[grayghost]

Hi Everyone,

Due to weather I have been doing more mods on my new 2007 T100 than riding it. I've only got 132kms on it and changed the oil and filter. I am an oil change fanatic, and have always held that it is a good idea to change the oil on a new motor around the 100km mark.

Taking it a step further I wanted proof positive this wasn't just a waste of money, so I just carefully cut the base off the oil filter (remember this is at 132km's!) and was blown away by the amount of metal in the pleated filtering medium.

I knew that all those new freshly machined surfaces needed to mate together and there would be metal particles but I had no idea there would be so much. Just imagine how contaminated the hot engine oil with suspended metal particles is. A very good idea to get it out of the engine early in the game.

For the other wrench heads out there I wanted to share this with you.

I will post a pic shortly of my mods as soon as the weather warms and I can pull my bike outside.

 

[keef]

Very interesting indeed - I'm glad I changed mine 100 miles
or so after fitting the 904 kit, as well as getting a magnetic drain plug.

 

[Bhakti-rider]

Keef:

Where did you get the magnetic drain plug?

 

[Loxpump]

An oil filter autopsy! I love it! We learn so much from a simple dissection.

 

[VR6]

When I dropped the sump off my Guzzi there were quite a few metal shavings collected around the strainer they put around the oil pickup tube. They recommend removing and cleaning the strainer at 600 miles and very 12k afterwards. They also recommend changing the fluid in the Marzocchi fork tubes for the same reasons. A little deburring or wheelabrating at the factory would go a long way. Somewhere there is a link showing different brand oil filters after dissection and how well they were constructed and stopped such particles. I'll have to look and see if I can find it.

VR6 :-D

 

[Panthermark]

Good to know....

I also have a magnetic drain plug....got it on e-bay.

 

[sweatmachine]

At first I thought, with most of the motor made of aluminum...what good is a magnetic drain plug?

The cams are steel, the piston rings are steel, the crank is steel, the cam chain and gears are steel...well, I guess most of the moving parts are steel...duh.

 

[HiVel]

Many people think you are crazy to change the oil and filter on a new bike so soon-this proves them crazy/stupid and all us early changers are right/smart!!

Been doing it for years-you should have seen the metal chunks that came out of my 82 Kawasaki 1100 (Fuel Injected POS)

 

[monkeyboy]

How so? As long as that stuff is in the filter, and not being allowed to circulate through the motor, you are just wasting perfectly good oil.

It's in the filter where it belongs. Keep on riding.

 

[HiVel]

On 2007-04-05 23:51, monkeyboy wrote:
How so? As long as that stuff is in the filter, and not being allowed to circulate through the motor, you are just wasting perfectly good oil.

It's in the filter where it belongs. Keep on riding.

Those of us with OCD can't stand all that junk in the filter!

 

[greyplague]

I did stuck a small, powerful magnet on the top (pointing down) of my oilfilter. Used one from an old car speaker; I didn't lose it during use and cutting up an old filter showed a nice amount of metallic pariticles trapped on the metal, not the paper.Glueing the magnet on with some silicon will keep it on even better; I've done that now.
Not my idea, found this hint on the net.

GRTZ, Thieu. :roll:

 

[CYNCRZR]

I too believe in the 100 mile oil change, but have had old timers tell me you should leave the oil in longer "cause the metals help wear in the engine!"

I aint buying that, and your filter rather proves the point!

 

[SpeedyPete]

Jinkies Scooby, that's a horrible mess.

Makes you wonder if its worth changing oil/filter a couple of times in first 500mi?

P

 

[bonnienewbie]

Wow! That sure is interesting. Thanks for the post!!

See you at Tim Horton's!! :-D

 

[RedBird]

To me, one very important thing is missing. You didn't say what oil you used for replacement--and I don't mean brand. The manufacturer recommends break-in oil for the first 500 miles, and I personally would use the recommended break-in oil for the first 500 miles regardless whether I changed the oil at 100 miles or later. At 500 miles, I would go with a full synthetic oil meeting the manufacturer's specifications--just my unlearned opinion. :-D

I just changed the oil on my new Tiger at 530 miles. I was amazed at how clean the oil looked--like it was poured out of a new can. I guess I need to cut the filter apart and see what kind of job it did. :-D

Larry

 

[KaptWilly]

YIKES!
When I saw your pic I cut open the filter I just changed out of my 07 (500 miles) just to see....
It was still in the waste can!
Mine had very few, if any, metal particles like in your pic. It looked rather clean. Anyway, looks like your filter is doing it's job well!
BTW, that sure is a pretty pink shop rag you gots there... :razz:

 

[VR6]

This may be as controversial as the "What type of oil?" threads but here goes:

Oil Filter Anatomy

and

Oil Filter Cross Reference Chart

VR6 :hammer:

 

[rfespinosa]

On 2007-04-05 23:51, monkeyboy wrote:
How so? As long as that stuff is in the filter, and not being allowed to circulate through the motor, you are just wasting perfectly good oil.

It's in the filter where it belongs. Keep on riding.

My thouhts precisely. The filter is working. Besides, what next, change the filter every 100 miles until the 500 mi mark?

 

[rfespinosa]

I changed the oil on my new '07 Bonnie this week, at the 530 mile mark.

I needed a filter tool to remove the old filter, my Triumph dealer is 100 miles away, and he is the closest. So I went to the local Honda shop, took the new filter with me. It turns out they had a tool that fit perfectly. Then today I went to see a friend that has a Gold Wing and told him the story, he said, I just bought a filter and a tool to replace the one on my Gold Wing and he showed it to me.

The filer is identical to the Triumph Bonnie filter, which, by the way, is made in Japan. I mean identical!

Interesting, but I am anal enough to continue to use genuine Triumph parts.

Ron

 

[mdr231]

Great pics and good post.
But I agree that the point of the filter is to trap things
like metal bits and it seems to be doing its job. How would
they get through the filter and re-enter the oil? If they're trapped in the mesh, that's where they'll stay. Also seems that a magnet would simply grab the shreds before they get trapped in the mesh, but not necessarily do more than the filter is already doing. I guess it can't hurt, but I'm not sure it's helping. As far as changing the filter before 500 miles, wouldn't it be in Triumph's interest to require you to do more frequent maintenance like this if they thought they could justify it? You'd buy more Triumph parts, pay for more Triumph service, and if it did any good, take less advantage of the warranty. I'd hope they do some research to determine which service intervals make the most sense. Just my 2 cents.

Michael