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Low Mileage Oil Changes

  1. #26

    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    So 5 year old oil that was warmed up and cooled down and then went through 3 TDs came out fine? I do not know how to read these reports so I am trying to find out if I got it right. I have a Vstrom thats been sitting in my garage for 3 years or so.

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  2. #27
    BMW track whore e30addict's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by PurplePackage View Post
    My $0.02

    Oil will never go bad from sitting.
    Yes it will. The acids from combustion will eventually use up the additives in the oil and it will turn acidic, which you can tell from the TBN value tested. Oil also coats surfaces so while there might be condensate to burn off in the crankcase every now and then the coated parts should be just fine.

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    2012 Tiger 800 XC

  3. #28
    BMW track whore e30addict's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by tsorfas View Post
    So 5 year old oil that was warmed up and cooled down and then went through 3 TDs came out fine? I do not know how to read these reports so I am trying to find out if I got it right. I have a Vstrom thats been sitting in my garage for 3 years or so.
    Yes. All the wear metals look acceptable except for slightly higher copper (but still not high enough to be flagged). The TBN is still plenty stout (Amsoil starts fairly high here). The oil is still in grade though it sheared down quite a bit towards the lower end of a 40wt (this particular one starts on the high end of a 40wt). There is no fuel or water contamination showing.

    All in all, this is a great report with nothing to panic over.

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  4. #29
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by e30addict View Post
    Yes it will. The acids from combustion will
    Sitting means combustion isn't occurring. Any acids in the oil will be neutralized by TBN additives in the oil. There isn't any new acid, other than perhaps acid in the water/moisture. So that "never" should be "depends on sea air/acidic moisture exposure"




    TBN=.4 - 70 years! https://youtu.be/-zHlxeu_yuM?t=648

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    Last edited by PurplePackage; 07-12-21 at 12:29 PM.

  5. #30
    BMW track whore e30addict's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by PurplePackage View Post
    Sitting means combustion isn't occurring. Any acids in the oil will be neutralized by TBN additives in the oil. There isn't any new acid, other than perhaps acid in the water/moisture. So that "never" should be "depends on sea air/acidic moisture exposure"




    TBN=.4 - 70 years! https://youtu.be/-zHlxeu_yuM?t=648
    Starting periodically enters more acid into the equation little by little.

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  6. #31
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by e30addict View Post
    Starting periodically enters more acid into the equation little by little.
    Well I can't argue with that. One tip is to use "clear flood mode" on your fuel injected bike if it has it. It spins the engine and re-lubricates cylinders without that pesky combustion cycle getting in the way. Its better than letting everything sit for years, but any water will stay.

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  7. #32
    Lifer OneCheekRider's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by tsorfas View Post
    So 5 year old oil that was warmed up and cooled down and then went through 3 TDs came out fine? I do not know how to read these reports so I am trying to find out if I got it right. I have a Vstrom thats been sitting in my garage for 3 years or so.
    Yup! To clarify, I would start the bike only after swapping the fuel in the tank roughly once each year. My idea was to burn through the old fuel in the lines and bring in new fuel. So I wasn't starting it frequently and I would run it until the water temp got to approx 220 degrees as there's no fan on my track-only R6. Approximately 15min run time. Old fuel went into my 24 year old Mustang.

    Quote Originally Posted by e30addict View Post
    Yes. All the wear metals look acceptable except for slightly higher copper (but still not high enough to be flagged). The TBN is still plenty stout (Amsoil starts fairly high here). The oil is still in grade though it sheared down quite a bit towards the lower end of a 40wt (this particular one starts on the high end of a 40wt). There is no fuel or water contamination showing.

    All in all, this is a great report with nothing to panic over.
    Thanks! I wonder why the copper is higher though.

    One thing to note: 2015 is when I moved from Medford, so the bike had been stored in a very dry and mild environment. No high heat swings or freezing temps. I wonder how the results would change if stored elsewhere.

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  8. #33
    BMW track whore e30addict's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by OneCheekRider View Post


    Thanks! I wonder why the copper is higher though.
    Bearings, bushings, oil coolers etc....

    High oil temps can cause leaching and in a shared sump there's lots of different places it could come from.

    If it were eating bearings I would expect really spiked copper numbers and higher lead figures as well. High ZDDP oils are notorious for leaching copper out when they get hot. I'm not expert here, but I personally wouldn't sweat it.

    You could post it on Bob is the Oil Guy and get input there if you're really concerned about it.

    As a footnote, going the other direction, I recently got another 15K sample back on the car and it's still doing great. No sign long intervals are doing "damage" at all.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PurplePackage View Post
    Well I can't argue with that. One tip is to use "clear flood mode" on your fuel injected bike if it has it. It spins the engine and re-lubricates cylinders without that pesky combustion cycle getting in the way. Its better than letting everything sit for years, but any water will stay.
    That's kinda cool. Never heard of that before. I've hooked a laptop up to a vehicle a grand total of once though

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    Last edited by e30addict; 07-12-21 at 02:01 PM.
    2012 Tiger 800 XC

  9. #34
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    I too love project farm.



    just get it up to temp once in a while, water evaporates quick at 200 degrees.

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  10. #35

    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Best to have it tested at a place like https://www.blackstone-labs.com/. You'll soon discover that you and everyone you know is changing their oil far too soon.

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  11. #36

    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by slowone View Post
    Best to have it tested at a place like https://www.blackstone-labs.com/. You'll soon discover that you and everyone you know is changing their oil far too soon.
    This discussion has taken place a million times. And honestly who really cares? Will gettingan extra 500,1000,2000 miles on oil changes make you or break you?

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  12. #37
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by tsorfas View Post
    This discussion has taken place a million times. And honestly who really cares? Will gettingan extra 500,1000,2000 miles on oil changes make you or break you?
    No, but double will... And getting mine sent in also told me that I had coolant in my oil...which means you can catch failure before it happens.

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  13. #38

    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by csmutty View Post
    No, but double will... And getting mine sent in also told me that I had coolant in my oil...which means you can catch failure before it happens.
    Many of us also use oil changes to check on other things on our equipment / vehicles.

    On my mowers I usually ensure a minor tune up, blade sharpening, belt inspections.
    On my cars tire rotations and checking other things, occasionally a detail.
    On my bike… yeah I don’t know even know why I bother any more. Under 100 miles in 3 years lol

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  14. #39
    Your Father csmutty's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by tsorfas View Post
    Many of us also use oil changes to check on other things on our equipment / vehicles.

    On my mowers I usually ensure a minor tune up, blade sharpening, belt inspections.
    On my cars tire rotations and checking other things, occasionally a detail.
    On my bike… yeah I don’t know even know why I bother any more. Under 100 miles in 3 years lol
    You can check other things without changing oil...

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  15. #40
    Lifer OneCheekRider's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by slowone View Post
    Best to have it tested at a place like https://www.blackstone-labs.com/. You'll soon discover that you and everyone you know is changing their oil far too soon.
    Like the test I posted earlier in this thread that showed my 6 year old oil was totally fine?

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  16. #41
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes

    Quote Originally Posted by tsorfas View Post
    This discussion has taken place a million times. And honestly who really cares? Will gettingan extra 500,1000,2000 miles on oil changes make you or break you?
    You could take those savings and send it to Africa. Just 50 cents a day is all you need to give a starving African child a motorcycle.

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  17. #42
    Being A Dick PurplePackage's Avatar
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    Re: Low Mileage Oil Changes


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