ahamay wrote:
Well it does not surprise me that the dealers mechanics lied to me. I think they might have been pissed that the owner of the place made them show me how to do the oil changes. I told the owner I could not afford $280.00 oil changes.(That seemed like overcharge) Especially with as much riding I do. I was just trying to pass the "Wisdom" that I was given. I wonder how many other false hoods I'll discover in the future. I'm not a greenhorn in the mechanic department I've been wrenching on engines since I was 9 years old. Slave labor for older brother, my payback was I got to ride to school in a hot rod Chevy.

I don't think they necessarily "lied" to you rather they were equating the Road Star oiling system to the sump systems that had always been in motorcycles in the past and still are for that matter. The oiling system for the Road Star and the other Star bikes with this same type engine is described and diagramed at the beginning of the service manual. Maybe they would be open minded enough to let you show them what you've learned. Really good Techs are always willing to learn.

As for the $280 oil change, good grief! We charge $40 plus the oil and filter and you can even bring your own oil and filter if you want.

Ricohoc wrote:

That's how I have understood it, too.

The first time I read the oil change procedure in the service manual, I re-read it. I was all ready to go through that plug, and then I came upon the part talking about the engine being [u]completely drained of oil

+1

precisely that.

when you drain the oil, the engine isn´t completely dry. there is still oil in the passages, journals, and in those bowl shaped areas in the castings (which are cast for this specific reason - to prevent a dry start).

with a couple of liters in the tank and starting the engine, the lube is moving within seconds, so there´s no danger whatsoever.

on a complete strip, yep, it´s a good idea to fill using the allen plug.

I found with stock pipes it was real hard to get at the 10mm hex plug so i used to fill the tank, turn it over, top it up a couple of times til done. With the aftermarket pipes, I can now get to the hex plug - first time was really tight but using that as a fill point is much easier now. I used a kitchen funnel with hose on it - pour slowly. Much quicker - no spills. Hope this helps.

OMG!!!! yada yada yada.... ( maybe erbman or curt will respond, maybe...just click on the tech articles )

BTW- LIGHTNIN, I'm not trying to be rude or anything but would you please consider turning your cap keys off...this is a subject discuss a million times over and is probably posted in the tech articles. Oh Erbman and Curt are our local RSC gods!!!

Changing oil is easy Tech Article ----> http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/158/116/

ahamay wrote:
This is bad advice.... then start the bike to move the oil out of the reservoir tank and into the crankcase. There is a plug on top of the engine behind the rear cylinder that has a place for a 10mm allen hex key in the top of it.(This plug should have been removed before draining the engine crank case) Put all of your drain plugs in and remove that top plug and put 2 qts in that location and two qts in the oil reservoir tank. Starting it with out the two qts in the crank case could cause you problems you don't want down the road.That plug is used *BY YAMAHA* only to prefill the engine crankcase on initial DRY startup during buildup.

That plug is EXCEPTIONALLY EASY TO CRACK THE TOP OFF OF IT.

Any Dry-sump oil (or semi-dry sump) system is safe to fill the oil tank and start it for about 10 seconds and then continue to fill the oil tank. Its the way dry sump is designed to operate. This is in serious contrast to the typical car's Wet Sump operation, which if you don't have oil in the crankcase pan... you are screwed!

If you look at the oil flow (Diagrams in the Service manual) from the oil tank to the oil pump to the Critical parts, NO OIL is used from the crankcase. The oil is sucked up after use from the crankcase and transported to the oil tank.

Also, lets look at the Yamaha procedure for the oil change. Starting on page 3-22 of the 1999-2003 manual, *PLEASE NOTE STEP NUMBER 8 as a it states multiple oils add stages* *PLEASE ALSO NOTE STEP 9* as Bolt 1 is the one you are talking about:

