How Often do you change your oil...?

[Dallara]

Things move on oil has improved and Yamaha engines are designed with a service interval so why is still deamed necessary to service a 2010> bike the same as a 1970 one. The book says semi synthetic oil every 10000kms so thats good enough for me

Interesting point... Let's look at that point perhaps a little closer.

Taking a look at the the USA Super Tenere owners manual (part number 23P-28199-10 / LIT-11626-25-09, and available free in PDF format at http://www.yamahamotorsports.com/sport/service/viewmanuals/outdoor_manuals.aspx) we find that it says nothing about using "semi synthetic" oil whatsoever, but instead says the following (on page 9-1):

"Engine Oil: Recommended brand: YAMALUBE
Type: SAE 10W-30, 10W-40, 10W-50, 15W-40, 20W-40 or 20W-50
Recommended engine oil grade: API service SG type or higher, JASO standard MA"

As for intervals, the USA owners manual says the following (on page 7-7):

"Periodic Maintenance and Adjustment
(under item # 21) Engine Oil:
- 600 miles (1000 km) or 1 month
- 4000 miles (7000 km) or 6 months
- 8000 miles (13000 km) or 12 months
- 12000 miles (19000 km) or 18 months
- 16000 miles (25000 km) or 24 months
- 20000 miles (31000 km) or 30 months"

And it recommends that the oil filter (item #22) be changed at "600 miles (1000 km) or 1 month, then at 8000 miles (13000 km) or 12 months, 16000 miles (25000 km) or 24 months"

Now, let's take a look at the Australian owners manual (part number 23P-28199-21, and available for free in PDF format at http://www.yamahaownershandbook.com.au/index.php)... Regarding recommended oil it says the following (on page 9-1):

"Engine Oil: Recommended brand: YAMALUBE
Type: SAE 10W-30, 10W-40, 10W-50, 15W-40, 20W-40 or 20W-50
Recommended engine oil grade: API service SG type or higher, JASO standard MA"

Again, no mention of "semi synthetic"... Just Yamalube, the oil weights, and the standards, so I guess they leave it up to the customer to choose whether to use mineral, semi-synthetic, or full synthetic, right?

So what does the Australian owners manual say about intervals? Let's look (on page 7-6):

"Periodic Maintenance and Adjustment
(again under item # 21) Engine Oil:
- 1000 km (600 miles)
- 10000 km (6000 miles)
- 20000 km (12000 miles)
- 30000 km (18000 miles)
- 40000 km (24000 miles)"

And with the oil filter (item #22) the Euro owners manual says it should be changed at "1000 km (600 miles), 20000 km (12000 miles), 40000 km (24000 miles)"

So, we seem to have a bit of a conundrum here...

Basically, here in the USA once you get the bike past the first 600 miles (1000 km) the owners manual says to change the oil every 4000 miles (6000 km), and change the filter every 8000 miles (12000 km)... But in Australia (and also European countries, part number 23P-28199-E0, and available free at http://www.yamaha-motor.eu/eu/services/owner-manuals/index.aspx) the owners manual says to change the oil every 6000 miles (10000 km) and the filter every 12000 miles (20000 km)...

That's a difference between the two manual recommendations for oil changes of 2000 miles (or 4000 km), and difference in filter change interval of 4000 miles (or 8000 km). Hell of a spread, don'cha think?

Which do you recommend? Following the USA manual, or following the Australian (or Euro) manual? ???

And how do you determine whether Yamaha recommends mineral, semi-synthetic, or full synthetic?

And when do you change your filter, Roge? Every other time, or when you change your oil? And what oil do you use? Yamalube or something else? What weight?


Dallara




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[creggur]

Changed at 600 with mineral then with Mobil 1 10W40 synthetic at 2K then again at 4k, and every 4K since....OEM filter at each change....

 

[avc8130]

Dallara,

Maybe Yamalube in Europe is better than it is in the US...

ac

 

[Dallara]

Dallara,

Maybe Yamalube in Europe is better than it is in the US...

ac

Yeah, AC... Maybe it's got kerosene in it to keep the inside of the engine cleaner! ::025::

Dallara



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[snakebitten]

That guy had more influence on this forum with one single post.

And he isn't here to enjoy it.
He should come back. Head held high too.

 

[Dallara]

That guy had more influence on this forum with one single post.

And he isn't here to enjoy it.
He should come back. Head held high too.

Does that mean you're doing kerosene flushes regularly on your Super Tenere now, Snake? ???

Dallara


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[snakebitten]

Thinking about it. Might try it for cleaning the grime on the OUTSIDE of my FD.

 

[Dallara]

Thinking about it. Might try it for cleaning the grime on the OUTSIDE of my FD.

