oil change

[sorrow]

I am doing an oil change on my 97 750 katana and wanted to know aproximately how much oil i will need to purchase. I know I will have to fill the bike let it run for a bit then level the bike and check the window, I just wanted to know for purchasing purposes. (i am asuming aprx 3.7 ltrs.) I have the part number for the filter and I have a crush washer, I think thats all I need. (along with the oil itself) Any suggestions on the type, I was going to go with the stock sae 10 w 40 motorcycle oil, but if there are any better ideas out there...

[rexazz2]

if you do a search you will find oil's have been discussed tons of times
I have used many different brands , price range from $5-$15 per qt
It needs to be a motorcycle specific, off the top of my head I think it is a MA rating
Its like blondes, brunetes, or red heads everyone seems to prefer something different

[Rangerx52]

1. Dont use fram
2.dont use "energy saving" oil
3. dont use fram.

[rexazz2]

1. Dont use fram
2.dont use "energy saving" oil
3. dont use fram.

but ANYTHING penzoil

[The CyberPoet]

How many liters will depend on how long the drain bolt is out -- leave it out overnight, and you could get as much as 4.2 - 4.3 liters to get it back to the full mark.



Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[sorrow]

thank you,

I will take the advice, but what is the problem with fram oil filters? My assumption without looking into it is possibly the durability or functionality of that brand is lacking?

thanks again.

[Rangerx52]

made with paper, no guarantee. no pride in the product.
when you go to a jiffy lube and get the $10 special, you get 5 litres of recycled wal-mart oil and a fram filter.

there's some things that you should just bite the bullet and buy a good one, specifically so that you dont end up with tales of mechanical duress and mishappenings a few years from now.

I advise to not scrimp on anything replaceable on the bike because its something you could regret. Buy good plugs, buy good oil and filters, buy a BRIGHT headlight and keep your gear in top-shape.

[Kattie]

Royal Purple

A few people i know run royal purple in there bikes and they swear by it...Would that be ok to use..?

[The CyberPoet]

...but what is the problem with fram oil filters?

The problem with Fram brand oil filters is that the end-cap to the pleating material is cardboard, AND the bond between the pleating material and that end cap is a thermo-set adhesive. Not only is this poor construction (absolute penny-pinching at it's worst), it poses a direct threat to the engines of motorcycles under extreme conditions.

Or to put it another way: Motorcyclist or Rider magazine published a mechanic's report about five years ago about a rider of a goldwing on a cross-country journey running a Fram filter of this construction type, where the oil got hot enough to melt the adhesive; that adhesive then circulated around the engine and when the bike was parked overnight, the adhesive re-set -- this time, in every place that oil moves in the engine. The result was one absolutely glue-seized engine and tranny.

In a typical automotive application, this is very, very unlikely to happen because the oil never gets beyond about 150 degrees F even with the harshest duty. But in a motorcycle application, there is much higher heat concentrations (and much smaller heat dissipation area), and in the Kats (and Bandits and other air-oil cooled engines), with no water to act as a coolant, oil temps can easily hit 400+ degrees (F) at the pan under certain situations -- making this is a serious and grave threat.

Thus, buying a Fram is penny-wise and dollar-foolish. There are a dozen better choices on the market; I can't think of a worse possible choice.
IMHO, the Suzuki (Toyo Roki manufactured for Suzuki) is the best available filter for the Kats, and is specifically designed to handle the extraordinary heat issues if they crop up. They are also the only filter on the market rated for three oil change intervals for the Kat, meaning you don't have to replace the filter each time if you don't want to.

On a side-note, I sell the Suzuki OEM oil filters for $8.50 each in this thread: http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=58596
At that price, I can't imagine the savings of buying the Fram justifies the threat.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[scottynoface]

OEM oil filter, Amsoil, Rotella T synth, Mobil 1, Castrol. Pretty much as long as it's not made for a car, it's good for your bike. Automotive oil has friction modifiers that work great to lube up an engine that doesn't share oil with the clutch, but with a wet clutch design like motrocycles that can glaze your clutch plates.

[sorrow]

Took the advice and got a suzuki oem filter, oil, did the change and no leaks or cracked pan..yet..lol..

[The CyberPoet]

Took the advice and got a suzuki oem filter, oil, did the change and no leaks or cracked pan..yet..lol..

Next time, order a Fumoto Valve in advance and do the fumoto valve upgrade (about $25). This replaces the drain bolt with a latched petcock valve, and you'll never need worry about drain-bolt torque again. It also allows you to do an oil change without removing the bottom fairings, and to drain out just a bit (to check the viscosity, to reduce an over-fill, etc). It's a really good upgrade

Cheers
=-= The CyberPOET

[sharpie6]

CP, do you stock those?

[The CyberPoet]

CP, do you stock those?

I don't believe I currently have any here... I usually only carry them when demand dictates for the Canadians & others overseas, because it's cheaper/easier for them to get one through me in conjunction with other stuff ordered. I order 'em from the same places you would, at the same pricing

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[Enjay386]

4 quarts.