Paul Rochdale
Registered user
The bike has done about 1000 miles since it's Jim Cray engine rebuild so I felt it was time for an oil change. After taking out for a spin yesterday around the Hoo Peninsula, I arrived back at the workshop with the oil nice and hot. I should say I've always changed oil and filters on my cars and bikes, and have done for years so what could possibly go wrong? Castrol GTX 15W/40 semi-synthetic oil, drip tray, a few sheets of cardboard to protect the carpet (yes, the workshop floor has our old living room carpet. A tasteful blue ;-)
I undid the sump plug and of course the red hot black ink made my latex gloved hand jump and I dropped the sump plug. The the oil came out with such force it splashed everywhere. More cardboard. That done and ten minutes later sump plug retrieved and replaced. Alloy washer still in good nick - they used to be copper - so re-used.
Now for the oil filter. What a bloody difficult position it's in. Obscured by the crash bars and with stainless steel oil cooler hoses, it was a job to get out. Then the oil gushed out, something I hadn't bargained for. The bash plate collected some and some rags coped with the rest. Now that was so obvious, I don't know why I hadn't thought that through. I used a Mahle OX36 bendy oil filter but as expected there was a bit of confusion about the large O-ring, and the Haynes added to the confusion. It seems there is a long and short bendy oil filter and no indication as to whether an OX36 is long or short. As I found the large O-ring already in there, I just replaced it. Jim wouldn't have fitted it if it wasn't necessary.
Lesson learnt - next time, more cardboard and rags.
All nicely cleaned up and with golden juice keeping everything spinning, she's OK for many more miles of happiness.
I undid the sump plug and of course the red hot black ink made my latex gloved hand jump and I dropped the sump plug. The the oil came out with such force it splashed everywhere. More cardboard. That done and ten minutes later sump plug retrieved and replaced. Alloy washer still in good nick - they used to be copper - so re-used.
Now for the oil filter. What a bloody difficult position it's in. Obscured by the crash bars and with stainless steel oil cooler hoses, it was a job to get out. Then the oil gushed out, something I hadn't bargained for. The bash plate collected some and some rags coped with the rest. Now that was so obvious, I don't know why I hadn't thought that through. I used a Mahle OX36 bendy oil filter but as expected there was a bit of confusion about the large O-ring, and the Haynes added to the confusion. It seems there is a long and short bendy oil filter and no indication as to whether an OX36 is long or short. As I found the large O-ring already in there, I just replaced it. Jim wouldn't have fitted it if it wasn't necessary.
Lesson learnt - next time, more cardboard and rags.
All nicely cleaned up and with golden juice keeping everything spinning, she's OK for many more miles of happiness.
