OIL 20W/50

I just got given some 20W/50 Valvoline Motorcycle oil. The XJ650 book says to use 10W/30 SE - is this safe to use?

 

I would stick with 10-30 or 10-40 during the summer and then switch to the 20-50 for winter riding. I wish someone would give me some, that stuff is not cheap.

 

Kinda got that backwards there, big guy?

20W50 for warm weather; 10W30 when it's truly cold out.

The Valvoline 20W50, as long as it's motorcycle specific oil, is ideal.

 

Thank you Fitz - perfect - yes it motorcycle specific - says "Motorcycle 20W/50 SAE - superior wet clutch protection" on front - it's a black bottle.

added picture to first post

 

Yeah, what Bigfitz said.

 

Same stuff I've used for the last three years. Works just fine.

 

Thanks guys. I was reading in the manual that it says to also remove the middle gear drain plug too but I've also read that this plug has a high failure rate so now the bikes are a lot older it's best to just leave that be and let the old oil dilute with the same amount that's left in there rather than risk snapping off this bolt - what are your thoughts?

 

Leave it. There's only a very small amount of oil that accumulates there; and as your research has revealed, it's not worth the gamble.

What manual are you using?

 

Hanes workshop manual for XJ650/750

 

That's what I thought. If you don't want to go thru the hassle and added expense of finding a FSM, track down an owners' manual for that bike. Yamha's owners' manuals of the period had WAY more info than the OMs of today, and will help fill in some of the blanks (and correct some of the mistakes) in the Haynes. Especially some of the model-specific stuff and maintenance specs.

 

the only FSM I can find is for the XJ650G - I'm fairly sure the G and H where the same though right 80,81 pre-ycis?

 

Ha - I was surprised to see that the Haynes manual says remove the middle gear plug, but I just looked at the FSM I have (XJ650J/RJ) and lo and behold on page 17 of the "J" section, step 2 c, "Remove the engine and middle gear drain plugs and drain the oil."

So on my 650 the old oil ends up on top of the exhaust collector unless you remove the mufflers and the collector.

Not worth it in my mind, I only did this once and haven't drained the "middle gear" since....

 

Yes; and that is the only FSM you will find for that bike. The "G" manual is the "base" manual for the entire series; other models beyond the original G/H were covered by "supplements" to the base book. For instance, my 650 Seca manual is the 650G (Maxim) base book with a supplement specific to the 650 Seca and only covering the differences. The manuals for the later, YICS bikes are also a case of supplement+base book.

 

how many quarts should it take?
just changed my oil and I have already put in over 3 quarts

 

A Yamaha dealership told me to run 20/50 in my bike since it has higher miles (25xxx). I have a maxim 650

 

It should take slightly less than three quarts.

The capacity is 2500cm3, or 2.5 liters. One quart is approx .9 liters, so 3x.9=2.7 liters.

There should be just a small bubble left at the top of the oil sight glass.

 

Checked on the CENTER STAND. If checking on the sidestand, you won't see any oil.

Also, a common mistake is to overfill beyond the sight glass and as a result, with new oil in the motor, it appears as thought there is NO oil when in fact you're looking right through the new clean oil.

Either way, 3 quarts is too much.

 

great advice Fitz
totally would have missed that

 

Another benefit is the clutch ... at least on my bike. Was using 10w-40, when hot the clutch got real grabby. With the 20w-50 in hot engin the clutch stays smooth.

 

Should be about 2.5 quarts. I have never removed my middle gear plug, but mostly because I'm lazy.

 

If you're smart you'll never remove it. That plug is fairly fragile, and a PITA to get to. There isn't enough oil in there to worry about.

The cranckase oil capacity is stamped on the right side of the engine case, near the oil fill plug.

 

That's right, you don't need to remove it.

Also the little amount of residual oil in there is minimal anyway, and will get flushed with clean oil that goes in.

Dave

 

So the Haynes manual says:

XJ650 - 11N(UK) and XJ650 SECA --- 2.65 litres
All other XJ650 - 2.35 litres
All XJ750 - 2.50 litres.

