Kawasaki Oil

[RACNRAY]

There are inlet and outlet ports in spin-on type oil filters.

There are multiple inlet ports arranged in a circular pattern, these are where the oil enters the filter. It is thru these holes where the possibility of the oil left in the filter after shutdown may be able to drain back into the sump. It is a bit difficult for this to happen as the oil must pass thru whatever labyrinth of passageways and still have to bleed thru the oil pump clearances, which are purty darn tight. But the oil will and can "drain back".

Typical drain back valves are nuthin more than a flexible rubber bladder type diapragm that lies against the inside of the filter's base plate and covers those inlet holes. When the engine is started that rubber bladder flexes inward AWAY from the holes in the baseplate, allowing oil to enter the filter. Oil flow will keep that bladder flexed inward and oil flowing thru those inlet ports.

When the engine is shut down and there is no oil pressure that rubber bladder flexes back to it's "at rest" position, seating against the backside of the base plate and sealing off those inlet holes, which should allow no or minimal oil to drain out of the filter.

All ya gotta do is look into those inlet holes and you will see they are blocked off by that rubber bladder, you can push on the bladder inward and it will move away from the hole.

Needless to say the center hole of a spin-on filter is the outlet opening which feeds oil into the engine.

RACNRAY

[Loafer]

I change my oil once a year, the first week in November. That is when there is an abundance of oil
on the market and the prices are at their lowest. I just love the smell of a fresh oil change.

[UNCLE WILLIE]

in the past filters made/sold buy dealers had a stronger shell than others so they don't crush or swell as easy so it may be a safety factor for some folk
I still prefer the Purolator-pure one for all my machines because they [according to test reports ] filter better . are an old reliable company . not hard to find . and don't cost a fortune ... also have the basic version which is cheaper without syn. filter material that do very well in tests

[ponch]

Originally Posted by gv550

I've been using Kawasaki S4 full synthetic in all my Kawasaki bikes and have been problem free for 962,000 kms. It is currently supplied by NOCO lubricants company. Definitely good stuff and reasonably priced. My dealer sells the 4 litre jug for $42, and if I bring my own jug they will fill it with bulk S4 for $35. They also have the oil change kit, includes 4 litres of S4, a filter, drain plug washer, plastic gloves and a Vulcan hat.
I change oil every 10,000 and use only Kawasaki filters.

It must be from owning BMWs. Owning German cars/bikes will do that to you.

I wonder who OEMs Kawasaki's oil? Castrol used to OEM BMWs, now it's Shell Oil.

[RACNRAY]

Originally Posted by gv550:


It is currently supplied by NOCO lubricants company.

Originally Posted by ponch

It must be from owning BMWs. Owning German cars/bikes will do that to you.

I wonder who OEMs Kawasaki's oil? Castrol used to OEM BMWs, now it's Shell Oil.

It was in his post you quoted, time to get some readin glasses?

RACNRAY

[ponch]

Originally Posted by BigAl1952

Grab an amsoil magazine and check it out on the Harley oil its in fact not full synthetic. http://www.syntheticsbestoil.com/mobil.htm. Might want to give this article a look. Then you can make your own judgement. Not trying to start a oil war thread. I also doubt the kawasaki oil filter is made up of nothing more than paper media which doesn't filter as fine of a partical as the K&N or the Amsoil filter. After all Ford GM and Chrysler will all recommend there oil and filter they want to make more money off of you. Al

I have nothing in particular against Amsoil except that they don't sell in retail chains etc. I don't like the amway model. I'd rather go to O'Reilly's or wherever to get what I need. There's no good reason they don't sell there, unless they can't compete on that level. As far as oil filters go, they aren't all the same.

Here's an interesting study: http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/FilterStudy.html

http://www.tobycreek.org/oil_filters/index.shtml

http://www.gmtruckcentral.com/articl...lterstudy.html

I'd never buy a fram. Cheap crap. For my beemer, I buy the OEM, which is made by Mahle and Mann. It's just like what is sold at the dealer as they make it for BMW. When I had Kawasaki's, I used Bosch.

[OldSchool]

When looking at oils, keep in mind that the Mobil 1 full synthetic for " V-Twins" is " NOT" JASO certified. The Mobile 1 full synthetic for Motorcycle Racing 4T "is" JASO certified.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

When looking at oils, keep in mind that the Mobil 1 full synthetic for " V-Twins" is " NOT" JASO certified. The Mobile 1 full synthetic for Motorcycle Racing 4T "is" JASO certified.

20w-50 is a little heavy for the Vulcan engine. I think it calls for 10w-40. With air/oil cooled bikes, it's fine. I have used it in my BMW and it worked well. So does Mobil 1 15w-50. My guess is that the Mobil 1 VTwin is meant for HDs and other air/oil cooled bikes that call for 20w-50.

[OldSchool]

My owners manual states 20w50 should work fine in my nomad. However my owners manual nowhere states that I should only use JASO certified motor oil. But that may also be that the JASO certifications for 4 stroke engines was not introduced until 1999. I would imagine following their recommendations though would probably be a plus instead of a minus.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by OldSchool

My owners manual states 20w50 should work fine in my nomad. However my owners manual nowhere states that I should only use JASO certified motor oil. But that may also be that the JASO certifications for 4 stroke engines was not introduced until 1999. I would imagine following their recommendations though would probably be a plus instead of a minus.

