My first oil change.

[Elvis]

Hey fellow SHcooters,

I did my first oil change a couple days ago. It's due at 600 miles. Here's the notes I wrote to myself in my maintenance log:

Oil change: Use a 17mm socket to loosen the drain plug, which is located under the oil filler / dipstick. IMPORTANT: Note that there is a spring and oil strainer above the wide drain plug, so when you loosen it, everything will want to jump down, along with a gush of oil. The oil is very hard to catch in my oil drain pan, because the kickstand is right where the oil pan should be. (You may want to figure out some system for keeping the bike upright without using the kickstand.)

The oil strainer looked clean, nothing there.

Get some spare O rings for the drain plug, to have on hand in case it goes bad. Refill with a quart.

I used Valvoline 10w30 synthetic. (5 quart jug at Walmart for $15!)

Happy SHcooting!

[Fryderyk]

-I had a very similar experience when I changed my oil. I made a mess because my drain pan would not fit under the drain hole. I didn't expect everything to fly out and the nut, spring, Oring, and strainer all flew into the oil pan and had to be fished out. I will be ready for that next time.

-My oil strainer screen was also completely clean.

-Next time I am going to cut a milk jug in half and use the bottom as a drain pan. I think it will fit even with the centerstand down.

[r4wd]

Yuk like wise my 1st oil change turned out to be nothing but a big clean up job, gotta be a better way. So here is a DIY project. I made up a drain trough with a large capacity drain pan.
No I haven't used it yet but I feel confident that it will work with a minimum clean up effort. My cost was $0.00 all waste material used. Will provide more details if anyone should any one be interested.

[bigbird]

Nice job. Can you elaborate on the orange "tube" leading from under the drain plug to the collection bucket? Perhaps a photo of this tube showing its cross section would be helpful.

[r4wd]

Info & photo's on proposed prototype oil drain trough for the SH150i scooter. 1st a light cardboard template then one made from light metal (aluminuum) my final choice made from a scrap corner piece of vinyl siding.The leading edge was marked with felt tip marker to depict were it ws hitting for possible adjustment, tap into postion with a hammer you may have to move up or down or a bit L or R to get a lock in feeling of the trough.

Once into an acceptable drain position this createa a problem no room for removal of the drain bolt with a socket type wrench. So hopefully the following procedure will work for a slow hot oil drain. Back off the drain bolt just enough so no oil drains out then install the drain trough then carefully back off the drain bolt with an open end wrench just enough to create a slow complete oil drain and hopefully with minimum clean up when the spring loaded parts are removed.

Now after all this rhetoric I must wait till next year for a yea or nay, unless some other forum members gives this a shot with possible Mods.

[bigbird]

Excellent picture and description.
Thank you.

[r4wd]

Thanks for the feedback. I would like to make a correction on my last post were I stated "Back off the drain bolt with an open end wrench" As it turns out it's just too cumbersome with an open end wrench on that recessed drain bolt.

A 17mm Boxend (12 point) with a slight offset does work even with the prototype drain trough in postion for a hot oil drain.

[bigbird]

I didn't even know John Deere sold their own brands of tools.
In my line of work (gas turbine repair and overhaul instruction) it's all Proto and Snap-On if you want to use chromed tools. BTW, the reason we can only use Proto or Snap-On is because they are the only lines of chrome plated tools that are approved for aircraft gas turbine. The reason is that their chrome coating will not shed and contaminate the engines. Most engine turbine mechanics use black oxide tools and thus aren't limited to Proto or Snap-On.. They won't shed a chrome coating because there isn't one. Black chrome is the worst of all for shedding and those tools are a
no-no. Black oxide doesn't look very sexy but it does the job safely.

[DewaltDakota]

Looks like a good place for a ratcheting wrench.
http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_ ... 0&sLevel=0

[r4wd]

Yes ratchet wrenches are great tools for certian applications. I happen to have a metric set with an offset head. And as luck would have it the head on the 17 mm is too big (36mm) for a fit into the recessed head of the drain bolt. So at present the wrench of choice for me remains the slight offset boxend, mine is a 12 point and I would prefer a 6 point. So far no luck in finding one will have to check out Snap On & Proto

Be I right or wrong on this oil change topic for the SH150i I am not looking at speed and feel the name of the game is get 99.?? % of the oil out before the removal of the spring loaded components.

Thanks all for the feedback.