engine oil dirty close to 1000km mark...

B

beatbox

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they say oil changes are done anywhere from 3000km-5000km depending on your type of riding and area.

however looking through the glass of my bike (ninja 250) the oil glass is black. the last oil change was around 1000km ago plus filter change.

i always keep a close tab at it and iv seen it as honey colored and now charcoal colored liquid. if it is this black how do people get their bikes to even 3000km. im not even a third there.

is this right?
what has caused it to go black this fast....

thanks.
 
That's normal. It will turn black quickly but it doesn't indicate that the oil has broken down. It's mostly due to the hydrocarbons and residue form the combustion processmixing with the oil.

Follow your maintenance schedule and you'lll be ok.
 
Make sure you are using a good filter (i.e. Purolator PureOne)

-Jamie M.
 
My oil is usually fairly clean after a 1000km, definatly not charcoal black. When you pick the bike up from the side stand and then set it back down, look in the sight glass and when the oil drains off the glass (somtimes theres a metal strainer looking thing inside, that works better to look at), watch to see if the oil is brown or black as it runs off. If the previous owner didn't do frequent oil changes the oil will go nasty quickly. If you have the ability to change your own oil, run some cheap stuff through, just ride it around the block to get it warm and change it a few times.
 
I would be more concerned with oil that does turn black. One of the primary responsibilities of engine oil is to suspend dirt in it. The filter should them remove the larger pieces of dirt (not talking about sand size dirt, more like dust size or smaller). Take a piece of black carbon and just dip it in gas, then remove the carbon. The gas will be black, but not have any dirt in it, it is just stained with dirt.
 
i put just under 2k on my ninja zx6 and its still has that honey color to it might be best to change it
 
seeing mixed views and really dont know. i mean i dont mind changing the oil but 1000km and it looks dirty couldnt point to something else now could it?
 
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