The engine oil lubricates and cools the internal engine. On the other hand, it carries sludge, abrasion particles, and dust occurred inside the engine. The oil filter help remove foreign substances.
The SR400 has been adopted a built-in oil filter on the right side of the crankcase, and the oil filter easily replaced by paying attention to the O-ring of oil filter cover.
1. Replace the SR400's Oil Filter Once Per 3 Times Oil Change
2. Oil Passes Through One of the Oil Filter Cover Bolts
◆DIY! “How to Change Oil” Taught by Professional Mechanics. Part 1
▲ The oil filter of the SR400 is located on the right side of the engine. Some models have an oil filter built to the front side of crankcase or the lower part of the engine.
1.Replace the SR400's Oil Filter Once Per 3 Times Oil Change
▲ The oil filter paper is fold in a bellows shape in order to increase the surface for catching dusts and foreign substances. When changing the oil filter, replace the large and small O-ring also at the same time.
The engine oil, which goes all part of the inside of the engine, working in harsh conditions such as subjecting to high temperatures by the cylinder head and the cylinder, and being rubbed strongly by gears transmission. The oil filter recovers the dirt that occurred during the replacement process.
Like engine oil, it is replaced depending on the mileage (travel distance) or duration of use, but its replacement span depends on the models. In case of the SR400, the engine oil change is specified once per 3000km or once per every year, and the oil filter replacement is once per 9000km. In other words, the filter is replaced once per 3 times oil change.
The oil filter element that removes the impurities by passing through the filter often uses filter paper folds in a bellows shape in order to increase the surface and reduce the pressure loss. In addition, oil filters are classifies into a built-in type that fits the element itself inside the engine and the cartridge type that hold the element into a metal case and secures it to the outside the engine.
In case of the SR400 presented here, a part of the crankcase cover on the right side of the engine is the oil filter housing, and it has a built-in type oil filter inside of the filter cover secured with 3 bolts.
・The oil filter collects engine oil dirt which occurred during lubrication.
・Replace the oil filter depending on the mileage (travel distance) and duration of use intended for each model.
・In case of the SR400, the oil filter replacement per 9000km travel is once per 3 times of oil change.
2. Oil Passes Through One of the Oil Filter Cover Bolts
▲ ▲ When the bolt at the bottom of the oil filter cover is removed, the engine oil flows out, but it is not a problem. It is preferable to cover the exhaust system with a waste cloth or a cardboard when draining the oil.
To remove the oil filter of the SR400, which the manufacturer has designated to replace every 9000km, it is required to remove the 3 cap bolts (hexagon socket head cap bolt) that secure the oil filter cover on the right side of the crankcase.
Removing the lower bolt of these 3 bolts causes the engine oil to flow out, but this is normal, not a malfunction or failure. You can also prevent dirt from flowing out of oil by putting a waste cloth on the exhaust pipe under the bolt beforehand.
What will happen if you do not regularly change the oil filter?
So, what will happen if you do not regularly change the oil filter? Well, the result will be different depends on whether the engine oil is properly replaced. Engine oil contains a clean dispersion component that prevents dirt from sticking to one place.
Therefore, it is said that if the oil change is done in the period specified by the manufacturer, the dirt that causes the oil filter to clog rarely occurs. However, if the oil is dirty enough to exceed the capacity of the clean dispersion components by continue riding without following the specified oil change period, solid components such as carbon and sludge occur and adhere to the surface of the filter.
If the symptom progresses and the dirt increases, the filtration performance will fall further, leading to the risk of causing trouble such as poor lubrication inside the engine. Therefore, you exactly should be anxious about oil filters, but before that, you should manage and maintain the engine oil well.
・Engine oil contains a clean dispersion component that prevents dirt from sticking to one place.
・If oil changes are done during the manufacturer's specified period, dirt that clogs the filter rarely occurs.
・If skipping oil change, there is a risk of causing lubrication failure eventually inside the engine.
・Management and maintenance of engine oil is important.
3. Replace the O-Ring of the Oil Filter Cover!
▲ After removing the oil filter, check the foreign substances such as metal fragments or carbon sludge. Also, wipe off any dirt on the bottom of the oil filter case on the engine side.
After removing the 3 cap bolts, it is possible to take out the built-in oil filter with the oil filter cover. The remaining engine oil in the housing that holds the filter also flows out, so wipe it off with a waste cloth. It is also important to make sure that black carbon sludges or shiny metal chips adhere or not on the filter paper.
In particular, if there are shiny metal powder or chips even there is no specific symptom such as an abnormal engine noise, it is better to conduct a full-scale inspection because it is an evidence that some parts are being shaved inside the engine.
The end of the cylindrical oil filter has a hole on one side and no hole on another side. When replacing a new oil filter without any abnormal condition, insert the oil filter in the lighter hole side towards the engine side.
Two large and small O-rings are set between the oil filter cover and engine. When replacing the oil filter, replace the O-rings also. The new O-ring has a round cross section, but if it is kept in the ring groove and exposed to the engine heat for a long time, it will deform and lose its elasticity.
Thereupon, there is the risk of oil leakage from the gap between the engine and the oil filter cover. In addition, when installing the O-ring to the oil filter cover, be careful not to deviate from the ring groove and place it on the engine. When the oil filter has been replaced, check if there is no oil leakage from the oil filter cover after pouring the engine oil.
A small O-ring is inserted into the oil passage at the bottom of the oil filter cover. Since the sealing effect decreases as the shape changes over time, it is better to replace it regularly.
The large O-ring on the outer circumference of the oil filter cover also makes flatten the contacting surface by adhering to the engine. It is safe if the O-ring is replaced with the oil filter at the same time.
・After removing the oil filter, check the noticeable dirt on the filter paper.
・In particular, if there are shiny metal powder or metal flakes, be careful because the parts are being shaved inside the engine.
The oil filter also needs to be replaced regularly along with the engine oil.
The oil filter is an important part in order to clean the engine oil regardless of its built-in or cartridge type. You should perform the oil filter replacement regularly as with the oil to keep the engine in good condition.
・Oil filter collects dirt from engine oil occured during lubrication.
・As with the oil, oil filter also should be replaced depending on the mileage and the duration of use intended for each model.
・Skipping engine oil replacement will cause the oil filter to clog in the worst case.
・Be careful if the removed oil filter contains shiny metal powder or metal flakes.
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◆DIY! “How to Change Oil” Taught by Professional Mechanics. Part 1
