Change oil before winter storage with very low miles on oil?

[XB_Fan]

I know generally it is best practice to put new oil in a motorcycle, scooter, mower etc. before a long cold winter of non-use.

I bought a 2020 Yamaha SMAX single cylinder, liquid cooled, 155cc scooter. Love it by the way!

I changed the oil as soon as I purchased it (it has 2000 miles on it) with Yamalube 15w50 ester type oil.

The scooter will only have about 250 total miles on the oil. It would be a shame to dump this oil as it was 15 bucks a quart.

What would you guys do?

 

[Oillover]

Dump it and run a cheaper (but also suitable oil like Rotella T4 15w40).
Then you won't worry about wasting money doing oil changes.

 

[XB_Fan]

Dump it and run a cheaper (but also suitable oil like Rotella T4 15w40).
Then you won't worry about wasting money doing oil change

Dump it and run a cheaper (but also suitable oil like Rotella T4 15w40).
Then you won't worry about wasting money doing oil changes.

It is so weird in the manual. It calls for JASO MA for wet clutches, but the scooter has a belt driven CVT. I'll probably try and put more miles on it in Sept-Novermber and then change it.

 

[64bawagon]

I change oil on anything thats gonna sit over the winter, cars, mowers etc. Cheap insurance

 

[XB_Fan]

Dump it and run a cheaper (but also suitable oil like Rotella T4 15w40).
Then you won't worry about wasting money doing oil changes.

I only went with this higher viscosity oil as the chart in the manual shows using this in temps over 100F. I have been riding in temps of 105F, so I figured a nice 50 oil would help.

 

[Oillover]

I've been using T4 in everything from my VFR1200 with DCT to my classic BMW with great results.
As for temp suitability, it would be great for your scooter.
It's also JASO MA suitable and relatively cheap.

 

[XB_Fan]

I change oil on anything thats gonna sit over the winter, cars, mowers etc. Cheap insurance

Yep, that's what I am going to do. Just needed some peer pressure to do it. LOL

Is the CVT a shared sump with the engine oil?
If so, please disregard my suggestion above.

No, it is strange in the manual. This scooter and the Honda Navi we own both have CVT belt driven transmissions. They both say to use JASO MA, which is a wet clutch spec. As a noob to this, it confused me for awhile. Looks like these motorcycle makers just copy and paste this from their wet clutch models I guess.

 

[ripcord]

Personally, I would just leave the oil in there. 250 miles is gotta be about 10 hours or less of operating time?

 

[XB_Fan]

I've been using T4 in everything from my VFR1200 with DCT to my classic BMW with great results.
As for temp suitability, it would be great for your scooter.
It's also JASO MA suitable and relatively cheap.

I have seen on a lot of motorcycle forums that folks have used the Rotella and racked up a lot of trouble free miles. Can't argue with the price and it surprisingly has a JASO spec.

 

[Oillover]

This scooter and the Honda Navi we own both have CVT belt driven transmissions. They both say to use JASO MA, which is a wet clutch spec.

Yes, the T4 meets that spec as shown below

 

[XB_Fan]

Yes, the T4 meets that spec as shown below
View attachment 294005

I'll get a gallon of it and give it a go. With 3 scooters now in my stable, I cannot afford to treat them to boutique oils. That Motul 7100 is like 50 bucks for 4 liters!

 

[Oillover]

I'll get a gallon of it and give it a go. With 3 scooters now in my stable, I cannot afford to treat them to boutique oils.

I don't blame you.
A few months ago I picked up a 2025 ZX4RR which (per the owners manual) surprisingly also meets all the specs of T4.
One oil for three vehicles is quite economical.

 

[Hohn]

How is the crankcase vented? If there any path for dust to enter?

If not, why would someone throw away perfectly good oil? What's different about sitting motionless for 2 weeks vs 2 months?

 

[XB_Fan]

How is the crankcase vented? If there any path for dust to enter?

If not, why would someone throw away perfectly good oil? What's different about sitting motionless for 2 weeks vs 2 months?

I'll check on that part. It will sit for around 5 months in temps down to -30F which we get in this section of South Dakota.

 

[WobblyElvis]

I would not change the oil before storage. Life is too short. Money and time, why bother? I can't believe it will make any difference.

I'll catch some flak for this...
I think/believe/feel that for best storage, new oil needs to have a few miles on it to take the "edge" off of it. I don't know where I learned this, but that's is what's in my head.

 

[eljefino]

Don't do it.

Is the oil in there bad? No.

Is your TBN depleted? No.

It's not going to rust inside.

If you want to spend waste $15 get some non-ethanol fuel and marine stabilizer. Your problems in spring will be fuel related, not oil.

If scooter is a garage queen, change every two years. I recommend springtime AFTER the first tank of gas. Think about it, you'll have some misfires, maybe some fuel dilution from starting it up for a minute. Let the old oil handle that. Second tank of gas, you're cruising for real.

 

[We're Metals]

I'd be much more worried about the battery going flat or tires going flat or gas going bad (all unlikely).

 

[Hohn]

I'll check on that part. It will sit for around 5 months in temps down to -30F which we get in this section of South Dakota.

Right, and at that temperature the air is bone dry. I grew up in ND.

Your essentially offering evidence that the oil will be preserved, not contaminated.

 

[XB_Fan]

Don't do it.

Is the oil in there bad? No.

Is your TBN depleted? No.

It's not going to rust inside.

If you want to spend waste $15 get some non-ethanol fuel and marine stabilizer. Your problems in spring will be fuel related, not oil.

If scooter is a garage queen, change every two years. I recommend springtime AFTER the first tank of gas. Think about it, you'll have some misfires, maybe some fuel dilution from starting it up for a minute. Let the old oil handle that. Second tank of gas, you're cruising for real.

Good points. What about fogging the cylinder? I do this with my other single cylinder lawn equipment.