What the heck is happening - Help

[terryk]

Went to change oil and filter.

Warmed it up. removed fill cover. removed drain plug. Not much drained. Took out filter, more drained. Let it drain for a bit.

Put in 4 quarts and new filter. Engine felt a bit sluggish at top revs and the bike would not shift into neutral.

Tried to drain oil since thought oil may be to blame, 10W40 Valvoline motorcycle oil, walmart.

Removed fill cover and oil drain bolt, less than a third of quart comes out then slow drip.

Put drain plug back in and went to the 4M.

What am I doing worng, what could be wrong?

[DailyDriver]

I know this sounds like captain obvious here but when you say drain plug, you mean the drain plug underneath the engine and not just the tiny drain plug on the filter housing right?

[SlowOldGuy]

Check the sight glass!!!!!!

Clear new oil can look like there's no in it, but it's way overfilled.

Also, what the guy above said; are you sure you're draining it?

DavidR.

[terryk]

I know this sounds like captain obvious here but when you say drain plug, you mean the drain plug underneath the engine and not just the tiny drain plug on the filter housing right?

OOOPs. My repair manual only pointed out the little drain.

Dang it.

[Pat Conlon]

A 19mm socket will fit the main drain plug (under the engine)

[roverfj1200]

Best to read the manual first if you are not 100% sure of what you are doing.

But even if you f@%k up it will only take dollars to fix. But you knew that right.

Cheers.

[Mike 86 in San Dimas]

and he such a great rider!

[Arnie]

Not on mine.  Its a 17mm hex.

Arnie

A 19mm socket will fit the main drain plug (under the engine)

[JimmyD]

O.K. "Oil and filter change", Here we go, Set bike on center stand, remove 'lower fairing', find, 19mm bolt, located about 'center' of the crankcase, place drain-pan under 'said' bolt, remove bolt, you should get about a quart, (or more) , from this drain point. Check drain plug 'washer', and replace as needed. Install drain plug.

At the 'filter', remove screw from the bottom of the "Oil filter cover", let drain, you will get "Less than a quart" from this drain point. Remove cover, "replace" , filter, packing washers, and o-rings on the cover. Install cover, tighten all bolt's and screws to spec's. Add 2-3 quarts of your favorite slick stuff. Start and run motor while watching "oil level sight glass". Adjust as needed. Hope this help's,,,,, 

[WhiteBeard]

O.K. "Oil and filter change", Here we go, Set bike on center stand, remove 'lower fairing', find, 19mm bolt, located about 'center' of the crankcase, place drain-pan under 'said' bolt, remove bolt, you should get about a quart, (or more) , from this drain point. Check drain plug 'washer', and replace as needed. Install drain plug.

At the 'filter', remove screw from the bottom of the "Oil filter cover", let drain, you will get "Less than a quart" from this drain point. Remove cover, "replace" , filter, packing washers, and o-rings on the cover. Install cover, tighten all bolt's and screws to spec's.
Install Randys Spin-On Adapter. Tighten to specified torque, spin on the nice new shiny oil filter.
Add 2-3 quarts of your favorite slick stuff. Start and run motor while watching "oil level sight glass". Adjust as needed. Hope this help's,,,,, 

I am just about finished with changing the oil on my bike for the first time, while celebrating the occasion by installing Randys adapter.
I have to say it is a very nice piece of craftsmanship, feels great to put this stuff on the bike.

Randy - as soon as I have finished installing it, I'll post a review on your site. Great stuff!

I'm stalled at the moment because I didn't have a long 25 mm socket to tighten the screw to correct torque (mental note to myself - always check stuff like that before draining all the oil out of the bike).
I'll just have to go and buy one...

The oil was BLACK! The PO said that the oil had just been changed when I bought it last summer and that it would last until the end of the season without another oil change. Well, I guess I should have changed it earlier. Haven't found any metal scraps in it though, I guess at least that's something.

As soon as I got the adapter and spin-on filter on there, in goes fresh Shell Advance 10w-40.

First oil change ever on the FJ!
Heck, I even found out which way the crush washer is supposed to go. There's always someting new to learn! 

[Alf]

The oil was BLACK! The PO said that the oil had just been changed when I bought it last summer and that it would last until the end of the season without another oil change. Well, I guess I should have changed it earlier. Haven't found any metal scraps in it though, I guess at least that's something.

A good oil always is black when you change it. It means that clean the engine and make its function.
i.e. I had to drain the oil on my bike with less than 1000 kms to install the shift kit and it was black. Good Motul 20-50w!!!

[WhiteBeard]

By the way, my drain plug had a philips screw in the middle of it.
Is this how they are designed and if so, for what purpose?

Initially, I gathered that the philips screw was the actual drain plug ("OK... so I unscrewed the plug... why is there no oil coming out?").
After I cleaned all the road grime away (saving money for an aftermarket belly pan), I found the bolt.

[Pat Conlon]

By the way, my drain plug had a philips screw in the middle of it.
Is this how they are designed and if so, for what purpose?

The Phillips screw is for attaching a temp sensor Yamaha uses for part of the factory procedure for tune up. The engine has to get to a certain operating temperature before the air idle jets should be adjusted and idle set. It's not used, as most factory techs just put a thermometer in the oil fill port to verify engine temp.

Also...If you still have the factory exhaust, there are 4 bolts, one at the bottom rear of each head pipe, that's for plugging in the oxygen sensors also used for the factory procedure in setting the carb's air/fuel mixture.

[Lotsokids]

The Phillips screw is for attaching a temp sensor Yamaha uses for part of the factory procedure for tune up. The engine has to get to a certain operating temperature before the air idle jets should be adjusted and idle set. It's not used, as most factory techs just put a thermometer in the oil fill port to verify engine temp.

Also...If you still have the factory exhaust, there are 4 bolts, one at the bottom rear of each head pipe, that's for plugging in the oxygen sensors also used for the factory procedure in setting the carb's air/fuel mixture.

That's interesting & good info. I never knew.

The oil drain plug came out on it's own on my ZX-11 years ago (plastic washer cracked/failed). Where do you suppose all that oil went? Yup - soaked the back tire. That makes for a SLIPPERY ride!!! I thought I hit some ice at first. Man, how I hated that bike.