Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Is there some rule about the oil color and if you should change it or not?

On my old bike the oil got black after one ride but on mine it's been gold for awhile and now it's turning a little bit dark gold/blackish. Does the oil turn to a specific color when it should be changed? I'm asking because I don't know when the oil has been changed on my bike before I bought it and I forgot to ask. I called the dealer and he says he doesn't remember.

Are you close to the time/mileage requirement? If not, don't worry about it.
My $0.02

Reread the post, sorry. Just do a oil and filter change, gives you some peace of mind.

mgdavis wrote:Are you close to the time/mileage requirement? If not, don't worry about it.
My $0.02

Reread the post, sorry. Just do a oil and filter change, gives you some peace of mind.

Oh, so the oil could stay gold even if I desperately needed an oil change? I kind of remember the dealer telling me that if the oil turns a (some color) I should really change the oil but I forgot what he said.

Oil color has nothing to do with whether it's time to change it or not. The oil in my GF's Civic gets black almost immediately, but oil analysis confirms that at 4000 miles the oil is still in great shape with no need to be changed (even though I do it anyway).

By comparison, the oil in my Grand Am stays a nice light brown for 6000 miles (Mobil 1 Extended Performance.. I don't have the guts to leave it in longer than that even though analysis says it's doing great).

Go ahead and change it if you don't know how old it is. Hot looking bike, btw.

You can't really tell much of anything based on the color. If you bought it used, change it now for peace of mind, then do it again after your 3000 or whatever the interval is miles.

Okay, thanks I will just change it within the week. Where do you suggest getting a crush washer? Home depot doesn't have them.. Where do you get yours?

Oh yeah and now I have an Oil filter, do you recommend getting a filter wrench? I've read sites that say I should get em but some people say I'll be fine without one.

Should I use a torque wrench to tighten the drain bolt? If it has a crush washer I think I will be okay to make it snug but I don't want to strip the threads.

intotherain wrote:Okay, thanks I will just change it within the week. Where do you suggest getting a crush washer? Home depot doesn't have them.. Where do you get yours?

Local auto parts store. They'll sell you a handful for a couple dollars. You may want to bring the plug in if you don't know the size you need. Or you could just measure it, of course.

As far as oil color goes, when it turns black, that just means that combustion particles are getting into the oil. This is very normal and will probably happen quicker as an engine ages. The more wear on the piston rings, the quicker your oil can turn black. This also doesn't necessarily mean that the oil go bad quicker.

Here's my theory : Your old bike was air cooled, your new bike is water cooled. Air cooled engines have larger piston to cylinder wall clearance, in order to allow for more expansion, due to the greater operating temperature range. This means that more combustion byproducts will pass your rings and end up in the crankcase, particularly when the engine hasn't warmed up. This is why oil tends to turn black quicker on air cooled engines.

But!!, you mentioned that the oil turned black after one ride on your old bike. Well, that's more telling. If I recall, your old bike was one of those Chinese knockoffs, right? My bet is that the piston rings were about to give up the ghost. Black oil after 1 ride (unless it was a 500 to 1000 mile ride) is a sign that you have a problem in the cylinder.

flynrider wrote:Here's my theory : Your old bike was air cooled, your new bike is water cooled. Air cooled engines have larger piston to cylinder wall clearance, in order to allow for more expansion, due to the greater operating temperature range. This means that more combustion byproducts will pass your rings and end up in the crankcase, particularly when the engine hasn't warmed up. This is why oil tends to turn black quicker on air cooled engines.

But!!, you mentioned that the oil turned black after one ride on your old bike. Well, that's more telling. If I recall, your old bike was one of those Chinese knockoffs, right? My bet is that the piston rings were about to give up the ghost. Black oil after 1 ride (unless it was a 500 to 1000 mile ride) is a sign that you have a problem in the cylinder.

no... that ride after the oil change is just around the block... so about 1/2 mile??

I don't care though I sold it off to a car mechanic. He should be doing better than I am.