Oil Change and Shifting Gears Issue for GZ250

[nkommineni]

Hi,

I own 2003 Suzuki GZ250 from last 2 months. I drove around 1500 miles on that. I make oil changes to my car regularly, but when it comes to motorcycle oil change I never did it. The oil looks dirty, so I thought to change oil & filter. I went to Advance Auto Parts store to look for oil filter & oil. The closest I found was for “250CC-GS250 (1980-1981)” of Fram filter CH6000 and oil is 10W40.

Can anyone tell me is that Fram CH6000 oil filter is any good for GZ250? And what about 10W40 oil, the manual says use 10W40, any suggestions on that ? Please let me know is there any online website , that you can order oil filters and what that filter model is ? (I live 60 miles north to Atlanta, GA. Any stores around this area? )


Another question is , some times when I shift gears, I feels like it got stuck and I have to slam the gears, does anyone got that problem ?

Is 10W40 oil has impact on how gear system works ? Is there any better oil ?

[Water Warrior 2]

Welcome to the "How To" section. Where to start ?? Hmm, first, oil is the life blood of your bike. 10-40 is recommended but other oil weights can be substituted for various riding conditions. Check your owners manual to be sure. Never, never use an ENERGY CONSERVING oil. These oils have additives that will do harm to the clutch eventually. Nor do you want to add an oil additive, same result, dead clutch. Any oil that is 10-30, 5-20, 5-30 etc will be an energy conserving oil for a car. You can use car oil that is not energy conserving, many riders do. Presently using car oil in two bikes with no problems. The actual additive package differs a little from car and bike oil but not something to worry about.
We use Amsoil Synthetic 10-40 in both bikes with great results. Oh yes, it isn't cheap but you don't need a lot of it either. Will be trying out Amsoil 20-50 M/C oil in the future just to see if there might be a significant difference.
Poor shifting, change the oil. Motorcycle transmissions love clean, fresh quality oil. The oil will break down with use and shifting can be a real pain. The 250 has a sweet tranny and should not hang up if everything is adjusted right and the oil is clean. Over the years the only transmissions I had or saw hang up were using a cheaper oil or a lighter oil than specified.
As for a filter, most filters will do the job of stopping the junk circulating in the oil. Fram has a bad reputation for some reason but I used them for years on cars/trucks with good results and no breakdowns. All filters probably meet a minimum specification set by the manufacturers of our bikes.
So just do the oil and filter change and ride it. The bike will probably shift smoother and make you smile. Other riders will wade in with their choices of oil too. That is a good thing too. More info to work with. Ride safe.

[Dupo]

One tip, dont buy CAR oil. Buy oil made for motorcycles! Car oil will break down much faster than motorcycle oil. You CAN use car oil, but expect to change oil more frequently.

Filter, not sure which one the gz needs anymore. But, you can get one at the local suzuki dealer or if you have a Cycle Gear near you.

[jonathan180iq]

I use the suzuki oil filter $6-8 and any proper weigh motorcycle oil. DUPO is right. Car oil breaks down faster but it's not too bad. I mean, if you change your oil regularly and don't ride too hard, car oil will work fine. Just, as everyone else has said, stay away from the additive stuff.

[Badbob]

The specification in the GZ250 owners manual is for an automotive oil.

Some interesting reading.

The surprising truth about motor oils - Does using the most expensive oil do a better job than the least expensive oil?
http://www.xs11.com/stories/croil96.shtml

Motorcycle Oils vs. Automotive Oils
http://www.xs11.com/stories/mcnoil94.shtml

[nkommineni]

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies. I went to local Suzuki dealer, and i found Amsoil Synthetic 10-40. As for the filter, they are out of K& N 136 filters(http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=KN-136). Probably i will be getting them next week.


Thanks.

