New (2000) GZ owner with oil level questions

[johnd]

Hi to all,
I am new to the forum and this is first post, I bought my 2000 GZ over the weekend and spent today with the title change and insurance. And a little cleaning. It is a very clean bike with 1783 miles. The lady bought a Harley and I wanted to see if I wanted to ride again after a long time, so I bought this. The only sqawk is no owner's manual or tool kit. What really worries me is that I held it upright and the oil level is above the full mark and the sight glass seems to be full of oil and I am afraid to run it. The owner's husband (also Harley rider) seems to know bikes and he said he changed the oil and filter. Should I drain some oil out into a clean container and then add back? Or go to the dealer and pay for an oil change and have a good reference mark? Thanks and appreciation for any and all advice. I have read a lot about the GZ250 and would really hate to do harm to this one. They seem to be very well liked by their owners.
Is that the drain plug centered on bottom of engine?
Thanks
Johnd

[Moedad]

Welcome, johnd. When the bike is on its kickstand, do you see any bubble at all in the top of the sight glass? I'm inclined to say drain out some oil. The drain plug is at the bottom of the engine, but there's another bolt down therethat sometimes is mistaken for the drain plug. You can download the service manual from this website and learn more there. Check the link.

http://www.gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=2158

[Easy Rider]

Hi to all,
I am new to the forum and this is first post, I bought my 2000 GZ over the weekend

The only sqawk is no owner's manual or tool kit.

What really worries me is that I held it upright and the oil level is above the full mark and the sight glass seems to be full of oil and I am afraid to run it.

Is that the drain plug centered on bottom of engine?


Welcome. Good choice of bikes.....for a second time "beginner". :)

You should be able to get both manual and tool kit from a dealer; whether or not the tool kit is worth the money is open to debate.

If the oil is only slightly about the window, there will be no problem. It is possible that you are tending to lean it a little when checking. Absent a long inspection mirror, it is best done with TWO people; one on the bike and the other checking the window. If you have to lean it much to see the actual oil level, then you probably should drain some (or as you said, all and then don't put it all back).

Yes, the drain plug is on the bottom, in the middle of a round plate that is held on by 3 smaller bolts.

[johnd]

Thanks. I will get a pan and go drain some oil. I am anxious to ride but afraid of too much oil. I don't suppose Jazzy has some type of relief or over full valve for guys like us who think in quarts.
Johnd

[johnd]

Folks my fat and 65 year old body protests and I cannot get low enough to see the oil drain plug. I don't see how a wrench will ever fit and I tried a 17mm socket but was afraid of rounding the bolt head. Will someone please give the size socket needed? Does anyone know if the Harbor Freight Tools m/c stand will work with the GZ? It is so low I don't know... If this guy put two quarts in it, I am terribly afraid of even cranking it up. It was run briefly across the lawn to load in my truck.
Thanks,
Johnd

[Easy Rider]

I don't see how a wrench will ever fit and I tried a 17mm socket but was afraid of rounding the bolt head. Will someone please give the size socket needed? Does anyone know if the Harbor Freight Tools m/c stand will work with the GZ?

John, new friend......DID you actually try to determine, by tipping the bike, how much too much is actually IN there ?? It appears that you only heard PART of what we said.

No, a "standard" motorcycle/ATV jack won't work without some modifications. I found a scissor jack more helpful than my bike/ATV jack.......but not for oil changing.

You WILL need a 6-point socket that is NOT tappered (or with the taper ground off) because of the thin head on the bolt. I forget what size; someone else will surely know.....or you can check the online manuals available here.

About the only practical way I found to do it, until you get the bolt a little loose anyway, was to LAY DOWN beside the bike while it is on the side stand. (I'm not far behind you at 62 and it was somewhat of a problem).

This might be a good time to establish a relationship with the nearest Suzuki dealer. A few ounces of extra oil will ***NOT*** do any harm to the bike if it is not rev'ed up high or ridden hard for a long distance. Maybe you should just let the dealer check it and adjust as necessary. They probably have a "turkey baster" to suck a bit of oil out (if necessary) without taking anything apart.......and probably would do that for free.

