Oil Change question?

[Anonymous]

Okay I have swallowed my pride and decided to ask this question.

What is the procedure for changing the oil on an 82 GS 850GL??

Please don't ask why I have not done this I'm pretty embarrassed for not getting it done.

I noticed that there are two filling ports, one on the left and one on the right, are there two drains??

The drain I did find is on the bottom of the engine between the exhaust pipes. The drain is a huge bolt, my largest socket is 19mm, these big sockets are expensive does anybody know the size for the oil drain??

I'm not very comfortable with the window style oil level, is there any other way to check that I have enough oil?

If I just remove the filter will I get all the old oil out????

Here is the embarrassing part

I am putting the finishing touches on the paint job but I have yet to do an oil change.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm glad you feel ashamed, because you certainly ought to be!

The filler for engine oil is on the right side of the engine, right above the sight glass for the oil level. The one on the left side is for the gear lube (80W90) that lubricates the middle gear compartment.

The drain plug under the engine fits a spark plug socket perfectly. That's what most of us use. The spark plug socket also fits the drain plug for the rear end lube.

The oil level window is what we all have to check the oil. It isn't perfect, but it's what we have. Put the bike on centerstand and check it. Don't let it go below the minimum mark.

Remove the filter, clean out all the old oil from the oil filter cavity, using a clean rag. Put a new o-ring on, as well as a new oil filter. The oil filter cavity hold a good number of ounces of oil, so make sure you have a pan under the oil filter cover. Oil will come out as you loosen the three acorn nuts.

I'm glad to see you're starting to get your priorities straight. Mechanical maintenance is much more important than cosmetics.

Nick

 

[Anonymous]

So when I do the Engine oil should I do the gearbox?

Where is the drain?

As a follow up, how often do you reccomend I change oil?
Like a car, after 3000 miles? More/less?

 

[Anonymous]

First, get yourself an owner's manual or service manual. It has all the service intervals and the oil and gear lube changing procedures. I change my middle gear lube and rear end lube once a year, and I ride 12,000 miles a year on the average.

You have to remove the shift lever from the shift shaft. Then remove the four screws or hex bolts that fasten the left side cover located behind the protruding stator cover. You'll see a big hex bolt which is removed with a spark plug socket. That's your drain plug.

You'll also see a small 10mm hex nut that tells you what the correct oil level for fresh gear lube is. Remove that and be prepared to put it back in when you see fresh replacement gear lube dribble out of there.

Now invest in an appropriate service manual.

Nick

 

[Anonymous]

Nick is dead right, as usual. Get yourself a manual, they are worth their weight in gold, especially for routine issues like changing/checking fluid levels.

 

[Anonymous]

I just got my first bike this winter, a 1983 GSX750ES, and I'm in the process of getting it ready for the season. I don't have a manual though, all I've got are some pages I xeroxed from the workshop manual at one of the local bike shops. A manual might be worth it's weight in gold, but right now $111 is a bit much to spend on a book :?

What kind of oil should I use for the gears, and how much do I need to do a complete change ? The previous owner rode this thing way more than he maintained it :evil:

 

[redliner1973]

You can get a CLYMER's manual for about $15-20. they are available at motorcycle shops, JC WHitney, online, etc. This will be enough to get you by. As for the gear oil, 90w or 85w-90 (can be found at Wally-World, Auto-zone and such) will work fine. :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

I'm just curious what kind of manual you were talking about that is $111. I've only seen the cheap ones - Haynes or Clymers or something like that.

BTW I'm a recent addition to this forum...but am loving it already!

--Dwight

 

[Anonymous]

I'm just curious what kind of manual you were talking about that is $111

Keep in mind that the person stating this price is from Norway; therefore, the $111 he refers to could be Norsk Kroner (Norwegian Crowns). One US dollar is about 7.25 Norwegian Kroner, so that amount translates to about $15.30 US.

So, D|sElMiNk's (however the hell you pronounce that!) is not being ripped off, provided the above-mentioned assumption of mine is correct.

Nick

 

[Anonymous]

ccammers:

If you just bought your bike all the fluids need to be changed. The chances are none have them been done for 15 years. For example, brake fluid is clear...what is yours?

Steve

 

[Anonymous]

You're absolutely correct, Srivett. Betcha that brake fluid looks like bad coffee, with the consistency of molasses. The fork oil, if it doesn't leak already, will begin to leak soon enough. The fork oil itself will look and feel like molasses.

