Should you change oil by feel?

As my 2,000-3,000 miles come up, I can "feel" the oil getting worn out. Doesn't shift as easy, rungs a little rougher, stuff like that.
Also, when I change the oil, I can "feel" the bike running smother, with better shifts.

This time, after about 500 miles, I could "feel" the symptoms of worn out oil. I rode it for another 500 for 1,000 miles.

Is how the bike "feels" any determination of when to change the oil, or should I only go by miles and time?

Thank you,
Chris.

 

I usually change my oil about every 1500 miles or so. But I only change the filter every other oil change.
I think a lot depends on your riding conditions (heavy traffic, riding hard, or with a heavy load) as to how often to change it. Also, our bikes are hard on oil since it doubles as transmission fluid. The meshing of the gears really does a number on it.

 

I generally change my oil by taste.

In all seriousness you will not be able to tell when the oil has broken down to the point of needing changed by the "feel" of the shifter (at least not within the reccomended mileage interval). You probably have an underlying issue that needs to be attended to.

Miles and time is a general (conservative) guideline. If you want more precision you'll need to send a sample of used oil off to be analyzed by a lab in order to determine how long you can run that particular oil before needing to change it.

 

With old bikes, the best practice is "short" oil changes (1500 miles or so) once recommissioned until you've done a couple of seasons (or three or four oil changes if you can ride year round.)

Once the bike has been flushed out, then 2500 ~3000 miles is fine.

k-moe is right; the only thing I can "feel" like that is when it's time to lube the chain; and you have a "shaftie." Checked/changed the final drive oil lately?

 

happydog500, You hit it on the head...
You can feel in the shifting when oil is due for a change.
I change my oil once a year but I can feel when it is getting old.
Rule of thumb for me is change your oil once a year.

 

I ride year round, as long as it's above freezing (of course this winter was an exception with the "polar vortex" we had), so I put more miles on my bike than my truck in a year. If I only changed mine once a year, I'd be going way too many miles between oil changes.
I'd rather be safe and change it too often than not enough. Oil is cheap insurance against engine wear!

 

I ride all year round also this is why I use Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40. This oil lasts a lot longer and it also improved the shifting on my bike.

 

10W is too thin if the ambient is over 60 degrees F.

You need a 20W-basis weight oil for operating in warm weather.

 

I disagree if it is 10w -40 then it will cover all the ranges. bigfits52 you know a lot about these bikes but I don't think you know your oils real well. If you get a 10w-40 weight oil then the 20w is covered up to 40w.

 

Not so. I know my oils just fine.

10W40 is a 10-basis weight oil that "behaves" like 40W when it is hot.

20W40 is a 20-basis weight oil that "behaves" like 40W when it is hot.

Read your owners' manual.

Yamaha says 10W30 UP TO 60 degrees F ambient; and they specify 20W40 beginning at 41F ambient and UP. The "overlap" in the chart is only between 40 and 60 degrees ambient. So again, if it is above 60 degrees outside Yamaha wants you to be running 20W-something. Since 20W40 is hard to find, 20W50 is fine.

Running 10W anything when it's above 60 degrees ambient is running too thin of a basis-weight oil based on the manufacturer's recommendations.

 

Sorry but I disagree. 10W- 40 just covers a wider range of temps. I am not here to argue, I am here to help and this is my belief... I have been using the mobil1 racing 4T 10W-40 for the past 3 years and have had no problems at all. The shifting is much smoother and my bike runs just fine during cold or hot conditions. Mobil 1 Racing 4T wasn't around 32 years ago so the owners manual isn't up to date as far as I am concerned.

 

I thought you said your pipes were turning blue. That is caused by running hot; be it from running lean or the oil not doing its part to cool the engine.

Recommending that people use too thin of an oil isn't helping anyone. It's your bike and your opinion; so you go right ahead and run 10W in warm weather. But please don't recommend it.

 

The pipes were blue when I got the bike so that happen when it was getting the old oil recommended! You still don't get the bigger range for oil but that is okay. Like I said, I am trying to help people.... I will recommend things when I have used them for years and it has helped!

 

Fitz is correct on this.

