Oil Change & warm up time

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romr

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Hey fellows. So let me give you guys a bit of background. When I first bought my bike I did an oil change. I always check the oil pan and am very careful not to just pour out the old oil without scrutinizing it first. What I found were small particles of metal definitely showing engine wear. SO, I figured it was the last owner’s not taking care of the machine properly. Yesterday I did my second oil change, this time on my watch, and I was greatly disturbed to find that indeed the same phenomenon was occurring. So here’s the question: Do you guys see small particles of metal when doing oil changes? Any idea as to what may be happening here? Should I be worried? I use the recommended Yamalube at 5K and replace the oil filter so I’m totally baffled here. There is only one possibility and that is that I don’t warm up the bike each morning, do you guys? If so for how long/temp? Hey thanks for your help in advance…
 
What year of bike do you have?

I have only changed the oil in my 2008 once since I got it. I purchased it used with 1900 miles in March 2011. I changed the oil around 2300 miles. I was told that the oil had been changed at 600 miles per the periodic maintenance section instructions. I did not see any metal particles when I changed the oil at 2300. Before I ride my bike I do not wait for the bike to reach a certain temperature before riding. I usually give it 30-45 seconds before riding.

For the GEN II, the manual does say this: For maximum engine life, always warm up the engine before staring off. (page 5-2). It might have been more helpful for Yamaha to state a temperature to reach before starting off.
 
romr said:
Hey fellows. So let me give you guys a bit of background. When I first bought my bike I did an oil change. I always check the oil pan and am very careful not to just pour out the old oil without scrutinizing it first. What I found were small particles of metal definitely showing engine wear. SO, I figured it was the last owner’s not taking care of the machine properly. Yesterday I did my second oil change, this time on my watch, and I was greatly disturbed to find that indeed the same phenomenon was occurring. So here’s the question: Do you guys see small particles of metal when doing oil changes? Any idea as to what may be happening here? Should I be worried? I use the recommended Yamalube at 5K and replace the oil filter so I’m totally baffled here. There is only one possibility and that is that I don’t warm up the bike each morning, do you guys? If so for how long/temp? Hey thanks for your help in advance…
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I had not had this issue on my FZ, but I did have a brother who had this issue on his FJR. After taking it into the mechanic he said that alot of times small metal shavings can squeeze through the filter and alot of times the shavings arent due to anything wrong with the bike it just happens. He did say though that after awhile if oil changes are not regular and there is prolonged build up of shavings getting through the filter it could cause damage down the road. He recommended buying the magnets that you stick in the bottom of your filter cause this will stop any shavings from escaping the filter and doing motor damage. My brother auctually jsut stuck them on the bottom of the filter and this did the trick. No more shavings when he drained the oil. The bike has around 90,000 miles currently on it. He started the magnets at around 10,000. Sorry for the long explaination but hope it helps.
 
I let my engine warm up but that is just the way that I was raised. My grandfather said it lets the oil go through the engine and lube the parts. IDK - It just kind of became a habit. I don't have any science to back it up but I let my engine idle for about 5 min before I ride.
I have definitely heard of the magnet trick. I may try it out also but I have yet to find any shavings in my oil. I guess it would be a good idea to start early :)
90K is amazing - I just met a VMax rider that had put 98K on his and had no plans of slowing down.
 
I personally don't warm the engine up. I get on the bike, start it and just go. I do it simply because it seems pointless to wait for it to warm up when you'll actually warm up faster riding it. I've also heard (like everyone hears things) that you will have much more oil pressure meaning quicker lubrication of the motor and it's better for the engine that way

Shrug
 
Dustin said:
I personally don't warm the engine up. I get on the bike, start it and just go. I do it simply because it seems pointless to wait for it to warm up when you'll actually warm up faster riding it. I've also heard (like everyone hears things) that you will have much more oil pressure meaning quicker lubrication of the motor and it's better for the engine that way

Shrug
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Bingo. Let it warm up for 30 seconds-1 minute, that will be plenty. Oil pressure increases with engine speed (regardless if the pump is a high pressure/low volume or low pressure/high volume pump). With the exception of sitting at a stop light or in traffic in high heat (but you have already been riding, so the parts are already coated), if you let the motor warm up too long you may not be lubricating the upper part of the motor enough. Same idea applies to car motors. But obviously don't ride it hard until the motor is up to operating temp.

As to your question, are you seeing a lot of shavings? How are you seeing them, are you running a magnet across the old oil and picking them up? Forgive my n00bness, but is the Yamalube you are using the full synthetic 10w-40? It may not hurt to send your old oil in for an OA. A magnetic plug may be a good idea as well...
 
I don't get it??? This is one of those deals that shouldn't be a "deal" at all. Instead of suiting up, starting the bike, and taking off, why not start the bike, then suit up, and take off? We're talking 1 to 2 minutes. It's not that long guys. By the time you strap your helmet, zip your jacket, and close the garage door, your bike is warm and ready for action. If you can't wait 60 seconds to warm up your bike or your car, then you need to get downstairs earlier.
 
FZ1riderNY;

People like to sit around and let their bike idle in the driveway for long periods of time to warm up. It actually takes quite a while for something to get up to operating temperature (warmed up) in my experience, which is why I don't allow any warm up time at all--just press start button and go.
 
