How To Change The Oil On A 4 Stroke Dirt Bike

Doing regular maintenance on your bike is super important for having it last long-term and also performing up to par. One of the most important things is changing the oil and in this post, I’ll walk you through how to change the oil in a 4 stroke dirt bike.

A 4 stroke dirt bike has so many moving parts and that’s why it’s incredibly important to change the oil on a regular basis. Every bike will be different but my bike says to change the oil every 60 hours. If you’re going to be racing the bike pretty good I’d recommend you do it more often than that. I’m not that hard on my bike (trail riding) so I stick to the 60-hour rule (your bike might be different so be sure to check your manual).

Changing the oil on your bike is not a time-consuming process and it’s not expensive to do. That’s why you should get in the habit of doing it on a regular basis. You can never change the oil too much so do it whenever you can.

Keeping fresh oil in your bike is super important because when it gets low or when it gets dirty it can’t do its job. Without oil, your bike will run hot and that will result in parts wearing and breaking down. If you want your bike to perform like it should and last a long time, just get this done.

How Do You Change The Oil On A 4 Stroke Dirt Bike?

  1. The first thing you’ll want to do is let the bike run for 3-5 minutes. The oil is easier to drain when it’s warm and you want to make sure all the old oil and debris comes out.
  2. Place a drain pan or bucket below the bike and remove the drain bolt on the bottom. Make sure the drain pan is big enough because the oil may shoot out when you first pull the plug. Also, remove the dip stick screw.
  3. Remove the oil filter cover on the side of the bike and remove the oil filter. If you’re using a disposable filter you’ll need to replace that but if you have an aftermarket filter you can simply clean it with some contact cleaner and it’ll be good as new (clean the filter cap as well). Let the filter sit and dry before you put it back in.
  4. Put the drain plug back in and tighten it to the proper specs. It’s SUPER important that you don’t overtighten this. It’ll break very easily and cost a fortune to get it fixed. Look at your manual and use a torque wrench if you can.
  5. Put your oil filter back in place (they have to go a certain way). Put a little bit of oil on the filter cap, put it back on, and tighten it to the proper specs. Again, don’t overtighten them bolts because they will break.
  6. Put in the required amount of oil, put the dip stick back in, and you’ll be good to go. Check your manual to be sure of how much oil to put in. If you have a dip stick you can use the line on that to know when you’ve put enough oil in.

How Often Do You Change The Oil In A 4 Stroke Dirt Bike?

Every bike will be slightly different but my bike recommends changing the oil every 60 hours. If you’ll be hard on the bike you should probably do it more often. If you just use it for a stroll through the trails you can stick to what your manual suggests.

how often to change oil in a ttr 125

The more often you change the oil the better. It’s an easy thing to do and it’s not expensive, so make it something you do on a regular basis.

How Often To Change Your Dirt Bike Oil Filter?

If you’re using a disposable filter you’ll need to change that every time you do the oil. If you use an aftermarket filter you can simply clean it with contact cleaner and you can use it over and over again. I use and recommend the second option.

Be sure to have a good look at your filter because debris can hide in the small cracks and holes. Give it a good cleaning and if it’s super dirty for whatever reason, you’ll probably be better off replacing it.

How To Clean Your Dirt Bike Oil Filter?

The best way to clean your oil filter is by spraying it with contact cleaner. I’m sure there are other things you can use but I’ve always used contact cleaner and it’s done a great job.

You’ll want to spray every single part of the filter to make sure all the debris is gone. In all of the holes and along the edge of the filter is where dirt tends to hide. Give it a good look and make sure it’s all gone. Let the filter dry before you put it back in.

What Kind Of Oil Goes In A 4 Stroke Dirt Bike?

The oil you put in your bike will depend on what bike you have. It’s always best to read your manual to make sure you’re putting the right stuff on your bike. My Yamaha manual says to use 10W-30 for 10 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and 20W-30 for 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

If you’re debating whether to use cheap or high-performance oil I’d highly suggest the high-performance. It’s a bit more money now but it’ll keep your engine running smoother and you’ll have fewer problems in the long run. Don’t cheap out on the oil you put in.

Curious about what will happen if you don’t have oil in your bike? Check this out:

Let me know your thoughts and any questions you have. Like this article? Feel free to give it a share!

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Jon Webber

I'm by no means an outdoors or fishing expert, but it's something I've been interested in for over 20 years. I created this site to test out different gear and techniques to see what actually works.

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