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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do it?
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Message started by mirmont on 08/10/06 at 10:38:52

Title: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do it?
Post by mirmont on 08/10/06 at 10:38:52

Hi guys...I am looking for guidance on the subject of chaning my oil...

I called one service shop that quoted me at $23.00 for labor and $2 - $5 per quart.

How does that pricing sound? I live in Florida, so what kind of oil should I get?

Do you think it's easy to do it myself? Should I try it? Any instructions / picture tutorials avalible? I am a complete newbie when it comes to motorcycles. This is my first one, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by luken on 08/10/06 at 10:51:27

First, read these two posts.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=RubberSideDown;action=display;num=1154434552

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=RubberSideDown;action=display;num=1154571775

You can go to your local dealer or an autozone and get motorcycle oil. Look in the manual as well, there are instructions there.

You can use the search function at the top of the page for more info, thats what I did. Good luck!

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Al_ironman on 08/10/06 at 10:59:02

Changing the oil is a very simple procedure.
But, 23.00 is a very good price when all things are considered; such as most dealers want to charge you a couple of hundred dollars for the 1st service when all they do is change your oil (and maybe the filter!).
I change the oil in ALL my bikes, cars and trucks and have been doing so since I was 16, and that my friend is a long, long time ago.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by vroom1776 on 08/10/06 at 11:15:28

Despite the fact that $23 is a good price you should do it yourself so you know/learn how to do it. Very simple.

Need instructions?

V

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Kropatchek on 08/10/06 at 11:38:54

Al_ironman wrote:

I change the oil in ALL my bikes, cars and trucks and have been doing so since I was 16, and that my friend is a long, long time ago.

May one ask, how long? ;D

Greetz
Kropatchek 8)

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Paladin on 08/10/06 at 14:49:34

mirmont wrote:

Hi guys...I am looking for guidance on the subject of chaning my oil...

I called one service shop that quoted me at $23.00 for labor and $2 - $5 per quart. ...

Do you think it's easy to do it myself? Should I try it?

$23 works out to a minimum of $140/hour -- I can do it in under 10 minutes! $2-5 for oil is normal. Did they mention filter?

Easy -- yeah. I'm not the most capable mechanically but even I can manage an oil change. Warm up bike (any excuse for a ride!) Place shallow 2-quart pan under bike and remove oil drain. Take a break. Remove the filter cover, replace filter, replace cover. Replace oil drain plug. Use clean funnel to pour two quarts oil into bike. Use same funnel to pour used oil from pan into empty oil containers for recycling.

Changing front pads is almost as easy. As is replacing a clutch cable.

My oil of choice since the early '70's has been Castrol GTX 20-50W. Has kept my engines running in spite of my abuse.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by bikingb on 08/10/06 at 16:18:56

I've done it twice. The first time I chewed up the O Ring. The second time I put the filter in backwards. I'm thinking I'll get it right the next time.

You might want to get an extra O Ring just in case. I think they are around 2 or 3 dollars.

It felt like a good accomplishment to do it myself. I'm not really mechanical.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by jotrac on 08/10/06 at 16:45:51

Yes Mirmount you should do it.
I did it this past weekend for the first time. ;) The only thing that I had trouble with was after I poured 2 qts of oil in, I could not see any oil in the sight glass. It scared me but my husband said it needed to circulate so I started it and took it on a short run and then I could see the oil in the sight glass.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by sluggo on 08/10/06 at 17:56:13

let someone else, other than max touch thumper, no way. some people get the drain plugs mixed up, it's the one on the left hand side. after draining oil run a magnet through it to see if any metal shavings appear. then replace plug with magnetic plug to capture any.

i use delco 400 in all my machines, and farm equipment.

nothing like the feeling of "i did it myself".

do the oil change, it will lead you to other maintance that you do yourself..

enjoy
sluggo

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Trippah on 08/10/06 at 18:45:15

Finally did the oil change after 2000 miles. Took about 1/2 hour, to include warm-up and draining time. The hardest part is actually seeing the oil sight glass. The Japanese engeneers must do everything with a tag team approach, one to hold the bike, and one to look.
And yes, I'd rather do it myself. Go to it and do it, you'll probably enjoy yourself immensly.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Savage_Rob on 08/10/06 at 20:45:38

Just a few things...

1) The drain plug may be a 15mm or a 17mm; it varies. Don't worry if it's not what the manual says. Just make sure it's in the right place. If the oil flows freely when you pull it, it's the right one. If you just get a tiny bit of oil, it's the wrong one. As Sluggo said, it's the one on the left side.

2) After you drain the majority of your oil, rock the bike gently side-to-side to help clear as much of the oil as possible from the filter compartment before you remove the cover plate. Also, put a couple of rags over your exhaust before you remove the plate and be ready to contain a small amount of spillage.

3) Go ahead and get the o-ring for the filter change but don't replace it unless it looks like it needs it. Otherwise, reuse the existing o-ring and keep the spare for whenever it's needed.

Take your time, start to learn your machine. As mentioned above, it'll likely lead to more maintenance... but that's part of the fun of the machine in my opinion.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by 911radioman on 08/10/06 at 20:50:17

Savage_Rob wrote:

Actually, mine is a 14mm.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Savage_Rob on 08/10/06 at 21:38:06

911radioman wrote:

Actually, mine is a 14mm.

Well, there ya go!

Oh, and don't forget to look at the Oil Change Time (http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=tech;action=display;num=1099572561) post in the Tech Ref forum. Greg did a great job documenting it. That's his wife actually doing the job.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Al_ironman on 08/11/06 at 04:33:49

Kropatchek wrote:

May one ask, how long? ;D

Greetz
Kropatchek 8)

That would be 41 years ago.

Title: Re: Help! Chaning oil for first time. Should I do
Post by Ed_L. on 08/11/06 at 13:51:42

If you do end up paying for someone to change the oil in your bike Check The Oil Level Before You Ride Off Into The Sunset. Heard way too many horror stories about bikes having the oil drained out but not refilled at the dealership during service.