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[2harleys]

Not necessarily.  Don't forget the context of this discussion, as defined by the original post.  The OP asked if he needed to change fluids that had just been changed a short time and maybe 1500 miles before.  The correct answer is no in that case.  But if you and 103thunDer were about due for an oil change anyway, then changing it now versus in the spring is just fine (and it's what I normally do if it's almost time to change anyway).  My point was that the overly anal "common wisdom" about always changing oil right before storing an engine is not based on science, nor is it cast in stone.  What would you guys do if you had changed oil 3 weeks ago, dump that basically new oil and change it again?  The oil company and filter company will love you for the additional sale, but your engine won't know the difference.  If you want to worry about an engine over the winter, worry about the one in your car that gets driven 5 or 10 miles at a time and builds up large quantities of contaminants and acids, not the one that is sitting in the garage with no combustion byproducts or large temp swings to create problems.


Jerry

 

Jerry, I agree 100% with this posting  ----  and the KEY to this whole thing is  ---   1500 miles  --  in my engine that oil has seen half of it's life span already, and therefore IMO it needs to go before winter storage.  You are 100% right on, about changing oil that had very recently been changed, and no I would not do that either. But with 1500 miles (as per original post) ----  it goes into the 5 gallon bucket, if it is in any of my bikes.  I guess this thread still goes with what oil is best and what spark plugs are best, and which color bike is the fastest. LOL   Have a good weekend

  Ken 

[Twolanerider]

Jerry, I agree 100% with this posting  ----  and the KEY to this whole thing is  ---   1500 miles  --  in my engine that oil has seen half of it's life span already,

The service change interval plays a significant role in the question.  With modern synthetics a common change interval is 5k rather than your 3k.  That's a lot of extra potential use left in the oil pan.

[2harleys]

The service change interval plays a significant role in the question.  With modern synthetics a common change interval is 5k rather than your 3k.  That's a lot of extra potential use left in the oil pan.

      OH-NO Twolanerider, you just had to do it--didn't you?  You just added another item to my list that no one can agree upon -----  service intervals. (---   1500 miles  --  in my engine that oil has seen half of it's life span already.)  I just walked by that five gallon can of used motorcycle oil in my garage, and stopped and took a double-take. Got to thinking about what your saying. That oil has always been changed at or near 3,000 miles.  HMMMM ----  now you got me thinking. Maybe instead of using it for winter storage oil  ---------- maybe --- just maybe--- I could use it for another 2,000 miles.  Five gallons of oil is approximately 5 oil changes ( maybe just a tad more if you figure in the pollutants in that oil), which equates to about 10,000 miles of slightly used oil just sitting there, waiting to hit the open highway. ------------ NAHH --- for me it's not about saving money  ---- I just LUUUUV changing my oil.  Hey, I hope you guys know I am just havin fun here, and just pulling your strings. But in all seriousness, my choice is Mobile 1 and I do change it at or around 3,000 miles. Might be stupid, but I also change the primary every other oil change and the trans gets new Redline Shockproof every 10,000 miles, just before I change to new spark plugs ( all bought in quantities, on line at a discounted price, no tax and some of it has free shipping). I do not think anyone can debate that it is far better to have clean fluids than dirty.  Doing what I do could be a little overboard, but it makes me feel better to know that I take as much pride in keeping the inside of my engine as clean as I do the outside. And if I do a winter lay-up, I will be changing to clean oil first. I do like to ride my bikes like I stole em. I never abuse them, but I do not give them much slack. Might be stupid, but I have never been accused of being the sharpest knife in the drawer, and I am doing my part to "stimulate" the economy. If your interested in that bucket, just let me know. LOL  Ride safe!!  I always enjoy your postings, even if you and I have a different take on things. (You to Jerry)          Oh yeah -- one more to the list -- my preferred choice to carry on my right hip is a 357 Magnum

[Twolanerider]

     OH-NO Twolanerider, you just had to do it--didn't you?  You just added another item to my list that no one can agree upon -----  service intervals. (---   1500 miles  --  in my engine that oil has seen half of it's life span already.)  