IF YOU ARE CHANGING THE OIL FILTER AT THE SAME TIME ADD .30 litres TO ACCOUNT FOR THE AMOUNT IN THE OIL FILTER HOUSING.

To get quarts from litres - * by 1.05669 or use google
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=litres+in+quarts

 

Haynes isn't known for their accuracy; as long as the bike has the original clutch cover you can trust the little "CM3" number on the case.

 

Does that include the oil-filter cup capacity?

 

Here's the deal; fill the crankcase, run the bike, let it sit for 10 min on the center stand, top off, done. Following that procedure ensures that you won't overfill the crankcase. If you've converted to a spin-on filter, you can partially fill the new filter before putting it on.

 

Roger that... I know it's very basic stuff but sometimes it's the little things that get you and leveraging the tips and tricks of the experienced guys here is gold dust for me.... tis why I ask the dumb questions

 

The dumbest question is the one that's never asked (and the one when a student asks what he's supposed to do immediately after I've given instructions).

 

Indeed... thanks Moe..

I once got asked in an interview "What's the one question you were hoping we wouldn't ask you?"... it took me a few second but I finally said..."that one!".

 

Errr....So I just changed my oil and I have oil coming out of the airbox. I put 2.5 quarts. Can I just let the oil shoot out until it stops, or do I have to change the oil all over again? How's that for a dumb question?

 

You can drain some of the oil from the sump; either via the sump drain (wear gloves), or by using a length of vinyl tubing to siphon it out of the fill hole. Get it back to the correct level. Running much extra isn't a great idea. 2500cc is not equal to 2.5 quarts; as you found out.

 

isn't 2500 cm3 = 2.64 quarts - shouldn't have overfilled it right?

Maybe the middle gear oil pushed it over?

 

Okay, I've never heard of middle gear oil. I'll have to look that up. Thanks for the replies!

 

it's not really "middle gear oil" it's just a plug to drain the low spot that happens to be close to the middle gear, best to just forget about it

 

Okay. Is the sump slang for something? I didn't find it in my Haynes manual. Gotta get back to work...

 

Normal human beings call them "oil pans", but high-rpm, race-inspired designers and manufacturers call them "sumps" because that is the technical (rather than descriptive) name for it. P.S. they're made of magnesium........according to Yamaha (at least on the '83-up models).

 

Okay, good to know!

 

I run what Yamaha recommends and have had absolutely ZERO oil-related issues; ever. Not now, not back in the '80s when I also had a few Yamahas.

I run what Norton recommends in the Norton, and again (except for when "GTX" became car-only oil) have had no oil-related issues. Damn Castrol anyway.

Back to Yamahas. Yamaha says 20W40 for when it's warm out (or even reasonable riding temp) and 10W30 for genuinely cold conditions. Since 20W40 is virtually non-existent anymore 20W50 is fine especially in seriously warm weather, but fine under any conditions they recommended 20W40 for.

I would not recommend a 10W-basis weight oil for any XJ under "normal" riding conditions (warm enough to feel your extremities) ever.

 

Anyone interested in getting rid of an extra ELEVEN OZ. of oil out of the motor??

(carefully) lay the bike over on the right side, count to 5,
then, spin the motor with plugs out. (when upright)

This dumps the "Middle-Gear" cavity, and also dislodges oil from other hiding places.
Requires tank & battery removal, which you might be doing while winterizing anyway,
Requires re-oiling the motor, plugs out for no-load cranking.

You will have the freshest, cleanest oil possible.

(run-in and circulate the new oil before storing the bike)

 

Interesting........

 

2.5 quarts also isn't a horrible overfill. There is another possibility: you're suffering a stuck float and the crankcase is now "overfilled" because it's been dumped full of gasoline, causing the pumping out the breather (through the airbox.) Open the oil filler cap and give a whiff. If it smells strongly of gasoline then you have float issues and shouldn't be running the motor.