How to do an oil change for the GPX250?

[bNiNja]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a 1988 Kawasaki GPX250 (1995 compliance) and it is time to check off some boxes in the service schedule. I am about to do an oil change and replace the oil filter.

I am a complete noob when it comes to bikes (or auto mobiles for that matter) but I have read through the service manual rigorously (thanks Lainie for sending me the manual) as well as this site http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Service_Schedule. I'm not too bad with tools and can follow instructions so I am confident I can perform the service myself.

However, this is quite embarrassing, but I can't find the drain plug i.e. http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Image:2Winterize.jpg

I am guessing it is on the right side of the bike next to the rear break. The only time I had a chance to look was when I got home from work which means it is already dark (around 6pm) and I haven't taken off the fairings.

Can someone please direct me where the drain plug and oil filter can be found? Better yet, is anyone in Sydney willing to offer me a helping hand? I live in Newtown area (inner-west Sydney) and don't mind riding to someone's house/garage if they are willing give me a hand. I have the oil and filter ready and I am free tomorrow night (2/5/07) as well as Thursday night.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Gosling1]

The drain plug is under the motor, you will have to remove the fairings to drain the oil and change the filter. Don't try this at night, do it on the weekend when there is plenty of light.

You should try and do an oil change *immediately* after riding the bike, when the engine is hot. Also, take the oil filler cap off, so the oil drains quickly.

Knock yourself out mate, its good fun !

[bNiNja]

You should try and do an oil change *immediately* after riding the bike, when the engine is hot. Also, take the oil filler cap off, so the oil drains quickly.

Wow, what a quick reply.

By oil filler cap, is that the cap next to the rear break that says "1.9L"? I know because I am changing the oil filter, I will be re-filling the bike with 1.9L so this would make sense. Do I simply wiggle/pull/twist to get the filler cap off?

So the only fairing I need to take off is the bottom right fairing to get access to the drain plug?

[Neka79]

mate the oil filler cap is on the rhs engine case..near the brake pedal.... should be a twist, just screws out...
as Gos says, when oil is hot, its thinner, so it flows quicker...

double check ur capacity (1.9L) is wit ha FILTER change also!! ..sometimes its a tad more..

ur filter is in front of the motor, between the headers i reckon.... it will also just be a twist off... make sure u got plenty of rags handy, or coat ur headers in cardboard so u dont spill oil on em (it will stink when u start bike)

sump bolt is prob a 12-13mm from memory..under the sump , rhs ussually...

seriously, even if things go bad (hard to undo the sump/filter) it shouldnt take u more than 30-45 min to do this job..its piss easy...

if possible get urself a new copper sump washed everytime u change oil, it sumtimes leaks (they squash a bit) if u dont put a new one on...

HTH

[ty]

On the GPX250 there's be two 17mm (I think) bolts underneath the engine.
One that's on it's own in the drain plug - open that one first.
There's another that's in the middle of a bigger round plate with radiating lines out from the bolt - this is your filter container. Open this after the oil is pretty much all drained.

When you're putting it back together do it in the reverse order.
Oil filter back in.
Sump plug back in.
Pour oil in up to just below the max line
Screw the filler cap back in.
Run the engine for a few minutes.
Turn off and let it sit for a few minutes and check the level.
Top up the oil again to the max line and repeat the last few steps until the level is constant after settling.

Make sense?
hth
ty

[Daisy]

By oil filler cap, is that the cap next to the rear break that says "1.9L"? I know because I am changing the oil filter, I will be re-filling the bike with 1.9L so this would make sense. Do I simply wiggle/pull/twist to get the filler cap off?

It unscrews

So the only fairing I need to take off is the bottom right fairing to get access to the drain plug?

Not necessarily. The pic you posted earlier ... http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Image:2Winterize.jpg
You can see both these bolts and remove the filter with the fairing in place. The drain plug is on the left (gear lever) side below the water pump.
Ty is correct, both bolts are 17mm

[Neka79]

ohhhhh

its one of those filters that slips inside the sump...not like on other bikes... gotcha (my cb125 bucket has one of these types)

[Gosling1]

Wow, what a quick reply.....

I don't muck around ...

Plenty of good tips on the oil change here, just think, every time you do one of these yourself, its a minimum of 2 hours workshop labour at $80 per hour or thereabouts....

[bNiNja]

I just successfully did the oil/oil filter change and I can't describe the sense of satisfaction I am feeling at the moment. I have never done anything hands on to cars/bikes before and can't believe how simple it was. The service manual and the http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page are great resources.

I wish I checked this thread before doing anything though. I didn't have a 17mm socket wrench so I had to use a shifter. Because I used the shifter, I had to take the fairings off to reach the bolts.

It took 2 hours which is really long, but I had no practical experience or the proper tools so I took things slow. Next time it will take a matter of minutes (especially since I will have the 17mm wrench, won't need to take fairings off).

I bought some air filter cleaner with the intention of cleaning the air filter but when I took it out, it seemed really clean. I rubbed my fingers on it and it didn't mark my hands with dirt or anything, instead I could feel some of the oil still on it.

I read on the ninjafaq that I should change the filter after riding through rain (which I did a few times last week, about 4-5hours all up in start-stop traffic). Should I clean it anyway (seems like overkill to do so)

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I really appreciate the help.

[Neka79]

umm i change my filter abt every 6000km...lol..or clean it anyway...

and i use to ride in ALL conditions (i dont now cos im soft)

[Gosling1]

...........I just successfully did the oil/oil filter change and I can't describe the sense of satisfaction I am feeling at the moment. ..........................I read on the ninjafaq that I should change the filter after riding through rain (which I did a few times last week, about 4-5hours all up in start-stop traffic). Should I clean it anyway (seems like overkill to do so)

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I really appreciate the help.

Great to hear you got through your first oil-change succesfully, and like you say, next time will be heaps quicker. Good stuff.

Unless your airfilter looks dirty, clogged etc, I wouldn't bother cleaning it. If its the stock filter, you can't oil them, that only applies to aftermarket filters like K&N, DNA, BMC etc.

[MiG]

"If its the stock filter, you can't oil them, that only applies to aftermarket filters like K&N, DNA, BMC etc. "

Stock GPX250 filter is oiled foam.