Perpetual Oil Changes?
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 642
Likes: 3
From: Southern California
For a motorcycle it is probably best to change all the oil at every 5K.
However, to answer the OP, yes, many industries use this style of perpetual oil change. It is usually used along with an oil sampling program. The samples dictate when to change all the oil.
Some heavy industrial engines hold upwards of 300 or 400 gallons of engine oil. You can pretty quickly calculate how much that is in initial oil purchase and the disposal costs for the same oil.
I've worked on a few large Caterpillar 3616 Gensets. The engines I worked with would use a small portion of oil. The Operators would top off the engines each night as part of their rounds and the maintenance crew would drop out a hundred gallons of oil or so and replace with new at prescribed intervals. As long as the oil sampling came back ok, the oil would not get changed. Also, given the astronomical cost of repair parts for these engines, if performing this type of oil program was not safe, it would have been phased out long ago.
Again, I'm not saying we should do this to our bikes, just stating that is does happen in industry.
Take care,
Dave
However, to answer the OP, yes, many industries use this style of perpetual oil change. It is usually used along with an oil sampling program. The samples dictate when to change all the oil.
Some heavy industrial engines hold upwards of 300 or 400 gallons of engine oil. You can pretty quickly calculate how much that is in initial oil purchase and the disposal costs for the same oil.
I've worked on a few large Caterpillar 3616 Gensets. The engines I worked with would use a small portion of oil. The Operators would top off the engines each night as part of their rounds and the maintenance crew would drop out a hundred gallons of oil or so and replace with new at prescribed intervals. As long as the oil sampling came back ok, the oil would not get changed. Also, given the astronomical cost of repair parts for these engines, if performing this type of oil program was not safe, it would have been phased out long ago.
Again, I'm not saying we should do this to our bikes, just stating that is does happen in industry.
Take care,
Dave
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 944
Likes: 2
From: Ct
doent sound like a good idea, more like a bike that burns or leaks oil so you have to add a quart or two every 1500, not a planned maintenance.
I bought a bike that sat for years, had 4k miles after 11 years, lol and found out the hard way that after you let a bike sit for years gaskets dry up and stuff and then when you start using it daily you end up with leaks.
I had a rear cylinder valve cover leak, didnt feel like pulling the motor to change it, so I just added oil whenever my indicator showed it was going down a bit, but I wouldnt recommend it if you want to keep your bike running properly.
I sold it 3k miles later before I would have had to seriously think about doing the work.
Lump
Lump
I bought a bike that sat for years, had 4k miles after 11 years, lol and found out the hard way that after you let a bike sit for years gaskets dry up and stuff and then when you start using it daily you end up with leaks.
I had a rear cylinder valve cover leak, didnt feel like pulling the motor to change it, so I just added oil whenever my indicator showed it was going down a bit, but I wouldnt recommend it if you want to keep your bike running properly.
I sold it 3k miles later before I would have had to seriously think about doing the work.
Lump
Lump
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
From: Yuma, AZ
I'm not advocating this at all, don't know anything about it yet. I found reference to it in #24 of "a few questions" on this site: http://www.jamesrussellpublishing.biz/hdoilchange.html . Does make interesting reading.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 500
Likes: 2
From: Springfield Ohio
As mentioned, its a common practice with Industrial engines that see nearly non-stop use and hold huge amounts of oil. For any personal use engine, I would walk away from the idea. Much too difficult and sloppy to try to extract small amounts of oil for replacement.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,416
Likes: 88
From: San Quirino, Italy
I'm not advocating this at all, don't know anything about it yet. I found reference to it in #24 of "a few questions" on this site: http://www.jamesrussellpublishing.biz/hdoilchange.html . Does make interesting reading.
Last edited by Northbound Southerner; Sep 9, 2012 at 03:04 PM.
Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
From: MI
It doesn't make sense. If you're gonna take out 1 or 2 quarts of oil, why not just drain all of it and get it over with?
And with the perpetual oil change, at what point do you replace the filter?
I had a neighbor years ago who used to drain his oil from his car and put the used oil into a large 2 gallon can. He'd then set it aside in his garage for a couple of months, siphon off the top oil and use it in his car again. His theory was that the particles would sink to the bottom of the can and the oil on top was good. I tried many times to tell him that oil has additives that are gone (or severely depleted) when used. He never listened.
And with the perpetual oil change, at what point do you replace the filter?
I had a neighbor years ago who used to drain his oil from his car and put the used oil into a large 2 gallon can. He'd then set it aside in his garage for a couple of months, siphon off the top oil and use it in his car again. His theory was that the particles would sink to the bottom of the can and the oil on top was good. I tried many times to tell him that oil has additives that are gone (or severely depleted) when used. He never listened.
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Joe Kucinski
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
Dude I used to work with had his Dads old 61 or so ford pickup. Dad was a master mechanic type. Claimed he never changed oile just the filter every so many miles. I rode in the truck and it was the most original and well kept though well used too old vehicle I ever saw. If it was true what he did it seemed to work for him.It would have been interesting to tear down the motor to see what it looked like inside.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,698
Likes: 11
From: Longview, Washington
I've used the scavenger method now for 6 years and dozens of oil changes on my past two bikes since they were new. I change my synthetic oil at 5K.
I can say that the oil in my bike looks cleaner than my buddy's who don't use the scavenger. It is more time consuming and it does waste expensive oil in the process but I believe it's worth it.
I can say that the oil in my bike looks cleaner than my buddy's who don't use the scavenger. It is more time consuming and it does waste expensive oil in the process but I believe it's worth it.