Guide to changing the oil on an LC4

[creeper]

Originally Posted by PASSMORE

Creep - I'll be your Huckleberry if you can stand the mess that is my ride at the moment - been riding too much!

Perhaps you could either tell me exactly what you want framed or post a similar photo from your own bike?

M

So, what are talkin' here? Photos of mud? Just hose of the area around the cartridge filter and shoot that.

[Happe]

Creeper! You Rock!

Even if you forgot to mention the extra oilfilter used in the SXC or Rally

Keep on rockin'

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Happe

Creeper! You Rock!

Even if you forgot to mention the extra oilfilter used in the SXC or Rally

Keep on rockin'

Hi ya' Happe,

As I have zero knowledge of the 2nd element on the SXC and 660 Rallye, other than diagrams, and they are sufficently different to warrant their own guide... and, to include them might serve only to confuse the owners of models the guide does pertain to... and, I don't like to write "how tos" unless I've done it my self several times first... and.....

Maybe someone can write the SXC/Rallye parts... and I will integrate them in as a subsection.

Creep

[meat popsicle]

I noticed the KVAD pdf ain't in the Hall of Wisdom yet (I think baldy's pretty busy with major issues around here) so I thought I would bump this up for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

[creeper]

Originally Posted by meat popsicle

I noticed the KVAD pdf ain't in the Hall of Wisdom yet (I think baldy's pretty busy with major issues around here) so I thought I would bump this up for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

Ain't you just a peach of a guy.

[GT-STMC]

Thanks, between this guide, and the Owners Manual, I was able to succesfully change the oil on my '01 Adventure. It was just the 3rd oil change, the first two were done by the dealer (only bought new in June of 04), but for the first time I am sure it was done right.

Just took 4 hours..., I am sure it will get faster, but I doubt it'll ever be 30 minutes. Takes longer than that to get the oil in the frame.

Again thanks...., I know I could never have done it with the manual alone. Next I have to decide if I want to change "the" bearing.

[Loadedagain]

yay... creep saves a life

[creeper]

Originally Posted by GT-STMC

Thanks, between this guide, and the Owners Manual, I was able to succesfully change the oil on my '01 Adventure. It was just the 3rd oil change, the first two were done by the dealer (only bought new in June of 04), but for the first time I am sure it was done right.

Just took 4 hours..., I am sure it will get faster, but I doubt it'll ever be 30 minutes. Takes longer than that to get the oil in the frame.

Again thanks...., I know I could never have done it with the manual alone. Next I have to decide if I want to change "the" bearing.

Your welcome GT.... glad it worked out for you. When your ready, here is a guide to inspecting/adjusting your valves... the "other" job you need to learn to do yourself.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55445

Creep

[creeper]

Originally Posted by meat popsicle

I noticed the KVAD pdf ain't in the Hall of Wisdom yet (I think baldy's pretty busy with major issues around here) so I thought I would bump this up for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

And a month later...

[meat popsicle]

Originally Posted by creeper

And a month later...

I said, the check is in the mail... can't you people leave me alone!

[Reformed DucFlogger]

Creep,

Just wnated to add my name to the legion of KTM 640 owners to thank you for your hardwork detailing valve adj and oil delta procedures.

As someone who's written more financial reports and analysis than I care to remember, I know how big a pain detailing things to folks can be at times (read if not suitably lubricated :smoke ).

Very well out together, funny and designed for 'real life' .

Keep up the good work - and if you ever get a 950 to share the stable....

[creeper]

Originally Posted by Reformed DucFlogger

Creep,

Just wnated to add my name to the legion of KTM 640 owners to thank you for your hardwork detailing valve adj and oil delta procedures.

As someone who's written more financial reports and analysis than I care to remember, I know how big a pain detailing things to folks can be at times (read if not suitably lubricated :smoke ).

Very well out together, funny and designed for 'real life' .

Keep up the good work - and if you ever get a 950 to share the stable....

Thanks very much RDF...

Oil "delta" huh?... Sexy terminology there boss.

If I could get everyone that reads the thread to chip in a few bucks...


I'd have a few bucks

[canadasax]

I would just like to say thank you to Creeper and all the other guru's on this forum. The knowledge base is invaluable.

