Oil changing question

[Amber Lamps]

I didn't change mine before "Winter" either....because it only last a couple weeks!!!!

Seriously guys, I'm not out to start the "storage routine" argument again but if your bike has been parked less than a month or two, I really, really doubt that it matters. Seriously, what happens to oil sitting in an engine that doesn't happen sitting on the shelf? Besides, I always run mine once a week or so just to keep the battery fresh.

[Tmall]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

Seriously, what happens to oil sitting in an engine that doesn't happen sitting on the shelf.

Condensation, fuel, carbon, emulsion.

But, I agree a month is nothing.


This is emulsion..

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Tmall

Condensation, fuel, carbon, emulsification.

But, I agree a month is nothing.

So without the engine even running all those things happen to the oil in your bike? How? Where does this moisture come from? The fuel? Any of it? Aren't those things conditional on the engine running and if so, once the engine is stopped the contamination process stops as well? My thought was that you should change your oil BEFORE storing your bike to prevent the moisture, etc from doing potential damage but since he(and I) didn't the "damage" is already done and changing it now won't help anything imho. At any rate, isn't this just another one of those old tech tips that applied to bikes with cast iron blocks, heads, rings, etc and don't really apply to modern bikes made out of chromed cylinders, aluminum blocks, Ti valves, etc?

You ol' ninja editor!!! I know what emulsion is and it can't happen without the engine running, if it could then new old won't fair any better. BTW if you have that much water in your oil, there's something else going on there chief!!!

[Amber Lamps]

bTW I know guys that believe you should change your oil before Winter AND after! The oil companies just laugh their way to the bank!

[Particle Man]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

bTW I know guys that believe you should change your oil before Winter AND after! The oil companies just laugh their way to the bank!

I did that back when the SV was new the first season. Got some good crap out of the engine that way. Now that it's broken in there's no reason.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

bTW I know guys that believe you should change your oil before Winter AND after! The oil companies just laugh their way to the bank!

And what's more is, MOST of these people will sell their bike after only 15-20K miles (if even that)

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

And what's more is, MOST of these people will sell their bike after only 15-20K miles (if even that)

oh yeah, you know a mc engine is wore out by 15,000 miles don't cha?

[tommymac]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

oh yeah, you know a mc engine is wore out by 15,000 miles don't cha?

depends on who owned it, maintenance is a foreign word to some. Granted modern bikes are made much better than 10 or 15 yrs ago so they will run better and prolly last longer.

[Tmall]

Originally Posted by Amber Lamps

So without the engine even running all those things happen to the oil in your bike? How? Where does this moisture come from? The fuel? Any of it? Aren't those things conditional on the engine running and if so, once the engine is stopped the contamination process stops as well? My thought was that you should change your oil BEFORE storing your bike to prevent the moisture, etc from doing potential damage but since he(and I) didn't the "damage" is already done and changing it now won't help anything imho. At any rate, isn't this just another one of those old tech tips that applied to bikes with cast iron blocks, heads, rings, etc and don't really apply to modern bikes made out of chromed cylinders, aluminum blocks, Ti valves, etc?

You ol' ninja editor!!! I know what emulsion is and it can't happen without the engine running, if it could then new old won't fair any better. BTW if you have that much water in your oil, there's something else going on there chief!!!

Ideally, you should change your oil before storage and not start it again until you're ready to ride.

Emulsion occurs because you run your engine without bringing it up to a hot enough temperature to evaporate any moisture that collects due to temperature changes.

A very small amount of fuel would get by from regular use. Carbon blows by your rings. When that mixes with the moisture from condensation it becomes acidic.

This applies to all engines. However, it really probably wouldn't effect your bike very much. That doesn't change the fact that it doesn't happen.

[racedoll]

I change my oil shortly after winter is over. It might not be the very first ride of the season but I won't wait too long. It doesn't matter if it had a few miles or a few thousand miles on it, I'll change it.