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Mech
08-08-03, 12:45 PM
I've had my shiny blue 2000 SVS for coming up to a month now, and am contemplating my first oil change (I think it's already actually a little later than it should have been according to Suzuki)
It seems to me that every 1 month / 600 miles really isn't far or long between changes at all. Does everyone else here actually do the oil change that often or do you leave it longer?

Benji
08-08-03, 12:48 PM
****, I just landed myself in it :lol:

I know nothing about cars and bikes, I just ride/drive the damn things. :oops:

Benji

Amanda M
08-08-03, 12:52 PM
You don't need to change the oil every month unless you're doing 1000s of miles every month. It depends on how you're using the bike (commuting/playing), how often and what oil you use. I personally change the oil every 6months/3000 miles. They recommend changing the oil in Svs every 3500 miles i think - I might be talking out my ****, but I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong :lol:

Amanda

andy
08-08-03, 12:52 PM
Suzuki dont say every 600 miles or 1 month.

They say every 4000 miles or 6 months - which is too infrequent.

Warren Isaacs
08-08-03, 01:14 PM
They say every 4000 miles or 6 months - which is too infrequent.

Why 'too infrequent'? It's far too bloody frequent if you ask me.

My decrepit Polo has a 10k oil change interval, and technology's moved on a bit since that was built. Okay, I know we have more performance per litre, but would a 5k interval really be too much to ask?

Cheers
Warren

PS The SV's oil change interval averages out at 3750 miles, but Suzuki obviously think were too stupid to cope with that, so they alternate between 3500 and 4000.

TimSVS
08-08-03, 01:19 PM
600 miles?!?!?!?!?! i'd have to drop it out every two weeks :shock:

Viney
08-08-03, 01:26 PM
I roll with 4000 miles changes on the bike, and 3000 in the car.

Sid Squid
08-08-03, 02:17 PM
Your bike should have more frequent oil changes than your car, as the oil in your bike engine is shared with the gearbox. The gearbox is a bad place for oil, (other than EP oil which it's meant for), as the chains of molecules that make oil, especially multigrades, get "chopped up" and the oil gets worn out more quickly. Your car wiil have a dry clutch which won't add to the contamination of the oil. Add to this that bike engines generally have higher specific power outputs than cars, note I said generally, and smaller engines physically, the oil in your bike gets a harder time than that in your car.

Sid

PS. Excellent piece of advice from my Dad (25 or more years ago)
"Oil is cheaper than bearings, and it's a damn sight easier to fit."

andy
08-08-03, 02:22 PM
I agree with Sid - the oil gets a very hard time and the more frequent the changes the better.

Obviously if you are only going to keep the bike up to 20,000 miles then it doesnt matter to you - but it will to the next owner.

I always keep my bikes for a long time - if the oil is looking crap I change it - irrespective of milage. The SV is every 2k or so.

My fiances Monster dirties its oil very quickly - it has done 1000 miles and is on its 3rd oil change!

TimSVS
08-08-03, 02:34 PM
blimey thats only 333mile per oil change, er thats, about 2 weeks of commuting alone, add in the weekend and your talkin a week :(

Viney
08-08-03, 02:34 PM
Just because an oil is dirty, does not mean it isnt still doing the job it was intended. Oil technology is so advanced nowadays, that 20000 service intervals are not out of place for most cars.

My mates lexus, has 30k service intervals!!!!

As for me changing the oil more frequently in the car as opposed to the bike, i use the bike daily, but the car gets used about twice a week, if its lucky.

I agree that the oil is the most important component in any engine, but its how its used.

chog
10-08-03, 08:07 PM
:shock:
I agree with the last comment,just coz the oil is dirty still doesn't mean its not doing it's job. A lot depends on what conditions you ride in, what oil you use synthetic/mineral? how long your journeys are (short ones being the worst). In the worst case scenario you would you cheap oil, in winter doing short journeys. In these conditions i would change my oil every 1000miles. I use reasonable oil Castrol magnatec, have journeys at least 15miles long(hence the engine is warm) and i go for 3000mile changes.