[Sarris]

Brother, the only thing that makes any difference is the API (American Petroleum Institute) specifications for the motor oil. Really, modern motor oil is oil, is oil, is oil. IF, by some chance you want to go 7500 miles on your oil, there are oils rated for that. BUT, being that Suzuki recommends 3000 mi oil change intervals, why would you use anything more than the MANUFACTURER recommends? Synthetic is a waste of money unless you want 7500 mile oil changes. At 3000 mile intervals it's a "motorcycle" rated 20w/50w for me here in centeral Florida. I always try to use Suzuki 's filter.

Sorry, I don't buy the hype.

[Badbob]

Synthetic is a waste of money unless you want 7500 mile oil changes.

Changing to synthetics in my GZ250 produced dramatic results. Shifting was much easier immediately and improved steadily for several hundred miles. This bike had always been stiff. Several other GZ250 owners have had similar experiences. If I'm on a trip I'm not concerned about oil changes. Riders riding to Hooters once a week for bike night might not be concerned with this.

Hype? There is lots of it. Quite a bit of this comes from riders who don't read the manuals or do their research. I'm concerned with performance and convenience. The bike works better with synthetics and I get the to change the oil when I'm ready to change the oil. The shifting alone is enough reason for me/ I have used synthetics for many years in my vehicles. In spite of the hype there are many valid reasons to use them.

I started using Mobile 1 when I lived in North Dakota and needed to start my car when it was -40F. After one winter I was hooked. My car would start better than cars equipped with 1200 watt tank heaters.

[Sarris]

Bob, you can waste your money any way you want, but the truth is, that the manufacturer of your bike says 20w/50w every 3,000 miles. Do you purport to know more then Suzuki? You may have experierenced some value due to your extreme climate conditions, but doesn't Suzuki have a extreme climate recommendation? Again, it' not synthetic.

I just feel like I'm geting a bad deal changing 10,000 mile oil thats 4 times the price of normal oil every 3,000 miles. And brother, I DO ALOT of oil changes. I've put 15,000 miles on my 06' HD Street Glide in 9 months, & 6,000 on my '06 HD Sportster in the last 6 months. I have just 8,000 on my '05 GZ since it's purchase new in Aug '05.

I respect your opinion, but it does not make synthetic oil use right for me, nor is it recommended by Suzuki. The dealer wants your money & would sell you dog shit in a can if you'd buy it. As I said, I don't buy the hype.

Let me give you the HD experience. The Owners & Service Manuals says 20w/50w deisel rated oil & filter every 5,000 miles. The dealer says synthetic every 2500 miles. The greedy bastards want to do it twice as often as recommended, at 4 times the price of regular oil. On top of that they over emphasize any actual benefit you may get, so why bother?

Just my opinion, no hard feelings. :)

[caroledee1]

Take a look at the oil filler cap on your gz250. 10W40. I run synthetic in my vehicles. My 96 Ford Ranger with 280,000 and my 00 gz250 with 7600 miles. Premium synthetic reduces friction which results in cooler operating temperatures. The gz250 being an air-cooled engine benefits from this. Extended change intervals. The additives that reduce engine corrosion and wear. I don't put it on my cereal in the morning but I sure use in my vehicles! :2tup:

[birdmove]

I had a 2001 Kawasaki KLR250 that I rode for over 10,000 miles. It always had a problem shifting. If I didn't make the 1st to 2nd shift very slowly and deliberateley, it would miss the shift and go into nneutral. I switched to a synthetic oil,Mobile One 10W-40 "red cap" (no longer made) and never had the problem again.

jon

[Easy Rider]

I switched to a synthetic oil,Mobile One 10W-40 "red cap" (no longer made) and never had the problem again.

jon

But they do still make 10W40 cycle specific synthetic.
Hard to find. I've got some on order now.

Sarris:
We are both comfortable in what each of us is doing. This is good.
It does not, however, change the fact that synthetic is better oil.
It is not "hype". Some are willing to pay extra for the extra "features" and some are not.
Neither is wrong; just different.
:tup:

[Badbob]

[quote="But they do still make 10W40 cycle specific synthetic. Hard to find. I've got some on order now.[/quote]

They sell it in Auto Zone here. I suspect it is its the same oil as the old red cap oil. Same oil, different bottle, motorcycle on the lable, and double the price. I have no evidence of just my suspicious nature.