[Edit] After-thought: Maybe you can get an "oil sucker" from an auto parts store for a couple of bucks and solve it that way.

Good luck however you decide to go.

[johnd]

Thanks Easy Rider.
I actually DID read what you said. Very carefully. I can read a sightglass and as I said there is no daylight at the top of the sightglass gauge when the machine is vertical, nor when it is leaned far over to the left as I can lean it standing on the right side. I ran the front tire up two loading ramps (one atop the other) for four inches of height then leaned the bike way over on it's stand and the oil level in the glass was approximately halfway between the full and low marks, favoring the low. I let it back down and will find a dealer to check or change it as I am now dead in the water, or so it seems. It is not a very exciting way of getting started again into riding. One thing I now do recall after the Hondas CX500, and the Goldwing GL1000 and the BMW R 60/5, is that you really come to love shaft drives and center stands.

Thanks for your help and I appreciate it.
Johnd

[Easy Rider]

.....there is no daylight at the top of the sightglass gauge when the machine is vertical, nor when it is leaned far over to the left as I can lean it standing on the right side.

Ah, the REST of the story !!!

If you can't see daylight in the sight glass when it's on the side stand, then you DO have a problem. Be sure to thank the previous owner, won't you?? :twisted:

Do consider checking the auto parts places for a "sucker" with a tube on the end so you can take some out yourself; shouldn't be more than $5, I would think. The ones I remember were designed for putting water into batteries; glass tube with a hose on one end and a rubber bulb on the other.

If the oil is as high as I think it is from your description, I don't think you should ride it at all.

[Water Warrior 2]

Sounds like the H-D rider who changed the oil was thinking H-D quantities. From your description of things the bike is well over filled and should not be ridden. I would suggest draining out some oil soonest. It is possible to loosen the drain plug by laying on the floor on the right side of the bike. Ask me how I know. And I am 64.

[mrlmd1]

Seems much easier to insert a clean tube down into the oil fill and suck it out with a syringe or a baster-type thing (with a rubber bulb like used in the kitchen or an ear syringe), than to get under the bike and loosen the plug and spill oil all over the place. Why don't you try that first?

The manuals are on this site, as is a discussion of a recommended tool kit for the GZ.

Welcome and good luck with the bike.
As you will find out, the bike will last forever if the owners don't screw it up.

[johnd]

To Water Warrior and others,
Thanks for the suggestions. I took a drinking straw and probed the fill hole and the straw will go only about six inches or so then hits obstructions so I can probable rule out the baster/suction attempts. Since you have done this by laying on the right side of your bike can you please furnish the proper socket size for the drain plug? I promise myself I am back on the diet today.
The HD guy who obviously overfilled it was real nice and this was his wife's first bike. She bought big HD too and this is how I got the GZ. Perhaps he took too good care of servicing it for her. But they are nice folks and I am happy for anyone to get the ride they want. I am scared to riide the bike as is, insured, plated, and all, so I have been just looking at it and waxing it.
Thanks,
Johnd

[Moedad]

...the straw will go only about six inches or so then hits obstructions so I can probable rule out the baster/suction attempts.

So was there no oil on the straw when you pulled it out, sort of like how the oil level on a dip stick in a car would look?

[bonehead]

Try taking the generator cover off. When I did my valve adj. it was leaned on the stand and a little oil came out. If you unscrew the cover maybe all of the excess will come out. Gen cover is on the lt side with the big flat head slot.

[mrlmd1]

The straw is rigid and may not go around a bend or obstacle in there, You could try a length of softer vinyl tubing, like from a fishtank or similar to see if it will get down to the oil.
Like Moedad asked - was the straw wet with oil? Are you sure there's any in there if you can't see any level or bubble on top?

[Water Warrior 2]

Here is a "real messy" way to remove some oil. Never had to do it but it will give you a reason for more cleaning and polishing. Disconnect the spark plug, remove the oil filter cover and oil filter. Now push the starter button with the key turned on. This might pump enough oil out in a short time. The down side is the mess unless you can think of some way to capture the oil. I say this partly in jest and partly in seriousness. If I remember correctly the oil enters the area filter from the center hole in the casing and it might be possible to use a straw or the like to direct the oil into a container. A lot of IFs but maybe it will bring forth more ideas.

