First oil changle...what a pain in the...

[AdrianR]

ARSE!!

Any you guyz with the 2014 Valks know of any tricks to removing and reinstalling the lower engine cover???   That was a pain!

[Bighead]

How many miles on your bike? And what mileage does another Honda state to change first oil?

[mrtappan]

Maybe I'm not understanding.  I remember the oil change taking five minutes and all I did was pull the front piece to my belly pan which is aftermarket. I don't remember taking any of the engine covers off.

[hubcapsc]

Maybe I'm not understanding.  I remember the oil change taking five minutes and all I did was pull the front piece to my belly pan which is aftermarket. I don't remember taking any of the engine covers off.

I'm gonna do my first change this weekend. They say to take the cowl off,
but I know you can reach up there and feel the oil filter without taking the cowl
off... Mr. Tappan... did you replace your oil filter?

I had both front cowls off when I replaced the clutch line. I remember that
replacing them was kind of tedious, I'd love to avoid it too...

-Mike

[hungryeye]

1st service is 4k miles then every 6k. I don't blame anyone to change sooner, I may do it at 2k. The cowl is a PITA, you have to remove the top piece first then lower, then try to get them out without scratching the fender, but I have done oil changes on 1800 Goldwings and never removed the cowl.

[jimmytee]

1st service is 4k miles then every 6k. I don't blame anyone to change sooner, I may do it at 2k. The cowl is a PITA, you have to remove the top piece first then lower, then try to get them out without scratching the fender, but I have done oil changes on 1800 Goldwings and never removed the cowl.

The first one on the F6B is at 4,000 then every 8,000. So is the Valkyrie really different?
I'm doing mine at 5k intervals regardless.

[hubcapsc]

1st service is 4k miles then every 6k. I don't blame anyone to change sooner, I may do it at 2k. The cowl is a PITA, you have to remove the top piece first then lower, then try to get them out without scratching the fender, but I have done oil changes on 1800 Goldwings and never removed the cowl.

The first one on the F6B is at 4,000 then every 8,000. So is the Valkyrie really different?
I'm doing mine at 5k intervals regardless.

"Replace at 4,000 mi or 6 months, then every 8,000 mi or 12 months." - Service Manual

-Mike

[st2sam]

I'm getting ready for my first oil change at 1000mi.. (non syn. motorcycle specific oil 10-40w)

My good friend has a 2008 Goldwing, ask him if I need to remove the cowls, he said no.
(I don't have a belly pan)
And just to be sure he came over and looked under my Valk.   (same as the Wing)

[bscrive]

I'm getting ready for my first oil change at 1000mi.. (non syn. motorcycle specific oil 10-40w)

That is way too soon.  You are wasting good money for nothing.

[hungryeye]

1st service is 4k miles then every 6k. I don't blame anyone to change sooner, I may do it at 2k. The cowl is a PITA, you have to remove the top piece first then lower, then try to get them out without scratching the fender, but I have done oil changes on 1800 Goldwings and never removed the cowl.

The first one on the F6B is at 4,000 then every 8,000. So is the Valkyrie really different?
I'm doing mine at 5k intervals regardless.

my bad...

[Ed Norton]

ARSE!!

Any you guyz with the 2014 Valks know of any tricks to removing and reinstalling the lower engine cover???   That was a pain!

Yea...don't take it off to do a oil and filter change  

I just did my Goldwing,slide your low oil drain bucket under  use a 17mm box wrench and a flat thin oil filter wrench  

[mrtappan]

Yeah, I didn't take anything off other than the aftermarket belly pan.  Just one drain bolt and the oil filter wasn't hard to get to. I did it with a standard pair of oil filter channel locks. 

[3TV]

1st service is 4k miles then every 6k. I don't blame anyone to change sooner, I may do it at 2k. The cowl is a PITA, you have to remove the top piece first then lower, then try to get them out without scratching the fender, but I have done oil changes on 1800 Goldwings and never removed the cowl.

The first one on the F6B is at 4,000 then every 8,000. So is the Valkyrie really different?
I'm doing mine at 5k intervals regardless.

I just bought my 2014 Valkyrie 11 days ago.  The dealer said that the first service was at 600 miles, and that I was to bring it back to the dealer and have them do the service and check everything over.  Then I could change the oil every 3000 miles.  The dealer is 180 miles away, and I didn't plan on taking it to the dealer for a first service anyway.  So it is good to hear I don't have to do it so soon.  I think I 'll do the first oil and filter change at 1000 miles, just because that is my usual routine.

[AdrianR]

ARSE!!

Any you guyz with the 2014 Valks know of any tricks to removing and reinstalling the lower engine cover???   That was a pain!

