Advice: Changing your oil

Changing the oil on your motorcycle is a relatively simple task but an important one to prolong your engine’s longevity. Each engine will differ slightly in terms of the recommended time or kilometres travelled between oil changes – this information can be found in your owner’s or service manual – but fresh oil has the best viscosity and that mean less friction, less heat and less wear and tear on the moving parts.

If you regularly get your bike serviced, your mechanic will ensure your oil is being changed as per the correct schedule. However, if you want to have a go at doing an oil change between services, or if you’re heading off an trip that won’t have you home until after your next scheduled service, then your bike won’t mind one bit.

There’s a surprisingly large range of oils available so make sure you refer to your manual and purchase the best oil appropriate for your bike. The recommended oil will depend on things like the age, configuration, type and rpm capability of your engine. Oils come in a large range of both viscosities and bases – mineral-based, synthetic-based or a mix of both – and they’ll also vary hugely in price, so understand what your bike needs and buy the best quality oil you can afford.

Always replace the filter at the same time you change the oil, as this will mean all the impurities are removed and will give the new oil the best chance to do the best job. The type of filter you need will depend on your engine, but range from spin-on types which screw externally to the engine to paper types, like in this case, which are installed inside the engine.

It’s not necessary to replace the drain-plug washer each time you change the oil, but it’s considered a good practice. Made from a soft material like copper, it’s designed to crush under the tension of the drain plug to form a seal.

Now you’ve got your new oil, appropriate filter and drain-plug washer, you need to get ready to drain the old oil out of the engine. Fire up the bike and get the engine and its contents warm, this will thin the oil and encourage it to drain more effectively. While the engine is warming up, make sure the engine is level – if your bike doesn’t have a centrestand, a rear or paddock stand is a good option. Identify the drain plug and, where appropriate, oil filter cover and try and minimise the cleanup by protecting parts of the bike from the draining oil.

In this case, the oil had the potential to drain onto the frame and pool in the aluminium bash plate, so a simple piece of glad wrap held against the frame with a magnet made sure the oil drained only where I wanted it to. Speaking of draining, if you don’t have an oil drain pan, you can use any vessel that will fit under your bike, but just make sure it’s big enough to take all the oil that drains from your bike.

Start by undoing the filler cap at the top of your engine. This will allow air to flow through the engine and will help the oil drain. It’s a good idea to inspect the underside of the cap, any milky residue could be a sign there’s water in the engine and will need attention. Undo the drain plug and remove it, being careful not to drop it into the drain pan below and making sure the washer comes with it either to retain to use again or being sure it’s not stuck to either the plug or the engine case.

Some engines will have extra bolts or covers you’ll need to remove in order to get all the oil from the engine. In this case, there’s an extra cover which houses an extra mesh filter. When removing any covers or bolts from your bike, lay them on fabric to protect them and it’s a good idea to lay them in the pattern which they came out of your bike – they’re often different lengths so this will ensure the right bolt goes back in the correct hole. Inspect all o’rings for wear and replace if required.

Remove the oil filter, again taking note of exactly how it came out so the new one goes in the correct way, and give the engine time to completely drain once all covers and filters are removed.

Run a bit of new oil around the o’rings and seals on the new filter before replacing it into the engine in the same direction the old one was removed. I like to work in the reverse order, so replace the oil filter cover before reinstalling any other covers and mesh filters. Using your new drain plug washer, replace the drain plug – take extra care not to cross thread the bolt, it’s an expensive fix – and tighten firmly but not too tightly so as to damage the washer.

Once you’re satisfied all of the covers and plugs are reinstalled and tight, now’s a good time to clean away all plastic protectors and oil residue from the engine so you can immediately identify any leaks once you begin to refill the engine.

Find out how much oil is recommended for your engine (either in your manual or it’s sometimes stamped on the side of the engine) and pour the required amount into a measuring jug. Because the new, cold oil is thick it will take more time than you think to settle in the engine, so by pouring more or less the correct amount in will help avoid overfilling the engine and save you the chore of draining it back down to the correct level. And too much oil in the engine can be just as damaging as not enough.

Once the measured amount of oil has been administered through the filler hole, take some time to allow it to find its way down before checking the level on the site glass located on the side of the engine and top up if required. Some engine will use a dipstick on the underside of the filler cap instead of a site glass, but you will have spotted this by now if it’s applicable to your bike.

Replace the oil filler plug and double check there’s no oil residue on your cases or exhaust and start the engine. Run it for a minute or two before switching it off, allowing the oil to settle and double checking the site glass or dipstick that it has the correct amount. And be sure to dispose of the old oil responsibly, ensuring it doesn’t end up in soils or waterways.

This article was originally published on January 29, 2019.