• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Best way to clean internal engine varnish ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Guest
I've read here that running diesel oil for a short time will clean up an engine's insides. My GS850GLZ has sat for 15 years - should i change out the oil before I start her with the diesel flavor, or just regular oil? How long should I run the "clean-up" oil before changing - should i also add some MM oil or seafoam to mix?

I suspect there's a fair amont of varnish built up inside - only 7k miles so I wouldn't think there's any sludge.

Also, when i removed the intake boots to get at the o-rings i peered into the intake chamber. Kinda dirty & a little rusty, but what caught my eye was the condition of the valve stems; coated with what looked like carbon & varnish or maybe just rusted. Is this an issue, or will all this clean up once it runs for a while??

Any thoughts...

thanks,

mike
 
I'm going with drain and inspect the oil for bits and pieces, then if found ok, change it with your choice of oil run it for 300-600 miles drain and refill.
no "special" additives to the oil, let your oil changes clean it.

Also, when i removed the intake boots to get at the o-rings i peered into the intake chamber. Kinda dirty & a little rusty, but what caught my eye was the condition of the valve stems; coated with what looked like carbon & varnish or maybe just rusted. Is this an issue, or will all this clean up once it runs for a while??
Click to expand...
seafoam, or a engine top end cleaner to clean the carbon off the valves (if the carbon is bad).
 
Last edited:
The 'carbon' that builds up on valves, cylinders and pistons is often a good thing. Sort of like a protective coating. Just change the oil, new plugs, clean the carbs etc and ride it for a while. Messing with it will often make things go wrong. Leave well enough alone.

Remember - if it aint broke, don't fix it!
 
I'm in the camp of change the oil and filter and ride. Change in 1000 miles or so if it makes you feel better.

BTW, the diesel oil is good stuff. Has more of "the good stuff" in it since it's designed to be used in engines that don't use catalysts.
 
Ok, thanks guys, just trying to be cautious. Just to confirm, it's OK then to use diesel oil instead of regular oil without bad things happening?

While we're talking about oil... this bike has a lockhart oil cooler installed. It's mounted where the horns would be,(if the PO hadn't removed them to mount the cooler.) Is this thing worth keeping on? Does the system need more oil in it to "compensate" for the extra cooler & connecting line volume?

There's only so much oil in a "full" system (based on the level shown in the window). Does the engine actually get less oil while running because of this cooler? I'm confused.

Thanks
 
hikermikem said:
Ok, thanks guys, just trying to be cautious. Just to confirm, it's OK then to use diesel oil instead of regular oil without bad things happening?
Click to expand...

NO! Not Diesel Oil as in what Diesels burn for fuel, what he meant was motor oil made for use in Diesel engines. Diesel Oil the fuel is Kerosene, is not what you want in your crankcase. Motor oil made for Diesel engines, such as Rotella, etc. is very good oil and works well in motorcycles with wet clutches.

Using Diesel the fuel in a crankcase to loosen up sludge might work on a '65 Plymouth with 300,000 miles on it, it is not needed on a motorcycle with 7,000.

hikermikem said:
While we're talking about oil... this bike has a lockhart oil cooler installed. It's mounted where the horns would be,(if the PO hadn't removed them to mount the cooler.) Is this thing worth keeping on? Does the system need more oil in it to "compensate" for the extra cooler & connecting line volume?

There's only so much oil in a "full" system (based on the level shown in the window). Does the engine actually get less oil while running because of this cooler? I'm confused.



Thanks
Click to expand...


Unless you ride in stop and go traffic in Death Valley all summer or you are doing some kind of competition that is extremely hard on oil, an oil cooler is unnecessary and is a leak waiting to happen. These bikes didn't need oil coolers when they were built, oil is much better now than it was. If you are worried about oil getting too hot use synthetic oil, it can handle extreme temps. Especially so on the two valve engines like yours, which have all the cooling fin area they need.
 
Last edited:
i have used straight 30 weight diesel oil ( Diesel Motor Oil ) not diesel fuel, in the midst of the dog days of july and had not detrimetal effects
and it is high detergent and it does clean up a good deal of crap.

