When/how often to change oil on a new engine?

[Mythos]

I did a manufacturer's suggested break in on my 14. I waited to 500 before changing oil for the fist time. Saw a lot of shimmering metal filings in the bottom of the drain pan. Second change same thing. 12,000 miles later, good performance, no leaks but it does burn a little oil (or at least it does something with it- I have to add 200ml every thousand miles).

I would like to do a WOT 11,000 rpm ring seating on the busa after a thorough warm up and then change the oil at ~20-30 miles. The people at the dealership are telling me to leave the oil in at least 250 miles because the friction caused by microscopic metal shavings will help my engine ware in. My feeling is there is going to be a hell of a lot more metal floating doing the max rpm ring seal than there would with a gentle break in.

Do you think changing oil too soon or too often when the bike is new is bad for the engine?

 

[scotty - 12]

I would not go WOT at only 30 miles. Gradually work you rway up and down rpm range. Shut down, let it cool down and then do it again. My first Busa. Did this for first 100 miles and then rode normal for 100 miles then at 200 miles slowly pulled to redline and slowly back down couple times and let her cool down. Sold the bike with 25K miles and didnt burn any oil between changes at 4K mile intervals. Current bike nearing 12K miles. Little less aggressive break in but same idea letting it cool down between rpm pulls - no oil useage at all between 3K mile changes. All my bikes have been like this - even my zx12. So its not a brand thing.

 

[mr8ball]

I changed it on my 08 at 600 and then 2500 and then at 7500 Then I went with Amsiol and will go at least 5000 before i change it again

 

[dadofthree]

I don't have access to a 14 manual.

 

[gsxr907]

first 100 or so, then at 600, then every 2000

 

[euroR]

first at 600, them 3600, then every 5000miles. Now itsat 18K miles on the 08

 

[freponyryd]

The more you change it the beter. If you could afford to do it every day then knock yourself out, but remember the longer you leave it in there the more it looses its lubricating qualities.

 

[boosted 2]

More you change is bettor, but there is some overkill.

I put a turbo system on my 08 and rebuilt the engine with totally new stronger parts. I heat cycled it one good time and then beat the hell out of it with no miles on it with numerous pulls on the dyno of over 400hp...lol. I then let it cool overnight and performed a compression test and was less than 1% across the board.

Point is with the new materials, and tolerances being used these days your rings will seat no matter what. Run that girl and enjoy her.

 

[Mythos]

Thanks, everyone. Great first hand experience, boosted. "I am uncertain what less than 1% across the board" means. < 1% compression was escaping from each cylinder, I suppose. Clearly you did not hurt your motor by running it at high rpm.

I have heard that the big bores do not have as tight a tolerance as the small bikes so ring seating is not so much of an issue.

It's no surprise that this is such a mystery because very few people have the opportunity to break in hundreds of bikes.

 

[Spkrdctr]

The dealerships reason for leaving the oil in the motor is nuts. Grinding metal filings into your main bearings surface does nothing except damage. I am amazed as the BS, and myths that are perpetrated on new bikers. If the dealer had his info right, putting a small handful of sand in the oil would do the same thing but in a gentler way! Crazy stuff you hear on message boards. Glad you checked with this board before listening to your dealer!

 

[Cookie]

I would drop that oil right after 50 miles, then go for the 600. Then again at 1000. Then switch to the synthe. I'm uber retentive like that.

 

[Mythos]

Ya, me too. Sounds about like what i plan with the mileage oil changes. Probably will stick to dino motorcycle oil rather than car oil as many recommend. Synthetic, I'll give it another try at 3-4000 but I was not impressed with it in the 14.

 

[Mythos]

I'd like to change oil right in the parking lot at the dealer (I'm sure they will love me). See, I live a good 30 miles from them and I already put 13 hard miles on the bike doing the seating.

So, is the drain plug exposed or do I need to take fairings off? I'll leave the filter on but I would rather not run it with what shavings must be in the pan.

........or am I being way too anal? Just get it home 30 miles and change it there?

 

[Got-Busa?]

The dealerships reason for leaving the oil in the motor is nuts. Grinding metal filings into your main bearings surface does nothing except damage. I am amazed as the BS, and myths that are perpetrated on new bikers. If the dealer had his info right, putting a small handful of sand in the oil would do the same thing but in a gentler way! Crazy stuff you hear on message boards. Glad you checked with this board before listening to your dealer!

+1

Unfortunately you see a LOT of BS posted by shops and so called tuners online also that are false...

I agree with Cookies method. I did the same and my bike made great numbers on the dyno AND track.

It's been proven that a easy break-in makes for an under powered motor...

 

[jphilipson]

after 100-200 miles of being nice then I start to break the snot out of them and change the oil frequently. Hasn't failed on any bikes yet for me

 

[NickSully]

It's been proven that a easy break-in makes for an under powered motor...

Okay, I would like to see this proof that you speak of.

 

[The Big Red One]

Okay, I would like to see this proof that you speak of.

I'm curious as well

 

[Cookie]

I don't care.

 

[Cookie]

It's been proven that a easy break-in makes for an under powered motor...

Honestly, I agree with Josh on this. There isn't really anyway you could do this unless you took two identical, side-by-side brand new bikes and ran proper scientific test over them. Those that have broke theirs in the way the manual or the way the dealership asks them to do are just,,, out there. How would you ever pull them in and say,, this one is more than that one.

I've broke in many new engines in over the course of years and each and every time the fast and hard method results in a better, more flexible and even sometimes, when compared (if the opportunity exists to compare) side by side or on the dyno, a much better running engine producing more readable and transferable horsepower.

So, has it been proven? Well, those that have done it know. Those that haven't done it,, don't know.

 

[TDI2Fan]

This is how I broke it in:
25 Miles - PH6018; 5W-30; Quaker State; Petroleum
50 Miles - PH6018; 5W-30
100 Miles - PH6018; 5W-30
200 Miles - PH6018; 5W-30
375 Miles - PH6018; 5W-30
750 Miles - PH6018; 0W-40; AmsOil AFF; Synthetic
1500 Miles - PH6018; 0W-40
3000 Miles - EaOM109; 0W-40
3246 Miles - EaOM109; 0W-40; Clutch spring Service Bulletin

I ride it pretty reasonable. Not sure what mileage I went to redline at but working on a Dyno run soon to get a HP reading and heal the speedo.

As many have stated there are many schools of thought. I subscribe to the slower less particle wear side of the road. As wear particles can vary greatly, I would be the one, statistically, that gets too much wear and has problems later in life.

At the 750 oil change, there was little if any particles on the magnetic drain plug. That caused me to go to synthetic sooner than 3K which is when I historically switch.