• Ciao Guest - You’ve landed at the ultimate Guzzi site. NEW FORUM REGISTRATIONS REQUIRE EMAIL ACTIVATION - CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER - Use the CONTACT above if you need help. New to the forum? For all new members, we require ONE post in the Introductions section at the bottom, in order to post in most of the other sections. ALWAYS TRY A SEARCH BEFORE STARTING A NEW TOPIC - Most questions you may have, have likely been already answered. DON'T BE A DRIVE-BY POSTER: As a common courtesy, check back in and reply within 24 hours, or your post will be deleted. Note there's decades of heavily experienced Guzzi professionals on this site, all whom happily give endless amounts of their VALUABLE time for free; BE COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL!
  • There is ZERO tolerance on personal attacks and ANY HYPERLINKS to PRODUCT(S) or other competing website(s), including personal pages, social media or other Forums. This ALSO INCLUDES ECU DIAGnostic software, questions and mapping. We work very hard to offer commercially supported products and to keep info relevant here. First offense is a note, second is a warning, third time will get you banned from the site. We don't have the time to chase repeat (and ignorant) offenders. This is NOT a social media platform; It's an ad-free, privately funded website, in small help with user donations. Be sure to see the GTM STORE link above; ALL product purchases help support the site, or you can upgrade your Forum profile or DONATE via the link above.
  • Be sure to see the GTM STORE link also above for our 700+ product inventory, including OEM parts and many of our 100% Made-in-SoCal-USA GTM products and engine kits. In SoCal? Click the SERVICE tab above for the best in service, tires, tuning and installation of our products or custom work, and don't miss our GT MotoCycles® (not) art on the BUILDS tab above. WE'RE HERE ONLINE ONLY - NO PHONE CALLS MADE OR RECEIVED - DO NOT EMAIL AND ASK QUESTIONS OR ASK TO CALL YOU.
  • Like the new V100, GuzziTech is full throttle into the future! We're now running on an all-new server and we've updated our Forum software. The visual differences are obvious, but hopefully you'll notice the super-fast speed. If you notice any glitches or have any issues, please post on the Site Support section at the bottom. If you haven't yet, please upgrade your account which is covered in the Site Support section or via the DONATE tab above, which gives you full site access including the DOWNLOADS section. We really appreciate every $ and your support to keep this site ad-free. Create an account, sign in, upgrade your account, and enjoy. See you on the road in 2024.

How to screw up an Oil change - 101

PaulDavies

Cruisin' Guzzisti
GT Contributor
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
Messages
370
Location
Comox, BC, Canada
Lost count of how many oil changes I've done over the years, but this was my 3rd on the audace. Drained oil, dropped filter into drain pan, gave it a few minutes, put plug back and torqued new filter into place. Filled with about 3 liters and fired it up - result, oil everywhere - all over the garage floor, all over the ATV lift, all over my tools on the floor. I stupidly didn't check the old oil filter. It's rubber seal had come adrift and was still inside the sump housing, so now I had two oil seals in there which of course blew apart and dumped 1.5 liters of 10w60 (about $37 CDN). Fortunately the filter was OK but my ego is severely bruised - grrr - lesson learnt the hard way
 
Ouch! I've actually been considering doing the oil change myself on the California soon. Did you follow any guide somewhere Paul?
 
It's pretty easy really (but not foolproof as I have demonstrated) - I always refer to the cali 1400 service manual (google it), it has good pictures. The Filter is screwed into a sump recess under the bike so you need a removal tool that fits between filter and housing. You can then undo with a wrench. I bought mine from Lordco for $12, but Todd sells one on the site.

Reading the oil level with the stupid black plastic dipstick is a pain and should be done with the bike upright. Remember, draining the oil does not drain the radiator so when refilling, only put in 3 liters and measure level , general consensus is no more than half way between min-max on the dipstick otherwise it will burp the excess into the airbox (read about it here https://www.guzzitech.com/forums/threads/lots-of-oil-in-the-air-filter-box-california-1400.15458/) - oh and make sure the old oil seal comes out with the old filter ha ha (I can laugh about it now)
 
I just took a look and it does look very easy and it turns out I've got a cap type removal wrench that fits already on hand. Assume the drain plug is at the rear? Looks like that's it.