Just wanna through a little info in here. Oil filters are made with bypasses in them so if oil is to thick at the time of start up it bypasses the filter instead of blowing it apart. Not letting the bike idle for 1 to 2 mins is allowing unfiltered oil into the oil passages and that means that those metal shavings are getting circulated back through the motor which is a bad deal. Time it takes to put jacket helmet gloves on may save your motor. IMHO best way to start a motor.
 
Etroze said:
Just wanna through a little info in here. Oil filters are made with bypasses in them so if oil is to thick at the time of start up it bypasses the filter instead of blowing it apart. Not letting the bike idle for 1 to 2 mins is allowing unfiltered oil into the oil passages and that means that those metal shavings are getting circulated back through the motor which is a bad deal. Time it takes to put jacket helmet gloves on may save your motor. IMHO best way to start a motor.
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I started to go back and add that exact routine to my last post. That is Perry much what I do. I turn my bike on, do a quick check of the bike, hook up the Ipod, put on the gloves and helmet is about the perfect warm up ritual for me.
 
Dustin said:
FZ1riderNY;

People like to sit around and let their bike idle in the driveway for long periods of time to warm up. It actually takes quite a while for something to get up to operating temperature (warmed up) in my experience, which is why I don't allow any warm up time at all--just press start button and go.
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I understand all that but we're not talking about warming it up to operating temperature, but only enough time for the oil to circulate up into the motor. One or two minutes should be enough for the oil to reach the top of the motor, well before the motor is at operating temps. It's the same with your car. My first boss I ever worked for had an 83 Chevy Caprice that he used to turn the key, put it in drive, and take off, every day from work. We used to ask him why he didn't warm it up for a minute or two and he used to chuckle and say you didn't need to do that. By 1987 the car was blowing oil past the rings with only 46,000 miles on the odometer. All you guys can run your bikes whichever way you'd like. Me, I'll wait 120 seconds before taking off on mine. If wasting one or two minutes is that important to you then by all means, start it and go.
 
FZ1riderNY said:
I understand all that but we're not talking about warming it up to operating temperature, but only enough time for the oil to circulate up into the motor. One or two minutes should be enough for the oil to reach the top of the motor, well before the motor is at operating temps. It's the same with your car. My first boss I ever worked for had an 83 Chevy Caprice that he used to turn the key, put it in drive, and take off, every day from work. We used to ask him why he didn't warm it up for a minute or two and he used to chuckle and say you didn't need to do that. By 1987 the car was blowing oil past the rings with only 46,000 miles on the odometer. All you guys can run your bikes whichever way you'd like. Me, I'll wait 120 seconds before taking off on mine. If wasting one or two minutes is that important to you then by all means, start it and go.
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I think the problem with these kinds of discussions (like oil discussions in general) are that there's never any facts, only hearsay stories about someone having something happen or because 'so and so said to do it and he's been doing it for xx years'.

Besides, I know what you're saying and I don't disagree with it. My reasoning for just starting it and taking off 10 seconds later is that the reality is that I simply put the bike in gear and use the warm-up/fast idle to coast me down the street for the first 60 seconds anyway and I don't even need to use throttle so all I'm doing is just cycling the oil through the gearbox while the engine is in fast idle mode
 
Dustin said:
Besides, I know what you're saying and I don't disagree with it. My reasoning for just starting it and taking off 10 seconds later is that the reality is that I simply put the bike in gear and use the warm-up/fast idle to coast me down the street for the first 60 seconds anyway and I don't even need to use throttle so all I'm doing is just cycling the oil through the gearbox while the engine is in fast idle mode
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Okay, you didn't say that before. So in essence you are running your motor for a minute before your actually "on the throttle", which is basically the same as sitting in your driveway like me. Thats it! A beer for both of us for agreeing with each other!:cheers:
 
I actually did a search about the subject and your right. It's hard to find scientific fact either way. It's about 50/50 as to what you should do when it comes to starting your car/bike and safely being able to leave. One thing with the cars though, they did state that more important than engine oil ciculating is transmission fluid. Most said that the tranny is more important because the orifices are so much smaller, that the fluid needs to be close to the right operating viscosity to properly circulate through the passages. They also said that newer cars are less likely to have any issues if you just start and go than older cars. But like you have said, most of this is heresay from mechanics or regular people with no scientific proof to back up what they say. Having been driving for 34 years now, I do it because since I can remember, I've been told to run your motor at least a minute or two before heading out.
 
Even in summer you have to warm up the engine to operating temperature . Old habit from airplane flying. If you take off on a cold engine the parts (rings, sleeve, bearings) are not expanded enough to operating tolerances and more greater wear can occur. I bring it up to about 140 degrees (2 minutes about) then take off without a worry. I wait till 160 ish before I open her up past 8K. Small particals no biggy. I change oil and filter ever 1500 miles. Cheap insurance and oil viscosity remains contant.
 
I work on emergency generators for a living and all the water cooled models have a block heater which keeps the engine up to temp, so that when the unit needs to start and get right up to speed the engine is already warmed up. The manuals say that this is because like RED LINE said the rings and bearings are warmed up and there is less wear and tear on them.
 
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