You sure the cap is defective? Is the O-ring still on it? If not, is there anything that would wrap around the body of the plug that would pack down on the case when you screw it in & stem the flow? Did you get the oil plug size yet? In case you missed it, a crescent wrench will make finding the size easy.IF no wrench will fit, then give it a feel & see if the thing is rounded off & irregular now. You may wind up having to take it somewhere where you can find a low spot to set the plug over & file to get it straight enough to use a crescent & break the plug loose, snug it up & go home to change oil,
I have used a hammer & punch on rounded off stuff, but thats screwed into cast aluminium,,,& a crack there would be really bad news.

mpescatori wrote on 08/07/08 at 02:55:19:
These bikes were sold in reasonable numbers in Europe.  Any European motorcycle dealer or bike shop can order one in for you.  The Suzuki dealers should have them on the shelf.

That means you got the english version of metric.
13mm ~ 1/2"
17mm ~ 11/16"

Well...

I DID IT !!! (not that it wasn't the first time, but all I had was the kerbside... (curbside?)

Step 1, go to the local Autoparts, ask for "Oil Filter LS650", get the screwed eyed "huh ?" look from the attendant, ask for the oil filter catalogue, find the bike and point at item - ME, TARZAN, YOU, FILTER!
Same as DR650 and DR760...

Step 2, buy all he's got (two) you never know...

Step 3, try to stand bike quasi-vertical propping up sidestand on brick, struggle with cramped space...

Step 4, realize it's a hopeless situation, find big thick slab of hardwood from nearby building site, prop bike leaning 60° on right side with slab of hardwood wedged between cylinder and kerbside...

Step 5, realize oil drain plug is 17mm, so the brand spanking new 14mm extra-thin ratchet is useless... fish out 17mm wrench and undo to almost there...

Step 6, lean bike back on proper side, slide oil catch pan and undo final turn on oil plug... lick oil off hands (hmmm, tasty, like badly burnt BBQ sausages) and undo oil filler plug (which I shoulda done earlier)

Step 7, undo 3 allen bolts off oil filter housing, pry open carefully, watchout for spring-loaded self destruct mechanism, cuss as another half pint of old oil trickles down your wrists, ain't gonna lick that off too...

Step 8, proudly produce new oil filter, nod in self approval for having carefully peeled old oil gasket from filter housing so you can use it again ('specially 'cause I didn't have another one) "doh" yourself for forgetting which way is which to fit new oil filter, figure it out by "look&tell", hope for the best...

Step 9, prepare to pour 2.5 liters new oil in sump, come to a screeching halt because you haven't put the oil drain plug in yet...
OK, now pour that oil in, mop up dribbles, secure all filler caps, cuss at mechanic who replaced old 14mm drain plug with 17mm size but omitted gasket (make mental note to get one for next oil change)

Step 10, stand back, look at bike proudly and go over all steps 1 - 9, pray that you haven't actually overlooked anything...
realize car and house keys lie comfortably deep deep in your pockets and that you're mucked up to your elbows and that "ET, phone, home" is upostairs on the 5th floor... oh, bugger...

Step 11 (optional) trundle up 5 floors with hands up high and elbows forward like a surgeon out of scrubbing, pound on door with elbows, feet, nose, anything to catch anybody's attention, head for the bathroom and scrub clean with dishwashing liquid (if it's good for frying pand and gentle on the hands, it's good for engine oil and still gentle on the hands)

Step 12 (ya gotta do theis) scramble back down 5 floors to bike, toolroll left sprawled on pavement, empty oil bottles and old lady neighbor "humpf!!!", clean up and get outta sight ...

By the way, this was a... NO BEER JOB ! (one beer after shower after all was cleaned up...)

Went for a slow, real slow test ride after lunch just to check whether all plugs were on tight and oil filter was on properly...

Seems all's OK, so... OK !

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 08/10/08 at 06:00:21:


Having moved house twice in the last 12 months... I have an original copy of the Clymer Handbook... somewhere...
...so I downloaded and printed the whole thing from the net... and forgot it in the office...  

I thought remembering something about the engine holding two liters, plus another half for the oil filter...

I guess I was remembering wrong, it must have been 1.8 liters plus another half pint for the oil filter = 2 liters.

Anyway, I plan on changing the oil again next Friday, and again the Friday after next, with "el-cheapo" 15W40 (every 200 miles or so...) in order to "wash" or "flush" the engine as suggested by... OldFeller ?
Changing the oil filter every second oil change as well.

Hope this will clean the little window, it's pitch black in there...

Anyway, with a full 3.5 liters in the sumpo (ugh) the bike would barely cruise at 50mph and deliver some... 20 Km/l=55mpg

One week later, after spewing a good half liter onto my ankles and on the ground, she would cruise at 55+ and deliver some 24 Km/liter=66mpg

I now aim to cruising at the same 50-55mph and gettng at least 26Km/liter=72+mpg...

I've actually grown fond of cruising so slow... you get to see the countryside, get sucked in the wake of speeding semis, and not so many bugs in your teeth, the big ones just bounce off...
OUCH !  

So, the overflow issues were due to being overfilled? Where does oil come out? I am confused, again.

Well, just did another gas fillup.

The bike is really free revving, and I'm having troubles keeping my cruising speed to a mere 85-90km/h (55mph)

25,5 km/liter, which means... 70 mpg, so I'm happy  

I've also lowered idling speed to the slowest "thump" she can handle on a warm engine, it's really "thump...thump...thump..." rather than thumpthumpthumpthump