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4K mile oil change intervals?

ROGER4314

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Jul 1, 2023
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I worked for McDonnell Douglas aircraft in Tulsa in a department that tested and certified equipment and especially hydraulic oil for military and commercial jet aircraft. Military aircraft uses petroleum based oil and commercial jets use synthetic based oil. Oil drums were sealed and locked in special cages that were locked with high security locks. The Security personnel were not permitted in the oil dispensary areas.

So, why was security so high with aircraft oil? Our department also pulled oil samples on equipment that attached to the aircraft for operation, maintenance and repairs. The samples were drawn under rigid procedures and sent to the lab for testing. If you TOUCHED the top of the sample bottle, the sample would fail a particle count.

Items tested were:
Viscosity- Was the oil diluted?
Acid number- Water and other contaminants form destructive acid.
Particle count - The lab actually counted the number of metallic particles in a measured amount of oil. Contamination from poor handling, and wear particles were the typical sources.

I'm not suggesting that oil in your bike should be treated like that, but it underscores the fact that the oil doesn't wear out. Garbage introduced INTO the oil is the biggest concern. The best way for us to protect our equipment is to run the engine to mix it up, shut it off, dump the warm oil and replace it. It's cheap insurance!

Flash
 

yang07

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Aug 10, 2023
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In general, it's a good practice to change the oil in your dirt bike every 5 to 10 hours of riding. However, this can vary depending on the type of oil and the conditions you ride in.
 

dmonkey

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In general, it's a good practice to change the oil in your dirt bike every 5 to 10 hours of riding. However, this can vary depending on the type of oil and the conditions you ride in.
The Honda Trail is not a dirt bike or motocross bike where such a high frequency oil change is recommended or warranted.
 

Kev250R

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May 25, 2022
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Orange So.Cal.
In general, it's a good practice to change the oil in your dirt bike every 5 to 10 hours of riding. However, this can vary depending on the type of oil and the conditions you ride in.
That seems to be a bit too often in my opinion, though I know others who do the same (mostly track riders who ride 45 minute motos where they're engines are running flat-out for the majority of the race). I ride ATV's, Dual-sport bikes and off-road VW-Based Dune Buggies and unless I find a problem with their air filters, they get fresh oil and filters every 100 engine Hours or once a year, generally at the start of riding season. I service my air filters about twice a season. These are machines which for see five or six 80-100 mile day rides through the Mojave desert and sometimes a trip to Utah (red dirt gets everywhere!)

On my Trail, which see's 80% Street use, 20% Dirt and lots of storage in between, it gets annual oil changes.

In 25 years of off-road riding I've yet to have an engine problem with anything I own related to oil. I do use very good, name-brand Semi-sythetic oil in my bikes/ATV's (unless they call for full-synthetic, then they get that) and check it regularly. I also use oiled, foam air filters. YMMV

And welcome to the forum! Interesting first post....
 

m in sc

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Feb 2, 2021
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Rockhill, SC
Just keep an eye on the level more than anything, thats what usually causes problems. some of these 125s (groms and supercubs as well) tend to use some, some don't as much. Mine doesnt, but i know some people have reported using oil under normal use. .02
 

SneakyDingo

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Aug 6, 2021
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In 25 years of off-road riding I've yet to have an engine problem with anything I own related to oil. I do use very good, name-brand Semi-sythetic oil in my bikes/ATV's (unless they call for full-synthetic, then they get that) and check it regularly.
I usually use absolute junk that meets the necessary criteria and I'm yet to have an issue other than someone else overfilling my oil.

I don't consider GN4 to be particularly high brow but being perfectly acceptable, and acknowledging that I am sensitive to feeling the effects of dirty oil, it barely registers as a difference until around 2100 mi, or 42 hours of operation at near top speed. That's where I change it, because I like how it feels when I'm shifting on oil that's cleaner. My oil definitely comes out dirty, but it's not black, and definitely has plenty of life left in it.

I've heard of the 5-10h "rule" for situations where you're doing things that will absolutely fill the oil with gunk on bikes with extremely tight tolerances, like lots of clutch work on a race engine. So I know that at some point, that rule does make sense, but not for this bike. It is, after all, one step above a motorized wheelbarrow, where eyeballing the clutch adjustment is good enough.
 

oldskool

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Dec 1, 2022
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If you do two extra oil changes a year that is $20. Over a period of 10 years $200. How much is a rebuild or engine replacement? You spend your money and hedge your bets to your best advantage as you see fit. I'll do my changes a little early rather than late and keep rolling quietly down the road. I really can't wrap my head around this angst trying to squeeze extra miles before changing the oil. Its not a diesel truck that takes 15 gallons, the little devil used less than one quart :ROFLMAO:
 

Kev250R

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May 25, 2022
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Orange So.Cal.
Its not a diesel truck that takes 15 gallons, the little devil used less than one quart :ROFLMAO:
The irony here is the Diesel engine in my work truck gets an oil change every 200 engine hours (roughly six weeks or 3,500 miles of driving depending on how much I've been using the PTO). The company I work for went to that schedule after we had a more then a few engine failures related to extended OCI's. It seems to have helped.

Back to Trails, I *might* put 500 miles on mine by next May when it will be due for an oil change again. Just for curisoity I may send a sample of what I drain to Blackstone just to see what they say.
 

Kev250R

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May 25, 2022
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Orange So.Cal.
I usually use absolute junk that meets the necessary criteria and I'm yet to have an issue other than someone else overfilling my oil.
Same. Worse was when a mechanic dumped a quarter of a gallon of coolant into the engine in my Diesel after an oil change. Pros are like anyone else, they get distracted I guess, but is yet another reason why I do all my own servicing on anything I own.
I don't consider GN4 to be particularly high brow but being perfectly acceptable, and acknowledging that I am sensitive to feeling the effects of dirty oil, it barely registers as a difference until around 2100 mi, or 42 hours of operation at near top speed. That's where I change it, because I like how it feels when I'm shifting on oil that's cleaner. My oil definitely comes out dirty, but it's not black, and definitely has plenty of life left in it.
GN4 is good stuff, I used it for years in my Quads. A few years ago I started using Castrol Semi-Synthetic (because I can buy it by the case on Amazon). I've been happy with it, but the stuff I run it in (except for the engine in my 450R Quad) are low-revving, four-stroke mills. My KTM's are much higher-performance so they get Motorex,
I've heard of the 5-10h "rule" for situations where you're doing things that will absolutely fill the oil with gunk on bikes with extremely tight tolerances, like lots of clutch work on a race engine. So I know that at some point, that rule does make sense, but not for this bike. It is, after all, one step above a motorized wheelbarrow, where eyeballing the clutch adjustment is good enough.
It's not a bad idea. I generally stick to the once-a-year or 200 engine hour rule for my stuff. Not sure if it's an actual 'Rule of Thumb' but years ago I was told by a Ford Dealer that one engine hour is roughly equal to 33 miles. Seems to make sense so I go by it. Everything I own which doesn't have an Odometer gets an inductive Hour Meter which comes-in handy. on my work truck I carry a Honda EU2000 Generator which at times will run for literally days at a time (we re-fuel on-the-fly). I think it's longest stretch was just under 36 hours non-stop at 1/4-1/2 load. I run Castrol Semi-Synthetic in that as well and it seems to run fine on it.
 
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