Oil change

[Mark Mitchell]

Anyone help me out!!.
Need to do oil change on my Z1000, does anyone have reconmendations for what type/make of oil i should use. I have been told that Castrol GTX 20w/50 is stuff to use is this correct?


Thanks for your help.

[Steve Cooke]

Castrol GTX 10W/40

[Mark Mitchell]

Thanks Steve for the help.

Do you reconmend re-newing the filter or can i clean and re-place?

Mark

[sweptail]

replace filter too--always.

[BShaw]

Ditto X2

[Al]

Do you know what oil is in it now?
I'm guessing that you didnt put the oil in it that's' in there now!
There can be some compatibility issues with 'fully synthetic' if you bung mineral in on top.

I believe semi-synthetic is backward compatible though.

AL

[Z1B Alan]

Take care not to overfill after an oil change last year I refilled the bike to the upper level and had problems with oil blowing up the crankcase breather collecting in the airbox then dripping onto the rear tyre .
When you refill the engine put just enough to bring the level to above midd fill point and run the bike to refill the filter then adjust the final level accordingly.
I now run my bike with the oil level just over midd full with no problems hope the advice helps
regards
Alan

[popsA1]

I asked this question last year when I decided to get the bike back on the road. So I did some quick research on the net.
It turns out that synthetic oil is chemically adjusted mineral oil and fully synthetic consists of 50% mineral oil and 50% chemically adjusted oil.
Back in the 80’s I constantly striped and rebuild my engine. And I would always use lots of Slick50 in the oil and Molyslip around the cams. I then wonder why I suffered horrendous clutch slip. It still plagues my today. It didn’t occur to me then, but it stands to reason, supper slippy additives in your oil and a wet clutch don’t mix.
One of the great things about a Z is its roller bearing crank. It doesn’t need a good oil supply. Unlike them H***ds. That’s why the oil pressure is only a few psi. The workshop manual says to use any multi grade from 10/40 to 20/50.
I used to think you should always buy the best oil available but now for the Z and other roller bearing engine with a wet clutch, use simple unsophisticated mineral oil.

[Pigford]

Popsa1, - you're forgetting two very important aspects re: these air cooled engines -

#1 The oil also helps cool the beast SO the better grade it is, the ;longer it lasts & keeps its lubricating properties
#2 The engine oil also lubes the gears which gives oil a very hard time indeed. I'd still want to use a good branded oil (cheapo stuff is OK for the first few hundred miles running in).

I run my Zed on this stuff (as recommended by Debbens) but it does get a hammering on the 1/4 mile a few times a year :

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mcv.aspx

Pays yer money - and all that

[Ron Christie]

the best oil I've found for my Z900 is Kawasaki 10/40 mineral oil I also run it in my old BMW and my riding lawnmower!!!! It actually reduces the vibration in my old K100RS

[paul doran]

tried sythetic in the Lawson once all I got was cluth drag and sticky plates

[popsA1]

Pigford - I agree on both points. But on a standard engine it shouldn’t be a problem. Gears and roller bearings grind down the molecular structure much quicker than plain bearings, especially if your drag racing. So I’d pick a good brand and change your oil regularly. I don’t think its worth shelling out for the fully synthetic stuff unless you’re chasing that 10 second ¼ mile time.

[02GF74]

bastrol gtx

[m1ks]

10w/40 or 20w/50 will do, if you mainly do nice weather / hot day running 20w/50 will suit better overall, if you use in cold weather then go 10w/40 but you won't harm it either way.
Use Mineral grade if you can, part synth is acceptable if you have to , (though I get a smidge of clutch slip in the Z650 with part synth, I use Halfords own but my local halfords, 85 miles away, don't keep the mineral).
Change the filter at the same time, criminal not to considering the cost, if you're really tight then every second change will do
You should be changing every 3000 miles BTW for any aircooled, or yearly if it's a low miles good weather use machine.

Do not use additives or car engine oil, (these have friction reducers in them) the older Z's and other bikes seem more prone to clutch slip than modern machines.

Completely aside, I can enjoy flaunting all the above rules in the BMW K1100LTSE I just got
Dry clutch, seperate gearbox, what a novelty, cheaper car engine oil here goes

[Mark Mitchell]

Thanks for all the advice.

I have chosen to go with GTX 10w/40, got a new filter & O rings from Zpower, but cant shift the sump bolt to drain the oil!!.


Regards to All.