My oil dissapeared

[The Antibody]

I did an oil change last spring. I typically will do on every two years. Today I decided to do some spring maitanence and my oil is barely touching the dipstick. Apparently it doesn't like me anymore and ran away. Has anyone else come back from winter and had no oil? Interesting. The funny thing is, there are no oil spots anywhere to speak of on the engine or the floor. I'll need to check my valves as well I think. Is there a pool of unused shims floating around?

  -Anti 

[Wrecent_Wryder]

A6

[Jace009gs]

depending on tempeature....I know today that the bike's oil will read less verses on a 98* summer day. (both with out running the engine)

Usually after a while the oil will read higher because it all drains to the bottom.

You did use the center stand right?

[Jared]

Hey Anti...you know how things shrivel when it gets really cold.....



SIGNIFICANT SHRINKAGE!  (Seinfeld...) Hehehehehehe

[The Antibody]

HAHA Hey Jared... It's embarassing. I'm not worried, just first time it has been low since '02 when it was new. I AM suprised some burned off Wrecent. I only put perhaps 1,800 on my bike last season. Thats well below oil changing time. I don't get much time to ride.

I guess I can join the "my bike burns oil" club
 
   -Anti 

[The Antibody]

Oh, and I know I sound as you all say, newb-ish.  It's basically a for fun post. I realize that I burned some off, but in only 1,800 mi. Thats not much.

  -Anti 

[groff22]

Excuses, excuses...

[FearedGS500]

you only change your oil once  every 2 years !!!!??? thats insane . your supose to do it ever 3k or 3 months what ever happens first . ( i do my bike every 2k miles ... tends to be once a month or once every two months )

[TragicImage]

I like to change mine every 3k miles, or whenever I"m bored.

[The Antibody]

So if you only have a chance to put say... 500 miles on your bike in a given 3 months, you would change the oil anyway?

That seems insane to me. I may have sent the wrong message across.

I change my oil every 3,000 miles approx. That usually ends up happening every year and a half to two years. I thought about changing it every spring reguardless, but I haven't yet. I will do it this spring to be safe.

  -Anti 

You can all eat me!  (kidding) I brought this bike into the world, I can take it out.

[Jughead]

Really there's no use in Changing your oil if the Bike Sets.If it's not being used it's not going bad.Every three months is Just another Scam that the Oil Companies and stuff come up with to sell more oil.Really What is Actually going to go bad in oil that requires you to Change it every 3 Months?There isn't a freshness Date on the Bottles when you buy it and No Born on Date to tell you it's Spoiled.

[The Antibody]

Thank You Jug.

  -Anti 

[Stephen072774]

I disagree with Jug,  old oil contains combustion by-products and other nasty stuff, its not as it was new in the container...  I agree 3 months is overkill, but once a year is a minimum for me...

[Wrecent_Wryder]

H78

[gsJack]

Anyone who ever drove a car or rode a bike knows you change the oil at recommended intervals or at least once a year, don't they?

My old 82 CB750K owners manual says every 4k miles or every year whichever comes first.

My 97 GS500E OM says every 6000 km (3750 mi) or every 12 months whichever comes first.

And my 04 Elantra Maintenance Log says every 7500 miles or every 6 months whichever comes first.  Cut miles and months in half for severe usage.

Oil deteriorates after it's opened and sitting in engines over the winter collects harmful acids and moisture in it too.  I'd say change oil at least every spring for low milage riders.  I change my oil and filter in the bike and car several times a year based on milage.

The OM/ML advice above is from the vehicle mfg not the oil companies so best to consider it unless you believe in some big auto/oil company conspircy.   

Oil is relatively cheap, much cheaper than vehicles.  I used Mobil 1 synthetic in the 97 GS for 50k miles and changed the oil and filter every 3-3.5k miles.  I switched to the 15W-40 Delvac 1300 or Rotella T oils from 50-80k miles on the 97 and changed oil every 2k miles and filter every 4k miles.   I'm doing the same on the 02 GS that has about 46k miles on it now.

Even when the old 97 GS was approaching 80k miles, I would only need the extra quart from the gallon for topping up between changes.

I used the same 2k oil and 4k filter changes on a CM400 Honda air cooled twin and it had over 98k miles on it when I gave it to a friend.  He has over 100k miles on it now.  If you trade vehicles in when they're only slightly used like 30-40k miles, it doesn't matter as much.  It's when you get to the 50-100k miles range that the frequent oil changes pay off.  I use em up and throw them away.   

[krypto35]

THREE MONTHS/3,000 MILES is just a rule of thumb - and it's not completely marketing and BS....

Three Months - actually means "when seasons/temperatures change" (12 months/4 seasons) - If you run your car/vehicle/GS in cold temperatures (winter), condensation can accumulate in the oil because it warms up with the engine then sits to cool.  Condensation can also build through seasonal temp changes... and we're all smart enought o know that OIL and WATER is a nono... so your oil 'can' go bad in that respect 

3,000 miles - OK that part is BS.  If you don't abuse your machine or ride through dust storms, good oil will last you plenty more than 3,000 miles.  Especially in fuel-injected engines.  I always reccomend changing the oil after certain types of maintenance... life if your carbs were running rich for a while and you realized you had to lean them out (excess gas could have been causing cylinder wash-down and bleeding gas into your oil).


so now you know 

will anyone corroborate my statements?!