Those of you who change oil on your bikes prior to winter storage, do you start the engine at all right after you've changed it? Or do you just pour in fresh oil in the Fall and don't start the engine until Spring? Does it matter much?
Oil change before winter storage
- Thread starter Quattro Pete
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Doesn't matter much. Although, if you just start it and don't ride it long enough to burn off the fuel dilution and water of combustion, then you've partially defeated the purpose of the prior to winter change, which is to minimize acid in the engine.
If I read the arguments for changing oil before storage correctly, acids in the old oil are going to destroy the pistons and rings, etch the bearings and bushings, and pulverize the camshafts. Now if you drain the old oil and pour in new I suppose you assure yourself that the oil sump will not disintegrate.
Seriously, I think if you are using premium lubricants and are within the change interval, it makes no difference whether you change or not before storage.
Seriously, I think if you are using premium lubricants and are within the change interval, it makes no difference whether you change or not before storage.
I think a lot of it has to do with how the bike is being stored (conditions), how used up the oil is in the bike currently, and how long it will sit.
I always try to time my services so I can leave the oil that is in the bike over winter, because I always get a lot of condensation over winter that I dump out when the weather gets warn enough to ride and run it on fresh lube in the spring.
I always try to time my services so I can leave the oil that is in the bike over winter, because I always get a lot of condensation over winter that I dump out when the weather gets warn enough to ride and run it on fresh lube in the spring.
Yes, Always start your engine after your winter storage oil change, it gets all that fresh oil through your motor, makes for a happy engine come spring!!
ive done all, poured in fresh and not started, poured in fresh and started, left fall oil in and changed in spring.. bla bla bla, ive seen the inside of my engine tore down twice.. it basically looks new.. its a 05 Now my preference is to dump the oil, disable the spark.. hit the starter.. pump out that extra half quart through the vacated oil filter.. install fresh filter, fresh oil then go for a ride, dump stabil in it, let it run for a few.. lube chain.. shut her down.. plug in the battery tender.. forget i own it for 4-5 months (oh it sits on stands)..
lord when i first got this bike i fretted over this stuff like crazy.. no more
lord when i first got this bike i fretted over this stuff like crazy.. no more
If you're going to start it ride it so that any moisture and diluted fuel is burnt off, then put it to bed till spring.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
If you're going to start it ride it so that any moisture and diluted fuel is burnt off, then put it to bed till spring.
I always do the "winter" oil change on a HOT motor then fill with clean oil. Then I start up for a short ride to circulate that new oil and also the Stabil in the gas before the last shutdown. Thus I don't have a true, moisture laden "cold start" on that fresh oil.
If you're going to start it ride it so that any moisture and diluted fuel is burnt off, then put it to bed till spring.
I always do the "winter" oil change on a HOT motor then fill with clean oil. Then I start up for a short ride to circulate that new oil and also the Stabil in the gas before the last shutdown. Thus I don't have a true, moisture laden "cold start" on that fresh oil.
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Originally Posted By: ammolab
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
If you're going to start it ride it so that any moisture and diluted fuel is burnt off, then put it to bed till spring.
I always do the "winter" oil change on a HOT motor then fill with clean oil. Then I start up for a short ride to circulate that new oil and also the Stabil in the gas before the last shutdown. Thus I don't have a true, moisture laden "cold start" on that fresh oil.
That's what you should do IMO. If you change the oil and start the engine you might as well get the fresh oil good and hot just in case..................
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
If you're going to start it ride it so that any moisture and diluted fuel is burnt off, then put it to bed till spring.
I always do the "winter" oil change on a HOT motor then fill with clean oil. Then I start up for a short ride to circulate that new oil and also the Stabil in the gas before the last shutdown. Thus I don't have a true, moisture laden "cold start" on that fresh oil.
That's what you should do IMO. If you change the oil and start the engine you might as well get the fresh oil good and hot just in case..................
I change the oil when the engine is warm, not hot, and then I restart for a moment or two just to circulate the fresh oil everywhere. At that point in the season I am generally running every tank of gas with StaBil already in it, filled from a 5-gallon can mixed with StaBil. So after stopping the engine, I fill the gas tank to the tippy top with this stabilized gas. If the engine is still warm there won't be any condensation of moisture, etc. in the oil so no need to run it until hot. Ideally, I like to do the final winterization on a warm, sunny, dry day in order to avoid sucking moisture laden air into the engine and getting moisture laden air into the gas tank when I top it off. When I've changed oil by necessity on a rainy day in the summer I've noticed excess moisture appear on the sight glass so I know that you get more moisture in there when the humidity is high.
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