CHANGING THE ENGINE OIL
1. Start the engine, warm it up for several minutes, and then turn it off.
2. Place a container under the engine oil drain bolt.
3. Remove:
• dipstick 1
• engine oil drain bolt (oil tank) 2
• engine oil drain bolt (engine) 3
4. Drain:
• engine oil
(completely from the oil tank and crank-case)
5. If the oil filter cartridge is also to be replaced, perform the following proce-dure.
############################
a. Remove the oil filter cartridge 1 with an oil filter wrench (2).
b. Lubricate the O-ring (3) of the new oil fil-ter cartridge with a thin coat of engine oil.
CAUTION:
Make sure the O-ring (3) is positioned cor-rectly in the groove of the oil filter car-tridge.
c. Tighten the new oil filter cartridge to
specification with an oil filter wrench.
############################
6. Check:
• engine oil drain bolt gasket
Damage → Replace.
7. Install:
• engine oil drain bolt 43 Nm (4.3 m · kg, 31 ft · lb)
8. Fill:
• oil tank
(with the specified amount of the recom-mended engine oil)
Quantity
Total amount
5.0 L (4.4 lmp qt, 5.3 US qt)
Periodic oil replacement
3.7 L (3.3 lmp qt, 3.9 US qt)
With oil filter cartridge replace-ment
4.1 L (3.6 lmp qt, 4.3 US qt)
NOTE:
• Pour the engine oil in several stages.
• First, pour in 2.5 L (2.2 Imp qt, 2.6 US qt) of oil, and then start the engine and rev it 3 to 5 times. Stop the engine, and then pour in the remainder of the specified amount.
CAUTION:
When starting the engine make sure the dipstick is securely fitted into the oil tank.
9. Fill: (when the engine is disassembled)
• crankcase and oil tank
Quantity
Total amount
5.0 L (4.4 lmp qt, 5.3 US qt)
Oil tank
2.0 L (1.8 lmp qt, 2.1 US qt)
Crankcase
3.0 L (2.6 lmp qt, 3.2 US qt)
NOTE:
After the engine has been disassembled, pour the specified amount of engine oil into the crankcase and the oil tank. When pour-ing engine oil into the crankcase, pour it into the hole of the removed bolt (1).
10. Install:
• dipstick
11. Start the engine, warm it up for several
minutes, and then turn it off.
12. Check:
• engine
(for engine oil leaks)
13. Check:
• engine oil level
Refer to “CHECKING THE ENGINE OIL
LEVEL”.

artybuck wrote:
I found with stock pipes it was real hard to get at the 10mm hex plug so i used to fill the tank, turn it over, top it up a couple of times til done. With the aftermarket pipes, I can now get to the hex plug - first time was really tight but using that as a fill point is much easier now. I used a kitchen funnel with hose on it - pour slowly. Much quicker - no spills. Hope this helps.

Hey brother I feel your pain. before I found out that their were drain plugs on the bottom of the bike, I would turn mine over to, but it was real hard on my mirrors so I read a few of the oil threads on here and now I no longer have a sore back after every oil change.

davej wrote:
ahamay wrote:
BlackRain wrote:
I what to hear from erbman. I sure he has the most miles on his roadie and will change my oil the way he does. As of now I change my oil the way lucky says.I will too. Erbman is up on to level of Curt. What Erbman says will be my new procedure.

Read your owners manual starting on pg 6-11 or you can skip right to step 11 in the oil change procedure on pg 6-img]
OMG NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! Who would think of using the owners manual or the free online service manual

$280 for an oil change...are you serious? How many oil changes were done at that charge? Were you walking funny when you left?

ahamay wrote:
Stocked wrote:
Getting to that 10mm plug is a bit of a bitch too, it's such a PITA that I just do the 2 qt fill through the oil check tube, start it and then do the 2 qt add after and call it done as well.

I did read somewhere that this was the oil fill hole but have never been able to make that work comfortably.

What type of "Problems down the road" are we talking about?Use an automatic transmission funnel. The problems down the road are worn out cam shafts, lifters, main bearings and the rod bearings. There is a bushing in the crank case that you cannot replace. You have to replace the engine cases because Yamaha does not sell the bushing. I learned from the mechanics where I bought my bike. I worked with them on changing the oil on my bike. They told me how to do it as I described. They also told me about the way about 2 qts to the reservoir and starting it. They said, "Don't ever do it that way!" and listed all of the damages above you would incur. If you want to do it your way go ahead, but I would hate for you to damage your engine.

After draining the oil, there is still a quart in the engine. Highly unlikely starting the bike for the 30 sec's to get the 2 qt from the oil tank to the engine case will cause damage. I have read to many times where that hex head bolt has broken tyring to fill it from there. That is there for the very first oil fill when the engine is totally dry right off the conveyor belt, or in the case of the 1600 tranny recall when the engine is split is the only time that fill hole needs to come into play. I have 138k on mine, only use 4qts use auto oil (full syn) change every 6 to 7k and have no engine issues. still run with stock cams and lifters, belt, and clutch plates.

Erbman02 wrote:
After draining the oil, there is still a quart in the engine. Highly unlikely starting the bike for the 30 sec's to get the 2 qt from the oil tank to the engine case will cause damage. I have read to many times where that hex head bolt has broken tyring to fill it from there. That is there for the very first oil fill when the engine is totally dry right off the conveyor belt, or in the case of the 1600 tranny recall when the engine is split is the only time that fill hole needs to come into play. I have 138k on mine, only use 4qts use auto oil (full syn) change every 6 to 7k and have no engine issues. still run with stock cams and lifters, belt, and clutch plates.Well there we have it! The Grand Erbman has spoken. I have changed my procedures accordingly. Thanks Erbman! Only playing although I have changed my oil change procedure. Good the get the right advice from a legend.