The last time I took my LC4 to a KTM dealer for an oil change , I asked if I could watch, so that I would be confident in doing my own oil change in the future. The mechanic did everything right according to your oil change instructions except he didn't prime the front down tube. Here is a quote from your instructions

"4. With your thumb over the kill button, start the engine and watch for oil to come out of the clear hose…
THE SECOND IT DOES… SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. "

He didn't do that. He put .6 of a litre of oil in the down tube and thats all. He didn't turn the engine over with the compression release on, He didn't kick it over. He put the bolt back in ...wheeled it outside....started it up and said "there you go.... We're all done.
I read your intructions after this oil change so even though I was watching I didn't realize that he had missed a step.
I have put a hundred miles on the odometer since this happened with no ill effects that I know of.
How important is this step? Is this step to get the air out of the downtube so that you don't force it though the oil lines?
I will be doing all my own oil changes from now on!
Any comments on what "bleeding the system" actually does will be welcome.
I don't want this to get into a trash the dealership discussion, but I am a little concerned.

[creeper]

Originally Posted by canadasax

I would just like to say thank you to Creeper and all the other guru's on this forum. The knowledge base is invaluable.

The last time I took my LC4 to a KTM dealer for an oil change , I asked if I could watch, so that I would be confident in doing my own oil change in the future. The mechanic did everything right according to your oil change instructions except he didn't prime the front down tube. Here is a quote from your instructions

"4. With your thumb over the kill button, start the engine and watch for oil to come out of the clear hose…
THE SECOND IT DOES… SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. "

He didn't do that. He put .6 of a litre of oil in the down tube and thats all. He didn't turn the engine over with the compression release on, He didn't kick it over. He put the bolt back in ...wheeled it outside....started it up and said "there you go.... We're all done.
I read your intructions after this oil change so even though I was watching I didn't realize that he had missed a step.
I have put a hundred miles on the odometer since this happened with no ill effects that I know of.
How important is this step? Is this step to get the air out of the downtube so that you don't force it though the oil lines?
I will be doing all my own oil changes from now on!
Any comments on what "bleeding the system" actually does will be welcome.
I don't want this to get into a trash the dealership discussion, but I am a little concerned.

It would be a wonderful thing if the "priming" wasn't called for, but as it was pointed out in the manual (and I have limited faith in the manual, considering they want you to fill the frame from a sealed bottle) as being important, I have been, and will continue to do it.

I know that is a lame answer, but until I have an opportunity to completely disassemble and engine for myself and develop a better concept of how the oiling system works, and why the burp is a necessary step, it'll stay on my "to do" list.

As to the tech in the shop, if you ask him why he does it that way, he'll say (most techs usually not comprehending the difference between why and how) "cause that’s the way you do it".
If you ask again "why?"... and he gives you an answer besides "cause that's the way I was shown how"...
I'd like to know that answer... because to me, why is not only more useful than how, it more often than not, explains how.

If you've gotten an impression that... I have little belief in the unwarranted assumption that most techs actually know why they do the things they do... you would be correct. I've been a tech and taught other techs way too long to believe otherwise.

Don't misunderstand, I would love it if I never burped a frame again... I just need a logical explaination from a qualified source before I give it up.

Creep

[meat popsicle]

Originally Posted by creeper

It would be a wonderful thing if the "priming" wasn't called for, but as it was pointed out in the manual (and I have limited faith in the manual, considering they want you to fill the frame from a sealed bottle) as being important, I have been, and will continue to do it.

I know that is a lame answer, but until I have an opportunity to completely disassemble and engine for myself and develop a better concept of how the oiling system works, and why the burp is a necessary step, it'll stay on my "to do" list.

As to the tech in the shop, if you ask him why he does it that way, he'll say (most techs usually not comprehending the difference between why and how) "cause that’s the way you do it".
If you ask again "why?"... and he gives you an answer besides "cause that's the way I was shown how"...
I'd like to know that answer... because to me, why is not only more useful than how, it more often than not, explains how.

If you've gotten an impression that... I have little belief in the unwarranted assumption that most techs actually know why they do the things they do... you would be correct. I've been a tech and taught other techs way too long to believe otherwise.

Don't misunderstand, I would love it if I never burped a frame again... I just need a logical explaination from a qualified source before I give it up.

Creep

creeper, we should get rad to ask Tom over at Moore and Sons. He is a LC4 rider (well he just sold his for a 950 but did ride one for a good while) and mechanic. Lots of people have a good opinion of him (boejangles, ncfitton, rad) and if I remember correctly he didn't burp my bike when he changed the oil (but please no quoting )...

If you are really interested I will ask rad to do so on his next visit