Changing the Engine Oil with Minimum Mess

[SpudRider]

With almost 12,000 miles on the odometer, I have changed the engine oil in my RX3 at least a half dozen times. Here are the tools, and the method I use for a quick, clean oil change.

Tools

8 mm Socket Screwdriver
8 mm T-handle socket wrench
3/8-inch socket ratchet
17 mm socket
2-inch socket ratchet extension
6-inch socket ratchet extension
Paper towels
Oil drain pan
Needle nose pliers
Small Funnel

Draining the Engine Oil

1) Working from the right side of the motorcycle, I remove the stock skid plate by loosening the three bolts with a 8 mm socket screwdriver.
2) Using a 2-inch ratchet extension, I break loose the oil drain plug at the bottom of the engine with a 17 mm socket and ratchet.
3) I then place an oil drain pan under the motorcycle.
4) Using either a screwdriver, or a coin, I remove the oil fill plug which is located on top of the clutch basket.
5) With several paper towels handy, I remove the magnetic, oil drain plug with my fingers. As soon as the plug comes out, I drop the plug and its copper washer into the oil drain pan.
6) Using a paper towel, I immediately wipe the oil from my hands to prevent dripping oil outside the drain pan.
7) While the oil drains, I loosen the 8 mm nuts on the oil filter cover with a T-handle socket wrench.
8) Next, I remove the 8 mm nuts with my socket screwdriver.
9) Grabbing the engine guard and the right pannier mount, I tilt the bike vertical while oil drains from the oil filter cavity.
10) After most of the oil drains, I tilt the bike back onto the kick stand, and remove the oil filter cover and spring.
11) Slightly tilting the oil drain pan, I retrieve the oil drain plug. I also make sure I retrieve the copper washer.
12) After wiping my hands with a paper towel, I clean the oil drain plug.
13) Using the oil drain plug, I remove the oil filter, and place it on a paper towel.
14) Using a six-inch ratchet extension, I break loose the drain plug which covers the oil screen of the crankcase sump.
15) I remove the drain plug by hand, and place it on a paper towel.
16) Grabbing the engine guard and the right pannier mount, I tilt the bike vertical while oil drains from the crankcase sump.
17) Every fourth oil change, I remove the oil screen from the engine with needle nose pliers, and place it on a paper towel.
18) I now tilt the motorcycle to the right, and vertical, draining as much oil as possible from the engine.
19) Now I move to the left side of the bike. Using a six-inch ratchet extension, I break loose the drain plug which covers the oil screen of the gearbox sump.
20) I remove the drain plug by hand, and place it on a paper towel.
21) Every fourth oil change, I remove the oil screen from the engine with needle nose pliers, and place it on a paper towel.
22) If I have removed the oil screens, I clean them at this time.
23) After replacing the oil screen, I replace the oil drain plug for the gearbox sump.
24) I now return to the right side of the motorcycle.
25) After replacing the oil screen, I replace the oil drain plug for the crankcase sump.
26) I install a new oil filter, along with the oil filter cap and spring.
27) I thread the 8 mm nuts onto the oil filter cap with my 8 mm socket screwdriver.
28) I tighten the oil filter nuts with my T-handle socket wrench.
29) I replace the magnetic oil drain bolt, with its copper washer.
30) Using a 2-inch ratchet extension, I tighten the bolt with my socket ratchet.
31) I remove the oil drain pan.
32) I install the stock skid plate with my 8mm socket screwdriver.

Adding New Engine Oil

1) I place a funnel in the hole above the clutch basket.
2) I add 1.7 quarts (1 quart and 22 ounces) of motor oil to the engine.
3) Using either a screwdriver, or a coin, I replace the oil fill plug which is located on top of the clutch basket.

This completes the oil change. If you keep paper towels handy, you will not make much of a mess.

[ElectricCircus]

Thank you!

[dave92029]

My center stand is mounted directly under the oil drain plug.

I have not figured out how to get the oil pan under the drain plug because the center stand in in the way.

The center stand is the cause of spilled oil when I do my oil change.

I remove the oil filter, and both strainers first, which drains off most of the oil and my last step is to remove the drain plug.

Having cardboard and towels readily available to clean up the oil also helps.

Cleaning up the spilled oil seems like the lesser evil vs removing the center stand and then reinstalling it.

