05-18-10, 9:34 AM
Tools Required: A wrench or socket set, a funnel, a drain pan, an oil filter wrench (what type will depend on your application), a couple clean rags.
Time Required: 30 minutes to 1 hour (approx).
I am going to be using my Kawasaki ZX-6R (K7) for this how to tip. Lets get started...
First off, you want to have the bike on an even flat surface and if you can support it off of the kickstand, even better...either using a rear or center stand, etc. Since I'm using a sport bike, I have the rear of the motorcycle supported on a rear stand and that works out great because the oil drain plug is located at the front of the engine. Which by having the rear of the bike in the air, the oil should flow towards the drain plug and ultimately into the drain pan.
So, we have the bike supported, we have our tools, we have a new oil filter, 4 jugs of oil (in my case, 10W40 synethic). I like to take a quick once over, locate the oil filter, drain plug and oil filler cap. I like to know what I am up against before hand, because if I can't access these three items easily. I need to look at what's involved before I get in over my head.
I've located the oil drain plug. I have my drain pan underneath. I carefully remove the plug. You will get a feel for the condition of the oil as it drains into the pan, it should look decent. If the oil is black...that's fine, but if you have some metal filings, you might want to have a closer look.
While the oil is draining, I am going to remove the oil filter. As mentioned previously, the type of oil filter wrench will vary depending on your application. I am going to be using a filter cup with a socket wrench attached. I never have good luck with the fit using this style but in this case it'll get the filter off.
A quick wipe and an inspection (making sure the old oil filter's o-ring isn't stuck to the block) and we're ready for the new oil filter. I'm testing out a new oil filter this time around. It's made by K&N and one of the pluses is that the filter has a nut that will accept an everyday socket or wrench. For this bike, it is a absolute must. Side note: If you are using synthetic oil, whatever oil filter you choose, make sure that it is compatible with the synthetic. Most filters today are, however, you might run into the odd filter that isn't. If in doubt, research it online or call the manufacture directly. Don't take the part guy's word for it...because he/she doesn't know.
Here is a picture of the oil I am using and a look at the K&N oil filter. Before you install the new oil filter. It's good practice to spread a small amount of clean oil on the filter's sealing surface (IE: rubber O-ring), this will prevent (or help to prevent) the o-ring from permanently becoming part of your engine. K&N brags that their oil filter comes pre-lubed, but I'm going to give it a quick once around anyways. Do you install the oil filter dry or do you fill in with oil and then install it? I use to fill them before install, I don't anymore. The choice is up to you and there are arguments for both sides.
We have the filter installed, we carefully torqued the oil drain plug back into place. We are ready for some fresh oil. Lets remove the oil filler cap. If you have a look around in that area, you should see some type of sightglass with two notches representing min and max oil levels. A key point is to be sure the bike is upright when trying to judge your oil level. When the motorcycle is sitting on it's kickstand that sightglass isn't 100% accurate.
We're going to fill the engine with oil until we are happy that we have the correct amount. You can use a service manual as well. They will list a dry and a wet total amounts. You're looking for the wet amount. I would be careful relying totally on the manual, because sometimes there is still old oil in pan that isn't removed...you don't want to over fill the engine because that can be just as bad as under filling it. It's good to cross reference that way you know roughly how much oil you need to buy or when you need to really be paying attention to your fill height. Once we finish adding the oil to the crankcase, we're going to give it some time for the oil to find it's way into the engine oil pan. That way we can get an accurate level on our sightglass. We want to hit the upper end of that, where it is marked "max" or simply the upper mark.
Now the moment of truth..we double checked everything. We're ready for a start. If you have a low oil pressure indicator (typically a blinking dash light), pay attention to this because if this light doesn't go out you need to shut the engine down and investigate. Avoid revving the engine until it comes up to operating temperature and the oil pressure has returned to normal. Now would be a good time to double check and triple check for oil leaks, particularly around the oil filer, drain plug, and oil filter cap. If everything is good, shut it down and let the engine cool to the point where the oil finds it's way back to the oil pan. We're going to want to check it one more time and tweak the level if necessary.
Congratulations another "do it yourself" job well done. There is one small detail I omitted, I know it's common sense today, but please dispose of your used oil properly.
