Oil Change in a 2005 GW/RS Trike

[bikerbillone]

I might be doing something wrong here, as some GW guru told me. Changing oil is was always my practice to warm the oil to operating temp, then jack up the front to allow access, do the drain overnight, or several hours, then wrap it all up dumping in the 4 quarts, then ride. My guru said the machine must be level, or almost, so there is proper drain, or if not on level, almost a quart of oil remains in the engine, adding 4 quarts will make it almost 5 quarts in the engine. Yikes, that's not good. Getting that machine on level requires some doing, so my question is, simple oil change is turning out to be more complicated, comments please.....One last thing, in those years I used the simple method of jack up the front and drain, then dump 4, I never saw a blow by or overflow leak, so I'm really a bit confused about this simple procedure.

[tfdeputydawg]

Ever check the dip stick after using your method?

[bikerbillone]

Nope, never thought I needed to, just did the 'drain and add' method' for years and I suppose it worked, no drips, no oil crud in the air filter. I know there's a procedure, something like warm up for 3 mins, allow to sit for 3, then check. I know this post had some views, guess no one is using the 'machine level' method.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

I always but it nose down in the driveway ... mine slopes down a tad ... and just remove the drain ... I have a low oil drain pan ... yes i get it to operating temp, plus a short 5 mile ride after that .. tipping it slightly down helps with any "gunk" since the drain is in the front.

Then i put oil in with the bike on a level surface, I check the level. And adjust as necessary.

[bikerbillone]

Thanks Fuzz, that pretty much my procedure as well. The oil sump is supposed to hold about 3.9 quarts, so if my GW man was right and he found it a quart over, then there's a lot of oil hidden in the engine somewhere after the drain. Maybe he found it a pint or something, so has me overthinking this thing, I hate when that happens. Guess you don't have to think about it now with the TriGlide.

[Pooch]

If you have it level or slightly downhill to the front, hold a rag over the filter hole and have a helper hit the starter and let it run for a couple seconds then shut it off. Rag will help keep it from splashing all over. Do this a couple of times.Then let it drain for awhile, this should get most of the oil out. I do it and after refill, level is dead on. YMMV

[tfdeputydawg]

Nope, never thought I needed to, just did the 'drain and add' method' for years and I suppose it worked, no drips, no oil crud in the air filter. I know there's a procedure, something like warm up for 3 mins, allow to sit for 3, then check. I know this post had some views, guess no one is using the 'machine level' method.

The point is, it would tell you if you are leaving to much oil in it, if you put in 4qts and the stick shows it over full

[Burnerboy]

Here's a suggestion that I did and it works:



I took a 2X10 board and cut 6 pieces 1foot long... I then glued one board on top of another... So now I have 3 boards that are 4inches high..... and use a jack to lift up the rear tires and place a board under the two rears, and then jack up the front and place the other under the front tire...............This make the bike now four inches higher to work under and it's still level, so oil pours out correctly..

My 2cents worth!

Ronnie

[bikerbillone]

Good suggestions, thanks for the feed back. Think I can get it sorted out now without overthinking it.