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When to Change Your Dirt Bike Oil
Of course, you already know that you need to change your motorcycle engine oil regularly. Engine oil loses effectiveness over time. If left too long, it eventually becomes a filthy black sludge full of contaminants and metal particles.
If you don’t change your oil regularly, it won’t be able to lubricate the engine effectively and will lead to premature engine damage.
When should you change your oil?
For dirt bikes, some manufacturers recommend changing your oil between 5-15 hours of riding, depending on the bike, but you should inspect it before every ride.
Many riders stick to a schedule: changing oil every other ride. Some riders do it after each ride. It mostly depends on three factors: your dirt bike engine type, the engine oil you use, and your riding frequency and duration.
Dirt bike engine
2-Stroke
For 2-stroke bikes, there is the two-stroke oil and the gearbox oil. The 2-stroke oil will either be premixed and added directly to your fuel, or added into a separate oil tank. If your 2-stroke has a reservoir for the 2-stroke oil, then you only need to top it up.
The oil you need to inspect and change regularly is your gearbox oil, also known as transmission oil. The rule of thumb amongst riders is to change it every 5 hours of riding. But some riders do it more frequently, say every 3 hours. You can stretch it and delay the oil change, but it will cause more wear and tear on your transmission.
4-Stroke
Oil consumption for 4-strokes is different. It doesn’t get burned alongside your fuel. It runs through the engine continuously, picking up many foreign particles along the way.
Again, many manufacturers recommend changing between 5-15 hours (depending on the model) but you don’t have to wait for 15 hours. Inspect it often and if it’s black and grimy or there are metal particles in there, it’s time for an oil change.
Type of oil
Either you’re using mineral-based oil, semi-synthetic engine oil, or fully synthetic engine oil. Synthetic oil is more expensive up front, but it requires less frequent changes. So it might be better in the long run.
Riding
How often you use your bike and how long you ride for affect how frequently you need to change your oil. For example, if you go for a 2-day adventure ride you could clock up 10 or more hours, therefore you would change the oil after one weekend. If you ride around 15 minutes per weekend following the kids around the paddock, it may be months between changes.
Signs that indicate an oil change
Black, gritty oil
If there is dirt and debris in the oil, they’re probably sitting at the bottom. To accurately inspect the oil, let the engine run first.
- Start the dirt bike and let it idle for 2-3 minutes.
- Then, turn it off to cool down for another 3 minutes, standing upright.
- Remove the dipstick and check the oil.
- For a better look, take some oil and rub it between your thumb and forefinger. Feel for frit and look closely
- If it’s black and gritty, it’s definitely time for an oil change.
Engine noises
If you hear metallic noises coming from within your engine, obviously there is trouble brewing. Either you’re low on oil or the oil isn’t effective enough anymore, both of which can cause major issues.
Warning lights
Some dirt bikes have warning lights. If you see it, check your engine oil right away.
Frequent low oil level
Do you find yourself always having to refill your oil? Much more often than you used to? It could be due to an oil leak, or other issues such as worn oil rings or valve stem seals.
Why change your oil regularly?
Think of oil change as insurance. Oil is cheap. A whole engine rebuild is expensive. Unfortunately, if you keep delaying an oil change, it may lead to a big bang.
Plus, new oil will allow the engine to run at its optimum, therefore improving overall performance.
It also prevents friction between the different metal parts, protecting them from damage.
So, have you checked if your dirt bike needs an oil change? If yes, you might find our how-to article helpful: How to change the oil on your dirt bike.
