Oil Filter Question

[Punisher660]

Only at 150 miles on the new scooter, so I havn't done the oil change yet. But from what the dealer tells me and what I have read on here, the 04 WR comes with a metal oil filter....is this true? But the dealer also told me that although its metal, its not made to be reusable... But I could buy a Scotts for $79 that is re-usable. If its metal, why couldn't I just clean it?

Like I said, I have not even taken the filter out yet, so there could be a paper one in there for all I know.

Any ideas?

[clark4131]

CHANGE THE OIL NOW!!! Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

Call me paranoid, but you should have changed the oil and filter as soon as you took delivery of the bike. Drain it now and refill it with non-synthetic petroleum-based stuff. Don't go back to synthetic until you have 750+ miles on the bike, then run what you want as the rings, etc. will have seated properly. The OEM filters used to be metal, but I believe they are paper on the '04, but there's only one way to find out for sure. I put in a Ready Racing stainless steel that I clean with every oil change.

Lastly, I strongly suggest you stop listening to your dealer and direct your questions here. There is 10 times the knowledge, experience and intelligence on this forum than at any dealership that I've ever heard of...SC

[grayracer513]

The '03 and later models came with paper elements. The reasons you wouldn't clean and reuse an '02 or earlier bronze screen filter are first that it doesn't filter very well. They only screen down to about 80 microns. Add to that the fact that brass screen is rather delicate, and can be easily damaged by repeated cleanings. I'm not talking about ripped to shreds, just "bruised" enough to create an area that lets 150 micron or larger particles through.

I use the Scotts, which filters to very near near paper levels (some would argue better than paper, some won't. it gets complicated) and flows oil so freely that it basically will never bypass when cold. The stainless mesh is very tough, and unless you butcher it, cleaning won't hurt it. $70 sounds like a lot, but it will pay for itself in less than a year.

BTW, the caution about synthetic oil during break-in is a total myth. Pure, straight up BS. I broke the 250F in after its rebuild last year on Mobil 1 MX4T, and it hasn't used a drop of oil since its 3rd hour. Corvettes come with their engines filled with Mobil 1, and GM will void your warranty for using anything less. Besides, if your rings aren't already seated at 150 miles, they aren't going to.

[jtrone]

What do you use to clean an oil filter?

[Matty05]

BTW, the caution about synthetic oil during break-in is a total myth. Pure, straight up BS. I broke the 250F in after its rebuild last year on Mobil 1 MX4T, and it hasn't used a drop of oil since its 3rd hour. Corvettes come with their engines filled with Mobil 1, and GM will void your warranty for using anything less. Besides, if your rings aren't already seated at 150 miles, they aren't going to.

Full synthetic oil is too good at lubrication. The reason for using mineral oil for break in is that it protects the engine less and helps everything bed in a lot quicker. Using full synthetic just delays this process.

Dinosaur pushrod V8 engines don't even compare to motorcycle engines. Please don't make this comparison again. The V8's of GM and ford are built loose and are pre broken in. Hence the long time before 1st service interval.

P.S. corvette's are crap.

[clark4131]

BTW, the caution about synthetic oil during break-in is a total myth. Pure, straight up BS. I broke the 250F in after its rebuild last year on Mobil 1 MX4T, and it hasn't used a drop of oil since its 3rd hour. Corvettes come with their engines filled with Mobil 1, and GM will void your warranty for using anything less. Besides, if your rings aren't already seated at 150 miles, they aren't going to.

...Proving once again that this is a controversial topic. However, since the above opinion is generally in the minority, you make the call. Since there is no known or suspected problem running dino-oil for break-in, unless you own a Corvette apparently, then why not run it and then switch? I've done it this way on all my vehicles, cars, bikes and boats, and I've always had phenomenol results when compared to others who thought themselves "mythbusters". But maybe I'm full of pure, straight up BS ...SC

[Punisher660]

I better clarify. The bike is NEW TO ME. The guy that had it before me ran only the Mobile stuff you guys are talking about. He did a full tuneup and oil change just before I picked it up. I have now put 150 miles on it. (bike total is now 450 miles as it only had 300 miles when I bought it from him) In the manual, it says to use regular oil without additives because the engine uses a wet clutch. So isn't a synthetic bad?

[BIGMatt]

The 04's have a PAPER main filter. The metal screen filter is the one in the frame tube, at the bottom, integrated into one of the hoses. The screen come out/off the hose, and you clean it with solvent or brake cleaner.

As far as using synthetic oil vs. petroleum oil, the main reason is that the bike shares the same engine oil with the tranny and clutch! Full synthetic oil IS better for your engine, gears, cams, etc... but it is TOO slippery for the clutch and 'could' cause slippage. That is why the factory manual recommends NOT using oil with 'anti friction' additives, ie: Energy Conserving properties.

You can do what you want... I personally use Castrol 5-40w petroleum oil, with out any 'additives'. Check the label on the back of the bottle. And change the oil every 150 - 200 miles.

[grayracer513]

The whole question of whether to use synthetics or not springs from a misunderstanding of what synthetic oils are, and more importantly, what actually needs to happen during break-in.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2495563#post2495563

[grayracer513]

Full synthetic oil IS better for your engine, gears, cams, etc... but it is TOO slippery for the clutch and 'could' cause slippage. That is why the factory manual recommends NOT using oil with 'anti friction' additives, ie: Energy Conserving properties.

I have been using full synthetic, motorcycle specific oils since the day I brought the YZ250F home. Far from causing problems, I'm reasonably certain that there have been times when that choice of oil prevented them from occurring.

Synthetic oil is NOT slipperier than dino oil. Any oil that conforms to the API Energy Conserving II standard (an oil that produces a 2.7% increase in fuel economy vs. a standard reference oil) potentially could be too slippery for wet clutches regardless of whether it's synthetic or not, and a good many ECII oils aren't. Any oil, dino, synthetic or blended, that bears the JASO (Japanese Automotive Standards Organization) grade "MA" has been tested and certified to meet certain standards for coefficient of friction set down as compatible with motorcycle wet clutch systems, among a list of other things, and IS compatible with your clutch, whatever else may be said about it.

The usual litany of benefits offered by synthetics to one degree or other are a greater viscosity index, superior oxidization resistance, higher flash points, and better shear resistance, not necessarily reduced friction.

[GCannon]

Whichever oil you choose make sure it is for motorcycles and change it often. I had one of those brass screen filters blow apart (good thing i change oil frequently). Buy the good aftermarket filter and stay away from the compressed air blast when cleaning.