KER Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 can someone please remind me whether its recommended to change your oil at 3k miles or 6k miles? thanks - Kyle Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 This will tell you everything you need to know. Link to comment
KER Posted December 10, 2005 Author Share Posted December 10, 2005 great, thanks for the quick response. Link to comment
bmweerman Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 Excellent description of the how But I think the question was more about the when.... I use Mobil 1 synthetic and change it every 3k...which is way over doing it but I'm not OCD! Seriously though keeping clean oil in the bike is one of the very best things you can do to keep it running for a LOOOONNNG time..I certainly wouldn't go over 6K even with synthetic. IMHO... Cameron Link to comment
BUSTED Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 Most bikes I used the required interval. I've done 3k for all the changes on one bike. It's required at 6k intervals. Last few years I've done it at every 5k, much easier to remember! Link to comment
Boffin Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 can someone please remind me whether its recommended to change your oil at 3k miles or 6k miles? thanks - Kyle BMW reccomend 6K miles. Tests carried out by members of this board, sending oil for analysis, indicates that this is a very conservative mileage. Change at 6K, don't worry if you go over this on a road trip etc. Some people have gone to over 20K without measurable deterioration of the oil under lab analysis. Cya, Andy Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 Offial spec is 6K miles. I've got 108K miles on my RT, and stuck to that 6K change interval (occasionally 7500 in a pinch). Motor is still healthy. Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 Excellent description of the how But I think the question was more about the when.... It's there, in the Tips section. Link to comment
Alien_Hitchhiker Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 I am slowly formimg the opinion that the oil change interval for a well broken in oilhead (>30K miles) using sythetic oil, can safely be stretched to 10,000-12,000 miles. Usual disclaimers apply: the oil never got excessively hot, the bike is not used for short trips which don't allow the engine to fully warm up, no dirt roads or dust storms, etc. I have read (in print) that Europeans, due to the their high cost of synthetic oil, routinely stretch out oil change intervals. Any Euro's care to comment? Steve Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 Tire Bars For Sale! Get all the fibre you need in one yummy, chewy bar - tastes like expensive peaty scotch with the texture of escargot - made entirely from recycled ingredients. Link to comment
Boffin Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 I am slowly formimg the opinion that the oil change interval for a well broken in oilhead (>30K miles) using sythetic oil, can safely be stretched to 10,000-12,000 miles. Usual disclaimers apply: the oil never got excessively hot, the bike is not used for short trips which don't allow the engine to fully warm up, no dirt roads or dust storms, etc. I have read (in print) that Europeans, due to the their high cost of synthetic oil, routinely stretch out oil change intervals. Any Euro's care to comment? Steve I do know of one rider who uses synthetic at 12K intervals on his Triumph (twice factory spec). Personally I don't see the point in spending the extra on synthetic, living as I do in a cool damp climate. I just pour in the same Castrol GPS semi-synthetic that the dealer filled the bike with when new. As my bike is still under warranty the oil changes are made at 6K intervals by my dealer - our warranty laws are not as consumer friendly as yours. I see no reason to vary from this once I start doing my own maintenance next summer. Cya, Andy Link to comment
wolcott Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 I just did my first oil change on an used r1100rt and went with the new gold cap extended mileage Mobil 1 synthetic. It is good for 1 year or 15k miles whichever comes first. In my opinion, it should be good for 12k at least- even thinking conservatively. If you don't put on that many miles in 1 year, then you could change at a 9 months to 1 year period. Did anyone read that Consumer's Report article on taxis that they ran for 6 months around the clock in heavy city traffic and then they measured bearing wear? The bearing wear was negligible- for the severe duty the taxis were undergoing the manufacturers wanted the oil changed at 3k or 3 months. Consumers Report could find no evidence that running the taxis twice the recommended oil service intervals did any harm. Oil threads provoke so much response since we have been taught at such early ages by our fathers, friends, and the media that we must change our oil more frequently. It is ingrained in our brains now. Michael Link to comment
bmweerman Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 It's there, in the Tips section. Doh!!! Got it... Very nice work! Link to comment
bmweerman Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 Usual disclaimers apply: the oil never got excessively hot, the bike is not used for short trips which don't allow the engine to fully warm up, no dirt roads or dust storms, etc. I think the above is the most important factor...there was an air-filter thread hear a while ago and many were of the opinion that air filters rareley needed changing...probably true for them. Here at the base of the San Juaquin Valley we live in a constant state of dust and EVERYTHING wears out faster.. My air cleaners are always dirty and I can watch my oil turn colors through the sight glass... If you live somewhere dust free ...that ROCKS...and maybe 12-15K is the proper interval. Just stay on top of it and look at that sight glass from time to time As always...IMHO... Take Care Cameron Link to comment
Slartidbartfast Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Here at the base of the San Juaquin Valley we live in a constant state of dust and EVERYTHING wears out faster.. My air cleaners are always dirty and I can watch my oil turn colors through the sight glass... I don't doubt that abundant dust can get into engines and cause extra wear. However, more frequent oil and air filter changes may not help. A dirty looking air filter is probably still flowing enough air and many air filters actually filter more efficiently when they're "dirty". Your oil should turn colors - That is the sign that it is carrying some carbon and other contamininants, as it is meant to do. Blackened oil is by no means used up or even partially so and the darkening itself is not a reliable indication. Under normal conditions, only oil analysis will tell what condition it is in. For chronic dusty conditions, I would be sticking with a stock paper air filter (defintely NOT K&N or similar) and would be making sure I bought top quality oil filters. Regards, Philip Link to comment
bmweerman Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Hmmm....OK...Interesting points...not what I've been told in the past, however always open to new and better information! Anybody else care to weigh in on this weighty matter? BTW...awesome handle Don't Panic Cameron Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.