The correct procedure for an engine oil and filter change is found in the Honda Service Manual for your particular Gold Wing. Yet although an oil change is often conceived to be the simplest procedure a Gold Wing owner can do, there are numerous opportunities for mistakes and messes. As a result, for many owners, the attractive prospect of saving themselves some money with a do-it-yourself oil and filter change just isn’t worth the hassle, so they have their dealership or service facility do it for them. Whether you do the job yourself or oversee the mechanic you hire for the job, it’s worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the proper procedure as described in the Honda Shop Manual.
The most obvious reasons for doing the job yourself are: (1) savings of labor costs (plus price markups on the oil and filter), (2) knowledge of the way the job was done (presumably the right way), (3) having the job done when and where you want (your garage, 10 p.m. on Sunday night), and (4) satisfaction of self-accomplishment.
The most obvious rationale for having somebody else do the job for you are: (1) one-stop convenience, (2) assumption that the mechanic has the tools and knowledge to do the job right, (3) the tools, fuss, mess and disposal are at the service facility location (not your house), and (4) trained mechanics may note (and accomplish) other needed maintenance in the same appointment.
For this pictorial, Wing World visited The Motorcycle Service Shop, the new business address of motorcycle maintenance technician Bruce Watson who has appeared in these pages before. We had Bruce do an oil and filter change on a GL1500 and took the accompanying photos.
Watson’s first step was to assemble everything he’d need for the job: a galvanized steel drain pan, long-necked funnel, shop rag, 17 mm socket ratchet, filter wrench, pliers, replacement filter with sealing washer, and fresh motorcycle oil. (Photo A.)
Although Honda’s procedure removes the under cover (“lower cowl”), in this instance, Bruce leaves this one in place and works around it. If an aftermarket belly pan had been installed, in most cases, it would need to be removed for access.
With the engine warm and the motorcycle on its centerstand, Bruce positions the drain pan, then using the socket wrench, he loosens the drain plug, then quickly removes it, allowing the oil to flow into the pan. (Photo B.)
After removing the sealing (“crush”) washer, Bruce wipes the plug clean and inspects its threads. Noting the crush washer has been reused many more times than it should have been, Bruce gets a replacement sealing washer from his parts department.
Once the flow of oil into the pan has dwindled to a trickle, Bruce reaches under the machine, positions his filter wrench and unscrews the filter. (Photo C.) More oil flows into the pan. Checking to be sure the o-ring from the old filter has been removed, Bruce wipes the area clean. (If the old o-ring adheres to the engine and a second is inadvertently added, oil will leak from the engine, making it necessary to re-do the whole oil change properly.)
After replacing the damaged sealing washer on the drain plug, Bruce reinstalls the bolt. Honda’s recommended torque for this plug is 27 foot-pounds as noted in the GL1500 shop manual. (Photo D.) (Check the appropriate manual for your particular year and model machine to be sure of the correct values.) Use of a torque wrench at this point prevents over-tightening of the steel plug into the aluminum engine block, avoiding the potential for significant, expensive damage. It also prevents under-tightening that could result in leakage or even complete loss of the drain plug.
After unwrapping a fresh oil filter, Bruce checks to be sure the oil filter o-ring is in good condition and pre-lubricated. (If it is not prelubricated, the mechanic needs to lubricate it by hand prior to installation.) (Photo E.)
He installs and tightens the filter. Honda’s torque specs for this installation are 7 foot-pounds. Obviously, both the filter and the drain plug must be in place before adding the oil to the engine.
After removing the right side cover, Bruce unscrews the oil filler cap and dipstick. After inserting the funnel, he adds the fresh oil. (Photo F.) For the GL1500, Honda specifies 3.7 liters (3.9 US quarts, 3.8 Imperial quarts) of Honda four-stroke motorcycle oil or equivalent be added. Since the pictured machine is ridden in Arizona’s hot climate, Bruce chooses Golden Spectro 4 synthetic/petroleum blend 20W50, in this case, from a convenient and economical four-liter bottle.
Bruce now pours the used oil into a waste barrel, visually checking the pan for any foreign objects that might indicate engine wear or other problems. (Photo G.) The used oil will be collected later by a disposal service. He notes that most auto oil and lube service companies will accept used oil and filters for proper hazardous waste disposal, too. The empty oil pan may now be wiped clean to ensure it is ready for the next oil change.
With the Gold Wing’s fresh oil now in place, Bruce sets the engine stop (“kill”) switch to off, and cranks the engine until the engine oil light goes off, indicating oil pressure has been reestablished. With the switch on, the engine fires up easily.
While not a part of the oil and filter change process, Bruce accomplishes one more maintenance procedure with the used shop rag in his hand. After removing the left side cover, with his pliers he loosens the clinch rings on the crankcase breather tubes, then one-by-one, removes the plugs from the tubes, catching the liquid residue from the tubes in his shop rag. (Photo H.) He reinstalls the plugs and repositions the clinch rings to complete this often-overlooked job. Honda recommends frequent service of the breather tubes if the motorcycle is ridden frequently in rain or at full throttle.
Whether motorcycle maintenance is done by the bike owner himself (or herself) or by a dealership or service facility, it needs to be done regularly and properly. Bruce points out the chief advantage of having a professional do the work is that someone who works on bikes every day is more likely to notice discrepancies than the occasional shade-tree mechanic. “Our goal is to provide maintenance, diagnostics and repair at reasonable rates,” he says, “with every motorcycle that leaves our care operating with optimum performance and safety standards.”
For information, contact The Motorcycle Service Shop, 1922 N. Rosemont, Mesa, Arizona 85205. Phone (480) 654-2300. E-mail: motorcycleshop@earthlink.net. www.motorcycleserviceshop.com.