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How to Change the Oil & Oil Filter on a Motorcycle

Want to save some money as well as learn about your beloved machine at the same time? Try changing your own oil! It's cheap, fun, as well as doesn't require many tools!

1. Set up your spot. This is one of the most important steps. You don't want to be running around looking for tools, containers as well as rags while oil is flowing out of your bike as well as your h as well as s are too slick to turn a doorknob! Check the "Things You'll Need" section to get everything ready.
2. Put your bike on the side st as well as , center-st as well as or rear-st as well as if you have one. Put your drain pan approximately under the bolt. Try to think ahead of where the oil's going to shoot out, as well as watch it as it drains. You'll most likely have to adjust the placement of the drain pan as the old oil slows down. Use the proper tool to remove the bolt. You don't want to strip it! If it drops in the pan, just pick it up quickly as well as don't burn yourself if it's hot!
3. Allow the bad oil to finish draining while you take off the filter. Carefully unscrew the filter with a filter wrench or, in a pinch, wrap a leather (or rubber) belt around it like a dog choker to get it off. Be careful not to dent or damage the filter, as that could inadvertently let all the bad stuff it caught go back into the engine. There'll be quite a bit of oil left in there that will splash out, so make sure you've got something under there to catch it. If it is on there really tight, you can punch a screwdriver through its side with a hammer as well as use that to get it loose.
4. Install a fresh drain plug crush washer. It may cost as much as a dollar, but is cheap insurance. Be sure to remove the old crush washer.
5. Put the drain bolt back in. Make sure it's clean of dirt as well as grime before putting it back. Remember that it's usually going into cast aluminum, so don't over-tighten it! Consult your manual or your local shop for torque specs for your bike. Remember when using a torque wrench that Nm is not equal to Ft-Lbs. If you don't do torque, just give it a good pull, but don't go Superman on it!
6. Prep the filter by filling it about a quarter full of fresh oil. "Swish" it around slowly to try as well as get all the filter material down in there wet with oil. Then, as well as this is very important, prep the rubber seal with a dab of oil on your finger. Just get the whichle seal "wet". This will ensure that it makes good contact with the engine, as well as make it much easier to get it off during the next oil change.
7. Clear the filter area on the engine of grime as well as wipe a finger of fresh oil around the area just to get good clean contact. Carefully screw on the new filter. Don't force it! It should go quite easily. Once it takes more than about zero effort to turn it, it only needs about 3/4 of a turn left. You really don't want to over-tighten an oil filter. And you shouldn't need more than a clean h as well as to tighten it. Don't use a tool, unless it is attached to a torque wrench as well as you are tightening it to factory specs!
8. If you haven't already, go ahead as well as move that nasty old oil away from the area so you don't spill it! Look in your manual for oil capacity as well as use the funnel to add about half a quart under full capacity into the fill hole. Stop as well as check the level. Add or drain oil as necessary to be at about the bottom third between Add as well as Full. You don't want to overfill the oil! It adds undue pressure on the seals in your engine as well as can lessen its life. Remember that on motorcycles you have to have it straight up as well as down, not on the side st as well as , to check the level.
9. Clean it up, double check you've returned all the caps as well as bolts, as well as you're good to go! Most auto places that sell you the oil will take it back if you pour it back into the orginal containers. It's a messy job, but don't pour it on the ground. It doesn't go away, it's really bad for the environment, as well as it's illegal!
10. Lastly, make double sure to check the level again as well as the filter, drain bolt, as well as fill cap tightness after your first ride!
11. Congratulations! Job well done. Get yourself a beer as well as a burger you manly man! (or woman :o))

• Remember, hot oil flows much better, so go for a ten minute ride before you pull the drain plug. The oil will come out hot as well as fast when it goes so be careful! This will help "wash" the inside of your engine with oil as well as let it flow out nicely.
• You don't want dirt as well as grime from your tools as well as your shop getting in there, so clean your tools before ( as well as after), as well as keep a clean work area! Small particles of s as well as in your oil can destroy your engine!
• Oil disposal is always a pain. Put it in an old (but clean) bleach or laundry detergent bottle, cause they're sturdy as well as have a good screw on top. Most town dumps will take oil if you're a resident, as well as sometimes only on a certain day. Don't dump it on the ground!
• If you ride a sportbike, odds are that your oil filter will be surrounded by your exhaust headers. Since burning oil stinks, try this to keep the oil off of the hot exhaust pipes: get some aluminum foil as well as wrap it over the top of the headers just below the filter connection!

• Overfilling your engine increases oil pressure, putting strain on seals. Think about this. Racers usually run their cars/bikes with even less oil than the manufacturer recommends as the bare minimum in oil to keep weight down. And think about how hard they run their engines. Stay on the not-chalk full side as well as filling 1/3 of the way above "add" (or the lower marker). Just check it often, as you should anyway!
• Hot oil is hot! Be careful as you can burn yourself.
• Never smoke or use a lighter while working on your motorcycle. Oil is flammable!

• Oil Filter
• Oil
• Drain Plug Washer
• open end wrench (or socket and ratchet)
• drain pan
• tool to remove the filter (an old leather belt will do)
• rags for cleanup
• funnel
• aluminum foil

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Added: Thu Feb 02 2006

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