Oil Change on Engine thats been stood

[DreadHead]

Going to do a service on the bike I picked up last week. It's not been on the road for a few years, so I'm wondering if it is worth bunging some engine flush in with the old oil before I do the oil change. I've done this on old car engines before to clean them out, but was thinking it may be a bad idea as obviously the bike has a wet clutch etc.

Would it be a better idea to get the engine warm, drop the old oil, put some el cheapo oil in and run it with that? I would then drop that oil and finally putting in the new oil and filter.
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CBT √ Passed, Theory √ Passed, Mod 1 √ Passed, Mod 2 √ Passed
Riding - '87 Kawasaki GPX750R (Rolling Restoration) and '06 YBR125.
Want - Triumph Speed Four or Street Triple

[_Iain_]

Oil flush bad. Verrry bad. As is castrol - magnatec, GTX, whatever it makes a mess of the clutch (i've tested this theory.)

Flushing with whatever clean 10/40 you've got in the house aint such a bad thing. But then again i'll run el cheapo oil in my bike as the norm.
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Please be aware that the above post may be full of complete nonsense.
Riding: '07 KTM Duke II, Baotian BT49QT-20 Driving: '88 Volvo 340

[Scythe]

Don't bother, just warm up, drop the oil, new oil in, job done.
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2009 Yamaha YBR125 -> 2000 SV650S -> 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R 636

[bikenut]

:karma: hi dude,

you dont say what bike it is etc.........

if its been standing for a couple of years then the clutch is gonna be stuck ( corrosion ?? ).

so when oil changed and you use the bike ( clutch ) then all the corrosion etc will end up with the new oil, not to mention any "sediment " lying on the sump floor.

some pics would be good.

see your bike on cmnsl the exploded views are very helpfull. :D

[Casper]

Last time i did this on an old bike that had been stood for years was to run bike and dump oil. Change oil only with cheap Tesco 10W40 and run that for a wee while then dump for quality oil and filter. Bike has been fine since.

[Rogerborg]

I used a bit of flush on a GPz305, but only because they have very specific issues with the teeny oil pickup filter getting clogged. The clutch came through that OK, but it's not something I'd do out of habit.

Nor would I do it on a high mileage bike, unless I was wanting it to spring more leaks than Julian Assange's briefs.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[Pete.]

No need for flush - engines don'tg et dirty insde ehilst stood up. Warm the engine and do a normal oil & filter change.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Walloper]

[stevo as b4]

Agreed, top up the existing oil to the correct level if it looks fairly clean and has no worrying fragments or contamination, or really badly stinks of petrol.

I would then run the engine to get it warm, 5-10mins ticking over would be enough for this IMO, and then dump the old oil and fill with new oil of the correct type and grade for your bike. Obviously you will be changing the oil filter at the same time.

The only times I wouldn't do the above are;
1, If there is signs of metal fragments in the old oil
2, if the old oil is emulsified and has mixed with water/coolant to give that coffee coloured thick oil, or has visible signs of non mixed water in the oil.
3, if the existing oil smells of petrol, as it could mean you have had a fuel tap leak/float chamber valve stick open and that has allowed petrol to run into the bores and past the rings.

Lastly if it's an old high mileage bike that has sat for many years, especially if it's not a modern engine, then I would also consider ordering a sump gasket kit and dropping the sump to clean out the oil pump pick up and the sump itself. Obviously not all bike engines have a removable sump, but make sure if there is a removable filter pick up that you remove this and clean it in solvent inspecting any oil seals or O-rings for damage at the same time.