I have also flushed out my engine by slowly pouring a gallon of kerosene on the opened valve train ( which had no sludge or varnish as I do proepr oil changes at proper intervals ( with mobil 1 synthetic but lets not start the palaver about synth vs dino oil ) and subsequently draing the fuel then pulling and washing out the sump pan.
It was raining that day i think.

I know I did no harm as I have checked the specs on cam journals etc and after 60 K KMS there is no apprecialbe wear on the engine.

I see in your sig line you still have the 550 I thought youd given up on it.
 
Last edited:
Hi Calvin,

Still have the 550L, runs like a dog with gas on his a$$. It's just sitting though... my ex-wife was going to ride it but she can not touch the ground when sitting on it. She actually dumped it over a couple of times last year. I'm not sure what she's going to do with it. Shame, the bike is in good condition & runs well.
 
tkent02 said:
NO! Not Diesel Oil as in what Diesels burn for fuel, what he meant was motor oil made for use in Diesel engines. Diesel Oil the fuel is Kerosene, is not what you want in your crankcase. Motor oil made for Diesel engines, such as Rotella, etc. is very good oil and works well in motorcycles with wet clutches..
Click to expand...

I meant the oil used in diesel engines, not the fuel - thanks though!
 
tkent02 said:
Unless you ride in stop and go traffic in Death Valley all summer or you are doing some kind of competition that is extremely hard on oil, an oil cooler is unnecessary and is a leak waiting to happen. These bikes didn't need oil coolers when they were built, oil is much better now than it was. If you are worried about oil getting too hot use synthetic oil, it can handle extreme temps. Especially so on the two valve engines like yours, which have all the cooling fin area they need.
Click to expand...

If i remove the cooler, what do i do with the two line coming out of the engine. It's connected below the cam chain tensioner to two ports. Just plug them?
 
Cant touch the ground good god
thats a very low built bike
I have a 32 inch inseam and the ride height is plety plenty low for me by several inches

she must never touch thsi sweet sweet machine again till she gets stilts

odlly i saw to gals on largish harleys onces they were too shart for em and good god they had veritable paltform boots on

they could ride em though jst were a tad touchy ont he launch

they had nice tattos and were mean looking not poseurs at all
 
Well, she can touch only on her tip toes though... first bike for her & she got scared when she dropped it (twice).

So now she likes to say she has a bike, but she doesn't ride. Just as well, I'd be fixin' something broken off every day if she did.
 
If you want to take the cooler off, I'll trade you the stock oil pressure sending unit for the one with the ports. PM sent.
 
Bruce beat me to it.](*,) I'm in the camp that feels an oil cooler is nice to have if you ride in a hot climate, particularly if you do lots of slow riding in traffic.

In terms of using straight 30 weight in summer, this is a bad idea. 30 weight is thinner than 10W-40 when it matters - when the oil is hot. Most diesel engine oils are 15W-40 which is a good match for the GS engine.
 
No don't just plug them, check Ebay and get the original oil pressure sending unit/adapter or route the hose from one fitting to the other. The oil adapters are a sought after item. I use Shell Rotella T 15/40 oil in my 850 dino/ diesel oil
DO NOT PUT ADDITIVES in the oil unless you want to replace the clutch
 
Last edited:
SqDancerLynn1 said:
No don't just plug them, check Ebay and get the original oil pressure sending unit/adapter or route the hose from one fitting to the other. The oil adapters are a sought after item. I use Shell Rotella T 15/40 oil in my 850 dino/ diesel oil
DO NOT PUT ADDITIVES in the oil unless you want to replace the clutch
Click to expand...


