SuzukiSavage.com - OIL WAR -- Change Frequency

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OIL WAR -- Change Frequency
01/21/13 at 11:00:26

I've seen topics about "oil wars". I'm not here to start that topic. I bought my first bike this past summer. The guy I bought it from said it had an oil change that would last the "riding season". However, it is now January and I have not changed it yet. I'm attempting to do it myself. I've never done anything mechanical...EVER.

My questions are:

How often should I change my oil?

Should I be careful in riding my bike in cold weather? I live in Illinois and I've rode it in 20+ degree weather. Could this damage my bike?

How long should I let my engine warm up before riding?

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!!

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« Last Edit: 01/25/13 at 10:23:23 by Oldfeller--FSO »

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oldNslow

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Re: Oil Change Frequency
Reply #1 - 01/21/13 at 12:00:50

Owner's manual reccomends changing oil and filter every 3500 miles or every 12 months, whichever comes first.

Cold temps themselves won't hurt your bike, but there are some things to be aware of. Road salt won't do it any good. Black ice can be an issue. If you are cold and are preoccupied with how unconfortable you are you might not be as attentive as necessary to ride safely.

As soon as the engine will idle without the choke and you can roll on the throttle without any stumble or hesitation you can ride away.

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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Oil Change Frequency Reply #2 - 01/21/13 at 12:04:17 Handbook recommends oil and filter changes every 6000km or 4000 miles.
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Re: Oil Change Frequency
Reply #3 - 01/21/13 at 12:06:27

If you use a recommended synthetic oil, you can run a once a year oil change frequency with no sweat and no fears. You can change the oil filter every second oil change if you use a good synthetic oil (you are not having to filter out clumps of sludged oil and oil breakdown by products when using a good synthetic).

Recommended oils listing: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1344471565

Booster blend table: http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1345080430

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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Oil Change Frequency Reply #4 - 01/21/13 at 12:10:26 Go to page 8 of the tech section and read oil change time by savage rob, it's at the bottom of the page.
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Re: Oil Change Frequency
Reply #5 - 01/21/13 at 12:13:20

See, Kinder and Gentler, Kinder and Gentler ..... Smiley

JC, Rob wrote that tech a long time ago, long before the car & bike oils began to be neutered by the auto and motorcycle industry to support cat converters (which most modern bikes now do have, and we do not have).

Even Rob goes with a good synthetic oil now days, he used to use Mobil 1 V-twin for a while but he may have changed on that, he can say if he happens to read this.

What is currently good with Savage oils changes every time a new JASO standard comes out, and with the last one most of our "good to go" oils jumped up and went.

So we keep a constantly updated "recommended listing" now.

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Bock YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 27	Re: Oil Change Frequency Reply #6 - 01/21/13 at 12:54:30 Sounds like I should keep in mind a booster blend to help the engine out...
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gone fishing Full Member Offline Posts: 152 Gender:	Re: Oil Change Frequency Reply #7 - 01/21/13 at 14:03:01 gone fishing
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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Oil Change Frequency Reply #8 - 01/21/13 at 15:34:47 Whenever you think it needs it. My 98 Savage leaks almost as much as my 69 Dodge 318 V8 or my 49 Dodge 218 L6. I change the filter every once in awhile, keep it topped off as needed, if the crankcase stinks I change the oil. Used to change it every 3 months like clockwork, got tired of throwing out dark amber oil.
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Re: Oil Change Frequency
Reply #9 - 01/21/13 at 15:58:26

I got this directly from Shell Oil Co chem engineers:

If you let the oil get all the way warmed up and hold it there for 10 or 15 minutes, synthetic oil like Rotella T6 lasts way beyond oil change intervals that manufacturers have to use to cover their posterior.
-- The idea is to evaporate away any of the condensations in the oil that get there from just sitting and from that several minutes on each ride when the motor is warming up.
-- Get the oil all the way warmed up, and hold it there for a while,.. you cause the stuff that causes goop, muck, and other yuck to go away.
-- They all typically run their cars and motorcycles more than double the oil change intervals used by the manufacturers.
-- They say that unless the oil gets damaged, it takes forever to actually wear it out.
--- If it gets mucked up by not getting up to temp frequently, that'll shorten the life.
--- If the motor has some sort of an overheat where the oil gets cooked, that might also cause some oil damage.

Otherwise, you are simply wasting money by changing as often as the manufacturer wants, and wasting HUGE money if you believe the old wives' tales about oil changes every 1000 miles or so as being good for a motor.

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Charon

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Re: Oil Change Frequency
Reply #10 - 01/22/13 at 06:21:18

Some years back I had a Suzuki Tempter GR650. I worked about 3/4 mile from home, and used the bike to commute. Cool weather came along, but I still used the bike. Then one day I chanced to look at the oil check window (that bike had a centerstand, making oil checking exceptionally easy) and noticed the oil looked more like chocolate milk than oil. I figured the oil was contaminated with water from the short rides. I took the bike on a longer ride, ten or fifteen miles, including a couple or three miles at highway speed. When I got home, the oil looked normal again. Since then I make a point of riding any motorcycle at least ten miles before I put it away for more than overnight or so. I think the common practice of starting motorcycles for a few minutes every week or so during cold weather "to charge the battery" is a VERY BAD IDEA. Without being under load they never warm up correctly. Without air flow, especially on air-cooled engines, parts of the engine such as exhaust valves and seats can overheat while the rest of the engine remains cold.

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Routy

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Re: Oil Change Frequency
Reply #11 - 01/22/13 at 06:39:16

I'm not an oil expert, but I'm smart enuff to know that no one, including an owners manual, knows when you should change YOUR oil. There are too many variables.
Heres Gospel,......just believe it....ok ?
Change your oil when it gets dirty,....simple as that.
For me, thats much sooner than 3-4K miles.

If you have a Diesel, (motorcycle) that may be debatable. Grin

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28780 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Oil Change Frequency Reply #12 - 01/22/13 at 07:14:28 JOG will tell you... and so will I, the bike will tell when... it starts eatin' oil. On mine that's right around 2500 miles. So I change it at 2k.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Oil Change Frequency Reply #13 - 01/22/13 at 09:37:12 Yep. It starts using oil at a faster pace. Youll learn when its time in a good riding season. Put 12,000 on it in a year & youll know when to change it,
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Re: Oil Change Frequency
Reply #14 - 01/22/13 at 12:35:06

Routy wrote on 01/22/13 at 06:39:16:

I'm not an oil expert, but I'm smart enuff to know that no one, including an owners manual, knows when you should change YOUR oil. There are too many variables.
Heres Gospel,......just believe it....ok ?
Change your oil when it gets dirty,....simple as that.
For me, thats much sooner than 3-4K miles.

If you have a Diesel, (motorcycle) that may be debatable. Grin

Routy, your advice is good for non-detergent oil.

For any multi-viscosity oil made within the last half-century or so, the oil is supposed to get "dirty" fairly soon. These oils have detergents which keep the muck in suspension,.. they keep the muck from building up inside the motor.

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Poll
Question: How many miles between oil changes?
< 1,000 < 2,000 < 3,000 < 4,000 < 5,000 < 6,000 < 7,000 < 8,000 « Created by: Oldfeller--FSO on: 01/25/13 at 12:31:47 »