That whole service interval question is indeed incredibly, indelibly, indelicately and sometimes indecisively important; in an indelicate sort of way (since it makes some people go all wonkly [a technical mental health term {I just made up}]).  I can not say I follow any published suggestions for my own service methods and intervals (except, of course, that once this post is posted that posting will post and publish so no longer will I be able to say I follow unpublished service intervals because they'll no longer be unpublished due to not being unposted by this unpost; once it is posted [though not Postally {but, instead, digitally}]).  But I digress....

Chit, forgot what I was talking about.

Never min...

Oh yeah; fluid changes.

I change my engine oil every 5k miles.  Both engines (don't have two in one bike but two bikes with one engine each) need topped off with a half quart at 3500-4000.  I often give them that when they need it.  Unless they've been bad.  Then I sternly tell them they're going around the block without desert and they have to just like it; whether they like it or not!

At 2500 I do drain the oil and run it through the nylon hosiery of virgins before pouring that oil back in the bike.  I tried the more parsimonious approach of using the hosiery of unvirgins (1/2 price!!) but the... um.. well... uh.... byproducts, yeah, that covers it, the byproducts worried me.  So it's only white nylon hosiery from virgins for my preservice filtration.  

At 3500 I also pull the oil caps off each bike overnight and play "The Flight of the Valkyries" all night long in the shop.  This is because the music will scare the crap out of many of the combustion byproducts and they'll run away out of the opened oil fill hole.  This only works when starting with a warm engine though as some distillates, no matter how frightened, can not escape through a more viscous cold fluid.

[Trapperdog]

That whole service interval question is indeed incredibly, indelibly, indelicately and sometimes indecisively important;

Well not said    I just love oil threads, makes me feel all warm and slimey inside 

[Heatwave]

Unfortunately these oil threads are an utter waste of time. The good news is that they don't waste nearly the time or money that changing oil at intervals more frequestly than what's recommended by the manufacturer wastes.

[Twolanerider]

Unfortunately these oil threads are an utter waste of time. The good news is that they don't waste nearly the time or money that changing oil at intervals more frequestly than what's recommended by the manufacturer wastes.

You mean:

[grc]

Unfortunately these oil threads are an utter waste of time. The good news is that they don't waste nearly the time or money that changing oil at intervals more frequestly than what's recommended by the manufacturer wastes.

   

Manufacturer's recommended intervals are actually conservative, for their own protection.  One of the things I find intriguing is the Oil Life Monitoring systems found in many cars these days.  The one I'm familiar with is basically just a complicated algorithm that uses data collected from the Powertrain Control Module to determine how severe the operating conditions have been over time.  After running calculations against parameters that were developed with real oil analysis, the system determines when the remaining useful life of the oil has been reduced to about 15-20%, then it turns on an idiot light to alert you to change the oil. It's very common to find that using this system results in oil change intervals that are longer than the ones listed in the owner manuals, sometimes much longer.    

btw, some of the parameters measured are things like ambient temperatures and engine temperatures, engine revolutions, engine load, and some others that I forget right now that basically determine how hard your engine has been working over time.  So things like lots of short trips in winter weather or hard running in hot weather will shorten the interval, and a lot of easy cruising on the interstate will lengthen the interval.  Makes a lot more sense to change oil based on something like this than it does to just change it at 2k or 3k miles because that's the way we did it back in 1965.  For those open to enlightenment, perhaps they should send off that oil they dumped at a couple thousand miles for a laboratory analysis, so they can see exactly how much they are wasting.

Anyhow, even though these oil threads are pretty much useless, they do serve a purpose of sorts.  They keep the forum from being overrun with threads about stuff like nitrogen in tires and other useless crap.


Jerry  

[2k]

One thing I am pretty sure of, and everyone on the internet agrees on........disagree with GRC and you will be be wrong 98% of the time and....

[MKW]

Are we really talking about changing oil because of the concern for contaminants?  Man, I talk to guys all the time about this and most of them are the same guys who go from 0 to 100MPH as fast as they can reaching 6000RPM for significant periods of time.  If you are one of them I say don't worry about it.