Yea...don't take it off to do a oil and filter change  

I just did my Goldwing,slide your low oil drain bucket under  use a 17mm box wrench and a flat thin oil filter wrench  

Is it the same as the 2014 Valk? I mean it looks difficult to clear the filter from the cover...Is it the exact same assembly as the Valk?

[CajunRider]

I say to-hell with oil filter wrenches....

[mrtappan]

I usually do around 300 if convenient.  I took mine on a short trip though and changed it when I got back.  Personally I'd say 1000 is the end of my comfort zone for an initial oil change.  But in reality you you could probably go further and it would make no difference. 

[Ed Norton]

ARSE!!

Any you guyz with the 2014 Valks know of any tricks to removing and reinstalling the lower engine cover???   That was a pain!

Yea...don't take it off to do a oil and filter change  

I just did my Goldwing,slide your low oil drain bucket under  use a 17mm box wrench and a flat thin oil filter wrench  

Is it the same as the 2014 Valk? I mean it looks difficult to clear the filter from the cover...Is it the exact same assembly as the Valk?

Exact same assembly 
Here is a pic of a Goldwing lower on my old Valk .

[TallRider]

New to the GW crowd here. Had my Valkyrie since Feb. Changed my oil at around 1300 miles. put 20w50 synthetic in it. Engine whine and clunky trans drove me nuts. Here in Fla year round engines run real hot. whine disepated reduced clunky trans, makes absolutely no sound when cold gets a little  noisy when temps run around 90+. Folks up north have advantage of cooler weather. Oil won't turn into WD40. If it stays in the low 80's here bike stays real quiet. I loosened the front cover at the bottom didn't take  the front cover off. Quieted my 1800 VTX using 20w50 synthetic as well. Had guys in that forum complaining of noisy valves and lifters. My bike ran real quiet. Lubricant has a lot to do with the weather you are riding in. Found I needed Heavier oil here year round. Enjoy the ride. Love mine.

[hungryeye]

New to the GW crowd here. Had my Valkyrie since Feb. Changed my oil at around 1300 miles. put 20w50 synthetic in it. Engine whine and clunky trans drove me nuts. Here in Fla year round engines run real hot. whine disepated reduced clunky trans, makes absolutely no sound when cold gets a little  noisy when temps run around 90+. Folks up north have advantage of cooler weather. Oil won't turn into WD40. If it stays in the low 80's here bike stays real quiet. I loosened the front cover at the bottom didn't take  the front cover off. Quieted my 1800 VTX using 20w50 synthetic as well. Had guys in that forum complaining of noisy valves and lifters. My bike ran real quiet. Lubricant has a lot to do with the weather you are riding in. Found I needed Heavier oil here year round. Enjoy the ride. Love mine.

Honda is recommending 10/30 in their new engines, I used Honda full syn 10/30 in my 2012 NC700DCT in 110 deg. AZ summers, never leaked or burned a drop of oil. I will use the same stuff in my Valk in NC. Todays modern engines have tight tolerances and require lighter oil to squeeze into those tiny nooks and crannies.

[mrtappan]

You do have to be a little careful with going too heavy.  These engines aren't like old Chevrolet where you can run straight 50 weight and not care.  The oil journals in these aren't huge like the old engines.  Too thick and oil can't pump through them if you're not careful. 

[AdrianR]

New to the GW crowd here. Had my Valkyrie since Feb. Changed my oil at around 1300 miles. put 20w50 synthetic in it. Engine whine and clunky trans drove me nuts. Here in Fla year round engines run real hot. whine disepated reduced clunky trans, makes absolutely no sound when cold gets a little  noisy when temps run around 90+. Folks up north have advantage of cooler weather. Oil won't turn into WD40. If it stays in the low 80's here bike stays real quiet. I loosened the front cover at the bottom didn't take  the front cover off. Quieted my 1800 VTX using 20w50 synthetic as well. Had guys in that forum complaining of noisy valves and lifters. My bike ran real quiet. Lubricant has a lot to do with the weather you are riding in. Found I needed Heavier oil here year round. Enjoy the ride. Love mine.

I'd like to share a bit of my experience with oil and varying viscosity...  First of all; synthetic oil is FAR superior to conventional oil in ALL categories... Any departure from that statement to the extent of that statement is just wrong... I've used it for years and have nothing but extreme success with it.   Engines run quieter, SMOOTHER, cooler, MORE HP, better fuel economy..and lastly..run seemingly forever..PERFECTLY..(assuming oil change frequency)..  I will going full synth for my next oil change and I can't wait...I can only imagine how much BETTER this killer bike will run..

In 2003 I bought a new Ford pickup equipped with a Triton V8...Manual said to run 5-20w...I was like 'on hell no'..and ran 5-30w for several years...Then one time during an oil change I drained all the oil out of my motor..filter..etc...ready to put in the new oil and found that I had by mistake purchased 5-20w...I put it in anyway as I had no choice.

