Maintenance (New Bike)

[ggradio]

Hello All,

I just bought a 97' FZR600 with 23K Miles. The bike was garage kept through the winter. I would like to know what is the first type of maintenance to perform. Oil? Spark Plugs? Coolant? I dont even know where the coolant is. Im in the process of getting a Haynes. As for oil. What kind of oil? And what kind of coolant? Will the dealerships answer these questions?

Thanks

[yamaha_george]

GG,
to be sure of giving you correct info in future please state your location in your Profile
The FZR is know in later years (i.e 97 ) as another model and that name varies across the world market and this list goes across from New Zealand thro China and as far west as Hawaii and all point between.

There is a link in the WIKI for 1st time owners in general

http://fzronline.com/wiki/doku.php?id=n ... start_here


What order you do stuff is up to you BUT all should be done for your own peace of mind (keep a notebook of what you do that way if it goes pearshaped you can quote your book not vague memory )
Stuff to change ,
Oil not with any additives as you have a wet clutch running in it ,remove old gas and put fresh gas, drain brakes and put fresh (stainless steel lines would be good as the original lines may be rubber and are 14 years old !) drain coolant replace with suitable for your area coolant (no idea where you are so............. New gapped plugs are a luxury cleaned and gapped is OK check tyre pressures and tyre cases for cracks /dry rot

Take the battery out and charge it make sue liquid is upto the correct level.
Anything else any one.
Y_Geo

[ggradio]

Thanks Y_Geo. I have updated my location.

[Camala_Pillion]

Thanks Y_Geo. I have updated my location.

GG,
Y-Geo. says you are welcome and thanks for the location update.
he should be back on line for longer periods after Saturday in the mean time some one nearer to you should chip in about what oil is available closer to you. (yes I am sure just like when we ran the service dept . there will be a lot of different "this is better than that" oil, I was always very amused at some of the public responses and found the tech Reps visits very interesting.

[ggradio]

CP,
I didn't see anything on Wiki about coolant. I'm about meduim mechanicaly inclined. I just bought a 97' 600, 23K miles. Is changing the coolant difficult? What type of coolant should I use? Should I match the coolant that is already in the bike? Oh yeah, where is the coolant fill located? ha. I would like to do things like oil and spark plugs on my own. But i want to be positive I know exactly what to do. Or should i just take it to the shop? I'd like to do the easy-medium maintenance on my own.

[yamaha_george]

CP,
I didn't see anything on Wiki about coolant. I'm about meduim mechanicaly inclined. I just bought a 97' 600, 23K miles. Is changing the coolant difficult? What type of coolant should I use? Should I match the coolant that is already in the bike? Oh yeah, where is the coolant fill located? ha. I would like to do things like oil and spark plugs on my own. But i want to be positive I know exactly what to do. Or should i just take it to the shop? I'd like to do the easy-medium maintenance on my own.

GG,
not sure about a '97 (never worked on one personally ) so I think that the filler for coolant is under the false tank cover right behind the steering stem. Draining the coolant etc directions are in the Haynes manual which is easy to follow.

Since this is the "first" service with you as owner all fluids should be drained and replaced (quantities are in the manual)
OK as to what coolant, I use "Engine Ice" and I seem to remember when last I was in Maryland the climate was about the same as the UK with hot summers and cold snowy winters so you should be good with E.I.

I have no doubt some one nearer you will chip in and say their Fave coolant is better/cheaper etc.

What ever you use WRITE it down in your notebook with quantities, that way when you sell on the bike in several years time the new owner has some clue as to when you last changed what and what brand you used etc.


Oh for how technical this all fluids change ? Camala has done this kind of service on many bikes over the past 30+ years she has been around me, our business & my bike collection and she was a farmer's daughter.

[ggradio]

Thank you for the quick response and the helpful information. I will be ordering a Haynes manual shortly.

[kilika2]

GG. If you want to save money from buying a Haynes manual, there is a downloadable .pdf file in the donating members section. You can donate whatever ammount you want. < or equal to the price of a Haynes manual. Plus it helps the board out with bills and such.

As far as oil, just for reference I uses Castrol semi-synthetic 10w40 in Missouri with no problems. And I've been using Engine Ice until I had to drain the radiator and lost all of it and at 30 dollars a pop I went back with peak 50/50 and haven't had any problems.

Chris.