Hi all, I’m just about to do an oil change on my 2013 Street Triple R and I was considering using a flush such as the STP engine flush. The bike has had a serious "condensation issue" over the Winter, used as a "daily" and kept outside, which really messed up the oil. The filler cap filled with mayonnaise after every short 11 mile trip. The problem was so bad that I expected a blown head gasket, but it cleared up in mid March as the moisture content in the air decreased. Now it doesn't produce any mayonnaise even on my 11 mile commute. It has however severely impacted the oil. I changed the oil in late Oct 2021 when the oil appeared normal and then again in Jan 2022 when the oil was a filthy concoction of milky brown with a light froth, from which I suspected head gasket issues. My question is do I add the 450ml of flush to a warm engine? I’m not expecting to run the engine. Is that the correct procedure? Just mix the two in a warm engine and then let it drain?
LJK Setright Won't harm it to run a flush through. Don't know the process. But if it is clean now i would i would just do an oil and filter and watch. Joe.
Engine flush potions and their use differs from make to make but, personally, I'm not a fan of any of them TBH. I'd rather use a couple of changes of plain engine oil and take it out for a good "tune" of at least 100 miles. Years ago I flushed out an XR650 engine that had been stood a while. The oil was black so I drained and refilled with some diesel engine oil ( high detergency) I had in the garage and ran it for a short while, then refilled with bike specific stuff. I guess it comes down to what you're happy with.
If you're only doing short trips it's just going to happen again, try some cheap much thinner viscosity oil, supermarket stuff, run it for a few minutes with the old oil filter, then drain and change filter and refill with correct viscosity oil.
A long trip will steam off moisture. I would just change the oil and take it for a long ride then change the oil again. Avoid short trips in general.
It would be nice to avoid short trips, but atm I'm using the bike to commute which is 10-11 miles each way. But I'm definitely in agreement that the "flush" would be an unnecessary step too far and I will just do another couple of oil changes, at least one with cheap supermarket oil, just to get the engine oil clean again. By next Winter it should be back inside a heated garage. Thanks everybody for the input.
Happy Easter All, I’d propose dropping the old oil, fit a magnetic plug. Fill with a cheap oil, go for a short ride and remove oil without getting hot oil on yourself. Check oil plug for particles and save for potential analysis if needs. Clean and refill with preferred oil and enjoy the rides. Rob
