Looking for a complete guide on how to flush the engine of your motorcycle? Then look no more, this article has got you covered. Engine flushing is absolutely necessary for maintaining a healthy motorbike. Many amateur riders damage their engine wall and piston rings because of not flushing their engine regularly.
An engine flush is a very simple task that only takes only 20-30 minutes to complete. As a motorcycle expert, I can show you the exact process and steps.
In this article, I will provide a detailed guide on how to engine flush a motorcycle. If you are thinking about performing an engine flush of your motorcycle all on your own, then this article is definitely for you. Please give it a read to the end.
Is Engine Flush Necessary And How Does It Work?
An engine flush is immensely necessary for your motorcycle. Engine flush helps to remove any kind of dirt, sludge, and carbon buildup from your engine. Moreover, it improves motorcycle mileage and gear shifting.
So, how does an engine flush work? Well, when you add the engine flush additive with the engine oil, all the sludge, impurities, and carbon buildup from the engine gets dissolved with the existing oil. That is why it is always recommended to change the engine oil of your motorcycle whenever you flush the engine.
3 Steps To Follow For Engine Flushing A Motorcycle:
Engine flushing is actually a very easy job that if performed properly can be done within just 30 minutes. Remember, you also need to perform a complete oil change right after you flush the engine.
Follow the steps below for correctly flushing your motorcycle engine:
Step 1: Position The Motorbike:
Properly positioning the bike will help you a lot as you will be working on it for quite some time. If you have a bike ramp, put your bike on the ramp and elevate it to about two feet.
If you don’t have a ramp, put your central stand down and lift both wheels off the ground. Use your side stand to position the bike if your bike does not have a central stand. Alternatively, you can also use a paddock stand to lift the bike off the ground.
Step 2: Add The Engine Flush Additive:
Now it is time to mix the engine flush additive with the engine oil. This process is the same for almost every motorbike.
Start by removing the engine oil filling cap. Rotate the cap counterclockwise to unscrew it. If you are having trouble locating the oil filling cap, search your motorcycle model on google and locate it.
Place a funnel on the filling cap and pour the engine flush additive. For the best results, always pour the amount of engine flush that your motorbike manufacturer recommends. Typically you need to add about 80ml engine flush additive for motorcycles having an engine capacity of 1000 to 2000 cc.
After you are done pouring the additive, screw the engine oil filling cap back in. Be careful not to overtighten the cap.
Step 3: Leave The Bike Running On Idle:
Turn on the engine of your bike and let it run on idle for about 10-15 minutes. This will properly mix the flush additive with the engine oil and remove all the impurities from the engine.
Do not rev or increase throttle while the bike is idling. Doing so can damage the pistons and the engine wall. Turn off the ignition and switch off the engine once the time is over.
Now that we have successfully cleaned the engine with the flush additive, it is time for an oil change.
6 Steps To Follow For Changing The Engine Oil:
A typical bike garage will hand you a hefty bill just for a simple oil change and engine flush. Luckily, with a bit of patience and technical skill, you can do the job yourself and save your hard-earned cash.
Follow the steps below to properly change the engine oil of your motorcycle right after flushing the engine:
Step 1: Prepare For Oil Change:
Before getting on with the oil change, you need to prepare both the bike and your surroundings.
Put on a pair of latex gloves. Take a large, sufficiently big oil drain pan to catch the old engine oil. If possible, place a piece of cupboard right under the pan so that your floor doesn’t get dirty. Keep 2-4 pieces of clean rags with you every time.
Normally, you have to warm the engine up before you proceed to change the oil. Because the bike already sat on idle for 10-15 minutes during engine flush, we do not need to warm the engine up.
Step 2: Drain The Old Oil:
Take a clean rag and wipe the engine. Make sure there is no dust or dirt around the oil filter and the oil drain plug. Next up, place the oil drain pan right under the engine.
Take a wrench and loosen up the oil drain plug. Do not unscrew the drain plug all the way with the wrench. Try to loosen it up a bit and then use your hand for the final removal. The oil will come out as soon as you remove the drain plug. Make sure that your arm does not get in the way of the hot engine oil.
Do not accidentally drop the drain plug into the drain pan. Doing so will make everything really messy.
