saving the oil?

[Boriqua]

*&#^%#*($ ...
I got the bike running beautifully. I am still trying to nail the idle but now I am being nit picky. The advice I received to go to the OEM paper air filter was spot on and tuning became much easier.

Now I have a new problem

I bought two CHEAP oil filters on ebay. I think it was something like 9 bucks shipped for a pair. I had no problem with leaks on the first one but on the second .. leaks from the oil filter cover. I am snugged down but I think the gasket is just to thin. It was pretty well flush with the mating surfaces.

Its not losing a lot but annoying so I order a Hiflo oil filter and gasket. I have already spent some $150 in oil this past six months and the oil that is in there only has about 130 miles on it.

When the new filter arrives I want to save the oil and put it back in. Terrible idea?
My oil pan is completely cleaned and washed and I have a clean receptacle. I thought I would drain it into the pan then run it through a pantyhose or cheese cloth into the receptacle do the filter and gasket change and put the oil back in.

Would love to hear thoughts if you have saved oil before. I never have but another $50 bucks is not happening so my choice would be to keep topping it up.
alex

 

[Nessism]

Catch and reuse. Be sure the filter cover and front of the engine is clean and free of dirt.

 

[Steve]

Catch and reuse.

What oil are you using that is $50? :-k

.

 

[Sandy]

If you're just changing the filter you won't lose much.

 

[Brendan W]

Find a steep hill

 

[Boriqua]

Catch and reuse.

What oil are you using that is $50? :-k

.

Im using Mobil1. Works really well in this insane heat even though we are now entering the enviable time for weather here. Mornings are in the 70's and afternoons in the low mid 90's. For us summer is winter.

Ok follow up stupid question. I was going to drain all of the oil through the drain plug. Can I just remove the filter cover and swap. How much oil would I lose that way. I dont mind buying 1 qt and I have 1/2 qt in the shed. Or should I just go ahead and drain it all out?
Alex

 

[Boriqua]

Find a steep hill

I live just a few miles from some mountains!! LOL .. I think they might frown upon me changing oil there.

 

[Brendan W]

Many of us have gone away from motorcycle specific oil and are using light truck diesel engine oil.
These oils tend to have more high pressure additives, are ok for wet clutches and cost a fraction of the others.
http://www.vfrworld.com/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

 

[Sandy]

Don't know for sure but I very much doubt you would lose more than half a quart.

 

[Steve]

Im using Mobil1.

A 5-quart jug of Mobil 1 10w-40 is $22.88 at Wal-Mart. You only need a maximum of 4 quarts, so that's about $20 for the oil.

.

 

[Boriqua]

A 5-quart jug of Mobil 1 10w-40 is $22.88 at Wal-Mart. You only need a maximum of 4 quarts, so that's about $20 for the oil.

.

I was using the Motorcycle oil. I think it says 4t racing or some such and is 10 bucks a qt at walmart but was 11 and change at the local automotive. Can I just use regular old automotive Mobil1 10w 40. Because if so .. that is what this homey is getting next time!!

Can anyone verify what Sandy said .. Will I only lose half a qt just taking out the filter and not draining it all at the drain plug? I have 1/2 qt left from my last change so that would be Awesome.

 

[Cipher]

Um yah dont need the motorcycle spec oil.......JASO MA2? Whats the mobil 1 specs for its MC oils. A waste on an older bike with no catalytic convertor.


youll not lose much oil popping out the filter I wonder does you bike not drain all back to the pan when switched off? It may have a cup or so in the filter area running and just after running but that would or should likely drop back into the pan.

 

[Boriqua]

Um yah dont need the motorcycle spec oil.......JASO MA2? Whats the mobil 1 specs for its MC oils. A waste on an older bike with no catalytic convertor.


youll not lose much oil popping out the filter I wonder does you bike not drain all back to the pan when switched off? It may have a cup or so in the filter area running and just after running but that would or should likely drop back into the pan.

Im not leaking when it sits. It leaks a fair amount on start up. Like that initial blast is pushing past the gasket. Once its warm and I go out and say stop at the post office then there is one drop or so under the bike but the start up from cold is where it is an issue.

 

[Steve]

The Mobil 1 10w-40 will work, but it might have some reduced additives that are in the motorcycle oil. Just in case you hadn't done any searching for some of the oil (war) threads, the forum favorite seems to be Rotella T5 or T6 oil. The T5 is 'standard' oil, 15w-40, the T6 is 'synthetic' oil, 5w-40. These are formulated for diesel engines, and have higher content of zinc and phosphorous than 'car' oils. These metals are what is necessary to lubricate the gears in the transmission, which have different requirements than the sliding or rolling bearings in the engine.

The reason those elements are reduced in 'car' oil is that, although cars are lasting longer, the engine still wears enough to cause blowby. The metals in the blowby tend to clog the catalytic convertors, so they are being reduced. Diesel engines are now getting catalytic convertors, but they are not quite as demanding as the ones for gasoline engines, so they can tolerate the metals a bit better.

A one-gallon jug of Rotella T-5 (white jug) might run $12-15 at Wal-Mart or your favorite auto parts store. A one-gallon jug of Rotella T-6 (blue jug) will run about $20-22.

.

 

[Cipher]

Im not leaking when it sits. It leaks a fair amount on start up. Like that initial blast is pushing past the gasket. Once its warm and I go out and say stop at the post office then there is one drop or so under the bike but the start up from cold is where it is an issue.

I have noticed that non OEM oil filter gaskets suck big giant nasty thingsI reuse an oem rather than trow in a cheap dtring malformed aftermarket bit

lessons learned always buy OEM

 

[hannibal]

The HiFlo gaskets aren't that bad. I've been using them and haven't had any problems.

 

[TxGSrider]

Ive been using the HiFlo's without any problems... and Rotella oil for the record.

 

[Brendan W]

Thumbs up for HiFlo from me too and they give you both types.

 

[bobgroger]

Did this turn in to an Oil thread? FWIW Rotella T is the Dino oil and is now rebranded as Rotella T4. T5 is Semi-Syn and T6 is full synthetic, or what passes for it these days. T4 and T6 are JASO approved, T5 is not. I run T6 but am going to switch to Brad Penn in the dragbike. Some of you might remember the original Kendall GT1, it was green and stunk to high heaven, it stuck to parts like glue. LOADS of ZDDP. That is Brad Penn now, named after the former Kendall refinery in Bradford, Pennsylvania where it is still made using the original formula. It is $90 for a 12 QT case +/-. We swore by it back in the offshore powerboat racing days, it would hold up for 90 minutes at full throttle.

 

[chuck hahn]

The oring doesnt need to slip out of the groove very much to pinch up and leak. Few startegically placed drops of RTV holds the oring secure so it doesnt fall out while installing the cover.