After oil change...kinda rough

[risccas]

I just changed the oil(and filter) on my new 1983 GS1100gl for the first time last night. I took it for a short ride last night and it seemed to be accelerating rather roughly now. I put about 3.6 qts in it and the oil level shows to be about 3/4's up between the "L" line and the "F" line. Should I add more untill it reaches the "F" line. I used regular 10W-40 like my manual stated.

What could cause this?

[gspaul]

After you changed the oil, did you take it for a short ride and check the level again?The filter has to fill with oil.
Other than that,I do not think your problem is related to your oil change, did you do anything else to the bike ?

[risccas]

I checked the spark plugs and they were black as sin. I changed them out and now she runs like a top. Not really sure why all that happened.

Thanks though!

[Anonymous]

Oil

TIme to up grade your oil, dump the plain jane 10-40 and move up to a synthetic grade, your bike will be better off.

[Guy]

Re: Oil

TIme to up grade your oil, dump the plain jane 10-40 and move up to a synthetic grade, your bike will be better off.

These engines don't need synthetic oil. It certainly won't make it run any smoother. True, you don't need to change it as often as it degrades slower, but you still have the same filter change interval and synthetic costs twice as much. I use castrol 10-40 and change it along with the filter religiously every 2000 miles.

[risccas]

I was going to buy the synthetic, but then all the guys at my Suzuki dealership talked me out of it for these two reasons:

#1 - It cost more than double the regular.

#2 - The said it eats away at your clutch fibers or something like that.

Who knows? Not me....

[Anonymous]

syn oils

Of course it costs more, its better oil period and worth every penny. I've used the stuff in my bike for some 20 years, didnt do a thing to the clutch, I did install heavier clutch springs ( OEM clutch springs let the clutch slip under load and that was with standard oil) and no problems. I had to drop the oil pan ( pan has never been off in 24 years) to fix the oil drain and there was not one bit of oil sluge in the pan, pan was clean as a whistle.

As for running smoother thats debatable, I noticed my engine reved eaiser, got some better mileage and the engine seems to run a tad cooler. i do know syn flow rates are better and syn oils dont have the shearing problems as do standard oils when they lube the tranny and the thermo dyanmics are much better for air cooled engines. Which is a plus when you live in hottter areas like I do in NM. HEAT KILLS.

Read the article in GSResoures " All you ever wanted to know about oils"

[Guy]

Re: syn oils

I noticed my engine reved eaiser, got some better mileage and the engine seems to run a tad cooler.

Hmmm, placebo oil..... They sell that here too. Oil choice will always be a subjective issue. Use whatever makes you happy, but don't tell us 'plain jane oil' oil is crap and synthetic is the only way to go. If that were the case nobody would be using mineral oil anymore.

[gspaul]

Hey, an oil discussion, never had one of those here!

[vstan905]

"#2 - The said it eats away at your clutch fibers or something like that."

These guys are mechanics? That is nonsense. Whether it is worth it to use synth is debatable for sure, but it will not eat up your clutch plates.

[chrissinc]

Just use WD-40!!!!! :-) New dino and a set of plugs are fine.

[risccas]

"dino"

What is that?

[sagent]

"dino"

What is that?

regular non-synthetic oil "fossil fuels"

[chrissinc]

From DINOsaurs! :-) Well actually mostly ancient plant matter but you get the drift.

[Anonymous]

"Hmmm, placebo oil" sheeesh. Anyways, plain jane oil wasnt made with motorcycles in mind, speciallly when the oil is shared for the engine and tranny, the dino oils' molecules are sheared apart by the gears in the tranny, hence COULD cause oil failure and a cooked engine. Why risk it??? Syn doesnt have the shear problems. We spend alot time keeping our bikes going and clean why skimp on the oil?? And yes i still change the syn oil and filter every 3,000- 4,000 miles its cheap insurance

Like I mentioned before just read the GSRources article on oil and make your choice on what to use. Okay on to a new and better topic, how about those stators and RRs 8O noooooooooooooo i cant take it lol.