Oil change and chain maintenance--Help!!

[calvin71]

Ok, First the oil chnage. I've called my local dealer and ask how much a 2000 426 takes, they told me almost 2 quart of oil, on doing so it over filled at the top. Obviously this was to much. So i asked a buddy down the street and says it takes about 1.5 quarts 1 quart and a half. so what i did was pulled the drain plug under the bike untill i filled the oil bottle to the half way mark, is this ok???? or do i have to drain it all??? and is a quart and a half right!!! Next the chain. the chain has some play in it, how do i know it needs to be tighten? is there a certain spec?? I Know theses seem siple, i'm still a rookie. Thanks for all the support ?

[barch88]

All of this should be in you're manual, if you don't have a service manual you should get one. It will save you tons of questions.

Chain slack for my '06 is 1.9~2.3 or something, I'm not sure, but I just use 3 fingers under the chain @ the rear chain slider bolt, or 2, depending how large you're fingers are. That is a pretty good rule of the thumb adjustment for the chain slack.

As for oil, if you drained .5 of a quart, and you put 2 quarts in that equals 1.5 don't it? Then I don't see why that wouldn't be alright, as long as it is fresh oil. Just make sure you're bike takes 1.5 quarts, many people on here can help you with manuals, and exact answers on you're bike. I don't own a 426 so I don't know.

[BergArabia]

All of this should be in you're manual, if you don't have a service manual you should get one. It will save you tons of questions.

Chain slack for my '06 is 1.9~2.3 or something, I'm not sure, but I just use 3 fingers under the chain @ the rear chain slider bolt, or 2, depending how large you're fingers are. That is a pretty good rule of the thumb adjustment for the chain slack.

As for oil, if you drained .5 of a quart, and you put 2 quarts in that equals 1.5 don't it? Then I don't see why that wouldn't be alright, as long as it is fresh oil. Just make sure you're bike takes 1.5 quarts, many people on here can help you with manuals, and exact answers on you're bike. I don't own a 426 so I don't know.

Yeah that makes sense but isn't there a way to measure the level of the oil when warm. Like the dipstick in the frame of my '05

[barch88]

Yeah that makes sense but isn't there a way to measure the level of the oil when warm. Like the dipstick in the frame of my '05

You can use the dipstick, I'm not sure how the '00 426 works though. He could use the dipstick though, I can't believe I didn't think of that...haha. I know the '06 has a bolt you unscrew after the bike is warmed up and you checked the level, you can unscrew it and any excess oil will flow out, then when you screw it back in you will have the exact amount of oil in the bike, it will be at the perfect level. I think Grayracer said only the 2006 has this feature though.

[DigilubeJay]

You will get all sorts of crazy recommendations on how to adjust your chain...

https://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3696313#post3696313

[kawirider]

Yeah use your dipstick. NOTE: to get an accurate reading you have to start the bike and let it idle for a couple minutes. Then kill it and let it sit for another minute. THEN you check the dipstick. If you dont do the steps mentioned above you wont get an accurate reading.

[YZ426F Rider]

This is straight from the manual for an '02 YZ426. I'm sure it's the same for your 426:

Drive chain slack: 40 - 50 mm (1.6 - 2.0 inches) measured right above the rear bolt of the chain slider. (Seems too tight to me but that's what the manual says...similar to Barch88 I use three fingers)

Engine oil level inspection: Warm the bike up for at least three minutes, shut it off and immediately check the level using the dipstick. DO NOT screw the dipstick in to check the level...pull it out, wipe it clean and then lightly insert it, remove and check the level.

Oil capacity: Total capacity is 1.5 liters (1.59 qts) however you can never get it all out when changing so use the folowing guidelines...regular oil change refill capacity is 1.3 liters (1.37 qts), when also changing/cleaning the oil filter the refill capacity is 1.4 liters (1.48 qts).

Also, since you are new to this bike you should know that when changing the oil there are a number of things to drain.

1) the drain plug on the frame (behind the front fender)

2) the drain plug on the bottom of the engine.

3) there is an oil tube that comes out of the frame and goes down to the right side of the engine...disconnect that completely and drain the oil from it. This is directly below the frame drain plug.

4) while that tube is off, remove the fitting that it was connected to on the frame...that is the oil strainer and it needs to be cleaned.

5) if changing/cleaning the oil filter, remove the bottom left bolt...this drains the oil filter cavity. Then remove the other two bolts to access the oil filter. Pay attention to which end of the filter is in.

There are a myriad of things you should know about your bike...go get a manual!

[grayracer513]

First, get a manual Here

Drive chain slack: 40 - 50 mm (1.6 - 2.0 inches) measured right above the rear bolt of the chain slider. (Seems too tight to me but that's what the manual says...similar to Barch88 I use three fingers)

Really? It's not too tight. Part of the reason it seems that way is that the chain runs up and over the lower roller, which ads tension as the wheels extends all the way out.

3) there is an oil tube that comes out of the frame and goes down to the right side of the engine...disconnect that completely and drain the oil from it. This is directly below the frame drain plug.

4) while that tube is off, remove the fitting that it was connected to on the frame...that is the oil strainer and it needs to be cleaned.

