oil question

Just Kidding.

Total newb question thou. Where is the bleeder bolt to check for pressure? Can you give me a reference point? You know, couple inches higher then filler cap around on the front (something like that), lol. i suck i know.


*just to keep it interesting. Wife went to the dealer for me to buy the supplies. They asked whether I wanted synthetic or not. Their reaon was, "Most newer bikes are now sold with synthetic oil already in the bike and you should stick with it." Never heard that before.

Oil is a matter of preference, really. Some like the syn, others the good ol' dino lube. As long as it does the job, is all that matters. As for the bleeder screw, it's at the back of the head, on the left hand side, about 2/3 of the way up the head case.

Tell me it's not the allen head bolt running vertical that i will need a bent tool to get it out.

i can advise on one oil not to use....mobil synthetic truck/suv labeled oil. it will make your clutch have a "grabby" engagement.
i was using mobil1 15w50 synthetic in everything i owned,but they changed it all a few years ago so i went back to regular petroleum grade type...i like the low parafin types/brands...valvoline,castrol etc.

i also use an once or two of the blue bottle(original) stp oil treatment in my bikes at oil change...it's good stuff.

the bleed check bolt is a way to verify the oil pump is pumping oil to the top end of the engine,and therefore that the pump is actually working. it's useful if you might suspect the pump has lost it's prime or after a engine rebuild or as i've run into before...a friend who had installed his filter backwards and was worried about his motor making alot of noise(true story).

I am not even going to get involved in another oil argument. Nobody ever wins those. Use what you think is best after reading all the info.

The bleed bolt is located as I note in the pic above. It is not really nessesary to bleed the oil after each oil change. It's a damn messy job considering where the bleed bolt is located. And if for some strange reason the pump doesn't prime upon starting, you will hear it soon enough. The oil left in the engine will keep it alive for that short time. If the pump doesn't prime, it's not like the engine is going to immediately blow a rod out the side or something. Bleed it if you want, but I don't think it's nessesary. Then again, I have installed an oil pressure guage, so I know it's working when I start up.

As for installing the filter backwards, it's not possible on this engine. You would never get the cover back on if the filter was installed backwards. It's pretty much stupid proof by design.

Awesome pic. so clean . Thanks for the info guys. I was under the assumption it had to be checked every time.

*i was totally kidding about the oil thing. lol. Just never heard of brand new bikes having synthetic. thought maybe the dealer was trying to upsell my wife.

the backwards filter offender was on a honda foreman atv....just wanted to clarify that it wasn't on a wrr.

i've worked on many bikes and atv's...used to do alot of it as a extra income/side job....believe me someone will do something you never dreamed possible.


i've also ran into the backwards installed 2 stroke piston a cpl times now after going behind others ...happens more than you might think.

dirtytrixx400 wrote:

the backwards filter offender was on a honda foreman atv....just wanted to clarify that it wasn't on a wrr.

i've worked on many bikes and atv's...used to do alot of it as a extra income/side job....believe me someone will do something you never dreamed possible.


i've also ran into the backwards installed 2 stroke piston a cpl times now after going behind others ...happens more than you might think.

Roger that dude. It's amazing what some idiots will do when you give them a few tools. Just when you think you've seen it all, some dumbass tops the last guy.

surprised it hasn't been mentioned already - whatever oil you use, make sure it is NOT "energy conserving" (this info can be found on the little round logo on almost all oil containers - if the words "energy conserving" appear there, run away!)

i've said this before. read the manual. it says not to use high quality oil. i take that as no semi or full synthetics. the WR does not come with synthetic in it. most euro bikes do.

Hey guys, I wont be selling anyone oil, but I want to throw my opinion out there.

I worked for Yamaha as a rep for 15 years, right before i left i attended an Oil Seminar with the japanese.
Yamaha re formulated Yamahalube and they were giving us a seminar, they showed us pictures of a motor with 1000 hrs burning The Yamahalube semi synthetic and one with Mobil one fully synthetic.
The pictures were dramatic, the Yamaha lube motor was clean and the Mobil one was brownish,
of course the question everyone asked was what does the yamahalube full synth look llke? they finally showed us a picture and there wasnt really any difference between the yamahalube full synth and semi synth..
I run the semi in my race bike.
so i am a believer... thats what i think you guys should run..

BPG wrote:

surprised it hasn't been mentioned already - whatever oil you use, make sure it is NOT "energy conserving" (this info can be found on the little round logo on almost all oil containers - if the words "energy conserving" appear there, run away!)

You know, they say that... but I recently changed the oil in my Strom and I had a gallon of 10W-30 "energy conserving" dino oil in the garage, and was curious about that. I used it, and have not noticed any problems with clutch slippage whatsoever.

I generally use the cheapest 10W-40 dino oil I can find but I have no reservations about mixing oil types, using the "wrong" weight, etc.

Rotella.

For what it's worth, I've used the following 10W-40 oils in the WRR:

Maxum, Penzoil, Valvoline (Motorcycle JASO MA Spec.) and Mobil 1 ("4T" full syn., MA spec.).

I was looking for any difference in engine noise, smoothness, and clutch action. Couldn't really detect any difference between them. I change oil every 1K miles, filter every third change.