The 10W oil doesn't cover a "wider range" of temps. They are both a 40W oil when at operating temp (usually above 140* is considered operating temp).

Below operating temp the 20W is thicker, and hence dissipates heat better than the 10W. It takes approx 10 minutes to get an air cooled engine up to op temp at 70*, so for those ten minutes you are running a thinner weight oil than you would be if you were using a 20W. This equals better engine protection, especially on an air cooled motor.

Conversely, at ambient air temps below 41*, 20W does not flow as freely as 10W, hence if you run in the winter (I've actually ran as low as 19*F) you want to use the 10W as it protects better at those temps. Same reason for using a 10W30 instead of a 10W40, the thicker oil just isn't needed at those low temps.

The reason most modern (and even semi-modern) cars recommend a 5W oil is for better flow in low temps. They don't need the thicker 10W because of the advancements in the cooling system.

You are using a synthetic oil (Mobil 1) which dissipates heat better than a conventional of the same weight rating. Which is also the reason car manufacturers recommend a 0W base oil if you are going to run synthetic.

Your comment about recommending an oil you have used and believe in isn't in question. I actually run Valvoline 10w40 all year, but I do change it twice a year also, old motors break down oil quickly.

The statement in question is that a 10w oil covers the 20w range, which isn't actually a true statement. it only acts like a 20w oil for less than a minute when the engine is very close to op temp. For the other 8-9 minutes of warm up time it acts most decidedly just like a 10w oil.

Incidentally, I find the specific brand a moot point on most oils.

Mobil and Mobil1 = Exxon Mobil
Castol = BP
Valvoline = Ashland
Shell = Royal Dutch Shell
Quaker State = Sopus Products, a division of Royal Dutch
Penzoil = Sopus products, a division of Royal Dutch
Super-Tech and just about all other store branded oil = Sopus products, a divi....well, you get the idea.

 

I'm sorry, but don't I remember you sending off your carbs to Rick-o-Matic when you first got the bike? I would think that having him properly service your carbs would have more to do with your pipes not bluing.

 

Like I said twice now.... The pipes were blued when I first got the bike before I did any work on it!!!! So the oil I am using had nothing to do with it!!! I was a mechanic in the military and I think that I did learn a few things. I have been around bikes for almost 50 years now so I am not just talking out my butt. ( to put it nicely) Yes I had Rick do my carbs but so what??? It has nothing to do with anything!

 

That is correct, your oil (and the oil run in the bike before you got it) has absolutely nothing to do with blue pipes. I'm pretty sure I didn't say that it did.

What I did say is that the pipes were probably blued from running the carbs lean, which the PO most likely did. And after you had your carbs properly serviced by Rick, and you did your float height, sync, and tune the carbs weren't run lean after that, so your pipes were not overly hot, so that took care of the bluing issue.

I was just trying to educate all who were reading the thread by elaborating on what Fitz had said.

I really don't understand why you're busting my balls, I did not do that to you. In fact, if I remember correctly, I actually defended you're decision to use 10w40.

I'm done with this conversation now.

 

Thanks, Kaz.

When it comes to the 550s, the primary reason for heeding Yamaha's recommendations in regard to oil weight (besides the fact that it's Yamaha's recommendation) is the hydraulically-operated primary chain tensioner.

While the "primary" chain on the shaft driven bikes has a fixed guide/tensioner (the thing that likes to disintegrate) the 550's true primary chain is tensioned by engine oil pressure.

So if you run too light of an oil, especially in warm weather, the tensioner is not going to necessarily be operating as designed.

Again, my point is still: go ahead and run what you want even if it flies in the face of the factory recommendations; and feel free to share your experiences. Just don't recommend to others that they do the same.
For instance, I run a semi-synthetic 20W40 (Castrol) but I don't recommend it; I have no way of knowing how a bike with more miles on it might react, starter-clutch wise.

 

I agree we don't change the oil by feel, however, you feel the oil by rubbing it between your fingers to determine the condition of the oil as a result of how you ride and to see if there is any unwanted debris being circulated through the plant (there shouldn't be). hope this helps.

 

This oil has very, very good ratings. What did you notice on the improved shifting?

Chris.