CHOG.

makis
10-08-03, 08:25 PM
What kind of oil do you usually use?

Billythekid
10-08-03, 11:22 PM
You'll find that oil companies are cunning buggers, they put additives in with the oil to make it go black when its used etc, ie to make it look bad, but in fact it'll be fine. My 2.6 skyline only used to take 3.5 litres of oil from dry with a new filter, an oil cooler and two turbos! Yet nissan still give it a 6000 mile interval.

I think the issue here is that as long as you use a good oil (NOT the most expensive! In a skyline the best stuff for road is Texaco Havoline at £15 for 5 litres. Mobil 1 and other 'high performance' oils are not the way to go.) you can stick to the service intervals for normal road riding.

However this goes right out the window if you subject your bike to numerous track days etc, an oil with different properties should be used.

On that note, what are the 'good' oils for use with an SV? Looking for coments from both the trackday nuts and the commuters here please!

Billy

purple eyed pig
11-08-03, 07:49 AM
Chog - I hope you don't use the Magnatec in the bike! The gearbox will knacker the oil in no time.

Sid's comment makes the most sense. If major engine work will cost you £500, an oil change every 2000 miles at £20 a time means you can do 50,000 miles - more than most of us will probably cover before we sell the bike.

Personally, I change the oil every 2-3k and use Shell VSX semi-synth. £18 for 4 litres.

embee
11-08-03, 03:54 PM
have a look here
http://www.chris-longhurst.com/carbibles/
there's also a Bike Bits section with some useful stuff.

I've worked in Engine Development for 20yrs, and much of what has been said is right, other than I'd disagree with the dirt/black view. The thing that limits "good" modern oil life is contamination, and particle (i.e. soot/carbon) size is what leads to wear rates. Modern engines run much cleaner (in every way) than old stuff, fuel is better, fuelling control is better, blow-by/breathers are better, component temperatures are better controlled etc.
Also I wouldn't recommend using "cheap" (read minimal additive pack) oil however often it's changed.
Also don't use any aftermarket additives ("SuperSlippy51" :wink: or similar). Decent oil from a decent manufacturer has everything you need.

Big commercial diesels (trucks) often use multi-stage filter systems (including centrifugal jobbies), and have oil change intervals of 50k kms and upwards.
Bike oils differ from car oils primarily in the friction modifiers to suit wet clutches and to make them more appropriate for gearboxes. Don't use a car oil in the SV.
Some manufacturers are setting service intervals purely to get the vehicle looked at on a regular basis.
I use Castrol GPS and change oil+filter once a year (maybe 3000mls 'cos I've got too many toys to play with!) :lol:

Viney
11-08-03, 04:07 PM
What kind of oil do you usually use?

Silkoline fully synth 10w40. i have used castrol GTS, but the sv drinks it like a fish!

Sid Squid
11-08-03, 04:20 PM
The colour of the oil is not a useful gauge of whether it's in good condition or not, all modern oils have a high degree of detergent in them, (with some new oil dip your finger in and taste a tiny bit, it's soapy, in fact just about the same ingredients as washing up liquid but in different amounts), this is intended to stop the oilways getting sludgy by keeping the crap in suspension, so when you change your oil all that rubbish, (mainly particles of carbon), comes out, keeping the inside of the motor cleaner, older riders might remember flushing oil, this was used to rinse the engine out and pick up the aforementioned crap.
The only gauge of whether your oil is knackered or not is it's viscosity, you can't easily check this at home, so change it.
If you only infrequently use a vehicle then more frequent changes mileage wise is good, but the most important thing is if the engine doesn't get properly hot, if this happens the acidic condensation inside your engine doesn't get evaporated away and damages the oil and the engine, the resulting emulsion is known by mechanics as mayonaise, short distance commuters lift off your oil filler cap in the cold weather and find some. If you are only doing short ones, change your oil even more often, preferably don't do such short trips.

Sid

PS Don't make a habit of drinking oil. But you can try what I said honest.

