Possibly butchered oil change

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Where did you read that oil change interval?

i just looked in the 80 1000G owners manual on BikeCliff’s website and read oil change interval is 7500miles (12,000km).

 

[2BRacing]

That sounds like good news! In answer to some of your questions in post #10, I can answer as follows:

"Bolts", "Allen Screws" or similar types of fasteners that have a hexagon head or socket that are turned with a spanner should not be used to tighten the oil filter cover to the engine case. The reason is because you have to remove and replace them every time you change the filter, the threads in the engine case can become damaged. That is why studs are used, because they remain in the engine case and only the acorn nut is removed/replaced.

I realise that it could take some time to get the correct parts and it is frustrating not to be able to ride, but I recommend that you get original (OEM) Suzuki parts, because the lengths of the threaded parts of the stud are important to ensure secure holding of the oil filter cover. The Suzuki OEM part number for the acorn nut is: 08313-10067. The part number for the washer is: 08322-01067. The part number for the stud is: 01421-0620A. It is a 6mm stud with total length of 32.6mm. The short threaded side is about 12mm long and the long threaded side is about 15.6mm long. The non-threaded part is about 5mm long.

The vice-grip pliers are clamped on at 90 degrees to the stud to remove it, as in that video. Rather work slowly and carefully so that you do not break the stud off in the engine casing, because then it is very difficult to remove due to little working space behind the exhausts.

Start by turning one "normal" nut (not the acorn type) about halfway onto the longer threaded end of the stud. Then turn another "normal" nut onto the longer threaded end, until it touches the first nut. Use two 10mm spanners to tighten the two nuts against each other, and then use the spanner on the outer nut to turn the stud into the engine case up to the non-threaded part of the stud (remember the loctite on that shorter end that goes into the engine case). Use the two 10mm spanners again to loosen and separate the two "normal" nuts from each other, and remove both nuts from the stud. I would not recommend using the vice-grip to turn the stud in by clamping onto the non-threaded part as is shown in the video, because of the risk of damaging the outer threads of the stud.

Yes, it is so easy to remove and replace the carbs and airbox on these 850G and 1000 G models because there is lots of space. Not so easy on some of the other models due to lack of space!

No problem, I think you are doing very well so far! Spend some time reading information in the posts here and in the BassCliff collection of technical information (BikeCliff's Website), as well as the Suzuki Factory Service Manual for your bike, and you will soon learn everything you need to know!

 

[Guest]

Where did you read that oil change interval?

i just looked in the 80 1000G owners manual on BikeCliff’s website and read oil change interval is 7500miles (12,000km).

http://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac/~cliff/storage/gs/GS1000.pdf

"Change oil at initial 1000 km (600 miles) and initial 3 000 km (2 000 miles), and therafter change every 3 000 km (2 000 miles)."

Page 3-11 according to footer, but 34 in the PDF.

My Clymer manual also lists 3000 for oil changes. I think it makes sense to change the filter too, they are not expensive (unless you go crazy with the ratchet). I think its 6000 for the filter, but why not do both when you have to clean up the mess anyways?

 

[2BRacing]

Where did you read that oil change interval?

i just looked in the 80 1000G owners manual on BikeCliff’s website and read oil change interval is 7500miles (12,000km).

I have seen different intervals in the User's Handbook and Factory Service Manuals. Some say 3000km for engine oil and filter change; some say 5000km and one FSM says engine oil every 3000km and filter every 6000km.

So there does not seem to be much consistency across different years, even from the factory!

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Sorry, what I read was for the final gear oil change interval. Buy that same owners manual lists oil and filter change at 4000 miles(6000km). This is twice what is in the service manual. Wonder by the difference? I still think that you can go a lot more than 3000 km.

http://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac/~cliff/storage/gs/GS1000.pdf

"Change oil at initial 1000 km (600 miles) and initial 3 000 km (2 000 miles), and therafter change every 3 000 km (2 000 miles)."

Page 3-11 according to footer, but 34 in the PDF.

My Clymer manual also lists 3000 for oil changes. I think it makes sense to change the filter too, they are not expensive (unless you go crazy with the ratchet). I think its 6000 for the filter, but why not do both when you have to clean up the mess anyways?

 

[Guest]

I have seen different intervals in the User's Handbook and Factory Service Manuals. Some say 3000km for engine oil and filter change; some say 5000km and one FSM says engine oil every 3000km and filter every 6000km.

So there does not seem to be much consistency across different years, even from the factory!

Thank you for the part numbers, and the explanations. I will make sure I get the OEM parts.

Sorry, what I read was for the final gear oil change interval. Buy that same owners manual lists oil and filter change at 4000 miles(6000km). This is twice what is in the service manual. Wonder by the difference? I still think that you can go a lot more than 3000 km.

If I understand it correctly, you change oil at 3000, and filter at 6000. So every other oil change you change the filter. I see some people to recommend to change filter with every oil change. When you have the bike and oil out anyways, I think it makes sense. But for a longer trip I'd probably just change the oil.

I am sure oil is better now, and I know people drive forever without any oil changes. But oil quality and change intervals seems like a heated subject and I honestly don't know.

Personally I'd rather waste oil and spend some more money on oil and know that my engine is taken care of.

 

[Rich82GS750TZ]

Oil change at 3000 K seems excessive , but it won’t hurt. I wouldn’t stress about changing oil on your trip. Just do it when you get home. IMHO.

