Cleaning the guts... (XS that is) :)

[strom]

How many of u guys (and gals) clean the oil pan periodically?
I noticed with all my bikes, that oil pan is a mess after a few months...
My XS sat in a garage for 6 years... and when I cleaned the engine, I found SAND in it.. not metal scrapes... sand and some oily gunk, that is normal.

To explain the problem:
Oil gets sucked through the oil pump and pushed through the oil cleaner and so on...

The problem is that oil pump sucks metal shavings and stuff with the oil, and that damages it... scapes the housing and so on.. ergo it looses pressure... then all hell can brake loose... like it did on my kawasaki. Oil pressure light isn't that sensitive...

which reminds me... have to clean the switch

I noticed that the final drive (shaft) was clean, but the middle drive was hell to clean..
Oily gunk everywhere, crusted on.. had to remove it with a screwdriver. diesel and trichlorethilen didn't help.

So, I'd reccommend that oil pan is cleaned at least once a year or maybe after every second oil change. Just draining the oil is not enough.
The problem, however, are the screws that hold the oil pan on.
Engine case is aluminium, which is a very soft metal, so every removing and putting back on damages it.
I don't know bout the middle drive, or how fast the gunk accumulates. I'll check and let u know.

LP

[Dragonrider]

An alternate method is to DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE, and change your oil at regular intervals. Motorcycles (or any vehical) do not like to sit . . . as a matter of fact they hate it . . . and will get you back if you make them sit (kindof like an irate horse).

I drive lots, use quality oil, and change it every 5000 miles in every vehical I have ever driven (except big-rigs, oil in them was changed every 15K miles but that is a bit different).

I have never had an oil related engine failure.

On my last Dodge truck (318) I had to pull the oil pan at 280,000 miles to replace the gasket, it was completely clean. No gunk of any kind. Same under the valve covers.

My Dad is completely the opposite. Changes his oil at 3 months or 3000 miles, and never goes anywhere. Maybe 5000 miles a year on his vehicals.

Guess who's vehicals last longer (years), break down much less, and need far less maintenance.

Mine. The ones that are driven hard and constantly.

Guess who is having more fun.

So . . . now you have a good excuse to DRIVE. Get out there.

Go on!

Git!

Shoo!

[Wayne]

Im about to go thru the "Old Mule" stem to stern getting ready for Kerrville. So I will be checking this out on my 81H. I have never checked the oil pan. My father rebuilt the bike in the mid 90's and Im sure he cleaned it up then.
Thanks for the info.

[strom]

When I was working on the kawasaki, I had the oil pan off every 100 miles or so, bout 4 times.. there were metal shavings every time, even if I changed the oil meanwhile and cleaned the pan.
Maybe the fact that a crankshaft bearing was grind into oblivion had sth to do with it. However I cleaned the whole engine with triclhlorethilen... a industrial degreaser for ppl that don't use that stuff...
So, it doesn't hurt to check...

LP

[Dark Horse]

I have to agree with Danny. It's better for a vehicle or anything else for that matter, that has an internal combustion engine to be run on a regular basis.

I remember reading not to long ago about adding some "Sea Foam" to the crankcase prior to an oil change. I tried this on my last change. Ran the engine for about 5 minutes to get it warmed up then drained the oil and filter. Holy Cow! Was the oil ever dirty!

The Sea Foam loosened up a lot of material that would have stayed in the engine, including built up on the oil pan.

Trying to remember where I read the article about this. Some of you other listers may remember. But I do recall that it said that when this procedure is done on a regular basis that eventually the oil you drain will start to look cleaner with each oil change. And the internal parts of your engine will be cleaner also.

Just my TCW.

[strom]

The problem might be, that the oil drain plug isn't the lowest part of the oil pan... at least when I cleaned it, I had to pour the stuff out of the back.
I dunno... I don't like to put anything else with the oil..unless it's running really bad and I'm bout to sell the bike.
But hey.. if it works for u, then it must be OK..

LP