Let the oil engine oil drain for a few minutes. Give your motorcycle a little jolt once you notice no more oil is coming out of the drain plug. Jolting the bike will help to get rid of the oil that was trapped inside the engine cavity.
Step 3: Remove The Oil Filter:
As the name suggests, an oil filter does the job of filtering the oil from any kind of pollutants and impurities.
Different bikes have different oil filter removal processes. If you have an exposed oil filter, you can simply unscrew it and remove it by hand. But if your bike has a covered oil filter, you need to remove all the nuts with a torque wrench and then remove the oil filter.
Be prepared for an oil spill while unscrewing or removing the oil filter. Once you have removed it, pour out all the oil out of the filter and keep it aside. Some motorbikes may also have an oil stainer. Remove it as well if your bike has one.
Step 4: Install The New Oil Filter:
It is recommended to replace the old oil filter with a new one every time you change the engine oil. But if your oil filter appears to be moderately clean, then there is no need to replace it.
Clean the oil filter chamber with a clean rag before installing a new one. Make sure there are no oil residue or foreign objects inside the chamber.
While installing an exposed oil filter, apply a little bit of old oil on top of the sealing O-ring of the new filter. The applied oil will ensure that the new filter smoothly screws onto the oil filter cavity. Carefully screw the filter, do not over tighten it. Overtightening can damage the seals and result in oil leaks.
It is pretty straightforward to install a new oil filter on motorcycles with a covered oil filter cavity. Simply put the new oil filter inside the cavity and fasten the cover. Do not overtighten the screws.
Don’t forget to thoroughly wash and re-install the oil stainer. Replace it if necessary.
Step 5: Inspect And Screw The Oil Plug:
The drain plug is responsible for keeping the oil-sealed inside the engine. If the drain plug fails, the result would be catastrophic. So, wipe it down with a clean rag and perform a thorough inspection.
Take a proper look at the sealing washer. If the washer appears to be damaged or shows signs of wear and tear, it would be best to replace it.
Now comes the most important part of re-screwing the oil plug. Many people will botch up the oil change operation by overtightening the oil plug.
Unlike the engine which is often made out of Aluminium, oil plugs are generally made out of steel. If you over-tighten it, the steel thread on the oil plug will wear off and lead to oil leaks. Use a torque wrench to tighten the oil plug. The optimum torque for installing an oil plug is between 14 to 16 lb pounds or about 1.58 nm.
Step 6: Fillup The Engine With New Engine Oil:
Now that the old oil has been drained and the oil filter has been replaced, it is time to pour the new engine oil.
Make sure to select the correct grade of engine oil for your motorbike. Take a quick look on the internet or at the user manual to find the correct grade. Also, don’t forget to look up the exact amount of engine oil you should be pouring into the engine.
Just like before, take a funnel and pour the engine oil into the engine. After you are done pouring the engine oil, start the motorbike and let it idle for a minute or two.
Check the oil level once you have warmed up the bike. Look out for oil leaks around the oil filter and the drain plug area.
Voila! Just like that, you have successfully flushed the engine of your motorcycle and replaced the engine oil.
How Often Should You Flush Your Engine?
Engine flush should be done on a periodic basis in order to maintain top-notch performance. It is recommended to flush the engine one or two times a year. The frequency of engine flush may vary if you ride your motorcycle more frequently.
Refrain from flushing your engine if you have just replaced the old engine oil with a new one. Remember, you should only flush the engine if you are about to perform an engine oil change.
Also, don’t bother to flush the engine of an old motorbike unless you are planning on an engine rebuild. Flushing the engine of an old motorbike will have no performance effect at all.
Does Engine Flush Damage The Motorbike?
There is no scientific proof of engine flush damaging any part of the engine. Unless you somehow accidentally contaminate the engine oil, engine flush can not cause any harm to the motorbike.
Conclusion
Be absolutely sure about the quantity and quality of the flush additive before you use it on your engine. A bad engine flush additive can actually make the engine performance even worst. Google the user reviews if necessary.
Ensure proper ventilation while running the bike on idle. Do not under any circumstances touch the bike exhaust with bare hands when the engine is on. The hot exhaust can cause permanent skin burns.
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