Changing the oil in an engine is part of the basic maintenance of the motorcycle , a simple and effective process that will prolong the life of the engine . When it’s time to change the oil, you can go to a workshop or… maybe you’d prefer to learn how to do it yourself! Surely it won’t turn out perfectly the first time, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it later. What if we anticipate is that it is a simple process and that you can do almost anywhere.
Index of contents
Necessary material to change the oil of a motorcycle
- The necessary quantity and type of motor oil indicated by the manufacturer
- A new oil filter approved by the manufacturer
- The appropriate gasket washer of the drain plug
- A valid filter wrench for your oil filter
- The keys that your motorcycle requires (usually allen)
- A funnel
- A container to collect used oil
- Rags with which to keep everything clean
- A pair of needle nose pliers
What you should know before changing your motorcycle oil
- Used oil must be properly recycled, take it to a collection point for this purpose.
- The oil may be hot if you just stopped the engine. Let it cool for a few minutes before proceeding to replace it.
- An ideal maintenance involves replacing the engine oil every 5,000 km, consult the user manual of your motorcycle to find out the recommended intervals.
How to change motorcycle oil correctly
#1 Access the engine
The first step to be able to change the engine oil of our motorcycle is to access the engine. On some motorcycles, such as sports motorcycles, we will be forced to remove a fairing to expose the engine.
In this case, a trail bike, the engine is open air and it is easy to work on it. We disassemble the crankcase protector to access the oil filter and the drain plug and we can start replacing the engine oil.
#2 Remove the fill plug
Of the two plugs that we are going to open, the filler and the drain, we must first release the filler to allow air to enter and the oil to fall by its own weight through the drain.
We open the filler cap with the help of the necessary tool if required, but in most cases they are easy to open caps that can be acted on directly by hand.
#3 Open the drain plug
At the bottom of the engine is the drain plug. A stopper that to open it we will need the help of a tool.
We place a container under the cap to collect the old oil from the engine that we are going to replace, open the cap and let the oil fall until it is completely drained.
Remember that the oil can be hot and that the used oil must be properly recycled at a point of use.
#4 Remove the old oil filter
Besides oil with each change it is also necessary to replace the oil filter. They are usually found in the lower part of the engine, made up of a metallic cylinder on the outside.
For its extraction we will need the help of an oil filter wrench of which you can find several types of models. They all hug the filter completely to make it spin. In this example, the brand requires a specific key for its filters, as you can see in the image above.
#5 Mount the new oil filter
While the drain plug is still open and the engine releases all the oil, we proceed to mount the new oil filter.
Before placing it, it is important to grease the edges of the filter as we show you in the image above. We use the same oil that we are using to impregnate the entire edge and we can now install the new filter.
To install it, it is enough to screw it by hand without a specific tightening, but there are filter marks that indicate a certain tightening torque that we can achieve with a torque wrench.
#6 Place the drain plug
With the new filter already in place, we proceed to replace the drain plug.
It is important to replace the metal gasket of the drain plug. As you can see, the gasket that we are going to replace will have suffered damage and will be crushed, so it is necessary to replace it to guarantee a good seal.
After closing the drain plug, having helped us with a tool, the engine is ready to be filled.
#7 Fill with the new oil
With the drain plug properly closed we can begin to introduce the new oil through the filler plug.
Consult the user manual of your motorcycle to find out how much oil you will need. Fill with the new oil using a funnel until the engine oil level indicator reaches the necessary height. Close and screw the filler cap back on. Now it’s time to start the engine.
#8 Check the oil level
With the filler cap properly closed, start the engine and let it run for a couple of minutes. This will cause the new oil to circulate and the new filter you have installed to load and fill with oil.
With the engine stopped, let the oil settle for a few minutes so that it goes down to the crankcase and check the engine oil level again, in this case through a glass window as you see in the image. Remember that you must check the oil level with the motorcycle perfectly straight. Consult the user manual of your motorcycle to do it correctly.
When the oil has rested, you will see that, in general, the level has dropped compared to the first filling with the new oil. If so, open the filler cap again and fill up until the level indicated in the visor is correct according to the manufacturer of your motorcycle, in this case, as you see, exceeding half of the visor.
#9 Reinstall the parts
Replace the fairing, sump guard, or whatever else you had to remove to access the engine, and congratulations! You have already changed the engine oil of your motorcycle.
#10 Start the motorcycle
Let it idle for a couple of minutes to circulate the oil. Then stop it and check the level again to make sure it’s correct. It’s time to add a little more if it doesn’t reach the right level.
Conclusion: Check the condition of your motorcycle often
Before finishing, do not forget to take the drained oil to a precise place for its correct destruction or recycling. Dirty oil is harmful to the environment, don’t forget that.
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