[Badbob]

Just my opinion, no hard feelings. :)

Why would there be? You can run used vegetable oil from the French fry cooker at McDonalds in your bike. If you do this I'd be real interested in the results.

Before you ask, this has been done. It was an attempt to destroy and old Honda that they eventually tossed off the top of a building when it would not die. Al bent up with flat tires and bent wheels it still worked well enough that they were able to ride it for a short distance.

A GZ250 only holds 1.3L of oil. If synthetic cost twice as much thats only what $2 more. Its much smoother and shifts way better than with any dino oil I tried. With all the additional benefits I call it a bargain.

[Water Warrior 2]

Badbob, now you have done it. Mentioning prices to a rider in the GWN is the same as saying bend over and smile. The price of oil here is a bit nuts. Amsoil M/C oil is $12 before taxes and then there are filters to consider. The word outragious comes to mind when comparing our prices to U.S. prices. That being said, I still opt to spend the extra $$$ on oil as I feel it is a great insurance policy for a long life engine and transmission. With what we invest in our bikes at purchase it makes sense to invest a little more at oil change time. The 250 costs 0.7 % of it 's initial cost to do a oil change and filter. The VStrom costs about 0.3 % of it's total cost. Looking at it this way it is pretty darn cheap to me.

[Easy Rider]

They sell it in Auto Zone here. I suspect it is its the same oil as the old red cap oil. Same oil, different bottle, motorcycle on the lable, and double the price.

Now you tell me! :cry:

I'll keep that in mind when the 6 qts. I'm getting runs out in about 3 years!

Double the price of the red-cap syn. cage oil? Surely not.......really?
Guess I'll find out in a couple of days.

Thanks.

[Gadzooks Mike]

I changed my oil about 500 miles ago and put in the normal 10-40 that I get from Suzuki. But after reading a lot of stuff here, and having a rather boring Saturday afternoon waiting for the baseball game to start, I rode down to the store and bought a couple quarters of Mobile-1 synthetic motorcycle oil. All I can say is that if you don't believe it shifts easier - and I mean EASIER - you should try it yourself. And this was from fairly new oil (500 miles or so) to synthetic. The normal clunk felt and heard while shifting is gone completely. I can't help but think this is much easier on the bike.

[Easy Rider]

All I can say is that if you don't believe it shifts easier - and I mean EASIER - you should try it yourself. And this was from fairly new oil (500 miles or so) to synthetic. The normal clunk felt and heard while shifting is gone completely. I can't help but think this is much easier on the bike.

It IS better oil for several reasons. Even at $8.80 a quart, worth every penny in my book.
Got mine yesterday. Maybe I'll get it changed today.
Have you put on a 16T front sprocket yet? If not, you REALLY should.........unless most of your riding is done with more than a 300 pound load! :cry:

[Gadzooks Mike]

Yup, went 16T about a month ago - WONDERFUL!! It rides like it should now!

[birdmove]

So you went from a 15 to a 16? Didi it improve your gas mileage?

Thanks, Jon

[Gadzooks Mike]

A little bit, but I generally run it around town anyway, and now I end up running in a lower gear. I used to average around 60 or a bit better, now I get a consistant 65mpg. I'll let you know how the 2000 mile road trip turns out.

[Easy Rider]

So you went from a 15 to a 16? Didi it improve your gas mileage?


I don't think it's going to improve mine much if any 'cause I'm going to end up cruizing around town in 4th instead of 5th.

This is kind of like looking at pictures of the Grand Canyon. You don't really understand the feeling unless you have been there. The difference with the 16T front sprocket is almost like the difference between a Moped and a real bike. Honestly.

I can now complete a sweeping turn from a standing start without having to shift in the middle of the turn.

