End of Season Oil Change

[parrah]

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So I just did an oil change roughly 3000 KM ago.

I am wondering if I should do a oil change before I store the bike for the season???
Does it make that much of an impact if dirty oil sits in the tank over winter ?

 

[omega8]

This is certainly up for debate. Some say if you don't ride past 5000KM you should be good, but do change the oil at the start of next season. Others would say change it just before putting it away. I've gotten my oil changed not too long ago, and logged just over 2000KM. For me, I'm not going to bother, I looked at the oil (though the sight glass) and seems to still have that golden colour look to it. But I will be changing it at the start of next season

 

[mmmnaked]

^ if you plan to change it at the start of the season then it makes way more sense to change it right now.

 

[Sushii]

I only have about 400KM on this oil change... I debating whether i should change it or not :\

 

[sixstring]

One of the reasons why you'd want to change your oil at all is because motor oil is hygroscopic. This means that motor oil will absorb moisture that is in the air.

Why you'd want to change your oil before storage:
In addition to absorbing moisture, storage in a cold garage will cause condensation inside your crank case. Too much moisture and your engine oil will become saturated. Saturated motor oil will cause components to corrode. New engine oil will reduce these effects.

Why you'd want to change your oil after storage:
Once moisture is absorbed into engine oil, it will bond to metal surfaces and decrease the amount of lubrication between components causing additional wear and tear.

Depending on your situation, it may not be necessary to change your oil before storage but always change your oil in the spring. The best thing to do would be to change your oil before storage (you can do this with cheap oil) and after storage (do this with the oil you intend to run).

Here is a very good article about the effects of moisture in engine oil on bearings:
http://www.maintenanceresources.com/referencelibrary/oilanalysis/oa-m.htm

 

[Sushii]

One of the reasons why you'd want to change your oil at all is because motor oil is hygroscopic. This means that motor oil will absorb moisture that is in the air.

Why you'd want to change your oil before storage:
In addition to absorbing moisture, storage in a cold garage will cause condensation inside your crank case. Too much moisture and your engine oil will become saturated. Saturated motor oil will cause components to corrode. New engine oil will reduce these effects.

Why you'd want to change your oil after storage:
Once moisture is absorbed into engine oil, it will bond to metal surfaces and decrease the amount of lubrication between components causing additional wear and tear.

Depending on your situation, it may not be necessary to change your oil before storage but always change your oil in the spring. The best thing to do would be to change your oil before storage (you can do this with cheap oil) and after storage (do this with the oil you intend to run).

Here is a very good article about the effects of moisture in engine oil on bearings:
http://www.maintenanceresources.com/referencelibrary/oilanalysis/oa-m.htm

The question is not whether to change the oil, the question is whether to change the oil if its only been used for XXXKM.

 

[onecartel]

The question is not whether to change the oil, the question is whether to change the oil if its only been used for XXXKM.

Depending on your situation, it may not be necessary to change your oil before storage but always change your oil in the spring. The best thing to do would be to change your oil before storage (you can do this with cheap oil) and after storage (do this with the oil you intend to run).

$20-30 is a good price for peace of mind, just change it before storage. Personally, I don't worry about it too much knowing that I'll be changing oil once it's out of storage (and my bikes are high mileage).

 

[dblEspresso]

Is there justification for changing the filter before storage as well? Mine will probably have less than 2K on it when I'm done for the year.

 

[UJelly]

Is there justification for changing the filter before storage as well? Mine will probably have less than 2K on it when I'm done for the year.

Did you change the filter when you did that oil change? If so, then no you don't need to change the filter. Your supposed to change the filter once every other oil change (unless of course your anal)

 

[insert]

same threads pop up every year. do whichever you like. there is no scientific evidence that either will harm or help your engine over the course of a mere couple months.

 

[ReSTored]

same threads pop up every year. do whichever you like. there is no scientific evidence that either will harm or help your engine over the course of a mere couple months.

