should I change my oil?

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I usually change my oil once a year (around may) because I only ride about 1500 miles a year at most. Since last May, Ive only ridden about 500 miles on my 2011 Kawasaki zx14. I use Amsoil 10w40 with a amsoil filter.

Im sure I can reuse the oil filter no problem but the oil is already one year old.

Amsoil says.... "For on-road use in engines and transmissions, change AMSOIL MCF and AMSOIL engine oil filter at twice the motorcycle manufacturer change interval or one year, whichever comes first"

Amsoil themselves is saying change at one year but is that based on mileage or the fact that the oil is one year old and could be starting to breakdown from age?

I called them once about this a while ago and they said the only real way to know if the oil is good is to send a sample to blackstone. I agree but if im going to drain it for the sake of getting an analysis done then I might as well put in fresh oil.

Opinions?

I found this blackstone analysis of 2 year old oil with 13000 miles. 0w20 amsoil synthetic with amsoil filter. Results are pretty good

http://www.insightcentral.net/forums/hon...l-analysis.html
 
Amsoil has to say that to cover their rear for people who idle or have other issues but you should be totally fine. Motor oil doesn't know time and the synthetic filters can be used for any number of years as long as you don't exceed the rated capacity.

I have seen quite a few passenger car uoas with low miles and high years and it seems anything about 3 years and under is cake but some start showing oxidation after 3-4 years in use. The problem is most uoas don't include TAN but you can see oxidation thickening if you know the starting viscosity of the Virgin oil.

I would run it to the manufacturers rated severe service interval based on mileage up to 3 years.
 
Don't think oil breaks down from age much.

If it were me, IF my low-miles were still fairly hard miles, so the engine is getting hot enough to burn off water, I'd extend the interval.

BUT, clearly its your decision. If you wan't/need advice, Amsoil or Kawasaki are likely to be safer sources of it than some opinionated nobody on the internyet.

EDIT: I meant me. Not taking a pop at the above post, which I hadn't seen. ENDEDIT
 
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I don't ride my ZRX a whole lot anymore either, so I change oil & filter every other year.
 
And not to rain on the parade but the Amsoil is expensive stuff. I'd be running Rotella if your only putting on 500 mi/yr.
 
Change it and throw the oil you get out in your car or something if you're worried about wasting it
 
If I only rode a bike 500 miles a year, I would sell the bike, save on insurance, and then I would not have to worry about changing perfectly good and expensive oil.
 
We or us have caused many folks to become paranoid over oil changes, but its good business for the oil companies, so keep us crazy and spending money on changing out good oil, great marketing skills going on here.
 
Absolutely NO NEED to change that oil unless it was highly contaminated with water. Its likely easily good for 3 years.

What do you think that 0.3% Ca is for!! The oil itself is very stable at normal temps.
 
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Just change your oil when you change your undies, only when they are dirty. lol
If you turn them inside out they are good for another week.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
Just change your oil when you change your undies, only when they are dirty. lol
If you turn them inside out they are good for another week.


Too bad you can't use that technique with 4 quarts of oil.

Z
 
Originally Posted By: Dyusik
Don't change the oil or the filter. Do change underware.


Just don't do it the way we used to, when I was in the military, claim the French Foreign Legion changed underwear. Pierre, you change with Francois. Francois, you change with Michael, etc....
 
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Originally Posted By: Dyusik
Don't change the oil or the filter. Do change underware.


Just don't do it the way we used to, when I was in the military, claim the French Foreign Legion changed underwear. Pierre, you change with Francois. Francois, you change with Michael, etc....


Throw it in your car above was basically that.

Made sense if the car was viewed as more disposable, and /or got more use, but (assuming the bike is wet-clutch) the oil may have clutch material in it, and be low on friction-modifiers.

OTOH the car does have a filter, which many bikes don't. (I see this one does though.)
 
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Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Amsoil has to say that to cover their rear for people who idle or have other issues but you should be totally fine. Motor oil doesn't know time and the synthetic filters can be used for any number of years as long as you don't exceed the rated capacity.

I have seen quite a few passenger car uoas with low miles and high years and it seems anything about 3 years and under is cake but some start showing oxidation after 3-4 years in use. The problem is most uoas don't include TAN but you can see oxidation thickening if you know the starting viscosity of the Virgin oil.

I would run it to the manufacturers rated severe service interval based on mileage up to 3 years.


Makes sense. Were those UOA's with mineral oil? If so, might the time limit reasonably be extended with synthetic?

I'm interested in this question because my car doesn't see many miles and, though I've extended the OCI, I suspect I'm still changing the oil too often (roughly once every 2 years now)
 
Personally, I would still change it every year at the beginning of riding season. I always have. Most of it is piece of mind. The money on an oil change once a year isn't back breaking and if you're willing to spend Amsoil prices you aren't that tight budgeded. If the money is the issue, go with a cheaper oil because anything will last <1500 miles. Just my 0.02
 
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