What was I thinking?

[racer]

Just changed the oil in FJR after my annual Bike Week trip. Yikes, I noticed I either hadn't changed oil for 14 months and 11,000 miles, or I forgot the record to the last time I changed the oil. The oil, Rotella 5w40 synthetic, looked pretty dirty, but the oil level hadn't budged from where I usually fill it. Good thing I use the good stuff in it. It's an 04 with 37,000 miles.

 

[madjackdog]

Yikes!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bramfrank]

So, the last time you changed your oil was when you did your valves?

 

[Aasland]

I ran my last oil change (Mobil 10w40) 8000 miles, with the O2 sensors and PC3 hooked up (i.e. it wasn't running right). Sent a sample to Blackstone Labs and they said "lots of life left in it". I bet there was no danger of depleting the additives in your oil at 11k.

 

[Wee Willy]

As an aerospace engineer with plenty of high-stress mechanical engineering expertise in my wake, I can only say...

Dude!

Been drivin' her hard? If not you can squeak by once or twice. Not a good idea to do this as a rule tho'.

W2

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

Wow.

That makes me feel a whole lot better about that one time I let 4500 miles roll by between changes!

 

[dustyrains]

Just changed the oil in FJR after my annual Bike Week trip. Yikes, I noticed I either hadn't changed oil for 14 months and 11,000 miles, or I forgot the record to the last time I changed the oil. The oil, Rotella 5w40 synthetic, looked pretty dirty, but the oil level hadn't budged from where I usually fill it. Good thing I use the good stuff in it. It's an 04 with 37,000 miles.

Them there Ironical Butt guys don't stop to change their oil in 11k miles. Do they?

 

[Auburn]

Wow.
That makes me feel a whole lot better about that one time I let 4500 miles roll by between changes!

Synthethics and 5000 mile intervals for me on all my equipment. Easy number to remember and had no issues ever.

 

[Auricle]

Just changed the oil in FJR after my annual Bike Week trip. Yikes, I noticed I either hadn't changed oil for 14 months and 11,000 miles, or I forgot the record to the last time I changed the oil. The oil, Rotella 5w40 synthetic, looked pretty dirty, but the oil level hadn't budged from where I usually fill it. Good thing I use the good stuff in it. It's an 04 with 37,000 miles.

I make a label (you could use a piece of tape) with the mileage for the next oil change and stick it under the "glove box" lid on the left. I can't remember the mileage otherwise.

Auricle

 

[weekend rider]

You should be able to get 12000 thousands miles out of your Syn. oil.

I run SYN in mine 05 change around 10 and 12 thousands. Not a problem

 

[SkooterG]

You should be able to get 12000 thousands miles out of your Syn. oil.
I run SYN in mine 05 change around 10 and 12 thousands. Not a problem

I wholeheartedly disagree!

I think you're nuts to go that long between changes. Synthetic or not.

 

[Bugnatr]

You should be able to get 12000 thousands miles out of your Syn. oil.
I run SYN in mine 05 change around 10 and 12 thousands. Not a problem

I wholeheartedly disagree!

I think you're nuts to go that long between changes. Synthetic or not.

But, but, but he only rides on the weekends.

 

[Kromm]

You should be able to get 12000 thousands miles out of your Syn. oil.
I run SYN in mine 05 change around 10 and 12 thousands. Not a problem

About a week ago I was at the local Yammy shop and purchasing oil and filter and ran into one of the Reps from Yamaha Corp (btw he rides a FJR also). We got on the subject oil (there getting ready to offer an "oil change kit" for the FJR, everything you need in one box). He had mentioned the the viscosity of Synthetic oil doesn't break down like regular oil. I replied that then I can go longer between oil changes? I have always changed my oil at 3k miles. He replied that it's the dirt in the oil, not the loss of viscosity. The filter can only hold so much and then it needs to be replaced (a filter is only good for 3-4k miles).

We had a very nice conversation that covered many things, I even mentioned this forum and he said that they know about it and frequent it also.

 

[SkooterG]

The filter can only hold so much and then it needs to be replaced (a filter is only good for 3-4k miles).

Then why does Yamaha specify an oil filter change every other oil change, or at 8,000 miles?

While in my opinion dirty oil is generally one of the limitations of oil, that 3-4k is horseshit. I still go with Jestal and tend to believe the depletion of anti-wear additives is the most contributing factor to an oil's life under 'normal' conditions.

 

[Moosehead]

I use one of the trip odometers as my oil change reminder. It doesn't forget like my feeble mind does.

 

[FJRless]

Great thread. I'm making copious notes of whose motorcycle I wouldn't buy..... I think it's cheap insurance. I run syn., change the filter each time and try to do it before 4k. Unnecessary? Maybe, but it makes me feel good.

 

[exskibum]

While in my opinion dirty oil is generally one of the limitations of oil, that 3-4k is horseshit. I still go with Jestal and tend to believe the depletion of anti-wear additives is the most contributing factor to an oil's life under 'normal' conditions.

I'm with Skoot on this. BTW, the additive that Jestal said gets depleted was what? Wracking my aging brain to recall. Seemed like it had zinc in it and/or started with a Z. Toecutter had sent me a link to where you could get a quart of it (GM, I think?) but that was before I lost it in a spyware generated hard drive wipe.

Seems a small supplement of that stuff in the crankcase around 5 or 6K miles in the event you are riding an 11K rally would be a nice preventative measure.

 

[For the Joy of Riding]

I guess no one has heard of AMSOIL; well you are all schooled, there recommended intervals are one year or 14,000 miles

 

[SkooterG]

While in my opinion dirty oil is generally one of the limitations of oil, that 3-4k is horseshit. I still go with Jestal and tend to believe the depletion of anti-wear additives is the most contributing factor to an oil's life under 'normal' conditions.

I'm with Skoot on this. BTW, the additive that Jestal said gets depleted was what? Wracking my aging brain to recall. Seemed like it had zinc in it and/or started with a Z. Toecutter had sent me a link to where you could get a quart of it (GM, I think?) but that was before I lost it in a spyware generated hard drive wipe.

Seems a small supplement of that stuff in the crankcase around 5 or 6K miles in the event you are riding an 11K rally would be a nice preventative measure.

ZDP, or basically zinc.

And it's GM's EOS (Engine Oil Supplement). I got it. Don't normally use it as I typically change oil at recommended interval. However, during the last IBR Iggy and I both used it when we had to extend the interval excessively.