Motorcycle oil change time

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Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Half are telling me to use the FRAM motorcycle filter and half are saying no way. Most are saying to use Rotella and now your saying to stick with the Valvoline motorcycle oil lol.

I'm inclined to try Rotella 15W40 and a Purolator car filter over the FRAM motorcycle filter unless anyone thinks this is a really bad way to go.


I recommended the Valvoline over the Rotella because my bike shifts smoother with the Valvoline than it did with the Rotella, so I'm assuming that means it has better lubricating qualities. I recommended not using Fram filters because of the cheap materials they use in their filters. There are better filters available for the same, or lower cost...Wix is one of them and they probably make one specifically for your bike...
 
Just did an oil change on my friends Road star.He bought 4 qts of Valvoline 20/50 wt and a Fram filter at advanced auto for $19.99. He's put over 500 miles since the change,and we haven't had to pick bearing parts or piston rings out of the filter yet. One difference I could see between the Fram and the ermgo? filter was the Fram looked like it has bout 1 1/2 less threads where the nipple threads.But like I said 500 miles and it hasn't leaked or blown off yet.,,
 
Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Just did an oil change on my friends Road star.He bought 4 qts of Valvoline 20/50 wt and a Fram filter at advanced auto for $19.99. He's put over 500 miles since the change,and we haven't had to pick bearing parts or piston rings out of the filter yet. One difference I could see between the Fram and the ermgo? filter was the Fram looked like it has bout 1 1/2 less threads where the nipple threads.But like I said 500 miles and it hasn't leaked or blown off yet.,,


The problem with Frams isn't that they blow off or leak...their cheap paper elements and the way they're attached to the filter can could lead to the paper element separating from the can, which causes the bypass valve to open...and renders the filter useless...
 
Has anyone here ever had a Fram motorcycle filter self-destruct? I've seen what the inside look like and it actually has a bigger filter then some others. And seeing how its in a confined space with a spring holding the whole show together, how would it separate? And if it was in bypass mode , how would you know?.There's probably been thousands of filters that failed and ran in bypass mode for a whole oci, and no one knew the difference.,,
 
Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Has anyone here ever had a Fram motorcycle filter self-destruct? I've seen what the inside look like and it actually has a bigger filter then some others. And seeing how its in a confined space with a spring holding the whole show together, how would it separate? And if it was in bypass mode , how would you know?.There's probably been thousands of filters that failed and ran in bypass mode for a whole oci, and no one knew the difference.,,


I think maybe you just like to argue. There are many different brands of oil filters to choose from...I choose to use something other than Fram and I'm apparently not alone here...if you want to use them go right ahead...
 
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So, if some one has different experience then you, that means they like to argue? Hmm? I asked anyone had a problem with a Fram motorcycle filter so far nobody showed they have. And thanks for your permission to use what I want.,,
 
Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
So, if some one has different experience then you, that means they like to argue? Hmm? I asked anyone had a problem with a Fram motorcycle filter so far nobody showed they have. And thanks for your permission to use what I want.,,


There's tons of info all over the internet about Fram filters and how cheaply made they are....if you don't know any of this info by now, it's probably because you don't want to know it...
 
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
So, if some one has different experience then you, that means they like to argue? Hmm? I asked anyone had a problem with a Fram motorcycle filter so far nobody showed they have. And thanks for your permission to use what I want.,,


There's tons of info all over the internet about Fram filters and how cheaply made they are....

Are you referring to FRAM motorcycle filters specifically? What you wrote above may be true for the standard orange can FRAM, but that's not what we're talking about here. Their motorcyle filters are different. Someone cut one up (PH6017A) here a while back and it actually looked pretty decent. I have also not heard of any problems with their motorcycle filters.
 
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
So, if some one has different experience then you, that means they like to argue? Hmm? I asked anyone had a problem with a Fram motorcycle filter so far nobody showed they have. And thanks for your permission to use what I want.,,


There's tons of info all over the internet about Fram filters and how cheaply made they are....

Are you referring to FRAM motorcycle filters specifically? What you wrote above may be true for the standard orange can FRAM, but that's not what we're talking about here. Their motorcyle filters are different. Someone cut one up (PH6017A) here a while back and it actually looked pretty decent. I have also not heard of any problems with their motorcycle filters.


Like I said, there are A LOT of other filters available for motorcycles...why even bother taking the chance?...until someone can prove that Fram filters are better than the others (which no one has) there's no reason to use them...
 
