Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: saddletramp on May 22, 2011, 10:02:14 PM

Title: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: saddletramp on May 22, 2011, 10:02:14 PM
I decided to change the oil for the first time on my 2009 C-14 that I purchased used in February.  I've put 1,000 miles on the beast so I had to change the oil so I knew when the last change was done.  It had 11,074 miles as of today.

I purchased some Rotella 15-40 wt at Walmart & a Fram filter but when I got home I realized I had some Castrol motorcyle oil & some Rotella synthetic left over in some gallon jugs from my FJR days...so I poured them in first...then topped it off with the Rotella that i had just purchased.

I know, my engine will probably blow up.   Mixing oil... what was I thinking!  I guess you get what you deserve!  ;D
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: katata1100 on May 22, 2011, 10:08:26 PM
Don't dig the fram filter, but I think she'll live.
I once had the gas in my katana 1100 contaminated with gas. I refilled it with 1 qt redline 10-40, 1 qt Mobil 1 5-30, 1 qt Mobil 5-40 delvac and topped it all off with what was left of the Rotella 5-40. I wasn't trying to be creative or experiment; that was all the oil in my garage and I didn't feel like going out getting some oil!
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Jaxter on May 22, 2011, 10:09:56 PM
Thanks for the warning...I didn't know mixing different types of oil could be explosive.
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: firetruck41 on May 23, 2011, 05:33:27 AM
No your engine is fine. you did nothing to affect reliability. they say don't mix synthetics but you can top off safely. so go have some beers. I've never seen or heard of a jap engine dying or loosing performance because of that.
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Afm252 on May 23, 2011, 06:36:23 AM
I agree, no worries. I would be more worried about doing something stupid like inadvertantly hitting the kill switch upon arrival to the local grocery store, and then blaming yourself because you thought you killed the bike after the oil change you did because of the oil "leak" you found near the drain plug. Only then to realize after screaming and cussing in the HEB parking lot for an hour and after removing every hair folicle remaining on your head that it was the kill switch all along....not that it happened to me of course.  ;)
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: jjsC6 on May 23, 2011, 06:51:11 AM
I don't really think the OP was being serious about ruining his engine. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: manowarwi on May 23, 2011, 07:04:19 AM
I always thought you had to flush your oil system out with 2 gallons of the new brand / weight whenever you wanted to change  ;D
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: So Cal Joe on May 23, 2011, 07:38:28 AM
As long as you didn't add blinker fluid to the oil by mistake you should be O.K..
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQUY1kYshrd7INx0ZQ-GAjaXuDNcGxTitHzQ458XbORXa6Mg-4LaQ&t=1)
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Pokey on May 23, 2011, 07:45:39 AM
I am a big advocate of mixing oils, but using a Fram filter on a motorcycle is just plain dumb.
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Bob on May 23, 2011, 07:48:46 AM
Oil thread!!!!!   :popcorn:


Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: JetJock on May 23, 2011, 09:33:20 AM
Oil thread!!!!!   :popcorn:

Double up on the popcorn. It's oil AND FILTER thread and the Fram-slams have already begun.
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Tremainiac on May 23, 2011, 09:42:55 AM
Make sure it's good and clean by hosing out thoroughly. The hose screws right into that plug thing.
Leave the filter out, because the paper in it will get soggy.
Especially the Fram filters.
Particularly absorbent compared to other brands.  ::)
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: gflint on May 23, 2011, 09:57:54 AM
Before you hose it out be sure to run the engine with the drain plug out.  You want to get rid of the old oil in the oil pump and the oil gallerys.  If you rev it up hard it will also clean out the oil in the cam area.  It is also sometimes nice to flush the engine with ether to get that nice shiny all over the inside look.  You can check how shiny the insides are by holding a match over the oil filler hole.
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Guinness on May 23, 2011, 02:08:04 PM
It is also sometimes nice to flush the engine with ether to get that nice shiny all over the inside look.  You can check how shiny the insides are by holding a match over the oil filler hole.
Personally I like the Harley way: Chrome everything.  That "shiny look" for your engine innards is best done with a couple quarts of Rustoleum Metallic Chrome paint.  Pour it in the filler hole, start the engine, rev hard (to distribute the paint evenly), and you'll have a nicely chromed engine (from the inside). 

