Oil change

[ghostrider_23]

Has anyone or does anyone know if there is a video out there about the procedures and steps in changing the oil on a GS500???

[twocool]

http://gstwin.com/oil_change.htm

Not a video but real good, with pictures....on GS500 twin home site..

Cookie

[mister]

Just be REAL careful with those cover nuts. Remember NOT to over-tighten them.

Having said that, after you over tighten them and break one off or strip it, refer to the numerous other threads here and fixing the problem.

Better yet, come and tell us how you did NOT fubar it 

[Kijona]

Good way to NOT over-tighten the caps is to grab the drive handle (use a 1/4" drive if you have it...3/8" is acceptable...1/2" is gonna break it) right up against the head of the ratchet and turn it that way. This will limit the amount of force you can put on the bolts and reduce the chance of it breaking off.

Pic:

[Funderb]

Good way to NOT over-tighten the caps is to grab the drive handle (use a 1/4" drive if you have it...3/8" is acceptable...1/2" is gonna break it) right up against the head of the ratchet and turn it that way. This will limit the amount of force you can put on the bolts and reduce the chance of it breaking off.

You'd be surprised what I have broken off being gentle with that method.

I agree, go get yourself one of those baby 1/4 drive sets. Actually,

http://www.sears.com/gearwrench-35-pc-microdriver-set/p-00930035000P


best tool set I have, will take lots of torque for its size, and is useful for everything on the GS short of complete tear-down.  I have saved many many nuts and bolts from stripping with that thing. The bits and sockets are quality stuff.

[Kijona]

Good way to NOT over-tighten the caps is to grab the drive handle (use a 1/4" drive if you have it...3/8" is acceptable...1/2" is gonna break it) right up against the head of the ratchet and turn it that way. This will limit the amount of force you can put on the bolts and reduce the chance of it breaking off.

You'd be surprised what I have broken off being gentle with that method.

I agree, go get yourself one of those baby 1/4 drive sets. Actually,

http://www.sears.com/gearwrench-35-pc-microdriver-set/p-00930035000P


best tool set I have, will take lots of torque for its size, and is useful for everything on the GS short of complete tear-down.  I have saved many many nuts and bolts from stripping with that thing. The bits and sockets are quality stuff.

It's all about having a careful hand, my friend. The wrench shown in my picture is what I use to remove the oil filter cover: 3/8" drive, 6" extension, 10mm deep-well socket. No particular reason for the deep-well other than it provides more reach.

[Kijona]

Also, my 1997 was blessed with a 22mm drain plug and some moron before me decided to torque it down. I had to use a 2-foot 1/2" drive breaker bar to remove it.

Let's put it this way...it almost came off the center stand while I was trying to remove because of the amount of force I had to exert on the plug.

[sledge]

Let's put it this way...it almost came off the center stand while I was trying to remove because of the amount of force I had to exert on the plug.

....Oh come on Man.....you mean you dont get someone to sit on the bike when you have to slacken off tight fixings?

Anyway...O/P? If you are worried about shearing something off forget all about sockets and bars and go with one of these instead



A nut runner/spinner.....you wont shear anything off with one of these.....even if you wanted too (unless you have got arms like The Rock!!)

[gsJack]

I do it like Kijona's pic shows except I choke it up a bit more with the extension between my index and center fingers.  Have always used a 3/8 ratchet, 3"extension, and deep socket.  Must have done at least 40 oil changes in the last 13 years and 170k GS500/E miles without breaking one of those studs. 

And I also preferred the bigger 22 mm head on the drain plug that my 97 had rather than the 17 mm head on my 02 drain plug.  I had an old 13/16" Snap-On deep sparkplug socket that fit the 22 mm plug head perfectly.  I could push it on the drain plug and it was snug enough to just hang there.  The snugger it fits the less likely you are to slip and round the plug head.

[Dr.McNinja]

All I'm going to say:


Be wary of the force you're using, make sure you're going the right direction, and bring a torque wrench. The metal they used for both the oil pan bolt and the caps on the oil filter housing is only slightly better than vacuum formed cheese. They're not cheap to replace if you go the OEM route either.

Also - have fun trying not to burn yourself swapping out the filters. The housing is right between two piping hot pipes if you warm up your bike before you start (which you should). Suzuki really didn't put much thought into this bike.

[Kijona]

Let's put it this way...it almost came off the center stand while I was trying to remove because of the amount of force I had to exert on the plug.

....Oh come on Man.....you mean you dont get someone to sit on the bike when you have to slacken off tight fixings?

Anyway...O/P? If you are worried about shearing something off forget all about sockets and bars and go with one of these instead



A nut runner/spinner.....you wont shear anything off with one of these.....even if you wanted too (unless you have got arms like The Rock!!)

I don't get help working on my bikes. There was nobody around to sit on the bike.

