Oil change Question

[SEQX34]

im about to do an oil change and was wondering if it would be a good idea to use a compressor to blow left over oil? dont know if it would be a good idea or just plain "dumb arse" . i use to to it when i do my oil change on my car but dont know any issues i would run into with the Kat having an oil cooler. thanks!

[Anonymous]

I guess you could, but just don't see a reason for it to be necessary

*cough*gauges*cough*

[The CyberPoet]

Bad idea. Mostly because you'll be blowing other things into the system (dust, dirt, etc being blown along from the outside air into the system). And there really isn't a good way to blow it clean...

The bottom line is that you can't change all the oil no matter what you do (the bike is designed in such a way that there is always oil left in certain places in the tranny, in the engine's upper oil tray, in the cooler, etc). A typical oil change will get 65 - 75% of the oil. Draining the cooler will dump more of the oil out, but there is no need to "blow it out" -- you just take off the cooler and let it pour out via gravity (this will up the oil change volume to about 86% changed). Leave the oil pan drain open for a goodly long time if you want to get more of the oil out... Still that 15% that'll be there to mix into the new oil.

KNOW THIS:
The most common error new riders make when changing their oil is not concerning themselves with getting the right torque value on the oil drain bolt when reinstalling it -- and subsequently either stripping the pan out (very common), or leaving the bolt loose enough that it will fall back out with engine vibrations in a number of miles (less common), or both (happened to me -- last thing you want it hot oil pouring out right in front of your rear tire in traffic).

Good Luck!
=-= The CyberPoet

[SEQX34]

thanks CP!