Interesting reading here, everyone feel free to keep posting, but......


you guys do know i was just kidding about the kind of oil question right? i just wanted to know about the bleeder bolt, (which was answered).

*seriously, i do like reading about stuff...

*hands you a girly rag*

SheWolf wrote:

*hands you a girly rag*

Eewwwwwwwwhhhh!

There are some things God just did not intend men to touch...

Oh guh Jager, not THAT kind of rag...I was talking like a Hustler or a Playboy kinda girly rag. *falls off chair in a fit*

Jäger wrote:

SheWolf wrote:

*hands you a girly rag*

Eewwwwwwwwhhhh!

There are some things God just did not intend men to touch...

LOL...i thought the same thing!

inspector wrote:

Jäger wrote:

SheWolf wrote:

*hands you a girly rag*

Eewwwwwwwwhhhh!

There are some things God just did not intend men to touch...

LOL...i thought the same thing!

Yeah... I lifeguarded for a couple of years at Radium back in the 70's saving money for university (okay, didn't save much at $.75/hr), and have off and on ever since part time, mostly as an excuse to be around the pool enough to swim for free.

Cleaning the women's change room is always SO much fun.

The female guards call the innocuous-looking little containers "rag bags" or "goody bags".

Nothing good about having to clean out them damned things. Womens' work, all the way.

Quote :

mobil synthetic truck/suv labeled oil. it will make your clutch have a "grabby" engagement.

It probably doesn't matter what motorcycle oil you put in your motor, but never use car or truck oil. Motorcycles run the clutch in the engine oil and car oils have crap in them that can interfere with the proper operation of the motorcycle clutch.

To resurrect a thread I always find interesting in any forum, as long as it's civil.

It's back...

The oil thing interests me because I have two younger brothers. One is a petroleum engineer that you NEVER want to get talking about oil, and it's refinement and uses (although discussion invariably breaks out accompanied with cursing when the price of diesel goes up). The other is a heavy duty mechanic who worked on everything from the world's largest haul truck to marine engines, and now on everything from Challenger MBTs to Land Rovers at BATUS. Both also have a lifelong acquaintance with motorcycle engines that see a lot of dirt... although the mechanic favours Harleys, dating all the way back to his first panhead. The mechanic brother has an affinity to spending his spare time building and maintaining racing engines for anyone who asks him nicely and will foot the bill for the parts and whatnot. Motorcycles, cars, trucks... doesn't matter.

Anyways, I think I'm usually fairly protected from any bad oil choices because I have always changed oil in my bikes lots - at the cost and the simplicity of doing so, why wouldn't you. However, the "best choices" discussion continues to interest me.

My brothers and I were recently having a wobbly pop or two and happened to read this rather interesting (and reasonably non-technical article for those of us not so inclined) article.

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html

Both gave it two thumbs up from their respective points of view. While pointing out at the same time that, as I no longer ride like my hair is on fire, chances are I will see no appreciable improvement in engine life by switching from dino juice to Shell Rotella T Synthetic. I sniffed around a bit on ADV and references to a few people using it and none to anyone whining that it gave them problems, so I think I shall give it a shot.

He also has this interesting page (amongst many others it will take time to meander through) concerning gasoline.

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Gasoline.html

Canadians in particular may find interest in comparing Canadian gas prices to US gas prices and wonder about all of that when you consider the amount of crude rotting dinosaur we pump out of the ground each year compared to what we consume...

Thanks for that first page link, especially for their link to Shell's website FAQ on Rotella. And I quote (emphasis mine):

Quote :

Do you recommend using ROTELLA in wet clutch applications?


ROTELLA
T does not contain friction modifiers that are added to many
passenger-car-only-oils, and it does not comply with all requirements
of ILSAC GF-1, GF-2, GF-3 and GF-4 (the ILSAC oil specifications are
often recommended by many gasoline passenger car engine manufacturers).
That can be good for motorcycle/ATV use. Friction modifiers can upset
wet clutch operation. And the ILSAC requirements limit phosphorus
content.

Diesel engines and other engines with highly loaded valve trains, as
well as transmissions, need extra (compared to passenger car engines)
extreme pressure wear protection, which is provided by an additive that
contains phosphorus.

One negative might be where the engine manufacturer recommends oil
meeting JASO requirements. Part of the JASO requirement limits ash
content to 1.2%.

Oil ash contributes to combustion chamber and spark plug deposits.

The ash content of CI-4 PLUS spec-ed ROTELLA T Synthetic SAE 5W-40 is
1.47%. However, the CJ-4 spec-ed Shell ROTELLA T with Triple Protection
is now at 1.0% ash.

My next change is either going to be to Rotella Synthetic or Redline.

This is what I'm using. Wolfshead

Yes I talked right to the oil tech and yes it is compatible. NO MOLY whatsoever. Way cheaper than the other stuff I get and JASO MA compatible.

I use Motul 5100. Semi synthetic, relatively cheap and seems to work well on all the bikes in the garage (ZRX1200, SV650, WR250X). Buying one type of oil for all the bikes makes maintenance a bit easier.

On a side note, the ZRX1200 and the WR use the same spark plug, saving a bit of shopping.