I can cruise comfortably about 65 without excessive engine noise; before, I thought it started straining about 55. (It doesn't really, it just felt like it).

It seems to run smoother, although I really doubt it. Stock, getting on it seemed to procuce a pronounced thumping (thus the nick-name)......now it doesn't seem to do that as much.

Overall MUCH more pleasant to ride. No down-side that I can see.
And you can always go back to the stock sprocket if you want.

[Gadzooks Mike]

Thanks, Easy Rider. I've been trying to put exactly what you said into words and have completely and utterly failed. You hit it on the head - it just feels smoother. Very difficult to explain, but anyone who's gone to a 16T knows what I mean.

[Badbob]

I changed my oil about 500 miles ago and put in the normal 10-40 that I get from Suzuki. But after reading a lot of stuff here, and having a rather boring Saturday afternoon waiting for the baseball game to start, I rode down to the store and bought a couple quarters of Mobile-1 synthetic motorcycle oil. All I can say is that if you don't believe it shifts easier - and I mean EASIER - you should try it yourself. And this was from fairly new oil (500 miles or so) to synthetic. The normal clunk felt and heard while shifting is gone completely. I can't help but think this is much easier on the bike.


Cool! Now your a believer. I first heard this from some one who didn't like the idea of using synthetics until he got talked into trying it. The difference is truly amazing. My GZ250 shifted so hard that it would make my foot sore. The Mobile1 took care of that immediately.

[CANDY]

I JUST DID MY FIRST 600 MILE OIL CHANGE. I USED 20W-50, NOTICED SMOOTHER SHIFTING,BUT I HAD THE BREAK-IN OIL IN IT BEFORE. IS THIS OIL LIKE THE SYNTHETIC OR IS IT JUST BETTER THAN WHAT WAS IN IT ? I ALSO ONLY RUN 93 OCTANE IN IT. I NOW HAVE 1200 MILES ON IT. I'M GETTING 78 MPG SOFAR, IS THAT ABOUT NORMAL?

[Gadzooks Mike]

I think you'll find that fresh oil shifts better than old oil, but when you try synthetic, it's better yet. As for your mileage, you're doing better than I am. Seems like a few folks get terrific mileage for whatever reason, and you fall into that group. Most of us average around 65mpg or so.

Hogzuki. I like that! Chuckle chuckle.

[Easy Rider]

I JUST DID MY FIRST 600 MILE OIL CHANGE. I USED 20W-50,

I ALSO ONLY RUN 93 OCTANE IN IT.

OK so, pray tell, why did you put in 20W50 when Suzuki recommends 10W40 ??

Putting in 93 octane gas does ABSOLUTELY nothing......except waste your money.

[Gadzooks Mike]

All I can find here in Alabama is 87, 89, and 91 octane. Lately I've been experimenting with 89 and find it does run a bit smoother, but I haven't run enough through to be positive about it yet. Where do you get 93?

As for the 20-50, it's been HOT down here lately - triple digits every day for a couple of weeks now. As long as she warms it up a bit before she takes off, 20-50 makes sense to me. The owner's manual says you can use 20-50 if the temp isn't below 14F. She should be fine.

[Easy Rider]

Where do you get 93?

The owner's manual says you can use 20-50 if the temp isn't below 14F. She should be fine.

Octane: Yea, what he said.

Oil: I didn't say it wouldn't be OK; was just asking! :roll:

[CANDY]

i get 93 at the entek stations in this area. my husband suggested the 20-50, that's what he puts in our drag car. he said it would work better in this heat, but we are going to try the synthetic on my next oil change.

[Easy Rider]

i get 93 at the entek stations in this area. my husband suggested the 20-50, that's what he puts in our drag car. he said it would work better in this heat, but we are going to try the synthetic on my next oil change.

Sound reasoning; good for you (and him).

