RK - Oil change - yes? no?
#1
03-23-2010, 07:42 PM
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RK - Oil change - yes? no?
I put about 800 miles total in a summer of weekend rides each year - I start the season on fresh oil and filter. In November I put it in a heated garage for the winter. Dealer says I should change engine oil and filter and trans/primary oil before parking - doesn't seem right to have such a short usage of the oil - am I wrong?
#2
03-23-2010, 07:47 PM
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#3
03-23-2010, 07:49 PM
Road Warrior
I'd change at least once a year if you are interested in longevity. That's what almost all oil manufacturers recommend. Ride it in the summer, fresh fluids for winter storage, ride for the summer, fresh fluids for winter storage, repeat, repeat.... OTOH, if you plan on trading every 3 or 4 years....
Some change in the fall and again in the spring before riding. Personally, I would change in the fall and NOT START IT AT ALL (I know it's tough, but resist the urge) until I was ready to ride in the spring. Then you still have fresh oil in the tank ready to go.
Having said that, you may never have a problem if you don't change it. However, oil does get contaminated with byproducts of combustion and gets acidic. I'd prefer to get that out before storage. Just my $.02
Some change in the fall and again in the spring before riding. Personally, I would change in the fall and NOT START IT AT ALL (I know it's tough, but resist the urge) until I was ready to ride in the spring. Then you still have fresh oil in the tank ready to go.
Having said that, you may never have a problem if you don't change it. However, oil does get contaminated with byproducts of combustion and gets acidic. I'd prefer to get that out before storage. Just my $.02
Last edited by 07RoadHawg; 03-23-2010 at 08:06 PM.
#4
03-23-2010, 07:53 PM
Road Warrior
#5
03-23-2010, 07:59 PM
I'd change it every fall and not worry about it. I don't change the oil in my Ironhead but every 1-2 years, since I don't log that many miles on it any more. I have a garaged Mustang that only sees a couple of hundred miles on it a year at most. I have gone over 3 years without changing the oil. I think that time, it only had 180 miles on the oil. It looked like brand new when I drained it out.
#6
03-23-2010, 08:05 PM
Yep, what he said..changing before storage is recomended so that it doesn't sit all winter with oil that is contaminated by the combustion gases and chemicals that collect in the oil. Corrosive stuff from what I hear. Follow his advice and at 800 miles per year you should get, oh say 250 years out of it!
#7
03-23-2010, 08:05 PM
I'd change it every fall and not worry about it. I don't change the oil in my Ironhead but every 1-2 years, since I don't log that many miles on it any more. I have a garaged Mustang that only sees a couple of hundred miles on it a year at most. I have gone over 3 years without changing the oil. I think that time, it only had 180 miles on the oil. It looked like brand new when I drained it out.
I do almost the same thing on my old EVO and Camaro
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#9
03-23-2010, 08:50 PM
