oil change?

[sideshowant]

hey all! i'm new here to the site and to bikes. i just bought my first one. it's an 01 600 katana of course. i don't have the manual for and i would like to change the oil. my question is where do i fill it. i found the filter down by the header and the drain plug on the bottom but i can't find where you refill it. also where can i find the replacement filter and what kind and how much oil does it take? thanks for your help,

[Najus]

First off welcome to KR and gratz on your bike purchase.

Secondly on the right hand side of the bike you will see an little panel held on by an allen bolt....that is where the refill is at.

Go to your local bike shop and buy the Suzuki oil filter, if you have the extra $$ you can also get some Mobil MX4T synthetic oil or some Castrol GPS.

For a full oil change with filter it takes about 3.75l or close to 4 quarts. Just remember to add about 3 1/4 quarts first then run the bike a couple minutes so the oil can circulate and will give you a true reading as to how much oil you need to add.

[The CyberPoet]

I sell filters and filter wrenches, other common maintenance items cheaply -- contact your local shop for their prices and then check my prices by comparison (I'm usually way cheaper). See this thread for what I have: KR - Member's Only Deals - CyberPoet's Special Offers (changes with time, inventory)

Najus steered you right on the fill and on oil choices. What he failed to mention is that a torque wrench for retightening the oil drain bolt is absolutely critical -- the bolt is made of harder stuff than the oil pan and it is virtually impossible to get the right amount of torque (16.5 lb-ft) to hold the bolt tight and still not strip the threads without use of a torque wrench (a search here on KR for the phrase oilpan will show you how common this problem is). Too loose and it'll vibrate out, too tight and you'll be having to repair or replace the oil pan.
I tend to recommend a mod to a special oil drain called a Fumoto Valve ( www.fumotovalve.com - about $25 delivered ) which replaces the standard drain bolt with a petcock and eliminates the stripping-out-your-pan issue permantly. It does require a little bit of work, because you have to cut part of the ridge next to the drain bolt away (dremel, five minutes) to install it.

OIL rules:
Any JASO-MA rated motor oil will do you right. There's a long list of choices, and all of them will normally be sold specifically as "motorcycle" or "ATV" oils.
Do not use API SL or later rated motor oils, nor any that have the words "Energy Conserving" in the API oil-rating ring!


A search of KR will also net you more info than you could imagine.


Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[sideshowant]

thanks for the info guys. i appreciate it. i had no clue where the refill was, or especially about the drain plug situation. is their any other common problems i should look out for with my kat?
thanks,

[paradoxmd]

you might want cover your headers with foil so you don't get oil on them when you remove the filter. some people take off the lower fairings as well.

[sideshowant]

cool man thanks for your help.

[FloridaKat]

I would add one more thing to the oil change since it's your first time.

Drop the oil pan and clean any shavings that are on the bottom. CP gave me this recommendation, but I neglected to do it on my last oil change. Learn from my mistake.

[sideshowant]

will do. is their a gasket that i would have to replace? i took a look at the oil pan after i read this, and noticed that it was a little wet. nothing major just a little.
thanks,

[sideshowant]

will do. is their a gasket that i would have to replace? i took a look at the oil pan after i read this, and noticed that it was a little wet. nothing major just a little.
thanks,

[The CyberPoet]

will do. is their a gasket that i would have to replace? i took a look at the oil pan after i read this, and noticed that it was a little wet. nothing major just a little.
thanks,

Usually the gasket will survive just fine and can be reused, but having a spare on-hand is always a wise precaution.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[sideshowant]

well i just took a look all the around the oil pan, and it looks like my little leak is coming from right above the left side of the oil pan, kind of were the shifter is. any ideas as to what it is?

[sideshowant]

well i just took a look all the around the oil pan, and it looks like my little leak is coming from right above the left side of the oil pan, kind of were the shifter is. any ideas as to what it is?

[The CyberPoet]

well i just took a look all the around the oil pan, and it looks like my little leak is coming from right above the left side of the oil pan, kind of were the shifter is. any ideas as to what it is?

Chain lube flinging forward, then running down is the most likely culprit.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[sideshowant]

i'm going to take that side fairing off tommorrow to get a better look. i hope thats all it is. thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge. i appreciate it.