage bike for the trips to the hardware store anymore.....and I am expecting that I ride about 4,000 miles a year.

So.....I spend less than $ 20 a year on oil and filters.

Dave

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by verslagen1 on 07/08/14 at 08:35:17

Owners manual says 3500 miles for conventional oil.

I change it out same as dave.

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/08/14 at 09:17:09

Mine hardly used oil right after I changed it. Asp miles built up,oil consumption increased.I changed it when it started bothering me.I never got 3,000miles.

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by Jim396 on 07/08/14 at 09:21:39

I change my oil every 1500, and a new filter every 3000. May be overkill to some, but I like taking care of my toys like you.

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by stewmills on 07/08/14 at 09:31:10

Thanks for the replies.

Sounds like I am not too far off the beaten path so to the store it is for a new oil filter and some Rotella juice. ;D

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by Oldfeller on 07/08/14 at 09:54:36

With better air filtration (dust collection) and oil filtration, you can run T-6 for a year with no sweat.

I have done so for the last 4-5 years with no ill effects, but I do use better air filtration (sticky oil based fat filter) and a big honking supermagnet sitting on top of my oil filter collecting every micro-particle of steel that normally floats around in our oil.

So, what I do does not translate into what you can do.

Rotella T is cheaper, and if you are willing to change it twice a year it costs the same as T6 changed only once a year.

BTW, I only change the oil filter every 2 years and since I flush mine out collecting all the trash in it to report on my tricks I have been known to reuse the same oil filter after it dries out good.

An air filter element stays in until dust makes an appearance on the back side, then the polyfill element gets changed out and the next trap oil gets tried.

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by doctorpc on 07/08/14 at 11:15:38

I bought my s40 begining of last season the previous owner said change it once a year so i do about 1500 miles a year and will change it the begining of each season ( changed it already this year)with a filter change its cheap insurance rotella T6 with 2 oz of redline added

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by verslagen1 on 07/08/14 at 11:56:33

79727E69726F6D7E1D0 wrote:

It would be better to store the bike in fresh oil rather than the build up contaminates of the year.

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by old_rider on 07/08/14 at 12:28:54

I change mine twice a year... and more if I forget to turn off my petc0ck!

Yeah I know...change my needle valve..... really i'll get around to it one day. :)

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by stewmills on 07/08/14 at 13:53:15

587B7371727B7B7265170 wrote:

and a big honking supermagnet sitting on top of my oil filter collecting every micro-particle of steel that normally floats around in our oil.

I wanna know more about this?

Title: Re: Frequency of changing oil
Post by MnSpring on 07/08/14 at 17:53:24

Change oil, as to use.
In a ICE, (Big Law Mower used every week 3.5 hours +/-, once a year)
In a little tiller, use 15 Min, every 2-3 weeks,
change oil, 3 times a year. (Other stuff, as depends)
In one MC, drive 5-10 Miles a time, change, oil 3 times a year.
In One, drive, 40-60 miles a time, change once a year.

It all depends on, the ’Time’, the ICE is running at a, ’time’.

In the fall, before I put, things’, away for 5-6-7 months,
I Always change oil, Then Start it, run it, (so it get’s hot)
No Load, Then, ‘put it away’.

In the Spring, it’s just opposite for the Snowblower, and Log Splitter.

If course, (From THIS Site) I have learned, the, S-40/LS650,
NEEDS, Zink in the Oil. So I accommodate.

Just use a, Zink, oil (Or add it to it), for any ICE, which is older than 1985.
And change it, when you, ’think’ it needs it.

Oil is much cheaper than a new engine.

(ICE) = Internal Combustion Engine.