Putting oil in the cylinders

[snowmannn]

The manual says that one should put a teaspoonful of oil in each of the cylinders and move the rear tyre while in 5-6 gear to distribute the oil over the cylinder walls and valves.

Do you know of any drawback of this "manipulation" after you take the bike out of storage? I wonder how this oil burns - doesn't a not-fully-burnt layer remain over the walls?

Thanks

 

[dako81]

Once you take it out of storage and run it, the oil will burn out but you should probably change your spark plugs afterwards. Also, what kind of oil does it say to use? (I'm too lazy to look)

 

[Fred]

Much of that oil will get past the rings while the bike is in storage. What is left will make a big blue cloud when you start the bike in the spring. But it will be out of the engine in short order with nothing left behind to harm the engine.

 

[reiobard]

Much of that oil will get past the rings while the bike is in storage. What is left will make a big blue cloud when you start the bike in the spring. But it will be out of the engine in short order with nothing left behind to harm the engine.

Exactly! i would just use some cheap oil, it is just so that there is something on the rings so that the engine doesn't freeze up.

 

[steveindenmark]

Mine is a 2006 and I have not done either of those things. There have been some really good winter storage threads on here so i would search for them if I were you.

I live in denmark where it gets very cold. My bike is in an insulated, unheated, wooden shed. I go in once a week or fortnight and just let it run for 5 minutes to warm up. I throw a sheet over it ...sometimes. It is washed, dried and waxed before it is put away.

I do have a battery tender fitted just in case the battery ever loses power because of the cold.

The only thing I do is to make the tyres are off the floor so they don`t flatten off. I put it on the centre stand and prop a piece of support under the front axle to lift it up. I also make sure the tank is as full as it can get.

All this may be totally wrong but the bike looks like new and runs like a dream every time it comes out after winter.

 

[snowmannn]

Thanks for the comments! I've read many threads as well as the owner's manual but I have not found any concrete explanation why I should put this oil in there. Is it to prevent rust or freezing or...?

dako81, the owners just says "Pour a teaspoonful of engine oil into each spark plug bore", no specific oil type mentioned.

 

[FizzySix]

To prevent corrosion.

It's called fogging - you can buy special products for it, but most commonly people will just put a little engine oil in, turn it over, and call it done.

Anyone here ever try the sprays?

I live in an area where I have to store the bike in my garage over the winter, and have never done this with the bike, and rarely with any other engine for that matter (mowers, blower, tiller, etc). Seems like overkill, though it can't hurt.

 

[racerws]

Living in Texas, I don't have to store the bike all that long.
I just pour some Marvel Mystery oil in the gas and start the bike every
couple of weeks. I do have several bikes to contend with, so this is
just the easiest for me.
Yes, I still use Sta-Bil in the gas too to keep it from breaking down
during the winter.

 

[snowmannn]

Thanks for the valuable info!

 

[CooperFZ6]

I live in Southern Ontario and usually you have to put the bike away for 4-5 months.

I used a tablespoon ofregular oil on my VSTAR cylinders. No problems with the plugs, just lots of blue smoke when I fired it up in the spring. I'm going to try the fogging spray this year in my FZ6. I'm not looking forward to pulling out the plugs though!

Years ago, my buddy had an old 125 that he just parked in the shed and that was it. Unfortunately, he let it sit a little to long one season (may be left it for a couple of seasons?) got corrosion in the cylinder, and ended up with zero compression. The bike was done.

Anyone who flys or maintains small piston aircraft will tell you letting them sit for extended periods without properly fogging the engine is the kiss of death and can be made worse by ground running for short periods. If you don't burn off the water that accumulates as a result of temperature fluctuations while sitting stored, you just increase the aciditiy and accelerate the decline of the engine.

 

[DaveK]

If i left my bike in storage for more than 2 months i would put oil in the cylinders, but the longest i have ever left mine sitting is 1 month. As long as the roads are dry and not salted up i try to get out for a proper blast whenever i can in winter.