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Oil?

5K views 38 replies 18 participants last post by  Rustydust 
#1 ·
Was wondering what oils everyone is using in the 650. Looking for something I can use in the engine, transmission, and final drive. Really wanting fully synthetic.
 
#6 ·
It's just as hard to go through a new thread with multiple pages. I'm a cheap-oil guy who changes it religiously. I've got a pair of Concourses with over 100k miles each to show for it. I think the real trick is taking care of the poor thing, paying attention when she starts doing something odd, and getting questions answered right here.
 
#8 ·
The most proven oil that a lot of members use is Full synthetic Shell Rotella T6 5W40. Many thounds of miles on many bikes. And a 1 gallon jug is enough to do the engine and the transmission. All for about $23 at Walmart last I checked.
 
#10 ·
There are people on this forum who just love to jump on members who dare to bring up a topic that has been discussed before. Calm down. If you don't have interest in a thread just don't read it - skip it. The man has a simple question that deserves a respectful reply. Some members don't live on this forum as others obviously do.
 
#12 ·
There are people on this forum who just love to jump on members who dare to bring up a topic that has been discussed before. Calm down. If you don't have interest in a thread just don't read it - skip it. The man has a simple question that deserves a respectful reply. Some members don't live on this forum as others obviously do.
Well said !;)
 
#11 ·
@GK13
The first number is a suggestion of the oil viscosity in cold temps (e.g. 5w40 bahves like a 5 weight oil when cold and a 40 weight oil when hot), the second number is a suggestion of the oil viscosity at operating temps (or the base oil viscosity, I don't recall exactly).

I'm currently running the Rotella T6 after last night's oil change.
 
#13 ·
Final drive in a 650 doesn't take engine oil like a 400 does. 75W140 is what I run in the final drive. I run Rotella T5 15-40 in engine & trans. I change engine oil at 5k & final drive at 10k. Easy to remember, I just changed oil as I hit 25k this past weekend.
 
#14 ·
Use the Rotella T6 in your bike and tranny and both you and your machine will be happy for a long time.

Here is what I and a few others do when running a good synthetic oil:

Every 5,000 miles change your engine oil. That's it. Then at 10,000 miles change the engine oil again and this time change the oil filter and the transmission oil too. Drain and refill the final drive and you are done.

For those that like to change your oil filter at every oil change remember that changing it ever other time for this bike is just fine. Suzuki even recommends changing it ever third change so doing it every other change will be just dandy.

With the 650 Burgman you are far more likely to be needed a transmission rebuild someday than you will another engine. Built like a brick they are.
 
#15 ·
Another alternative is to "empty the filter", and replace it at every second oil change.

There is around 200ml of oil trapped in the filter and a further 100ml that is trapped in the engine case above the filter.

I prefer to get that dirty oil out and then just screw the filter back on again before refilling with clean oil.

N.B. note that you will never get all the oil out of the engine unless you tear it right down. Even with the drain plug and filter removed there is still around 500ml of dirty oil sitting in the head, oil galleys, clutch basket etc., and other parts of the motor.
 
#16 ·
Ok, so it sounds to me I need the Shell Rotella T6 5w-40. The lighter weight oil because it's easier on the engine when cold starting first in the morning? I got the final drive oil the owners manual says to get. 75w-90 I think I got. I picked up a K&N oil filter too. Seems it's got the oem filter on it right now. Any possible way to get it off without the special tool?
 
#18 · (Edited)
I believe the 650 uses the same filter as the Boulevard C50. When I had that I used



As it made less of a mess than pounding a screwdriver though the can. It'll dent the can a little but the final results fit in the garbage just fine.

Putting it back on, hand tight is fine.
 
#20 ·
<<<SNIP>>>Putting it back on, hand tight is fine.
I may be the odd man of the lot. When I put a filter on first I oil the gasket on the new filter and screw it on until it makes contact. Then I turn about one half to three quarters turn by hand. I have never had one leak and rarely need any tool to remove one I've put on.
Yep, me too. I have the pliers only when one is put on too tight.
 
#19 ·
I may be the odd man of the lot. When I put a filter on first I oil the gasket on the new filter and screw it on until it makes contact. Then I turn about one half to three quarters turn by hand. I have never had one leak and rarely need any tool to remove one I've put on.
 
#22 ·
I have never understood why some people insist on tightening filters so tight you need tools to remove them. You do need to remember to lube the gasket though.
 
#23 · (Edited)
I would think that the factory puts the oil filter on there tight for a reason.

They don't want to be liable for an oil filter falling out of a bike while rider was going down the road.

It's better to need tools to remove them than to risk losing a filter.
 
#24 ·
This is one of those topics that you will do it your way and I will do it my way. In the 1000's of oil filter changes I have done thru the years, hand tight is good enough with ZERO, ZILCH, NONE leaking or falling off. I guess it could happen. But the odds are 0:1000's so far. Better odds that a curtian NFL team will win the Superbowl back to back. :twisted:
 
#25 ·
This is one of those topics that you will do it your way and I will do it my way. In the 1000's of oil filter changes I have done thru the years, hand tight is good enough with ZERO, ZILCH, NONE leaking or falling off. I guess it could happen. But the odds are 0:1000's so far
Me too. Never had a spin-on filter loosen on me ever nor do I know of anyone offhand that did. Hand tight has always worked for me and I'm guessing that it always will.
 
#26 ·
I've never seen an oil filter fall off on any vehicle I've worked on. But as Dave basically said do what you feel comfortable with. But like I said above, I've seen them hard to remove If someone forgot to lube the gasket.
 
#27 ·
Suzuki OEM filters have a different kind of gasket than the ones on other brands of oil filters. They use a round o'ring instead of the flat one you find on most filters. Suzuki says the round type gasket needs to be tightened more than the flat type is. That is why they tighten them so tight.

If I use an OEM filter I tighten it more than I do when I use the WIX filters I normally use. The WIX filter I just tighten hand tight and can easily remove it with just my hand. OEM filters I sometimes have to resort to a wrench or pliers to remove.

There is another reason to put oil on the gasket before you install the filter. If you don't oil the gasket it can sometimes stick to the engine and be pulled off the filter when you remove the filter. If you are not paying attention and this happens you can install the new filter with the oil gasket still stuck on the engine. This can lead to the filter leaking. Even if you oil the gasket it is a good idea to double check to make sure the gasket comes off with the old filter.
 
#28 ·
Well, I got it off with my hand just fyi. Didn't even try using a tool on it. Grabbed it and spun it off. The only problem I had, was I undid a drain plug that I think is a secondary engine oil drain plug. It's an Allen head bolt right by the kickstand. I did all three oil changes at once. I got the right drain plugs out but when I went to add oil, the transmission level hole never started to drip. I put in the full 360ml but it never showed. So, I hope it's alright. I know I measured right. I toqued everything just right too. No drips. So, is it because there was no engine oil in it yet that it didn't drip out the level hole? I went back to front. Final drive, transmission, then engine when I was filling.
 
#29 ·
There are two allen head bolts on the bottom of the engine. One is back by the center stand, that is the drain for the transmission and you would normally remove it when changing fluids. The other is near the side stand and that is just an oil gallery plug. You would not normally remove it when changing fluids. As long as you got it back in and tightened correctly removing it should cause no problem.

Engine oil would have nothing to with oil coming out the overflow hole for the transmission. The engine oil sump and the transmission oil sump are not connected. If you put in the full 360 ml and you put it in the right place then you should be fine.

I never measure the oil when I refill the transmission. I just fill it until oil comes out the overflow hole. That is what it is there for and you are sure you have enough oil in it if it is running out that hole.
 
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