Oil & Oil Filters
But like last month's air filter change, it's just as vital for ensuring the health and optimum performance of your engine. Not enough oil and you'll end up with worn components, or even worse, a seized engine. Refer to your dirt bike owner's manual for recommended oil and filter changes. This month, ace mechanic Daniel from the CDR Nokia Yamaha team talks us through the procedure.
1. Never drain you oil immediately after riding. Allow the engine to cool and the oil to settle to its lowest point. Ensure you have something large enough and deep enough to catch waste oil in.
2. Drain plugs at the front or the side of the engine like this are easier to get at, but as you can see, the frame gets in the way!
3. Tip the bike toward the plug in order to drain out any remaining oil. Any impurities or fragments that have settled on the bottom of the engine should also come out with the last of the oil.
4. With all the oil drained, next step is to take out your old filter. On the CDR Nokia Yamaha race bikes, three allen key bolts hold the filter cap in place.
5. The filter and filter cap should slide out as one unit.(inset). Separate the cap from the filter, taking care not to lose the rubber o-ring seal on the filter cap.
6. We use and recommend genuine YAMAHA Oil Filters available from your YAMAHA dealer. Any new filter should be OK, but check it for any damage to the flutes as this can compromise its effectiveness.
7. Before inserting the filter, apply a small amount of YAMALUBE Race Grease, a waterproof, durable anti-corrosive available from your YAMAHA dealer, to the rubber seal on the filter.
8. Also apply some of the same YAMALUBE Race Grease or similar lubricant to the o-ring seal (inset) on the filter cap. Don't over-grease, only a thin coating is required.
9. Re-insert the filter. Some prefer to tip the bike on its side and add some engine oil to the filter cavity at this stage, but Shawn and I agree that it's not required as most modern engines are efficient enough to pump oil around the whole system.
10. If your bike is an oil-in-frame- design, now's a good time to also drain the frame oil. Locate the reservoir bolt (inset) and undo. Let the oil drain out completely.
11. Re-attach the drain plug (inset). Be sure it's correctly threaded and use a torque wrench to tighten it as it is possible to overtighten using regular tools and damage the alloy of the engine case.
12. With all your plugs secured in place, add your oil. We use and recommend YAMALUBE 4-R Engine Oil for all our 4 stroke race bikes. Fill up so 3/4 of the viewing window is covered, run the engine briefly, then add more oil to bring it up to the same level.