So then I'll just repeat last year's good advice. Price out any engine related parts and service repair. Oil is dirt cheap insurance, change it and the filter. If the bike is in a heated storage area then I don't think you need to change it in the spring. If stored in an unheated garage there would likely be a condensation issue & I'd change it in the spring. If you want to save a few bucks put cheap oil in now and better in the spring if you're going to change it out. I've done this for about 10 bikes and countless small engines with routine in season oil & filter changes and in 40+ years have never had an oil failure related repair.

 

[insert]

So then I'll just repeat last year's good advice. Price out any engine related parts and service repair. Oil is dirt cheap insurance, change it and the filter. If the bike is in a heated storage area then I don't think you need to change it in the spring. If stored in an unheated garage there would likely be a condensation issue & I'd change it in the spring. If you want to save a few bucks put cheap oil in now and better in the spring if you're going to change it out. I've done this for about 10 bikes and countless small engines with routine in season oil & filter changes and in 40+ years have never had an oil failure related repair.

i mean, as long as you change oil in regular intervals you will be fine. working in an automotive machine shop i have personally assembled and disassembled many engines. and never have i found rust/corrosion inside the crank case of any engine. doesnt matter if it sat for a day, or a year, a sealed engine is a sealed engine, and the inside of that crank case wont corrode. the outside of hte engine may look like crap, but the interior will be fine.

i am just of the opinion that the whole oil before winter, and then change again after winter or your bike will be eaten alive by acid has been blown out of proportion. take the time, walk into shops that deal in this sort of thing and ask them how many times they've found oil that had turned into acid... i am quite willing to bet there will be none.

but its a topic that this forum seems to have very divergent opinions about... but either way, i still maintain that whichever you do, neither will help or cause harm to your engine. i mean oil breaks down... so does peanut butter, does that mean i have to go get a new jar every time i pull it out of hte fridge? i mean its gone through a hot cold cycle... the sun is a dying star... but it doesnt mean its blowing up tomorrow.

 

[Sushii]

so does peanut butter, does that mean i have to go get a new jar every time i pull it out of hte fridge? i mean its gone through a hot cold cycle...

Aren't you supposed to keep PB outside in room temperature?

 

[ReSTored]

i mean, as long as you change oil in regular intervals you will be fine. working in an automotive machine shop i have personally assembled and disassembled many engines. and never have i found rust/corrosion inside the crank case of any engine. doesnt matter if it sat for a day, or a year, a sealed engine is a sealed engine, and the inside of that crank case wont corrode. the outside of hte engine may look like crap, but the interior will be fine.

i am just of the opinion that the whole oil before winter, and then change again after winter or your bike will be eaten alive by acid has been blown out of proportion. take the time, walk into shops that deal in this sort of thing and ask them how many times they've found oil that had turned into acid... i am quite willing to bet there will be none.

but its a topic that this forum seems to have very divergent opinions about... but either way, i still maintain that whichever you do, neither will help or cause harm to your engine. i mean oil breaks down... so does peanut butter, does that mean i have to go get a new jar every time i pull it out of hte fridge? i mean its gone through a hot cold cycle... the sun is a dying star... but it doesnt mean its blowing up tomorrow.

Ok, fair enough. I don't have your experience or background. For me, oil and filter are due to be changed mid and end of season anyway, so it's a moot point. To get back to the OP's original question I wouldn't store and engine for an extended period with used oil. My spring change costs me about $15 for 3.5l of Rotella dino and I don't change the filter. I'm content to keep doing this as it's a fraction of my overall season expenses.

 

[Veej]

I ride till when temp lingers in very lows or negatives consistently...so as it seems right now I maybe riding into mid-December hopefully till the end. So I'll just put her on a jack, plug the battery tender, and through stabil in her belly and a tarp on top, That's it!

Come the first time temp looms over 5 degrees, I change the oil and filter and pump her up....

So the bike sits sleeps between 3-4 months max ...(Mid Dec to end of March or beginning of April).

I hate changing the oil and filter in the cold, so spring or when she's ready to come out of hibernation I do it and it's quit exciting to rumble her awake and take a ride......welcoming in the next riding season!!.

I really don't think the old oil or filter does any damage if it sits for a few months, just change it when in the new season, plus I put on over 20,000 km between April to Nov and therefore have to add oil every now and then (10 year engine), so it's getting it a new refill here and there, not really dirty anyways...

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