Warren Isaacs
11-08-03, 04:31 PM
modern oils have a high degree of detergent in them, . . . in fact just about the same ingredients as washing up liquid but in different amounts

Shurely shome mishtake? Don't most washing up liquids contain salts (which is why they're not recommended for washing bikes: salt + al alloy = corrosion)? If oils really contain similar ingredients, then all the oilways should fur up.

Or am I missing something?


Cheers
Warren

marc loyez
11-08-03, 05:02 PM
I change oil and every 3,500 miles, as receommended in the Suzuki manual. I've done two now (didn't do the 500 mile change Riossi (idiots!) did). I always check the stuff when I take it out, any trace of metal shavings? How shagged does the oil look? what colour is it? The stuff I've taken out of mine has been fine and I reckon could have been used for a lot longer.

I always change ther filter at the same time, even though the manual doesn't say you need to. It only costs £8 and is a piece of wee wee. That way you don't have crappy old oil trapped in the filter contaminating your nice new oil when you fill it up.

I always use Castrol GTS semi-synthetic. I reckon fully synthetic's not worth it unless you're racing.

I reckon stick to the recommended service intervals. However, I agree with Sid Squid too. If you do a lot of short trips you may need to change oil more often. And if you see any Mayonaise or any sign of milky cloudyness, change the oil immediately.

Marc.

Prelude
11-08-03, 06:31 PM
OK just voted for the 3K plus option, as I change at every 3 to 4K as it states in the handbook, to do more frequent would mean you ether have money burning a hole in your pocket or you race the bike (money burning a hole in you pocket)!! I would not use fully synthetic or car oil as it buggers the clutch, Suzuki only recommend semi-synthetic, any decent semi-synthetic can withstand the 4K any SV can throw at it on the roads. I would also recommend changing at least once a year regardless of mileage, as there are chemicals that build up and over time can damage the engine internals.

Only my opinion but I have followed this for 15years in car and bike (6K normally in the car as Caz don’t do that many miles and before you know it a year is up) and never had any serious problems, even did 150,000 miles in a Cavalier SRI on top of the 100,000 when I bought it and changed the oil only every 9K for Halfords fully synthetic, the only problems I had was 1 radiator hose and some small electrical problems.

Sid Squid
11-08-03, 09:04 PM
Err, I said just about the same, not exactly the same. I was just pointing out the high soapiness of modern oils, but all the same I assure you it's true.

Sid

Mech
12-08-03, 12:22 PM
Well, I read everyone's comments with interest yesterday, and when I got home from work I checked in both the SV Owners Manual, and in my Clymer workshop manual, both of which stated that the oil and filter should be changed every 600 miles / 1000 kilometers or 1 month... Still, I think I'll disregard that slightly and leave it to about 1500 miles or so...

embee
12-08-03, 01:06 PM
the manual (mine anyway) says;
"change the engine oil and filter at the initial 1000km (600m) and at each maintenance interval."

Intervals are given as 1000km, 6000, 12000, 18000 etc, which is then converted to 600m, 4000m, 7500m, 11000m, 15000m (slightly odd distances are due to rounding off the conversions from km)

3-4000miles is going to be fine.

Prelude
12-08-03, 08:56 PM
Embee is right, the 600m service is the initial break-in service and only that soon because the engine will produce lots of metal contamination from the parts beading in, in fact they tend to use a thinner oil than standard (don’t know for a fact if they do this with SV's but it is quite common) to actually increase the wear and help bed the parts in.

weegaz22
12-08-03, 10:16 PM
i use rock-oil semi synthetic 10w40

Mech
13-08-03, 07:11 AM
Aaaah... Suddenly it all makes sense... :)

kitana
13-08-03, 01:19 PM
my poor baby is eating oil like theres no tomorrow :? so i keep toppin it up :( so i never get chance to change it

im gonna have to get it sorted coz its gettin a little expensive now :roll:

Benji
13-08-03, 01:27 PM
The only reason why my bike burnt so much oil (5300 miles 2000 model) was because the crankcase breather hose was loose. You can tell this by the fact that my ENTIRE bike is now covered in oil. Over 50 miles it managed to coat everything, the frame, the rear seat, swingarm, everything and it lost about half a litre of oil. :roll:

Benji

TimSVS
13-08-03, 02:19 PM
yup done that to mine twice now, the thing is a bloody mess, gonna have to get it sorted.