Agreed. Any of that car/truck oil treatment, like Rislone, Restore, etc etc, is death to your wet clutch system. Keep in mind, that our lovely GSs, as with MOST motorcycle motors, contain not only the powerplant, but the transmission, as well. And as such, the transmission is lubricated by OIL instead of transmission fluid. So anything that you may put in your oil with the intention of cleaning the combustion part of your motor, had also better be safe for your transmission as well. I would suggest stearing well clear of any of those "magical" additives. I have heard people suggest running a bit of seafoam in the case for cleaning, but only for a VERY short time, and then a complete oil/filter change is performed. Personally, i have never done it, so i cant say whether its worth it or not. Honestly, I run Rotella in my motors, 15-40. My GSs seem to like it pretty well, and I change every 2000 miles, give or take a few hundred. It seems to do well in cleaning too. Its heavier than what is perscribed by the manufacturer, but, especially in the heat wave we in the midwest are experiencing now, it gives me added piece of mind. I wouldnt hesitate to run 20w50 in my motor in the dead of summer either. The only thing to keep in mind, is that if you live in a part of the country where the temp drops pretty dramaticly at night, say the high desert or something, be sure to allow a little extra bit of warm up time when running a heavier oil. It will take a little longer to get warm enough to be pushed around the motor, and during that warm up time, you may not be getting the optimum level of lubrication on metal on metal parts.
 
Thanks everyone for the great advice... think I'll keep the cooler on for the short term anyway, can't hurt. Still don't understand why a "system with a cooler" doesn't require more oil than a "system withpout a cooler?"

Sorry to ask so many questions - I'm kinda a data freak, the more the better. I mean, "how can you make an intelligent & informed desicion about anything with asking a crapload of questions & aquiring a bunch-o-data?"

You guys on this forum have tons of experience & I respect all your opinions & thoughts. It's a great thing to be able to "tap" that "GS resouce".

I'll be finishing the carb clean & rebuild this weekend - still waitting for the valve cover gasket & cam chain tensioner o-rings/seal, but I plan on adjusting the valves in the meantime. I don't believe its been done yet (7328 mi on bike), so I expect them all to be tight - then I'll be waiting for shims to show up!

I also have to address the crud/light rust in the fuel tank. I previously bought some POR-15 (entire kit) to coat a different tank, but I just replaced that one with an e-bay special. Perhaps I'll use that stuff on this one. Is there a reason to coat the tank if I remove the rust mechcanically (e.g., shaking it with small rocks), & chemically (acid etch).

Once it's clean, what's the best way to keep the tank insides from rusting again before I fill it with gas?? Here in New England even plastic rusts in the high humidity of summer (ok, maybe that's a bit of a stretch...)

as always, thanks for the help,

mike
 
An engine with a cooler does require more oil, how much more is a bit of a guess though - the oil drains back out of the cooler when the engine is shut off so you can't judge by sightglass alone.

On my 850, with a cooler, the oil level is set so it's at the top of the sight glass shortly after shutting down - maybe 20 seconds after. The oil level continues to raise until it's above the sightglass window. Not sure how much extra oil there is but a guess is about 4 oz.

Hope this helps.
 
Nessism said:
An engine with a cooler does require more oil, how much more is a bit of a guess though - the oil drains back out of the cooler when the engine is shut off so you can't judge by sightglass alone.

On my 850, with a cooler, the oil level is set so it's at the top of the sight glass shortly after shutting down - maybe 20 seconds after. The oil level continues to raise until it's above the sightglass window. Not sure how much extra oil there is but a guess is about 4 oz.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Yes, thanks - perhaps i'll fill the oil cooler & lines remotely, thendrain it back out into a graduated container to measure the volume, then just add that much more when the sight glass shows full. That sounds as geeky as I can get!!
 
hikermikem said:
Yes, thanks - perhaps i'll fill the oil cooler & lines remotely, thendrain it back out into a graduated container to measure the volume, then just add that much more when the sight glass shows full. That sounds as geeky as I can get!!
Click to expand...

Great idea, please let me know how much more oil. Only fly in the ointment is how to judge the oil level as you accumulate mileage on that oil change? Maybe pinch off the oil lines at the back of the engine right after shutting down to keep the oil from draining back? Just don't forget to remove the clamps after you top off the oil.:oops:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top