Did you even have to lift the bike at all? I may drive up onto a board or 2 to get the oil to the back (assuming that's where the plug is).
 
I just took a look and it does look very easy and it turns out I've got a cap type removal wrench that fits already on hand. Assume the drain plug is at the rear? Looks like that's it.

Did you even have to lift the bike at all? I may drive up onto a board or 2 to get the oil to the back (assuming that's where the plug is).

Yes the drain plug is at the rear. You can drain and remove filter etc on the side stand, I only put it on the ATV lift to keep it upright for filling and measuring oil level.
 
It's actually easier to drain when on the side stand, better access to the filter and drain plug. After draining, I hold the bike up vertical to try and assist any oil that is still hiding somewhere.

Be aware that the filter is a little shorter than those on most other Guzzies (except the Griso 1200SE). Genuine filter is 2A000668, alternative Hiflo HF565.
 
Thought I'd share my experience doing my first oil change. Here are my notes I made for next time below.

In the end it's a piece of cake. Took me longer than it needed to because after pouring in all 3 litres and checking the level BEFORE starting the bike I thought I overfilled it and had to suck a bunch out through the fill hole. Of course, after warming up the bike it went low and I poured it ALL back in again. A full 3 litres works perfectly.

- do after a ride so oil is warm and drains easily

- remove 17mm drain plug at back of pan and drain oil

- reinstall plug

- remove oil filter and let oil drain (ensure rubber gasket didn't stay behind)

- reinstall new oil filter

- pour in 3 litres of new 10w-60 oil

- don't check level yet

- start bike and let run for a few minutes

- check oil level with bike level (wood block under kickstand), should not require any more oil

- note: I found it much easier to check dipstick in bright sun
 
Thought I'd share my experience doing my first oil change. Here are my notes I made for next time below.

In the end it's a piece of cake. Took me longer than it needed to because after pouring in all 3 litres and checking the level BEFORE starting the bike I thought I overfilled it and had to suck a bunch out through the fill hole. Of course, after warming up the bike it went low and I poured it ALL back in again. A full 3 litres works perfectly.

- do after a ride so oil is warm and drains easily

- remove 17mm drain plug at back of pan and drain oil

- reinstall plug

- remove oil filter and let oil drain (ensure rubber gasket didn't stay behind)

- reinstall new oil filter

- pour in 3 litres of new 10w-60 oil

- don't check level yet

- start bike and let run for a few minutes

- check oil level with bike level (wood block under kickstand), should not require any more oil

- note: I found it much easier to check dipstick in bright sun

Yeah - now you're ready for the gearbox oil, it's even simpler (although considerably more messy as it gets over the frame and everywhere when draining - use lots of paper and spread it around). You do have to remove the small right side heat shield and the plastic cover behind it. I've noticed that changing the gearbox oil always leads to a considerable improvement in smoothness and slicker changes
 
Thanks Paul ... bike only has 11,000+ km so I suspect it's still early for that but good to know I can also do that.

I just do it every year regardless - it only costs about $2.50 in oil and you're down there anyway with the engine oil change. Just done my 3rd in 15000km and it's noticeably better each time :):)
 
I just do it every year regardless - it only costs about $2.50 in oil and you're down there anyway with the engine oil change. Just done my 3rd in 15000km and it's noticeably better each time :):)
No kidding ... off to check the service manual for procedures ...
 
^ At my rate that's every 4 years or so lol.

Paul, I don't see the type/grade of oil in the service manual or the black maintenance book. Got that and any tips like amount, etc.?

Thanks.
 
^ At my rate that's every 4 years or so lol.

Paul, I don't see the type/grade of oil in the service manual or the black maintenance book. Got that and any tips like amount, etc.?

Thanks.

Workshop (and owners) manual says... AGIP GEAR MG/S SAE 85 W 90 Gearbox oil API GL-5, Quantity is quoted as 430cc (although in practice you prop bike into the vertical and fill until it comes out of the level plug). Cost depends upon whether you go Synthetic or Mineral.

Pictures can be seen on Page 59 of WM. Don't forget to clean the swarf off the magnet and prepare yourself for a lot of mess. I use lots of paper towel afterwards but oil drops off the frame and other bits for 1 to 2 days after the cleanup, so keep that paper under the bike.

Again pretty simple apart from the mess :rock::rock::rock::rock:
 
Back
Top