What was I thinking?

[exskibum]

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.

YEP -- that's it! Thanks, Skoot -- it was startin' to make my brain hurt trying to get even enough of a recollection to do a google search. The way you guys were using it makes a lot of sense.

 

[weekend rider]

The engine oil spplement is Z. O. D. or zinc oxcide depoists

 

[exskibum]

The engine oil spplement is Z. O. D. or zinc oxcide depoists

No, Skoot was right -- it was ZDP that jestal was talking about (zinc dithiophosphate). The problem is that it shortens the life of catalytic converters if you use it too often or in too great a quantity.

See this about another similar product ZDDP (zink dialkyldithiophosphate), including a comparison chart at end ofGM's EOS and their ZDDPlus.

And here's the page from which the above TechBrief is taken, explaining the function: ZDDPlus

Google Z.O.D. and see what you get.

 

[JR'SFJR]

This comment isn't much about motorcycles oil changes, but big trucks. I talked to a diesel mechanic for a large midwestern trucking company, while at a Daytona campground recently. They use regular Chevron 15W40 and have extended oil changes from 30k to 50k by using Donalson filters. Says something for keeping the oil clean. Granted, that's on 10 gallons of oil. A trucking company I worked for part time, ran 20k on reg. oil or 60k on synthetic.

For me, an oil change is so inexpensive in comparison to the cost of the bike, so I will continue to change at 4,000, since the oil is running in the transmission.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

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

That's my method too. Plus an oil change at the beginning and end of a true "riding season", just because she sits more in winter.

To people leaving oil in for 8000+ miles? I think the expense of following the oil change interval in the manual is cheap insurance. Spend a few bucks and bend down to change the oil. I just don't get it...

 

[mr.paul]

Cool! Nothing like an oil thread. Why can't I resist?

Your oil is better than you think. We change regularly to prevent needless long term wear. One skipped oil change makes relatively small difference over the life of the bike. As long as it is a quality oil, you are just fine.

I change mine about every 5K miles. Almost all of my trips are 25 miles or more. I know my oil still has life in it, but so what. I can remember 5K. I also use my second trip meter to keep track of that just in case I forget to write it down on my computer, Palm and Blackberry (memories, where did I put them?). I use a top rated synthetic, motorcycle-specific oil.

Use a good oil, change at an interval that makes you happy and get on with riding. You will be fine. If you are really concerned, do what Aasland did and have your oil analyzed. You will be amazed at what you will find. If you can't find a lab, check out Amsoil and they will help you.

A nationally published longtime motorcycle mechanic once wrote that in all of his years of seervicing bikes, he had never seen an oil related failure aside from obvious abuse, like running without oil or such. What does this say about all of our worrying over this?

mr.paul

 

[3dogs]

I own to identical FJRs. One gets an oil and filter change every 1000 miles. The other gets the same service every 10,000 miles. They both run the same but one of them seems to constantly have problems with stripped oil drain plugs. Please help!

 

[phroenips]

I own to identical FJRs. One gets an oil and filter change every 1000 miles. The other gets the same service every 10,000 miles. They both run the same but one of them seems to constantly have problems with stripped oil drain plugs. Please help!

You have to give more information on which bike is suffering from the stripped drain plugs

:clown2:

 

[Zorlac]

Oh ****, the PO told me this bike was lubed for life.

 

[palerider]

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.

Not a comparable experience, but this reminds me of one of my favorite encounters: In 1971 I bought a new Volvo 144, and in 1981 was at a mall and a girl driving the same year/model parked next to me. We started talking about what a great car it was. I asked her how often she changed her oil. "Change it?" she said. "Why would I change it?"

 

[chivvalry]

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.

Not a comparable experience, but this reminds me of one of my favorite encounters: In 1971 I bought a new Volvo 144, and in 1981 was at a mall and a girl driving the same year/model parked next to me. We started talking about what a great car it was. I asked her how often she changed her oil. "Change it?" she said. "Why would I change it?"

Blonde?

 

[Karl]

Synthetics in both cars and bikes. Cars go 10K, bikes go 5K. Nice easy numbers to remember on the ODO. Motor oil acting as gearbox lube on the bikes being the difference.

 

[weekend rider]

:bike: Thanks for the correction of my bad memory laspe of calling it zod my mistake i remember the article well.

I also read another article by two major oil mfgs. and the comnlusion is, it offers extended life for its use.

Sometimes it is really really hard to accept change. Not saying anyone is wrong just a different approach for me and accepting extended service life from oil. that's my story and I'm sticking with it

 

[RCook]

If you have an iPhone/iPod touch the RoadTrip app is a pretty handy tool for this it tracks fuel, cost, mileage, and location as well as expenses like oil changes. You can also set reminders for when to change the oil next as well as note the type of oil and filter. I really like the stats portion because it will tell me all kinds of interesting info, such as since I bought the FJR last September it has cost me $.52/day in combined fuel and oil change expenses to drive it.

 

[Patriot]

I'm a simple man and try to keep the bike stock

every 5k on the even numbers is the oil change goal mostly accomplished...always within 1000 mi

 

[palerider]

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.

Not a comparable experience, but this reminds me of one of my favorite encounters: In 1971 I bought a new Volvo 144, and in 1981 was at a mall and a girl driving the same year/model parked next to me. We started talking about what a great car it was. I asked her how often she changed her oil. "Change it?" she said. "Why would I change it?"

Blonde?

In a previous life, definitely.

 

[zorkler]

6k on the fjr, buick, dodge , nissan , Shell rotela sny.

 

[Harald]

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

+1 on that! And even at 5000 miles, you are still changing it more often than the recommended interval for European versions of the FJR (that have the identical engine installed in them).

I am actually violating my 5k interval because the FJR has 35,100 miles on it and I haven't done the 35k oil change yet. I wonder if it'll blow up before I get home from work today?