5) if changing/cleaning the oil filter, remove the bottom left bolt...this drains the oil filter cavity. Then remove the other two bolts to access the oil filter. Pay attention to which end of the filter is in.

Steps 3 and four are unnecessary except when there's been some major repair work done, you first get the bike (new or used), or once a year after that. The screen simply doesn't need an inspection any more often than that, and if you're lucky, you'll get 30cc of oil out of the line (that's the feed oil line, BTW) by draining it.

Step 5 is something I recommend against for two reasons. Three, actually. First, it doesn't work very well, and oil will spill out of the filter well even after you "drain" it. Second, the sequence it out of order. If you are going to drain a bunch of metal laden oil from the filter cavity into the crankcase, shouldn't you do that BEFORE you drain the crankcase? Third, using the lower bolt as a drain runs the afore mentioned metal chips into the threads of the hole the bolt lives in. That causes wear and damage to the bolt and the case cover on reassembly. I recommend taking the lower oil filter cover bolt out last, and just draining the filter well out the open end, messy or not.

Additionally, there's no need to pay attention to which end of the filter goes in unless the filter cover has been damaged or modified. It has an extended tang on the inside of the cover that prohibits the inverse assembly of the filter. What you do have to be sure of is if you are using the OEM or OEM type replaceable filters, be sure the base pad from the filter being replaced is not stuck at the bottom of the well. If you leave it there, you'll crush the new filter and/or break the cover.

[barch88]

Yeah, you should REALLY get a manual. I follow my '06 manual step by step. Like Grayracer mentioned in the post above mine, how YZ426F Rider "sequence it out of order." With a manual it will tell you which bolts to take out first, second, third, etc...After one or two times you remember by heart and no longer need the manual for oil changes though. It will come in handy for sure though, when doing stuff on you're bike.

[YZ426F Rider]

Grayracer, as I said that was taken straight out of the manual, and in the sequence listed in the manual.

Not sure what you mean by 'draining metal-laden oil into the crankcase"? Huh? Please instruct me O Wise One!

[grayracer513]

Grayracer, as I said that was taken straight out of the manual, and in the sequence listed in the manual.

Not sure what you mean by 'draining metal-laden oil into the crankcase"?

It is directly from the manual, and I disagree with it nevertheless on the grounds stated. Manuals have to be written to encourage the user to do the 100% safest and most thorough job possible every time, and and there are any number of examples of the manual calling for procedures that aren't really required because it might be more thorough, or safer to do it that to work around it, like removing the radiators to adjust the valves. In the case of the feed line and oil screen, removing the feed line is the best way to remove the frame screen, and since that can be inspected, they're going to tell you to do it every time. But if it were a wet sump system, that screen would be in the crankcase, where the return pickup screen is, and never be inspected except during a complete tear down, so....

But the oil filter drain bolt: The threaded hole into which the lower oil filter cover bolt goes is cross drilled with a hole that runs from the filter well into the primary gear case. The idea is that the lower bolt can be partially removed and in so doing, allow the oil in the filter well to drain down into the crankcase and be changed out with the rest of the oil. That way, much of the extra 100c or so of oil in that area can get changed out with the rest of the old stuff. Oil also runs out the inboard end of the threads themselves, as it is a through-drilled hole.

But, if you drain the frame and cap it up, drain the crankcase and put the plug back, then drain the filter well into the crankcase, the oil from the filter well hasn't really gone anywhere, has it?

As to the metal laden thing, if the filter is actually working, the vast majority of any metallic debris in the oil larger than a certain size will be stopped by the filter. It may not, however, be trapped in the filter, and a lot of it will be floating free in the oil that occupies that section of the lube system during an oil change. If you use the lower bolt for a drain as suggested, it will run down through those threads, and back to the crankcase, where, if not drained the rest of the way out, it will have to pass through your return pump, your oil tank, and your feed pump a second time in order to be re-intercepted by the new filter. It's better, IMO, just to dump it straight out.

If you search, you'll find a number of threads concerning the failure of the threads on that bolt. It's my opinion that, other than simple over tightening, the main reason for these failures is metal in the threads due to following that particular service manual recommendation.

[calvin71]

Thanks So very Much for all the help. It sure makes things much simpler ? Also I went and purchased a Manual..so now i can continue with the basic things i need to do. Every one on here is a great help and im glad to be a part of all this. Ride Hard

[barch88]

Thanks So very Much for all the help. It sure makes things much simpler ? Also I went and purchased a Manual..so now i can continue with the basic things i need to do. Every one on here is a great help and im glad to be a part of all this. Ride Hard

Make sure to go through and lube the steering stem bearings, wheel bearings, and rear suspension linkage too man. Just to make sure everything is good and ready!

Here are some articles that helped me do this when I first got my bike: READ THEM, DO THEM,

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/how_to/article/0,13190,1012822,00.html

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/how_to/article/0,13190,663693,00.html

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/how_to/article/0,13190,700369,00.html

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/how_to/article/0,13190,1082369,00.html

http://www.transworldmotocross.com/mx/how_to/article/0,13190,1122865,00.html