I would too. My RT doesn't share the oil with the transmission and it's a dry clutch, so it doesn't need JASO rated oil. My Nomad and VN 800 did. I use what fits the required specs and that's all we have to do.

[Dieago62]

Oil is somewhat like picking a shirt to wear for the day no mater what you pick it will work. No matter what you pick its way better than what was available to us 25 years ago. What floors me is how people read something and call it fact read it on the internet so it must be true. This is what lots of company's bank on to make the sale.
I believe this to be true with K&N products. just like if you bolt every product that says it adds horsepower your family mini van could be a top fuel dragster by just bolt on parts alone. Fact is no matter what you pour in its not going to be magic in a bottle but its not going to blow up either. Another fact is clean oil is the best oil. 5000 between oil changes? Not on my bike or truck!
Think about this if EPA can talk everyone into 6-8000 miles between oil changes do you know how much waist oil that would save? think about that. I would at least change my filter and look for one that at least promises filtering down to 5 micron
When with Yamaha I used a lot of yamalube 4r and liked it but I don't ever buy it now I used to put it in our power washer and the shops lawnmower and they lived a long time

[H8BUGZ]

Originally Posted by Dieago62

Oil is somewhat like picking a shirt to wear for the day no mater what you pick it will work. No matter what you pick its way better than what was available to us 25 years ago. What floors me is how people read something and call it fact read it on the internet so it must be true. This is what lots of company's bank on to make the sale.
I believe this to be true with K&N products. just like if you bolt every product that says it adds horsepower your family mini van could be a top fuel dragster by just bolt on parts alone. Fact is no matter what you pour in its not going to be magic in a bottle but its not going to blow up either. Another fact is clean oil is the best oil. 5000 between oil changes? Not on my bike or truck!
Think about this if EPA can talk everyone into 6-8000 miles between oil changes do you know how much waist oil that would save? think about that. I would at least change my filter and look for one that at least promises filtering down to 5 micron
When with Yamaha I used a lot of yamalube 4r and liked it but I don't ever buy it now I used to put it in our power washer and the shops lawnmower and they lived a long time

I assume the 5000 mile change interval was directed at me as I'm the only one who stated that mileage. I very much agree that any oil is better than no oil. New oil is obviously the best. Despite Amsoil's internet hype and posted test results, my theory is, oil doesn't wear out in 5K miles, it just gets dirty. Therefore I do change the filter every 2500 miles and the oil every 5000. I don't know how much you ride, but I put on 30,000 miles since March of 2014. How many oil changes would that be for you? I would rather ride my scoot than work on it. Look at the longevity of GV550's bike, he says he goes 10K on an oil change!

[ponch]

Originally Posted by H8BUGZ

I assume the 5000 mile change interval was directed at me as I'm the only one who stated that mileage. I very much agree that any oil is better than no oil. New oil is obviously the best. Despite Amsoil's internet hype and posted test results, my theory is, oil doesn't wear out in 5K miles, it just gets dirty. Therefore I do change the filter every 2500 miles and the oil every 5000. I don't know how much you ride, but I put on 30,000 miles since March of 2014. How many oil changes would that be for you? I would rather ride my scoot than work on it. Look at the longevity of GV550's bike, he says he goes 10K on an oil change!

The only way to know how an oil is doing is to have it tested. The plus with the Vulcan is it's water cooled, the only downside is sharing the oil with the transmission with a wet clutch. It should be able to go 5000 miles between changes and some oils can go much longer. Changing the filter every 2500 is excessive unless your engine sucking in a lot of dust and dirt, like if you have an 3rd party air filter mod or the crankcase is sucking in unfiltered air. My VWs have 10000 mile intervals and it seems to be fine.

[Dieago62]

Originally Posted by H8BUGZ

I assume the 5000 mile change interval was directed at me as I'm the only one who stated that mileage. I very much agree that any oil is better than no oil. New oil is obviously the best. Despite Amsoil's internet hype and posted test results, my theory is, oil doesn't wear out in 5K miles, it just gets dirty. Therefore I do change the filter every 2500 miles and the oil every 5000. I don't know how much you ride, but I put on 30,000 miles since March of 2014. How many oil changes would that be for you? I would rather ride my scoot than work on it. Look at the longevity of GV550's bike, he says he goes 10K on an oil change!

I did not mean any insult or otherwise. Ive ridden so far this summer 6000 and changed oil 3 times took me about 15 minutes each time.
with that being said Ive also changed brake and clutch fluid and antifreeze also fork and rear shock oil I'm just anal that way with my toyz. Im very sorry if I insulted you! But at same time I'm throwing away money! I never keep anything long enough to wear it out. New truck every 90000 because by that time I'm bored with them same with bikes ride them 10-20 and sell them. except when I was young then my bikes always died a horrible death before 10000 miles lol

[jayc]

Rotella T6 5w40
Purolator Pure one filter 14612
5k changes