gs500f

[jaynavajo15]

Hey guys new to the site happy to be a part of it.  So I just bought a 2006 gs500f off a guy for 1200!!!??? And Running as strong as ever. he was thinking it had developed bad valve seals. Because as he said it was spewing white smoke out the tail pipe. But when i arrived to inspect the bike it didnt seem to be very bad at all in fact it had been raining all week in his area (burbank, ca) even during my inspection. Very light thin white smoke that decipated fast. And wasnt spewing out like he described. I also noticed thin white smoke coming from the cyclinder head gasket where it sandwiches together. Due to being worried I didnt ride it home just loaded it up in the back of my truck. But now ive been riding 20+ miles daily and it doesnt smoke out the tail pipe at all not even a bit. Or out of the cyclinder head in any place. I live in Oxnard Ca and its been really hot no rain. only thing im worried about now is the way the engine sounds. Or maybe im just being overly cautious But only cause The guy had about a quart to much oil in the thing. And he had the bike for almost 4 years! So does that mean hes been riding this bike with to much oil all this time!!!!!??? What kind of issues can this cause? And what should I have checked out or done to my new baby?

[Slack]

Congratulations and welcome to the site!
Is this your first bike?
Probably no need to worry about the engine noise, the stock GS motor has a lot of mechanical noise.
I think I've read running too much oil can blow out some seal, but I can't remember off the top of my head. If I recall you have to run WAY too much oil though. Are you sure your checking the oil correctly? You may be checking it wrong and running it to low 
The returns from tuning the bike are HH brake pads, stiffer fork springs, and a rear shock from an R6 (IMHO).

[jaynavajo15]

Thanks for reading slack apreciate it. This is my second bike although my first was also a gs500f but was impounded on me by highway patrol  but in my eyes Its still my first bike learning everyday. But as of the oil situation i checked it while leaning on its side stand and the dipstick read completely full ( top of the f marking) then I put it on its upright stand and it read well over full atleast a quarter inch above the f marking. Which way is correct? I would assume upright as I did.

[jaynavajo15]

https://youtu.be/_smXcxo67FE healthy engine? 

[ragecage23]

I check the oil on the center stand with a cold engine. Also don't screw in the dipstick, just set it on top of the threads.

[jaynavajo15]

Thanks for the info man I did exactly as you do. I emptied about a quart i think to get it to read a slight taper from full to low. How many quarts of oil do these bikes need? Ill probally do an oil change tomorrow morning. Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

[Big Rich]

Look for some numbers on top of the engine case near the dipstick. I don't know what the GS500 says, but my GS450 and GR650 both have an amount cast into the aluminum (it will look something like "2800ml").

If you're doing an oil change, take it easy on the oil filter cover nuts. It really doesn't take much to get them tight, and a lot of people overdo it and snap the studs.

[Joolstacho]

Agree, Rich, good tip, just 'NIP' the bolts up, no need for excessive muscle.

[axexandru]

On top of the engine case, near the dip stick: 2600 ml, but if you change the oil filter too, it's 2900 ml.

[gsJack]

I've always put 3 quarts in both my 97 and 02 GSs when changing the oil with filter change or without.  That puts it a little above the full mark w/o filter change and a little below with filter change.  That's always worked for me for 180k GS miles.

I found out almost 30 years ago on my CB750K that ran too hot to touch that the oil level cold in the morning on the centerstand checking with stick screwed down was very close to the same as checking it hot without screwing it down and have checked it that way since including on my GSs.  The difference between screwing it down and not screwing it down is approx equal to the amount the oil expands from cold to hot.

[ShowBizWolf]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the (replacement) GS 

[jaynavajo15]

 Great info. You all been a great deal of help. Thank you! Taking her in for a complete tune up. But I would like to use top of the line oil if I dont like what the shop has to offer ill probally do the oil myself. Any suggestions maybe some synthetic stuff? Racing? 

[Slack]

 
You just started an oil war

I use the synthetic stuff walmart sells, 10w40. I think it's valvoline, iirc. It's $8.50 on the shelf or you can order it online, pick up in store: 6 quarts for $35. I can't justify putting really expensive stuff in this motor, and that was the cheapest NON-blended full synthetic I could find that was motorcycle specific.

[Iarn]

Batten down the hatches!

This motor is an old design. Just lubricate it.

[J_Walker]

I use peanut oil to lubricate my engine. It works just fine. I don't see why anyone would use anything else.  plus its good for the environment.

[ragecage23]

I used about 2.5 quarts of valvoline last time I changed the oil and filter.

[jaynavajo15]

haha oops wasn't aware of what i was starting Slack. But what does batten down the hatches mean? How do you just lubricate an engine never heard of this method.  And peanut oil wow pretty interesting. Thanks again for all the info. Bikes in the shop now. Went with a full synthetic.

[ragecage23]

Batten down the hatches means like "hold on" because there are many opinions on what oil type one should use. When he said just lubricate the engine he meant to just use any oil that was 10W-40 and meant for 4-stroke motorcycle engines. As for the peanut oil, I'm pretty sure he was joking.

[jaynavajo15]

Haha wow i feel dumb but i see now thanks. What about the bike shutting off on me twice in 2 days riding over 50 miles an hour and not turning back on? First time it shutoff i just pulled the clutch in and pulled over. Wasnt able to get it to turn on but was able to bump start it and it made it all the way back home. About a 20 minute drive. Second time I was giving it a steady flow of gas at about 50 mph and it started dieing but coming back alive. rpms dropped a bit then came back up did that a few times while giving it a steady flow of gas then it died so i dropped it a few gears and popped the clutch but didnt go rpms just started falling fast so i pulled in the clutch and pulled over. Battery was dead just started making a clicking sound every time i tried to start it again. Eventually got a jump and made it home.

[ragecage23]

How old is that battery? As for it dying while you're riding, that's out of my league.