[woodlandsprite]

I don't remember having issues with my center stand being in the way when I did my oil change...the center stand was there, but the bike was on its side stand during the oil change...

[rtking]

Originally Posted by dave92029

My center stand is mounted directly under the oil drain plug.

Dave, I'm trying to visualize, but I think the center stand cants forward when down, which gets in your way, right? I think in this case, it might be easier to just use the side stand to change the oil.

FWIW, when I did my oil change, my 12 quart oil catch pan will fit under the bike and it makes dropped bolts and oil draining a pretty clean operation.

Spud - thanks for the great write-up. I have to admit that I used a stiff, thin wire to fish out the filter. Only after did I learn the magnetic drain plug trick. D'oh! Next time...

[SpudRider]

I suggest you change the engine oil with the bike placed on the side stand. Besides allowing you to place the oil pan directly under the drain plug, tilting the bike off the side stand to the right, and back again, will allow you to drain more of the used motor oil from the engine.

[SpudRider]

Wow! Sprite and RT beat me to the punch! Those guys are fast!

[SpudRider]

I use an oil drain pan I bought at WalMart for two dollars. It is almost identical to the one shown below.



The oil level in the pan isn't very high, so it's not difficult to fish the oil drain plug and washer out of the pan.

I like this pan because it's deep, and I can lift it up near the oil drain plug located on the down tube of my Honda XR650L, et cetera. I've discovered you can also buy one of these oil drain pans at the dollar store.

[Weldangrind]

I like the triangular pans from Walmart and others. It is a good universal shape for just about any bike, accommodating most side stands. It's only a couple bucks.

[roots]

Originally Posted by dave92029

My center stand is mounted directly under the oil drain plug.

I have not figured out how to get the oil pan under the drain plug because the center stand in in the way.

The center stand is the cause of spilled oil when I do my oil change.

I use a piece of foil and shape a slide for the oil to travel into the pan, but just doing it with the side stand makes sense also. I do like having the bike perfectly upright for checking the oil level and my bike is always on the center stand in the garage to have more space, so switching to the side stand is one more step for me. I'm kind of lazy like that.

[Riceburner]

On my Carb model sold here in the Philippines, we have three reusable screen type oil filters/strainers. My "filter is like a big strainer on the CSC bikes. I was wondering if it would be better to use the paper type or if it really makes any difference, I'm thinking no big diff., if Zongshen designed it like this, should be ok.

Seems odd to me that EFI has replacement paper and carb has reusable filter.

I didn't think to take pictures when doing the oils changes, maybe next time and I'll be switching to synthetic oil.

So, what do you think...

[peperino]

In my bike, the skid plate is also held by the left guard bolt (it is pinched by it in a purposely bent edge), so it will hold the skid plate in place and not force the 8mm bolt supports that are welded.

I've seen some bikes without that so I think there are batches that comes with/without this feature.

Here's a pic of what I'm talking about

[peperino]

And here's what happened to one of the guys (his bike doesn't have this feature)

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Riceburner

On my Carb model sold here in the Philippines, we have three reusable screen type oil filters/strainers. My "filter is like a big strainer on the CSC bikes. I was wondering if it would be better to use the paper type or if it really makes any difference, I'm thinking no big diff., if Zongshen designed it like this, should be ok.

Seems odd to me that EFI has replacement paper and carb has reusable filter.

I didn't think to take pictures when doing the oils changes, maybe next time and I'll be switching to synthetic oil.

So, what do you think...

My RX3 came equipped with a paper oil filter. I bought three, reusable, stainless steel, oil filters. Every time I change the oil, they are basically clean.

My Zongshen ZS200GY-2 came with a reusable, stainless steel, oil filter. I have now ridden that bike 69,750 miles. The stainless steel, oil filters are very good.

I change my engine oil every 2,000 miles. Every time the odometer records an even number of thousand miles, I change the engine oil. The used oil always looks great. Therefore, I think synthetic oil is not necessary. Just use good motor oil, and change it regularly. I really like the 15W/40 motor oils.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by peperino

And here's what happened to one of the guys (his bike doesn't have this feature)

I think his bike had a bad weld. I really enjoy being able to quickly remove the skid plate by simply loosening three bolts.