Also, I think you'd be hard pressed to remove or tighten the nuts with a straight handle like that. Unless you were very, very strong, it would be nearly impossible to put enough torque on the nut to tighten the cover enough to compress your new gasket enough to keep it from leaking. You could try, though. I personally think you'd be best off with a 1/4" drive ratchet.

[Kijona]

I do it like Kijona's pic shows except I choke it up a bit more with the extension between my index and center fingers.  Have always used a 3/8 ratchet, 3"extension, and deep socket.  Must have done at least 40 oil changes in the last 13 years and 170k GS500/E miles without breaking one of those studs. 

And I also preferred the bigger 22 mm head on the drain plug that my 97 had rather than the 17 mm head on my 02 drain plug.  I had an old 13/16" Snap-On deep sparkplug socket that fit the 22 mm plug head perfectly.  I could push it on the drain plug and it was snug enough to just hang there.  The snugger it fits the less likely you are to slip and round the plug head.

Well, the only reason I don't like the 22mm is because I don't have a really high quality 22mm or 13/16" socket. Guess I could buy one.

I believe there's really no reason to get out a torque wrench or anything. It's all about the feel. How will guys ever learn without doing it by feel?

Just remember...an oil leak is annoying. A broken stud is a minor tragedy. What I mean is, it's a lot better to err on the side of caution. You can easily clean up some spilled oil/wipe off the motor and then go back and add a bit more tightness to the nuts.

Something nobody mentioned is that you should tighten them like you would the lugnuts on a car - in a sequence like this:



Just picture it with 3 instead of 4. Hopefully you get the idea.

[ivany]

Please enlighten me on how to use a star formation on a three-stud cover. Since they are all equidistant from each other ;

[Dizzledan]

Please enlighten me on how to use a star formation on a three-stud cover. Since they are all equidistant from each other ;

[Funderb]

Please enlighten me on how to use a star formation on a three-stud cover. Since they are all equidistant from each other ;

duh, get two friends of equal strength, three different length extensions, rachets, the correct sockets,
and then tighten in unison.
Beforehand, i reccomend creating a count system you can all agree on, such as 'one, two, three, go!' but dont get jumpy and go on three.....

or just dont strip the bolts and you probably wont leak.

Last oil, i was having a hard time putting the new oring in the filter cover, so i gave up and put the old one back in. It doesnt leak. Imagine.

[Paulcet]

Last oil, i was having a hard time putting the new oring in the filter cover, so i gave up and put the old one back in. It doesnt leak. Imagine.

I have been buying Fram filters, which come with an o-ring for the cover.  However, only the 1st one I bought in '08 actually fit.  All the rest don't.  So I have been re-using that one ever since!  (and no leak.  Imagine that!)

[twinrat]

just buy a torque wrench and sleep easy knowing it hasnt stripted the stud nut or bolt when putting it on or having it crap out when you remove from over tightining and you get that soft feeling of O NO

[twocool]

Last oil, i was having a hard time putting the new oring in the filter cover, so i gave up and put the old one back in. It doesnt leak. Imagine.

I have been buying Fram filters, which come with an o-ring for the cover.  However, only the 1st one I bought in '08 actually fit.  All the rest don't.  So I have been re-using that one ever since!  (and no leak.  Imagine that!)

I bought a few fram filters from advance auto parts here in town.....the correct filter for the GS500, but they came with the incorrect O-ring.  Fram also lists another filter with a similar  but different part number...it's the same filter but different o-ring....maybe it fits???

I prefer OEM filter or K&N.....

I bought some spare O-rings...OEM....but I am still using the original o-ring which came with the bike since new...21,000 miles and lots of oil changes!!

Cookie

[Big Rich]

Be wary of the force you're using, make sure you're going the right direction, and bring a torque wrench. The metal they used for both the oil pan bolt and the caps on the oil filter housing is only slightly better than vacuum formed cheese. They're not cheap to replace if you go the OEM route either.

Also - have fun trying not to burn yourself swapping out the filters. The housing is right between two piping hot pipes if you warm up your bike before you start (which you should). Suzuki really didn't put much thought into this bike.

Oh man, here we go again. More GS bashing.......

Have you checked the grades of metal used on the drain bolt and filler caps? Neither have I but I'm pretty sure it is the exact same grade used on over 90% of modern bikes. Still think it's too cheesy feeling? Look at getting some titanium stuff made. And how many other bikes have you worked on? I guarantee there isn't a single one that doesn't have a fault or two. Don't want to burn your arm? Cut off the bottom end of a sock and slide it up your arm.

You say Suzuki didn't put much thought into this bike (oddly enough the same design has been working well over 20 years), but I believe you are mad at yourself for not putting any thought into before purchasing it.

Don't like it? Put a for sale sign on it and buy your dream bike instead. Quit bashing a bike that has done it's job wonderfully longer than you've been alive.

[ghostrider_23]

Torque wrench now there's an idea. What would the torque spec be on those bolts O-migthy wise one