Oil change instructions

[86gn]

A two page thread on how to change oil :roll:

[Red J]

But I would never recommend someone do it without replacing the washer ($ 0.25). Oil pans are too expensive.

Maybe I'm missing something or am stupid, but I've never replaced the crush washer on any vehicle and have

never once had a leak, or lost a drain bolt, or hurt an oil pan. Like I said, maybe I'm dumb, 'cause I just don't get it...

I worked at a Honda car shop for two years. We sold an oil pan a month. and these things were in the $200-300 neighborhood. These are steel oil pans, with a weld nut, albeit thin wall, to hold the drain plug. These people would take the car to Jiffy Lube to change the oil, and the monkeys would overtorque the plugs. I had a guy ask me, "If it's a crush washer, shouldn't you crush it?" :roll:

Bad design? Maybe. We never had a problem with our techs, but they used new crush washers on each and every oil change.

It is massively easy to overtorque a steel plug into an aluminum casting. Where I'm at, the plugs cost 25c to a buck, depending on where you get them. What does a CBR oil pan cost?

IMO, it is foolish to reuse a crush washer, for the very reason mentioned in this thread. But it sounds like it's not biting people like I figured it would.

I still stand by my recommendation.

J.

[Northman]

We had a guy at the dealership that was notorious for over-torquing drain plugs.

Thankfully, he only destroyed the plugs on the steel-panned vehicles, but managed to strip a few aluminum ones, as well. :roll:

On the bike, I used to never remove the fairings, but the odd time you'll get some oil on them, so I remove them now for the sake of cleanliness.

Plus, when have you ever been in that much of a hurry to change your oil? :?

FWIW, I'm on my original crush washer, as well, @ 32K.

[PlasticxxHead]

Hey floridasilverbud.....

If you can't get to Rick's to use his stands ..

Just lay the bike on it's side... give you great access to the drain plug .. :wink:

[FloridaSilverBird]

is it all a drain access problem, or is it that all the oil will not come out if I use the sidestand?

[Keith]

IMO, it is foolish to reuse a crush washer, for the very reason mentioned in this thread. J.

Maybe it's just that I've never over tightened the plug, AFAIK. I've never felt a need to really "bear down" on the drain

plug when putting it back in, so I guess that's why I've never had a problem. Other folks' MMV, I suppose.

[Speed99]

is it all a drain access problem, or is it that all the oil will not come out if I use the sidestand?

Its just access.

The job is really simple. Like others have said, the hardest part is getting a grip on the filter in order to get it off the bike. And that's not really that hard either...jut harder than the other steps.

[Red J]

Maybe it's just that I've never over tightened the plug, AFAIK. I've never felt a need to really "bear down" on the drain

plug when putting it back in, so I guess that's why I've never had a problem. Other folks' MMV, I suppose.

I've never had a problem with the XX pan, but then I'm careful when it comes to oil drain plugs. I torque them when I can, but if I can't, I'll use a stubby wrench or choke up on a standard wrench.

I have a spare pan that has a hole in it. I should go torque it to failing and see how much it took.

[pdsw60]

I also have a aftermarket exhaust. I just put the centerstand back on the bike for oil changes, chain adjustment/lube ect. Then remove it when I'm finished. No big deal. I also replace the crush washer each time

[Pete in PA]

Well, I might as well add to the 2 page oil change thread.

85 V65 Sabre, 72k miles, same crush washer.

XX at 55k miles, same crush washer.

I always pull left side of fairing. It's in the way and I clean all spilled oil of the block and check for leaks when done. How do you do that with all of the fairing on?

On bikes without a centerstand is the drain hole at the left bottom of the pan or not? I never owned one.

You might want to do your draining on the sidestand then when just dripping, hold bike upright and see if you get more out.

[Red J]

You might want to do your draining on the sidestand then when just dripping, hold bike upright and see if you get more out.

Before I used a shopstand, and didn't feel like putting the centerstand on, I did it this way. It would pour forth, but not much.

[Fly By]

Can anybody give me good, simple instructions on how to change the oil in my Bird

Do a search and find Warchild's instructions on how to change the oil on the 'Bird. Changed mine about a month ago following his instructions and they were dead on. I even was a good boy and changed the washer for the first time.

Everything you need to know is in his write-up.

[LongHaul]

Using a new crush washer or old, one can still over torque the plug and strip the pan. Just don't over torque.

J, I WOULD like you to strip that old pan and post the torque.

I use a vise grip that has long curved jaws to break the oil filter loose. I bearly clamp down on the filter. It doesn't take much. I just hand tighten when I install them so they almost come off by hand anyways.

[N1K]

Using a new crush washer or old, one can still over torque the plug and strip the pan.

Ya don't say!

:wink:

[D2]

My honda manual says oil drain plug is torqued to 22 lb-ft. where does this 9 lbs come from?

[blkbrdrydr]

Here are good instructions:

http://superblackbird.com/oil_change.cfm