Now see... Cleaning the outside of the FD... That makes perfect sense!

Dallara



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[Roge]

Interesting point... ?

And when do you change your filter, Roge? Every other time, or when you change your oil? And what oil do you use? Yamalube or something else? What weight?


Dallara

I change the filter with the oil only because I have a job lot of Yam filters and while the bash plate is off. The advice re sythetic oil and I thought it was from the book but may have been the dealer is that it can cause clutch slippage.

I am basicall a lazy rider ie I love to ride and cleaning a service is a need to do so I go with the book. I have had many bikes from numerouse European and Japanese manufactures and have used the same theory of keeping an eye on levels etc and change when book says (approximately) and in many hundreds of thousands of miles/Kms have never had a problem, many of those dare I say it on BMWs shhhh.

Interesting about the service book anomolies, I have also noted the same with cars notably Crysler/Jeep.

Roge




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[avc8130]

Yeah, AC... Maybe it's got kerosene in it to keep the inside of the engine cleaner! ::025::

Dallara



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I brought the discrepancies up between the EU and US manuals over a year ago. If you search, you will see someone claim that EU oil is "better" than US oil.

I believe their argument was to Google "German Castrol". It's so significant there is a ton of activity on BITOG forum.

ac

 

[EricV]

I brought the discrepancies up between the EU and US manuals over a year ago. If you search, you will see someone claim that EU oil is "better" than US oil.

I believe their argument was to Google "German Castrol". It's so significant there is a ton of activity on BITOG forum.

ac

I suspect the discrepancy is as simple as rounding off to a nice even number. Oil and car companies have been throwing out that 3 months or 3000 miles figures at people in the US for so long they probably figured we wouldn't go 5000 miles, but 4000 seems like such a nice even number. And for the Metric countries, 10,000 kms is simply a nice stepping stone number. Units of ten. ::008::

Back in '86 my new Subaru had 7500 mile oil change intervals, which seemed scary long to me at the time. I had a lifetime oil change contract that I had gotten them to throw in with the sale, but changed it in between on my dime for the first couple of years. Then the dealer agreed to do it on the contract every 4k. :question: Worked for me. Traded that car in with about 180k on it.

 

[Dallara]

Dallara

I change the filter with the oil only because I have a job lot of Yam filters and while the bash plate is off. The advice re sythetic oil and I thought it was from the book but may have been the dealer is that it can cause clutch slippage.

I am basicall a lazy rider ie I love to ride and cleaning a service is a need to do so I go with the book. I have had many bikes from numerouse European and Japanese manufactures and have used the same theory of keeping an eye on levels etc and change when book says (approximately) and in many hundreds of thousands of miles/Kms have never had a problem, many of those dare I say it on BMWs shhhh.

Interesting about the service book anomolies, I have also noted the same with cars notably Crysler/Jeep.

Roge

I'm kind of a "lazy rider" myself, Roge... ::025::

In that I don't follow a strict, rigid schedule for these things. Yamaha says 4000 miles (7000 km) for oil changes in one owners manual, and 6000 (10000 km) in another, so obviously it's not ultra-critical when it comes to mileage. I change mine somewhere between 3000 and 5000 miles for the most part... usually dictated by when it's convenient and when I'm in the mood. I've gone nearly 6000 miles (5800 to be exact) for one oil change simply because that's when I got around to it. And I change the oil filter every time I change the oil simply because I'm there, I might as well, and I have plenty of filters on-hand.

Same with the final drive oil... I usually change it when I change the engine oil and filter simply because I'm already there, I've got all the drain container/disposal carrier out and ready to go, I've got plenty of fear lube on-hand, and I won't have to remember the last time I changed it. I have skipped a final drive lube change once or twice in the bike's life, but there was no reason other than I was in a hurry.

I figure I use good oil and final drive lube (Mobil 1 on both counts) and good filters (OEM Yamaha/Denso or Mobil 1 M1-108) so I should be able to have some flexibility on my change intervals.

I only wanted to point out that even Yamaha's own owners manuals are not completely consistent on change intervals/mileages. ::025::

Dallara



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[Dallara]

I brought the discrepancies up between the EU and US manuals over a year ago. If you search, you will see someone claim that EU oil is "better" than US oil.

I believe their argument was to Google "German Castrol". It's so significant there is a ton of activity on BITOG forum.

ac

Geez, I missed that one here, AC...

But I've seen the old "German Castrol" and "Euro Motul is pure ester", etc., etc., etc. conflagrations on various car, motorcycle, and oil forums over the years. Some of those get downright *NASTY*!!! ::025::

I think it's very much as Eric said... Those are just convenient numbers to round of at for each respective manual.