Suggest that to 10 Harley riders and I'll bet 5 of them will do it.   

Yup, I integrated Harley bashing in an oil thread.  What's next?   :o
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Afm252 on May 23, 2011, 06:00:26 PM
Personally I don't think KiPass would allow the engine to fail!

ADDED KiPass to the thread :D
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Jeremy Mitchell on May 23, 2011, 06:06:05 PM
The paint is a good idea, you can never have enough chrome!

Mixing oils is the norm while running a car tire.  I even add a little kerosene to my 91 octane to give a little extra something.  And I scrape pegs in every corner and fly through every school zone with no negative effects.   ;D
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Arata on May 23, 2011, 07:03:44 PM
mix all of those oils in your lawn mower, not you Connie!
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: mikeboileau on May 23, 2011, 07:25:43 PM
Fram should make oil...........

 :popcorn:
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: R Nelson on May 23, 2011, 07:57:32 PM
I tried mixing oils once and then had to do this.   ;)

(http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff484/rnelson21/My%20Bike%20Pictures/P1230051.jpg)
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Jeremy Mitchell on May 23, 2011, 07:59:07 PM
I tried mixing oils once and then had to do this.   ;)

(http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff484/rnelson21/My%20Bike%20Pictures/P1230051.jpg)

Why did you take your toaster apart?   ;D
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: Guinness on May 23, 2011, 08:01:09 PM
I tried mixing oils once and then had to do this.   ;)

(http://i1238.photobucket.com/albums/ff484/rnelson21/My%20Bike%20Pictures/P1230051.jpg)
Since you had it open anyway I hope like heck you chromed the inside!  8)  And you might as well spray some Pam on it to make it nice and slippery.
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: saddletramp on May 23, 2011, 09:58:59 PM
I haven't riden the bike yet just to be safe!  I didn't notice any melting, steaming, or unpleasant odors being emitted by the bike as it adjusts to the cocktail mix!

Of course it was all a spoof. After I mixed the oils & thought how horrible it might seem to some of the oil fanatics! ;)

I've flown over 8,000 hours as PIC of airplanes, owned numerous boats, airplanes, cars, pick-ups, & sell John Deere farm machinery in order to fund the stated things (nearly 30 years) & have never seen an engine fail due to the wrong kind of oil.  I do know that engines don't run very long when run out of oil ( or having no oil put in in the first place!)

Heck, I used John Deere oil for 30,000 miles in my FJR without any issues...okay it did get a hankerin' to try pulling a plow now & then.

Your replies have been great!
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: graham downunder on May 24, 2011, 03:43:51 AM
 I would get well qualified bulshitter.. like Obamha to give his opinion I am sure it will be a never ending post
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: DocPigskin on May 24, 2011, 09:30:26 AM
I would get well qualified bul****ter.. like Obamha to give his opinion I am sure it will be a never ending post

What does "Obamha" have to do with this  :offtopic:
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: ManWorkinghere on May 24, 2011, 09:34:20 AM
Before you hose it out be sure to run the engine with the drain plug out.  You want to get rid of the old oil in the oil pump and the oil gallerys.  If you rev it up hard it will also clean out the oil in the cam area.  It is also sometimes nice to flush the engine with ether to get that nice shiny all over the inside look.  You can check how shiny the insides are by holding a match over the oil filler hole.
Be sure to repost this on April 1st next year.  Always good to have the Oil FAQ replenished annually.  :)
Title: Re: I probably ruined my engine today!
Post by: JetJock on May 24, 2011, 02:57:12 PM
I would get well qualified bul****ter.. like Obamha to give his opinion I am sure it will be a never ending post

Your post makes no sense.