I was surprised to note a nice little bump in fuel economy and HP..

I will run 10-30w in 'me' Valk...

[hungryeye]

New to the GW crowd here. Had my Valkyrie since Feb. Changed my oil at around 1300 miles. put 20w50 synthetic in it. Engine whine and clunky trans drove me nuts. Here in Fla year round engines run real hot. whine disepated reduced clunky trans, makes absolutely no sound when cold gets a little  noisy when temps run around 90+. Folks up north have advantage of cooler weather. Oil won't turn into WD40. If it stays in the low 80's here bike stays real quiet. I loosened the front cover at the bottom didn't take  the front cover off. Quieted my 1800 VTX using 20w50 synthetic as well. Had guys in that forum complaining of noisy valves and lifters. My bike ran real quiet. Lubricant has a lot to do with the weather you are riding in. Found I needed Heavier oil here year round. Enjoy the ride. Love mine.

I'd like to share a bit of my experience with oil and varying viscosity...  First of all; synthetic oil is FAR superior to conventional oil in ALL categories... Any departure from that statement to the extent of that statement is just wrong... I've used it for years and have nothing but extreme success with it.   Engines run quieter, SMOOTHER, cooler, MORE HP, better fuel economy..and lastly..run seemingly forever..PERFECTLY..(assuming oil change frequency)..  I will going full synth for my next oil change and I can't wait...I can only imagine how much BETTER this killer bike will run..

In 2003 I bought a new Ford pickup equipped with a Triton V8...Manual said to run 5-20w...I was like 'on hell no'..and ran 5-30w for several years...Then one time during an oil change I drained all the oil out of my motor..filter..etc...ready to put in the new oil and found that I had by mistake purchased 5-20w...I put it in anyway as I had no choice.

I was surprised to note a nice little bump in fuel economy and HP..

I will run 10-30w in 'me' Valk...

A few years ago I bought a 2005 Ford Excursion V10 with 50k miles. I used 5/20 Ford labeled oil in 105+AZ heat. I used it for towing a 5000lb Tractor around the Valley, never used oil in the 20k miles I owned it. 

[TallRider]

I can appreciate the consernse and thoughts about the oil. Not trying to convince anyone to follow me. My issue is the noisy drive train. I've run 20W50 in all my bikes. have had no problems. Possible milage better, would make sence. I'm getting around 45 mpg with my riding style. Hasn't change with the oil. My surprise and disapointment was that Honda has been making this bike since 1975. You would think they could make a quieter drive train. My 78 Gl1000 ran very smooth and quiet. My new Valkyrie after heating up has a very distinct and high pitched whine in the engine and drive train  above 45. Transmission and drive train seems to have a lot of back lash. Clunky and noisy when shifting. VTX was the same way in shifting, mainly slow speeds with both.  The synthetic heavy oil has made a significant quieter running machine. As said on other posts on these forums, someone said you need to drive with a purpose and gusto. Drive it like you stole it. Many of you have loud pipes which may offset the drive train and shifting noises and wear helmets which muffle the sounds. I have not driven the pre 03 Valks or Goldwings so do not know how they run. Talked to the guys at the dealer were I bought mine and many of them use and recommended the synthetic heavy oil. This bike is the godzilla of crotch rockets. May not run like a hyabusa. (hope I spelled that right?) but I drive it like a sport bike. Not your Grandfathers Goldwing. This bike is ment to run. My riding and driving style has changed significantly with this bike. For me has a significant more comfortable feel to it (except the seat). I do not use first gear. Bike has an abundance of power and will take off from a lite at idle, twist the throttle when clutch en guaged. Sometimes start in third gear as well. Manual tells you what oil, filter, tire pressure to use etc. Also tells you to shift @ 12, 19, 25, 31. Everyone raise there  hand that follows that one. Oh ya!!! and everyone uses the recommended tires on their bikes. Love the bike, appreciate the help, recommendations and comments. Its your ride. Treat it your way. Ride safe.

[mrtappan]

I forget what viscosity I put in mine.  I think I did 10-40.  Mine makes the usual "solid lifter noise" but other than that it's no noisier than any other modern bike I've owned.  The Victory was the worst.  It was so clunky that on their forum they referred to it as an "audible shift indicator."

[AdrianR]

I forget what viscosity I put in mine.  I think I did 10-40.  Mine makes the usual "solid lifter noise" but other than that it's no noisier than any other modern bike I've owned.  The Victory was the worst.  It was so clunky that on their forum they referred to it as an "audible shift indicator."

Hondas have always had noisy trannies...while shifting...Lifter noise can be substantially reduced to nearly nothing with good synthetic oil.  The 1100 Shadow motors with their hydraulic valve lash adjusters are notoriously loud...as was mine for the first 2K or so...Once I started using Mobil 10-40w  4T racing oil it all but vanished...

