Season's of Change (Oil)

When do you change the oil?

I just read my manual for a Seca 650 and after the preliminary oil changes it says to change the oil every 10,000 miles???? What? Really? Where'd the 3000 mile interval come from? I just finished about a 1200 mile trip on my 650 averaging 51mpg and it still sounds smooth but I can't help but think that I hammered the oil for a week! Should I change it? Does highway/freeway riding tear down the oil more then city riding? Canyon riding? What other indicators, other then mileage, tell you that you need to change the oil? Oh and FILTERS? What about those?

I currently use the Shell Rotella diesel oil and it's magnificent. It always makes both my Seca 650 and 900 SING! I've always changed it at 3000 miles or less ONLY because I've read so many articles saying when to change it, never the manual but the bike never showed any signs of bad oil. Since oil has come a long way in 40 years can I wait to change the oil at the suggested 10,000 miles or should I continue doing my 3000 mile change?

 

That seems a bit long....

Other places I see 3 to 4k miles. More often if ridden hard. I do mine every season, but only put about 1k -2k miles per summer on my XJ550.

I agree the Shell Rotella Diesel oil works great.

 

I'm in the "annual oil and filter change" camp too, regardless of mileage. Seems like cheap insurance, especially for a 40+ year old machine. I do the same for lawn mowers and snow thrower.

 

Change mine in the fall so everything sits in fresh oil over the winter and remove and drain the oil filter or change if needed, lucky to put 1 k on it a year.
And as others have said Shell Rotella easy too find too.

 

here's a oil change question.
does anyone ever change the oil in their briggs & stratton type lawn mower?
i can honestly say i never changed the oil in a lawn mower

 

Every year. Snow blower too.

I make it an annual clean, sharpen blades, change oil event.

Of course the engine outlasts everything else on the mower, so I end up replacing wheels and all the other crap.

 

Agree Shell Rotella, I have the spin on oil filter conversion on both of my Seca's. 1000 is where I change mine .

 

i looked at the online fsm for the seca it says 10k kilometers where it should say miles. misprint

in my fsm it says 600 miles for break in then 3000 miles and there after every 2500 miles. or every 6 months whichever comes first
oil filter is 600 then 3000 and 5000 miles thereafter

 

Hi to one!! This is my first post, I like to boy a XJ600F - 2012 , has you the other think that i have to change ever X km/miles?

Thankyou !!! (I hope see you soon)