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There is no direct relationship between motorcycle not starting after an oil change. But other factors cause motorcycles to not start.
Use a compatible oil for your motorcycle according to the weather you ride in. The viscosity of the oil matters in the lubrication of the engine’s components effectively which in turn helps the bike to start easily after an oil change without creating other problems.
Look into your motorcycle’s user manual to pick the right engine oil grade for your motorcycle because they have done a lot of research to recommend a particular engine oil grade for the assigned bike.
And you should learn the knowledge on when to change your motorcycle oil for good engine health.
The motorcycle may not start after an oil change because of other reasons which you should look into as a prerequisite, these might be battery condition, neutral position ( which is common sense ), ignition kill switch position, or side stand activation (modern motorcycles are
equipped with a side stand sensor that won’t allow the engine to ignite if the stand is down), and even some motorcycles need the clutch lever pulled/activated while starting the bike.
Motoxtasy Pro Tip: Let the motorcycle idle & warm up for a few minutes which makes the oil less viscous due to heat and movement, it will make draining/removing old oil from the engine much easier, fast, and efficient ( there will be no leftover old engine oil in the system).
In this article, you will know that oil change doesn’t directly affect failing to start the motorcycle, but there might be other multiple reasons you should consider looking into because that’s where the real problem lies and how you should fix it.
Reasons Why Motorcycle Won’t Start After Oil Change & How To Fix Them?
There are multiple reasons which affect motorcycle ignition failure after an oil change, these reasons fall into the category of indirect causes and today you will know how to identify and fix them.
Reason 1 & How To Fix It: Choosing Right Grade Oil
Choosing the right grade oil is crucial for your motorcycle and the user manual will help you find which oil grade is best for your bike. The viscosity index of the oil plays a big role in the lubrication of engine components at different temperatures ( Celcius/Fahrenheit ).
The oil changes its viscosity ( thickness ) according to the engine’s and surrounding weather temperature and conditions, defined by its grading system ( EX.10W30 W=winter ).
So sometimes using the wrong grade oil during cold temperatures will run the oil thinner ( Low Viscosity = Thinner Oil ) than it should be, resulting in a higher oil flow rate which eventually leads to engine components wear due to coming in contact with each other. This process applies exactly the same in hot temperatures but in reverse order ( Oil running way too vicious = thicker than it should be ).
So if you are having a problem cold starting a motorcycle in harsh weather conditions ( cold & warm ).
If you want to know more about the study of viscosity index specifics in detail check out this article from Motorstate.com – Viscosity – Choosing The Right Oil Weight
Reason 2 & How To Fix It: Faulty Or Damaged Spark Plug
Spark plugs are needed to produce the spark in the combustion chamber to cause a mini explosion that starts the motorcycle.
Look for any kind of surface imperfections such as thread wear, damage to the ignition tip, extreme electrode wear/breakage, or even corrosion.
If you see any kind of breakage to the insulator replace it as soon as possible
A spark plug that is in well/great condition will have a brownish or grayish color to it.
Reason 3 & How To Fix It: Battery With Multiple Problems
If there is visual physical damage to the battery like damaged casing, chemical leak, broken or corroded terminals or severe discoloration just replace it with the new battery as soon as possible due to obvious safety reasons and inefficiency.
If the battery has problems such as inaccurate multimeter reading, unable to hold a charge for a longer time, cracked/bulge/shrunken casing of the battery, Corroded or broken battery terminals, chemical leak, having to press the starter button longer than needed, or unable to start the motorcycle at all.
These are the multitude of common problems you might have with a motorcycle battery.
If you don’t see any visual damage on the battery, then just recharge it and see if it holds the charge for a longer time (1-2 days). The battery voltage should range between 12Volts – 13.6Volts. If it doesn’t hold the charge even after recharging it, just buy a new battery.
Reason 4 & How To Fix It: Oil filter Routine Change Or Air In The System
Believe it or not, it’s crazy how many people don’t do their routine oil filter replacement during an oil change. Oil filter pickups contaminants, dust, and dirt particles in the engine oil before it enters the crankcase.
So replace the old oil filter with a new one and make sure to apply some fresh oil to the O-Ring on the bottom.
Add little oil to the filter as well though it’s not necessary for modern motorcycles. And screw back the proper amount or torque on the bolts and oil filter to fit back in.
Start the motorcycle and let it idle for a few minutes to the oil flowing into the system.
Some old motorcycles might show low oil pressure for a few minutes or because of air getting into the system which can be eliminated by adding a little oil to the new filter before putting it back onto the motorcycle.
These are the top four reasons you all should look into if we take into consideration the small aspects such as neutral gear position, ignition kill switch position, and side stand activation which everyone does right cause we are not that stupid.
Look into the reasons/causes and fix them as told in this article, your motorcycle will start without a doubt after an oil change.
When Should You Do An Oil Change On The Motorcycle?
The oil change of the motorcycle depends upon the motorcycle.
You can refer to the user manual for exact details for your particular motorcycle.
But we have written an awesome blog post about engine oil change intervals in crazy detail for sports, cruisers, adventure, street, and off-road motorcycles taking the motorcycle’s cubic capacity ( CC ) into consideration and also the types of oil. It will blow your mind while making your life easier, now that’s what I call a deal.
Changing your motorcycle engine oil is one of the crucial factors for
your motorbike’s performance & longevity. But most people get
confused regarding their engine oil change intervals,
So when and how often should you change your motorcycle’s oil?
Do this practice of oil change as a wide general rule, oil change intervals might vary depending upon your motorcycle and riding style.
Fully synthetic motorcycle engine oil should be changed every ( 7,100 miles – 10,000 miles / 11,500 kilometers – 15,000 kilometers ) or once every year.
Semi-synthetic engine oil should be changed every ( 5000 miles – 6100 miles / 8000 kilometers – 9500 kilometers ) or once every year.
As for the mineral-based engine oil, it must be changed twice a year or every ( 2100 miles / 3500 kilometers ).
Proper oil change intervals are a must for the longevity of your motorcycle. And in this article, we shared the most common and general engine oil change intervals which can be applied to the majority of bikes.
Different types of engine oil work very differently in your motorcycle. From checking oil quality to knowing what happens if you skip your oil change interval is a skill every rider should know it.
That’s why I urge you guys and gals to read our article mentioned above about how often you should change oil, which is straight to the point where your doubts will be cleared about oil change intervals.
How To Properly Start A Motorcycle After An Oil Change?
Once you have changed the oil, press the starter button and crank the engine and let it idle for 2 to 5 minutes until you hear the smooth sound of the exhaust.
As the air enters the crankcase when you open the engine oil cap it is necessary for that trapped air to escape the crankcase after starting the engine, idling the motorcycle will help this to happen.
It is fine if the motorcycle’s odometer indicates low engine oil light as there is air in the crankcase it will take some time to get out.
Conclusion
99.9% of the motorcycles will start after the engine oil change, there is no direct relation between your motorcycle not starting after an engine oil change. A faulty spark plug, a faulty fuel pump, and a dead battery can be the culprit.
