Late Starter Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hi guys, me again. I've been looking through my user manual and have decided that I should have a go at changing the oil - mainly because I can't see if it has any in! The little viewing window is very dark or black and I can't tell if its below the window, or above it - but certainly it isn't between the two marks as I see no line across the window. My book says to use SAE 20w40 SE motor oil, or SAE 10w30 SE motor oil. Which should I use, and should it specifically say that its for motorcycles? Also, it says that the oil drin plug O-ring may need replacing - any idea where I can get one of these? Will it be rubber or cork (or maybe something else)? I don't want to go ahead and drain the oil without a new seal incase the old one is knackered. Cheers guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neversaydie Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi guys, me again. I've been looking through my user manual and have decided that I should have a go at changing the oil - mainly because I can't see if it has any in! The little viewing window is very dark or black and I can't tell if its below the window, or above it - but certainly it isn't between the two marks as I see no line across the window. My book says to use SAE 20w40 SE motor oil, or SAE 10w30 SE motor oil. Which should I use, and should it specifically say that its for motorcycles? Also, it says that the oil drin plug O-ring may need replacing - any idea where I can get one of these? Will it be rubber or cork (or maybe something else)? I don't want to go ahead and drain the oil without a new seal incase the old one is knackered. Cheers guys Im not familiar with the bike, but generally the difference for the oils is that one is recommended for air temperatures of consistenetly above 15 degrees C, for example, and the other is for temperatures consistenly below that mark. It should give some indication of that in the owners manual. Not sure if the bike has a wet clutch or not, ie runs in the oil, so you must have the right type, or you may have clutch problems Id be inclined to go to your nearest reputable parts supplier and tell him you want engine oil, drain plug o ring, and oil filter for the bike, tell him bike type and year. Establish a good relationship, these people have years of knowledge to draw on. Get the engine hot before you drain, make sure the bike is level when draining and when you refill, and dont overfill. Go for a short run, then check for leaks, level the bike again and check the level, top up as reqd, but dont overfill, but dont overfill, but dont overfill. By the way, dont overfill Good luck, and shout up if you hit snags Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KirriePete Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I've put Hellfraud's own brand Motorcycle semi-synth 10W/40 in every bike for the last ..... blimey, that long? Never a problem. Car oils are mostly a no-no thanks to friction modifiers and their effect on bike wet clutches (won't go into the weirdoes who use diesel oils just now ...). As for the seal - it's a copper or ally crush washer, don't know the exact size, but any motor factors, even Hellfrauds, should have 'em in stock. Having said that, I've reused the existing one many a time and never yet had a drip, so ..... HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nayruf Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi guys, me again. I've been looking through my user manual and have decided that I should have a go at changing the oil - mainly because I can't see if it has any in! The little viewing window is very dark or black and I can't tell if its below the window, or above it - but certainly it isn't between the two marks as I see no line across the window. My book says to use SAE 20w40 SE motor oil, or SAE 10w30 SE motor oil. Which should I use, and should it specifically say that its for motorcycles? Also, it says that the oil drin plug O-ring may need replacing - any idea where I can get one of these? Will it be rubber or cork (or maybe something else)? I don't want to go ahead and drain the oil without a new seal incase the old one is knackered. Cheers guys Hi kirriePete and Neversaydie are both right, do not use motor oil that is for motorcars as the friction modifiers in the oil can cause problems for the bikes wet clutch. Halfords do sell suitable motorcycle engine oils and oil filters, they did for my Diversion 900 As for the sump plug seal I would try to re-use the old one, but I would make a note of its size and the material it was made from, then if the worst comes to the worst and it leaks then it should only drip slightly till you can get a replacement, you can then go and buy a new one, You will also then know what size and material to get. If the sump plug seal is an 'O ring' then be sure to get a replacement that is made from a material that will be able to withstand engine oils, such as Perfluorocarbon,Fluorocarbon or Nitrile, Normal rubber and Elastomers such as Ethylenepropylene are not suitable. (I used to work with O rings and O ring materials), Alternatively any Yamaha shop will know the part number for the sump plug seal so you could get them to order one and wait till it comes to do the oil change. To replace the sump plug seal after you have changed the oil you can drain the oil into a clean container the oil should be ok to put it back into the bike providing it stays clean. In the past I have re-used copper crush washers, all I have done is heated the washer under a flame to re-anneal the metal. The best way of learning is to have a go, When you refit the sump plug screw it in as far as you can by hand do not use a wrench/spanner until you are sure that the plug is not ‘cross threaded’, I live near to Stamford so if you get really stuck I don’t mind having a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Starter Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Thanks for the replies guys. Someone at work says there is a Yamaha dealer in Melton Mowbray so I will call them and ask them to get me a new crush washer and oil for the bike and then collect when they have it in. I managed to see how much oil is in the bike by tipping the bike right over - turns out it is over filled I've been riding it like that, will it have done any damage do you think? I live near to Stamford so if you get really stuck I don’t mind having a look. Nice to know there is someone local, where abouts are you? - do you know a lot about bikes? Don't suppose you would mind meeting with me at some point to show me some basic stuff like adjusting the chain, cleaning/changing air filter, etc? The chain is the main one i'm nervous about trying as I don't want my wheel out of line! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nayruf Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Thanks for the replies guys. Someone at work says there is a Yamaha dealer in Melton Mowbray so I will call them and ask them to get me a new crush washer and oil for the bike and then collect when they have it in. I managed to see how much oil is in the bike by tipping the bike right over - turns out it is over filled I've been riding it like that, will it have done any damage do you think? Nice to know there is someone local, where abouts are you? - do you know a lot about bikes? Don't suppose you would mind meeting with me at some point to show me some basic stuff like adjusting the chain, cleaning/changing air filter, etc? The chain is the main one i'm nervous about trying as I don't want my wheel out of line! Hi the Yam dealer in MMowbray is Len Manchesters Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nayruf Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Thanks for the replies guys. Someone at work says there is a Yamaha dealer in Melton Mowbray so I will call them and ask them to get me a new crush washer and oil for the bike and then collect when they have it in. I managed to see how much oil is in the bike by tipping the bike right over - turns out it is over filled I've been riding it like that, will it have done any damage do you think? Nice to know there is someone local, where abouts are you? - do you know a lot about bikes? Don't suppose you would mind meeting with me at some point to show me some basic stuff like adjusting the chain, cleaning/changing air filter, etc? The chain is the main one i'm nervous about trying as I don't want my wheel out of line! Hi the Yam dealer in MMowbray is Len Manchesters, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neversaydie Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Thanks for the replies guys. Someone at work says there is a Yamaha dealer in Melton Mowbray so I will call them and ask them to get me a new crush washer and oil for the bike and then collect when they have it in. I managed to see how much oil is in the bike by tipping the bike right over - turns out it is over filled I've been riding it like that, will it have done any damage do you think? Nice to know there is someone local, where abouts are you? - do you know a lot about bikes? Don't suppose you would mind meeting with me at some point to show me some basic stuff like adjusting the chain, cleaning/changing air filter, etc? The chain is the main one i'm nervous about trying as I don't want my wheel out of line! No, the bike has to be level when checking oil level and yes, overfilling can cause damage to the engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qtws Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 Oil drain plug on SR125 is on left side of crankcase, it has a rubber o ring which (IMO) doesn't need replacing, rather than the traditional copper crush washer. Bike on side stand will drain better than on main stand. Get a haynes - (a little) money well spent, and doesn't mention replacement of that o ring at oil change. These bikes are relatively simple, but having the manual is a help, esp when it comes to finding the cause of some strange fault. The SR has to be totally upright before oil level in the sight glass can be read - luckily, its not a heavy bike! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos B Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 Hi, posting this reply in 2016 as this post still comes up when you Google 'how to check oil window on SR125' and I thought my recent experience with my 1989 bike might help someone looking now. OK, my oil window was dark and useless at any angle and with or without oil in the bike. Eventually took the side cover off (note: don't need to drain oil first, footpeg needs to come off, 10 cover screws not all the same length, if stuck you can get small moles sideways on them *very carefully* to start them off, if the cover sticks on there's a small leverage point bottom left, look out for two tubular spacers, one on each side, don't lose them into the gearbox as the cover comes off.) Turned out the oil window has a little metal 'cage' on the inside with a shiny silvery disc facing the window. This gives a bright contrast against the oil when you look in, except this one was brown and dark with oil deposits so it didn't work! Cleaned it with kitchen roll and WD40 on a piece of wire. You will need a new gasket before you start! Of course the old paper gasket tore as the cover came off, and being off grid had to cut a new one from gasket paper. Silicone gasket seal probably won't work as the gasket partially covers certain voids and shapes inside the clutch area, with specific cutouts in it for oil movement. Remember to tighten the new gasket down slowly and carefully, going from one screw to the one opposite on the cover, criss crossing and gradually tightening evenly. Oil will gradually seep into the gasket as you ride and swell it up and make a better seal. Check screw tightness again after riding for a bit. Last thing, I'd put 1litre of oil in when I previously changed it, as per spec and the capacity stamped onto the casing; with the newly clean oil window and the bike LEVEL I could see it was over-filled. Drained out the oil and put in 600ml fresh and it came to just under the max line on the window. Ran the engine, turned it off and waited for the oil to drain back down, came to halfway. Topped up a little and I check it cold before I ride out. Hope this helps anyone like me finding this post years after the original question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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