I also think an important point to note, particularly given the shorter mileage change recommendation, is that the USA manual is the *ONLY* one to specify a *TIME* interval (i.e. every 6 months). I think for the most part Euro/Aussie/South African/etc. riders ride more miles than the average USA riders... You can see that by just looking at classifieds for used bikes from overseas vs. the USA. Riders there more often buy bikes as true *transportation*, whereas here in the USA bikes are more *recreational* vehicles. Yamaha doesn't put a time/month interval in the non-USA owners manuals because the bikes don't tend to *sit* for months on end without being ridden... Whereas here in the USA some riders will often let their bikes sit for 6 months, a year, or even longer without riding them.

As such it may be that Yamaha suggests more frequent change intervals, and/or timed ones, here in the USA simply to get the condensation/acids/etc. out of the crankcase from sitting! ???

Thank goodness that's not a problem with my Super Tenere, but unfortunately it has become one with my other bikes *THANKS* to the Super Tenere!!!

Dallara


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[Mzee]

I have not been as meticulous as Dallara, but I have kept to the manufacturer's specs. No problem whatsoever as Dallara has indicated.

 

[avc8130]

Geez, I missed that one here, AC...

But I've seen the old "German Castrol" and "Euro Motul is pure ester", etc., etc., etc. conflagrations on various car, motorcycle, and oil forums over the years. Some of those get downright *NASTY*!!! ::025::

I think it's very much as Eric said... Those are just convenient numbers to round of at for each respective manual.

I also think an important point to note, particularly given the shorter mileage change recommendation, is that the USA manual is the *ONLY* one to specify a *TIME* interval (i.e. every 6 months). I think for the most part Euro/Aussie/South African/etc. riders ride more miles than the average USA riders... You can see that by just looking at classifieds for used bikes from overseas vs. the USA. Riders there more often buy bikes as true *transportation*, whereas here in the USA bikes are more *recreational* vehicles. Yamaha doesn't put a time/month interval in the non-USA owners manuals because the bikes don't tend to *sit* for months on end without being ridden... Whereas here in the USA some riders will often let their bikes sit for 6 months, a year, or even longer without riding them.

As such Yamaha suggests more frequent change intervals here in the USA simply to get the condensation/acids/etc. out of the crankcase from sitting! ???

Thank goodness that's not a problem with my Super Tenere, but unfortunately it has become one with my other bikes *THANKS* to the Super Tenere!!!

Dallara


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We may never know the real reasons.

One of the things I always found "odd" was the 26k valve interval. How annoying? 26k miles doesn't line up with EITHER oil change interval.

Sure, at 52k it lines up in the US...but the poor EU has to wait all the way to 78k to get a matching oil change/valve adjustment...and even then it is JUST the oil no filter!

ac

 

[EricV]

We may never know the real reasons.

One of the things I always found "odd" was the 26k valve interval. How annoying? 26k miles doesn't line up with EITHER oil change interval.

Sure, at 52k it lines up in the US...but the poor EU has to wait all the way to 78k to get a matching oil change/valve adjustment...and even then it is JUST the oil no filter!

ac

You may be spending too much time thinking about this stuff AC.

 

[simmons1]

You may be spending too much time thinking about this stuff AC.

I was thinking the same thing. There are a few on this forum that are way OCD with maintenance tasks. Its a Jap bike. You can ignore most if not all of the maintenance requirements and not have any issues.

 

[scott123007]

Since we are being obsessive compulsive on this subject, another point to ponder is that oil change and valve adjustment intervals can only be arbitrary at best. One persons 4000 miles on their odometer vs another persons 4000 mi can be vastly different in the amount of revolutions the engine has spun to get there, which would be the most important criteria for maintenance intervals, but not recordable.

 

[avc8130]

Since we are being obsessive compulsive on this subject, another point to ponder is that oil change and valve adjustment intervals can only be arbitrary at best. One persons 4000 miles on their odometer vs another persons 4000 mi can be vastly different in the amount of revolutions the engine has spun to get there, which would be the most important criteria for maintenance intervals, but not recordable.

To a degree. LOAD would be even more important.

ac

 

[Dallara]

To a degree. LOAD would be even more important.

ac

High revs probably have a greater impact on the valve gear rather than load...

And load probably has a greater impact on oil condition than higher revs does...

But as has been so eloquently stated, getting that deep into it is probably way overthinking either. It is a relatively low-revving Japanese production-line street/trail bike, for chrissakes... not a MotoGP road racer! ::025::

Buddy of mine had a little brother who had an interesting philosophy about Jap bike maintenance. That kid used to say, "Maintenance? Man, I just ride it, and park it!"

Dallara



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