[hubcapsc]

I'm going to change my oil today. I had a hard time, even looking in the
factory service manual, finding a Honda part number for the oil filter.

I searched around, and have decided that the same OEM filter for the
original Valkyries is the oil filter used for the gl1800c... and about a million
other Honda bikes and boats and ...

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/detail/honda/HP-15410-MFJ-D01.html

I guess I'll know if I got the right thing after I take the old filter out
of the 1800...

-Mike

[mrtappan]

Oil filters are mostly the same.  If its the same diameter and thread then all you have to worry about is length.  It's not like the 1832 engine filters are unique inside.  Most people shy away from the car filters due to the pressure for the by pass being "not the same."  I've used them for years out of convenience (an autoparts store is a few blocks away and open everyday) and never had a problem. 

This site lists a cross reference for hundreds of bikes:

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/FilterXRef.html

[hubcapsc]

Oil filters are mostly the same.  If its the same diameter and thread then all you have to worry about is length.  It's not like the 1832 engine filters are unique inside.  Most people shy away from the car filters due to the pressure for the by pass being "not the same."  I've used them for years out of convenience (an autoparts store is a few blocks away and open everyday) and never had a problem. 

This site lists a cross reference for hundreds of bikes:

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/FilterXRef.html

That's a interesting page. They hate (don't recommend) the Honda OEM filter.

-Mike

[hubcapsc]

The oil change was easy, there's plenty of room down there. I couldn't spin
off the oil filter with just my hands, so I had to go get a wrench, this
one from Advance Auto works fine for five or six dollars.



I've always just bought a case of GN4 and a pack of three filters for the
original Valkyrie, this time I just got a Honda filter and $ome of that
(gold infused?) Mobil-1 that's been talked about here...



The little spout is an Advance Checkout Counter impulse buy thing, it
worked really well.

-Mike

[AdrianR]

The little spout is an Advance Checkout Counter impulse buy thing, it
worked really well.

-Mike

Mike, that's AWESOME oil...Castrol makes a version of it as well which imo is just as good...tell me what you think of it in your Valk after you put it in....GN4 is petroleum based oil...

[rusty]

ok every body. i looked through this post and maybe i over looked it .... but can someone tell me what kind of wrench it takes to get the oil filter off on a 2014 valkyrie
thanks

[Bighead]

Well I saw several pictures above but try using your hand. if it is put on so tight you can't remove with your hand it IS TOO TIGHT!

[The emperor has no clothes]

ok every body. i looked through this post and maybe i over looked it .... but can someone tell me what kind of wrench it takes to get the oil filter off on a 2014 valkyrie
thanks

Up a few posts from yours hubcapsc has a pic of it 

[dinosnake]

Well I saw several pictures above but try using your hand. if it is put on so tight you can't remove with your hand it IS TOO TIGHT!

I know that's what they tell you but I'm not sure - the one time I did as they insisted was the single time I had an oil leak.

[Bighead]

If so it was a bad seal. I have never tightened a filter past hand tight and never had a leak. Put some fresh oil on the filter O ring before install.

[dinosnake]

Yes, I always oil my O-rings.  Didn't help, so it might be product specific: some filters or engines needs more than just hand tight.

[Robert]

I personally hand tighten my oil filters but a fairly tight hand tight. I have seen people who have used wrenches and over tighten the filter and its a PIA to get it off. If the oil filter leaks when tightly on its defective and should be replaced. There have been occasions when the threads are machined off center or angled causing the filter to leak. Also make sure the old seal came off with the old filter and the new filter seals against the engine.

[F6Dave]

Back in the '70s a friend brought his 240Z to my place to change the oil.  The filter was on the side of that I-6 with plenty of access, so we figured it would be a breeze!

It wasn't.  We tried and tried with a filter wrench, but it wouldn't budge.  Eventually the filter case separated from the base plate, so we ripped all the innards off, leaving only the plate.  It was so tight we had to use a hammer and chisel on the holes in the plate to get it loose.  So much for an easy filter change.  Whoever installed that filter was an idiot.

Ever since, I have carefully hand tightened my filters, making sure to twist them no more than the 1/2 to 3/4 turn after contact as recommended on the box.  I've never had one leak, and they always come off easily.

BTW, those end cap type filter wrenches are great.  Walmart sells them for 4 or 5 bucks.

[rusty]

bighead.. i seen that pic and the one of the wrench  a few above..... maybe i dont understand what i am seeing on my bike. on the front of motor where there is a 3" plate... behind the plate isant that where the oil filter is. ??

[rusty]

PS i also seen the picture he had showing the plug and filter.... t just took it that was a different kind of bike. is that a new valkyrie with covers off ??? if that the case seems like i can turn that with my hand like old stile