I'm delighted that ccammers will now direct his energy to the proper maintenance of one of the finest motorcycles ever made: the GS850G. (I owned four consecutive GS850's before my GK). One common thread in this forum is our desire to see old, GS bikes run perfectly, and indefinitely.

Nick

 

[earlfor]

A GSX750E would be a chain drive 16 valve TSCC engine. All TSCC (750cc) engines hold 3.2 liters of engine oil if the oil filter is not replaced. If replacing the oil filter, the engine holds 3.4 liters of oil.
The transmission and engine are integral and use the same oil supply.
The oil filler cap is on the top right side of the side case above the sight window. The drain plug usually takes the same size socket as a spark plug.
Check the oil level in the sight window with the bike sitting level on the center stand. The Clymer book recommends 10w40 oil, however, I have always used Castrol GTX20w50 (since 1971 anyway) I've never had any problem with Castrol. Avoid the newer high milage oils with additives.

Earl

What kind of oil should I use for the gears, and how much do I need to do a complete change ? The previous owner rode this thing way more than he maintained it :evil:

 

[Anonymous]

Nick Diaz : I am very much indeed getting ripped off. That $111 is in US currency. The price quoted to me for a new manual was 815kr. If the manual had cost 111kr I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. I can afford the manual later on, I just think it's a lot of money for something I should be able to find at a more reasonable price.

Oh and, I don't blame you for having trouble pronouncing my nickname, it's far easier in norwegian :lol:

As for the Clymer manual, the closest match I've found for my bike (GSX750ESD) is this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1850105936/ref=nosim/broughsbooks0f/202-4731366-2407857

Are there any differences between the 550 and the 750 that could fork things up for me if I were to buy it?

 

[Anonymous]

Earlfor : thanks for that bit of info! I've replaced the oil and oil filter on my bike, using Castrol GTX20w50 (coincidence, perhaps, it was what my bike shop recommended). So that gear lube is not of any concern on my 16v TSCC engine ? Oh and, I filled her up with 3.8liters of oil after draining the old oil and replacing the oil filter - as that was what the manual from the bike shop stated.

 

[Anonymous]

Nick Diaz : I am very much indeed getting ripped off. That $111 is in US currency. The price quoted to me for a new manual was 815kr. If the manual had cost 111kr I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. I can afford the manual later on, I just think it's a lot of money for something I should be able to find at a more reasonable price.

Oh and, I don't blame you for having trouble pronouncing my nickname, it's far easier in norwegian :lol:

As for the Clymer manual, the closest match I've found for my bike (GSX750ESD) is this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1850105936/ref=nosim/broughsbooks0f/202-4731366-2407857

Are there any differences between the 550 and the 750 that could fork things up for me if I were to buy it?

D|sElMiNk,
You might check with Robert Skelton. He has manuals for sale in the Misc Parts For Sale forum all the time. Even with overseas postage I'd think it would be quite a bit less than $111 USD.

 

[Anonymous]

I sent him an e-mail, he didn't have any left

Guess I'm stuck, unless I can use the GS550ES manual.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh and, I don't blame you for having trouble pronouncing my nickname, it's far easier in norwegian

Ok maybe i missed it but speaking for my self what is your real name???

 

[Anonymous]

It's ?ivind, but I don't think that's any easier :wink:

I just have to say though, this site - especially this forum - is a godsend. Just what I wanted to find starting out as a motorcyclist. I've read quite a few threads already and I'm impressed by the knowledge and willingness to share both you and a lot of the others on this forum display.

As for the manual, I'll get by with what I've got for now. I'm just waiting for the parts to put the fork back together, gonna spend the next few days making sure the electrics are good, and as soon as the fork is back on the bike it's out on the road!

 

[earlfor]

You can forget about gear lube as there is nothing on your bike that uses any. I think shop manual's vary on some points. Probably a suzuki shop manual is more accurate than mine. Everything is fine if the oil level is between the high and low marks on the sight glass. I just dump three quarts into my 750 and then pour from the fourth quart until the oil shows almost to the full mark in the sight window.

Earl

Earlfor : thanks for that bit of info! I've replaced the oil and oil filter on my bike, using Castrol GTX20w50 (coincidence, perhaps, it was what my bike shop recommended). So that gear lube is not of any concern on my 16v TSCC engine ? Oh and, I filled her up with 3.8liters of oil after draining the old oil and replacing the oil filter - as that was what the manual from the bike shop stated.

 

[saaz]

I have a spare factory gs750 manual as it happens (and no GS750!). It is not as good or comprehensive as the later factory gs1000 manual, so I don't think there is an advantage in the factory manual over a Clymer etc.