[alanmcorcoran]

Not sure if this is going to be any help to you at all, but i am pretty sure i overfilled my oil (all by myself!) and, although the bike continued to run, and I can't be 100% sure of cause and effect, I strongly believe this contributed to an eventual hosing of the carburetion system leading to rough idling, stalling and a significant drop in gas mileage. I am not a mechanic though and the two events could be unrelated. Ultimately, after three trips to the Suzuki dealer, they were able to clean up the problems and got everything back to normal.

I don't think it's that big a deal to just drain the oil and redo it. Except for maybe, the "no over filling" it part. I don't remember what the size was on the drain plug but I believe it was metric and I had a wrench that was an exact fit. There were some obstructions under there (maybe the frame?) and I think I ended up using a short socket or perhaps a crescent. There are two "heads" under there that are close together and the same size - make sure you go after the one that is the oil drain.

[Water Warrior 2]

A socket, a short extension and a 3/8th inch ratchet should do the trick. Seems to me those where the tools needed on Lynda's GZ. The short extension will keep your knuckles away from the frame etc.

[alantf]

I don't remember what the size was on the drain plug but I believe it was metric

ALL nuts/bolts on a Suzuki are metric! :cool:

[alantf]

a 3/8th inch ratchet should do the trick

Strange :cry: Like I said above :- On a Suzuki, all nuts/bolts are METRIC. :whistle:

[bonehead]

I'm sure he was talking about a 3/8 inch drive ratchet.

[johnd]

Hi Forum and thanks to all for the tips and suggestions about the worrisome oil level in my new bike. I finally got my first ride on my new/old GZ yesterday, a 17.7 mile ride. This is really weird. The other day while trying to get to the oil drain plug to drain the excess oil, I kicked an oil pan I had placed under the bike and spilled oil onto the floor. It was old lawnmower oil. The spill was right under the bike. I moved the pan and got the bag of Sta-Dry and sprinkled it all over the spill and swept it around and went away. Yesterday when I went to finish cleaning the bike was in the way over the spill to I rolled the bike outside. Later, walking by, I noticed the cursed sightglass shined like a dime and thought what is this, sunlight hitting it? I went over to look and it was daylight almost to the low mark. I pulled it straight up and the oil went to the full mark. I did this about three times and each time it was right on the mark. I thought perhaps it's a miracle, but whatever, I am going to take a ride. I went up and down the street a few times and you get really rusty after 16 - 17 years. My feet kept missing the forward pegs, but I got it and took off to my friends house to show off the bike. It did great. When I got back home and parked I of course looked at the sightglass and again it was plum full even with the bike on the sidestand. I give up. I am going to the dealer for an oil change for the peace of mind and to know it has m/c oil in it. I can see now why this little bike is so well liked. My first interest was a Buel Blast that a coworker's daughter decided to sell when she returned to school. I was always interested in the Velocette 500 but never saw one. The Blast has a good following too. But the guy would never get back to me. Maybe he did me a favor. Especially where the money is concerned as I think I got a great buy on this bike.
Thanks again to all and I look forward to enjoying my nice litter bike.
Johnd

[johnd]

I mean little, not litter.
Johnd

[Easy Rider]

I mean little, not litter.
Johnd

Now THAT's a Freudian slip if I ever heard one!! :poke2:

:crackup

For future reference, the bike must be level in all directions when checking the oil.
Not only must it be upright but it must be level front to back too.
I'm guessing that one of the two places you checked it was not level front to back.

Being a newbie and all, it's not likely you will ride it hard enough to hurt anything with excess oil but your idea of having the dealer change it is good. Be sure to check the site glass before you leave the shop !!!

PS....You can edit your own posts after you submit them to correct mistakes, etc. :tup:

[kaput]

Hi,
17mm is the correct socket. just let a little out. the straw thing is silly.
-=kaput=-