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grampi, no offense, but you're just spreading internet rumors. Just because one type of FRAM filter had issues, doesn't mean all of them do. Yet, after a while, internet forums become full of these rumors and others start to believe them.

I don't use FRAM on my bike personally, but I really see no applicable evidence that one should not use it.
 
Originally Posted By: Clevy
There isn't anything wrong with fram. Internet hype.


The local Suzuki dealer had issue with Fram. Roller bearing crank GS engines were ingesting the filter media and self destructing.

That was a long time ago so I am certain Fram has corrected the issue but it was long enough ago that it was not internet hype.

I've used BikeMaster filters from Tucker-Rocky without issue. I would not personally have a problem using a Fram. But not if I was putting it on a roller crank GS
lol.gif
 
I avoid Fram like the proverbial plague. But I'm not so sure that applies to their motorcycle-specific filter line. As well, their Ultra line of filters are probably just fine. I look for Mobil 1 filters or Pure 1 filters when I cross the border. I get Baldwin or NG filters for the bike if I need one & have none of the others in supply (usually have two or three on the shelf). But I wouldn't avoid or criticise somebody else's choice to use the bike Fram. I think, like Pete says, the OCOD-dread has been applied to the bike line of filters unfairly.

Now sticking an OCOD on there is just plain stunned. Walmart's carrying standard Purolators & I would rather have that on my bike than any OCOD. There's no good reason of which I can think to use an OCOD for anything anymore.

John.
 
Well I am into year 40 for using Fram filters on everything including 4 different brands of motorcycles and 6 different makes of cars. Their motorcycle specific filters are much heavier than the auto ones. The purolator MC specific filters are also much heavier than their auto brand. I will only use a MC specific filter on any of my bikes. I just use what ever I can get that fits at the time.
 
So the FRAM motorcycle filter doesn't use cardboard end caps? I can see the FRAM cycle filter does have the same plastic bypass valve in the dome end and I'm not crazy about that. I'd like to see the FRAM 6017A cut open.

I'm tempted to just use a Purolator car filter over a FRAM motorcycle filter. As far as I know the Kawasaki engine oild pressure and filter bypass is not too different from a car engine.
 
Here's a PH6017A cut open. No different than your standard OCOD. Only thing that makes it a "motorcycle" filter is that it's painted black so it looks nicer on a motorcycle.


fram1.jpg
 
BCOD
wink.gif
? Another poster linked me to a bunch of motorcycle filter cut-aways. I don't see the point in using PH6017A when it's for the most part a FRAM orange can at 2X the price. I think I'll just try a Purolator L14610 or L14612 car filter this time and Rotella 15W40.
 
The Purolator L14610 car filter is quite a bit longer a 1/2" than the FRAM PH6017A motorcyle filter. The Purolator looks better in everyway except the base blate gasket is thinner than the FRAM's, but the gasket outside diameter is the same. I never had one of these Purolator L14610 gaskets leak on a car. It's used on a boatload of Japanese cars and now motorcycles lol.

I'm betting the Purolator has higher efficiency and with its bigger element has no more restriction than the smaller FRAM motorcycle filter. I'm purely speculating there, but the Purolator just looks better in everyway and is half the price.

Other than length (Although L14612 is the same length as the FRAM PH6017A) the specs appear to be about the same:

http://www.purolatorautofilters.net/resources/Popup/Pages/PartDetailPopup.aspx?partnum=L14610

http://www.framcatalog.com/PartDetail.aspx?b=F&pn=PH6017A

http://www.purolatorautofilters.net/resources/Popup/Pages/PartDetailPopup.aspx?partnum=ml16817
 
The Purolator will fit fine but I decided to reuse the K&N filter. It has only been on there one year and probably has less than 1,000 miles. It should be good for another oil change. I did take it off and drain it though.

With the Rotella 15W40 the engine seems maybe a little quiter/smoother. The shifting seems smoother too than with the Valvoline conventional motor cycle oil.

Does anyone know what the ZDDP level of Rotella T is? It's a dual rated SM but also a 40W so is the zinc stil at 1000-1200ppm?
 
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
With the Rotella 15W40 the engine seems maybe a little quiter/smoother. The shifting seems smoother too than with the Valvoline conventional motor cycle oil.


I experienced just the opposite...
 
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