 

[abaton6]

Oil is MUCH better now than when the shop manual was printed. You can go far longer in between oil changes,..IMHO. I have a friend who changes the oil in his pickup every 2,500 mi, and he uses Mobil 1! I asked him why, and he said his grand father told him to. Today's oil in infinitely better than 49-50 years ago.

 

[Grimly]

Let your foot tell you.
From many years of riding one of these old beasts I can say with some certainty that the oil is ragged to pieces by the gearbox and at 2000 miles you feel the quality of shift change for the worse. Even the best oils I've had in it don't last more than 2500 miles.
Some lesser quality oils don't even make the 2000 mark, commonly losing their shear strength at 1500 to 1700 miles.

My opinion is that if the shift quality deteriorates it's telling me the oil isn't up to snuff any more and while I certainly could run it for another 1000 miles or more, I'm damned sure I wouldn't be getting a long life from the crankshaft or gearbox.

 

[Guest]

Let your foot tell you.
From many years of riding one of these old beasts I can say with some certainty that the oil is ragged to pieces by the gearbox and at 2000 miles you feel the quality of shift change for the worse. Even the best oils I've had in it don't last more than 2500 miles.
Some lesser quality oils don't even make the 2000 mark, commonly losing their shear strength at 1500 to 1700 miles.

My opinion is that if the shift quality deteriorates it's telling me the oil isn't up to snuff any more and while I certainly could run it for another 1000 miles or more, I'm damned sure I wouldn't be getting a long life from the crankshaft or gearbox.

Doesn't the transmission have its own oil?

 

[Brendan W]

Let your foot tell you.
From many years of riding one of these old beasts I can say with some certainty that the oil is ragged to pieces by the gearbox and at 2000 miles you feel the quality of shift change for the worse. Even the best oils I've had in it don't last more than 2500 miles.
Some lesser quality oils don't even make the 2000 mark, commonly losing their shear strength at 1500 to 1700 miles.

My opinion is that if the shift quality deteriorates it's telling me the oil isn't up to snuff any more and while I certainly could run it for another 1000 miles or more, I'm damned sure I wouldn't be getting a long life from the crankshaft or gearbox.

Gear changes are what I notice as well. Not so much before but definitely just after an oil change.

 

[Gorminrider]

me too. especially on the 6 speeds. The shaft drive 5 speed, I change gears like it's an old pickup truck I'm nursing down the path so it's not such a quirk...but I wonder lately if I won't try a 20w50 next time in the gsx400 rather than the 15w40 castrolMC oil.

ONE thing that does work is a tip I picked up here in one of these discussions, but I fear to recommend it unless you have a bike to experiment on...
STP oil treatment for OLDER engines. It's some kind of thickener and maybe hurts the startup flow but it DOES soften and improve the gear shift a LOT beyond a 1000km.

 

[Rob S.]

Doesn't the transmission have its own oil?

Is it a Camaro? Or a Cadillac?

STP oil treatment...maybe hurts the startup flow...

What about the clutch?

I've never owned a six speed bike and I've never felt any difference in shifting as the oil aged. But I've changed oil and filter often, once at 600 miles when Suzi was already in the shop for something else.

 

[Gorminrider]

Originally Posted by Gorminrider

STP oil treatment...maybe hurts the startup flow...

What about the clutch?

No, the clutch works as usual from my experience. The 6 speeds on my 2 GSX400s get awful clunky pretty quick at low speeds. I have to roll the bike and futz about if I want to get into 1st at a stop from Neutral. More so than other bikes i have. BUT I know that member John Park (who knows these pretty well) has had good luck with the same issue using a $pricey$ oil but I've the scottish gene on the stupid side of the graph.

 

[Guest]

Is it a Camaro? Or a Cadillac?

Im not sure what you mean.

But Im fairly certain my bike has three oils. Engine, transmission and final drive. If you ignore the oil in the air filter and the oil for oiling pivots and things.

 

[Rob S.]

I'm fairly certain my bike has three oils. Engine, transmission and final drive. If you ignore the oil in the air filter and the oil for oiling pivots and things.

I've never owned a shaftie, but I'm aware of the final drive oil. I'm not aware of a separate oil for the five gears of the transmission.

A lot of members of the shaft cult on this site, not all of them from Canada.
Can someone please clear this up?

 

[Brendan W]

I've never owned a shaftie, but I'm aware of the final drive oil. I'm not aware of a separate oil for the five gears of the transmission.

A lot of members of the shaft cult on this site, not all of them from Canada.
Can someone please clear this up?

The 850G gears share the engine oil but at the back of the case where the drive takes a left turn to the shaft there is a small separate compartment with gear oil. This is in addition to the final drive. It's drain and fill are roughly where the front sprocket would be on a chain bike. The compartment is vented from the top with a little black tube running across the top of the case and disappearing down under the starter motor.
The 650G does not have this separate compartment in the crankcase. Everything is in the engine oil.

 

[Gorminrider]

A lot of members of the shaft cult on this site

yes, lots of "G"s but actually I prefer the chain drive. Maybe because my bikes are smaller and don't strain the chain much... The Suzuki shaft drives seem to have more problems than the GL500 Honda I had, what with a bad year of flaky ring gear on the hub, and the "Zooks Syndrome".