Except, of course, for the total waste on the Premium gas. :roll:

[Stretch]

I had noticed that my shifting was louder and rougher than normal and, upon inspection, I found that the oil was low. I did add a touch of 10W40 and some Marvel Mystery Oil to the crankcase. When you folks said not to use ANY additives to avoid clutch destruction, please tell me you didn't include venerable MMO in that warning? Since I normally buy old iron to drive around in, I am addicted to that additive.

I am paranoid, but I wanted to at least get 3000 miles on the oil before changing it. So, am I killing my clutch? It is much quieter and smoother (of course being topped off with oil helps) now than it was when I first got the bike 1000 miles ago and it had been serviced and refilled with fresh (non-synthetic) oil just before I bought it.

Fingers are crossed.
-Bob

[caroledee1]

I searched the Amsoil website for Marvel Mystery Oil. Detergents and solvents: Many of the older, better-known oil treatments on the market do not make

claims nearly so lavish as the new upstarts. Old standbys like Bardahl, Rislone and Marvel Mystery Oil instead offer things like "quiet lifters", "reduced oil

burning" and a "cleaner engine". Most of these products are made up of solvents and detergents designed to dissolve sludge and carbon deposits inside

your engine so they can be flushed out. The problem is, unless you have some way of determining just how much is needed to remove your deposits

without going any further, such solvents can also strip away the boundary lubrication layer provided by your oil. Over-use of solvents is an easy trap to fall

into, and one which can promote harmful metal to metal contact within your engine. As a general rule of thumb these products had their place and were at

least moderately useful on older auto and motorcycle engines of the 50's and 60's but are basically unneeded on the more efficient engine designs of the past

two decades. I would not leave the additive in very long and drain the oil if you put a good amount of it in. I have used 10% Lucas Oil Stabilizer in mine.

[Easy Rider]

such solvents can also strip away the boundary lubrication layer provided by your oil. I would not leave the additive in very long and drain the oil if you put a good amount of it in.

What she said !! :tup:

I live on a farm and have all kinds of old engines around.......including a '76 GMC pickup that still runs like a top. I use MMO on occasion......but never in the crankcase. It does a good job freeing stuck rings and lubing the valves when put in the GAS. (or poured directly down the carb).

In addition to what Carol said, it tends to thin the oil, since it is about 5 weight or less. That is not a good thing to do this time of year! :oops:

Your clutch will be fine. Change it anyway. And don't do it again. :tup:

[Stretch]

Well I guess I will learn to change the oil in a motorcycle this weekend! Had to learn it sometime anyway!

Thanks for the advice and research!
-Bob :)

[jonathan180iq]

would you like a photo guide?

[Stretch]

Any and all help is appreciated. :)
-Bob

[jonathan180iq]

I'll take care of it once I get home.

[Stretch]

I will keep an eye out for it.
-Bob

[Gadzooks Mike]

Bob, Jonathan makes some terrific step by step instructions. Trust me, if he does it to his normal standards, you'll be able to follow it with both eyes tied behind your back. Or something like that.

[Stretch]

Obviously you have seen me in the shop. :lol:

Based on the info he has given in the past, I am sure he will make it simple.

-Bob

[jonathan180iq]

Sorry for the hold up man, rough day yesterday.

I've got nothing going on this afternoon, so I'll have it for you by 6:00 PM EST.

Sorry if you were waiting on me.

And thanks for the compliment, Mike.

[Stretch]

I am waiting for it, but I am not biting my nails. Take your time - I am buying the filter and oil this afternoon. I will have plenty of time this weekend no matter when you get it to me. Having an experienced friend virtually "over my shoulder" will make it a heck of a lot easier -- and I am all about easy :cool:

I just really appreciate the assist!
-Bob

[Gadzooks Mike]

Just speaking the truth, Jonathan. Of course, if you turn one out that's less than your normal.... heh heh (picture that handlebar mustache with a sort of Snidley Whiplash laugh...) Seriously, you're good at that, and the rest of us (well, at least ME) appreciate it.