How To Change Your Oil

[BornSinner]

In the interest of expanding the how-to section of the forum I put together a photo illustrated step by step on how to change your own oil. This will be elementary for some, but I'm sure there are some visitors to the site that could use the info.

Ok, on with the how-to...

The second most important thing for an oil change, after tunes of course, is new oil, and a new filter if you're changing it, too. I've got just under 2,000 miles on my 10 now so I decided I'd go ahead and go synthetic this time. After some reading and research I decided to go with a full ester synthetic. I've got a busa bro that swears by Silkolene so I decided to give it a try. The Kawasaki service manual calls for 3.0 litres (3.2 quarts) when the filter is changed. Here are my three litres of Silkolene PRO 4 PLUS 10W-50, Kawasaki oil filter (part# 16097-0002), and an oil filter "socket" with a 3/8" drive to remove the old filter and torque the new one.

And now a photo and list of the tools I used for the oil change...

Flat blade screw driver for removing push clips in lower fairing

4mm allen socket for removing lower fairing fasteners

Dewalt Cordless Driver (optional, but SCHWEET!) for removing lower fairing fasteners

3/8" drive bit for Cordless Driver

Oil Filter Cap Wrench with 3/8" drive (I used an "OEM Industrial" brand, part #25404 from Advanced Auto Parts. Size "F"...)

1/2" drive breaker bar and 1/2" to 3/8" step down adaptor

3/8" drive ratchet w/various length extensions

3/8" drive torque wrench for torquing filter and oil drain plug

17mm socket for drain plug bolt

Aluminum foil... explained later in process

Before I change the oil in any of my vehicles/toys I always start the engine and let it reach operating temperature to warm the used oil so it thins out and drains better. After rollin' Diablo out to the driveway and lettin' 'er warm up I got 'er up on the Pit Bulls. These stands are worth their weight in gold when you're wrenchin' on your bike. Just about the only thing I do to my bike without it on the stands is RIDE it.

The only body part that technically has to come off to do the oil change is the left (shifter pedal) side lower. I take both lowers off but it can be done with only the left one removed.

Use a 17mm socket and a ratchet or breaker bar to loosen the oil drain plug bolt

Once the plug is loose I like to back it out by hand. I keep upward pressure on it and turn it until I feel it "click" when it is all the way out of the threads. Then I quickly snatch the bolt down and away to avoid a stream of HOT oil on my hand. Here's the old stuff coming out. I catch it in a big aluminum foil basting pan that I get at the grocery store. I put it onto plastic jugs later and dispose of it at a friend's garage with his waste oil. I need to buy one of those re-useable plastic oil catch thingies but I never think about it until I'm ready to pull the plug bolt.

Note: The washer may stick to the oil pan instead of coming off with the bolt. Mine stuck to the pan long enough for me to pull the bolt away, then fell into the pan of waste oil. Just make sure you hang on to it wherever it goes unless you've got a new one to replace it with.

Here is where the aluminum foil comes into play. The 10R's oil filter is directly above the header pipes. This trick keeps oil off those beautiful titanium header tubes. Pull approximately 18 inches of foil off the roll and tear it off. Fold approximately 6" of it toward the center of the piece, then fold the other end (approx. 6") toward the center leaving you with a three ply, approx. 6' wide stack of foil. Here's a three pic series to illustrate how to fold it.

Take the folded foil and slide it between the oil filter/base and wrap it around the header pipes. Once it's in there bend the sides up slightly to keep oil from running off the sides and onto the head pipes. Here's a pic with the foil in place. Works great and eliminates that burning oil smell after the oil change.

Put the oil filter wrench/"socket" onto the oil filter and tap it gently into place to make sure it's seated on the filter. I used the end of the breaker bar to tap it on. Then use some extensions (or one if you have one long enough to reach it) and the breaker bar to loosen and remove the filter

Let the oil drain out of the filter base until it quits dripping. While it's draining you can get the new filter ready by applying a light coating of the new oil to the rubber o-ring that seals the filter to the base. Once the filter base has quit dripping start the new filter by hand and spin it on until it just makes contact with the base. Then tap the filter wrench onto the new filter and use the extensions with a torque wrench to torque the filter to 23 ft-lbs per the service manual.

By this time the oil pan drain plug should be done dripping, too. Make sure the washer is on the plug bolt and start the bolt by hand. Run it in by hand until it contacts the oil pan and then torque it to the service manual specified 14 ft-lbs.

Time for the new blood. Remove the oil fill cap on the clutch cover on the throttle side, get a funnel (long thin one works well to reach the fill hole on the 10R), and just start pouring.

Per the service manual I put three full litres of oil in. I then started the bike up watching the "oil warning light" beside the speedometer to make sure it went off within a few seconds. My warning light went off within like 5 seconds. I let it run for a couple minutes to let the oil fully circulate throughout the engine, fill the new filter, and all oil lines, then shut it off to check the oil. Give the oil a few minutes to fully drain back into the pan. Get the bike perpendicular to the ground (level) by either holding it straight up, or having it on stands and check the oil level. There are marks beside the oil level viewing window. Make sure the oil is between the marks. Three full litres put mine just about dead center between the marks after the oil had time to drain back down. Perfect!

[Casper]

Damnit.... that foil trick would've definitely come in handy. Wish I'd thought of that. Oh well, next time.

[jermattak]

i like that foil deal too.

[yotaman88210]

Its good to put some oil in the new filter to prime it. The 10r's filter is very horizontal tho, this makes it difficult. I thinks its better for the bike to fill the filter 1/2-3/4 full. Makes that oil pressure light go off faster... if you have a vertical setup. GREAT write up and pics!!!!