Benji
13-08-03, 03:20 PM
What you think I can be bothered to clean it? :lol:

My bike is covered in oil, scottoil and road crap. Its suprising none gets on the rear wheel :shock:

Benji

Anton
13-08-03, 08:22 PM
Castrol R4 Superbike 10/50W that's what my SVS gets. :wink:

trog
13-08-03, 09:12 PM
I've changed the oil every 2000 or so (I'm on 5500 at the moment) but do check the colour of the oil frequently. I changed the oil before a long slog to Switzerland but would hope to get closer to 4000 between changes with "normal" riding. I use a brand name semi synthetic oil. How often do folks change the oil filter? The service interval is 12000 I think? (or was it 9000? I can't be arsed to check at the moment)

Anton
13-08-03, 11:25 PM
I change the oil-filter every 3000 km along with the oil. The filter is not very expensive, and this way i know its clean, and i dont have any old oil in the engine to polute my new oil. :wink:

goodo
07-11-03, 03:49 PM
What's all this I have no mechanical sympathy more than 3000 miles. What just because you ervice your bike when they tell you to you have to mechanical sypathy. Bollox.

I change the oil every 4k. Admittedly I use the bike for commuting so it doesn't get too heavily abused. If I do a track day I'll generally change the oil afterwards. 4k interval is fine. Oil and filter.

I use semi synthetic 10W-40 in both car (106 rallye) and bike. Nothing special, the Total stuff they sell in GSF (motor factors). Seems to be working. The car has done the last 50k on the stuff, and still sounds like a sewing machine (tha's supposed to be a good thing)

jesus, if I changed the oil every 600 miles I'd be doing it every fortnight!!! I've got better things to do at the weekend. Like servicing the missus :wink:

Anton
07-11-03, 05:01 PM
4k miles. I would never let it run that long. it's not a car!!! i don't care about the car. i have done 37000 km, since the last oil change on the car, because i don't care if it works. but the motorcykle, deserves better!

SVTONYB
07-11-03, 10:11 PM
Oil and Filter change
Bike every 2000 miles
car every 6000 miles
Been driving 18 yrs and riding 3yrs no engine related problems so far....

Stu Carrington
07-11-03, 11:10 PM
Why is it when someone mentions oil it opens a complete can of worms.

Anyway Im not getting into any arguments.

but... :wink:

If like me you use it for commuting aswell. Then a handy tip is vac your filter out regular and when changing the oil change your oil filter.

Other than that intervals are always dependant on conditions and mileage.

I tend to do it more often in winter and keep it down to the recommended marks in summer.

SVTONYB
07-11-03, 11:48 PM
If like me you use it for commuting aswell. Then a handy tip is vac your filter out regular and when changing the oil change your oil filter.

I tend to do it more often in winter and keep it down to the recommended marks in summer.
Does the oil not make a mess of your vac, her indoors would go mental.

Stu Carrington
08-11-03, 01:48 AM
hmm, well I did mean the air filter.

But if anyone out there especially who's married. Please tell us all the results?

:shock:

CJ
08-11-03, 11:14 PM
I change around 3-3500 mls but a bit earlier if I've done a trackday etc its a waste of money changing at intervals less than 2500

Richie Hatchet
10-11-03, 11:02 AM
F**KIN OIL THREADS!!!!!!!!!!

see svrider.com or any other car/bike forum :roll:

just change the bloody oil using a decent manufacturer's semi sythentic
and change the bloody €8/$8/£5 filter at the same time.
Repeat every 3000 or so miles.
And before(!) a trackday. (and after if you really want to)

Time for a nice cup of tea :shock:

Richie

P.S. When changing the filter the only credible method is by the use of
the long flathead screwdriver/hammer combination. None of your damn
€8/$8/£5 oil filter sockets for me - yiz blouses...

And another thing......