Have you ever thought about why Motorcycle won’t start after oil change? Despite being the most basic and frequent maintenance, it turns into a puzzling thing, especially if you don’t know how to fix it properly.
So, what can cause this problem? Your bike is not starting because it might be in neutral. Maybe the kickstand switch is not down, or perhaps the key is not in the motorcycle.
Your bike couldn’t start because the clutch switch overrides your bike’s safety switch. A dead battery causes the issue, the engine receives no spark, or you might have an empty fuel tank.
Therefore, you should know what can prevent your bike from starting even after your regular maintenance. And this guide will help you identify the stuff. So, keep reading.
Why Motorcycle Won’t Start After Oil Change – A Complete Guide
So why does it happen? After you have changed your oil more than 20 times you begin to start doing it without even giving it any thought. But you are not thinking and all of a sudden your bike is not starting.
So, why motorcycle won’t start after oil change? There could be plenty of reasons and you need to begin by checking some simple things first.
You don’t want to overlook anything while focusing on a certain area of your bike. Checking all these things is not going to take much time.
When your bike is not starting, you can run these small checks. Here are a few things that you need to check steps to get things sorted out.
The bike is in gear
If your bike is in gear, you won’t be able to start it no matter what. So, you have to put it in neutral before making it responsive to your engine kicks.
Is your key in?
You also need to check if the key is in the ignition. If yes, you may turn it off, take the key out, put it back in, and then turn it on again to start your engine.
Check the kickstand or clutch switch
You have to check the clutch switch or the kickstand as well. Some bikes have kickstand triggers in them. As soon as you trigger it, the bike will be unlocked, so you can start it.
Some bikes come with a clutch switch, and you need to turn it on before you start. It would be better to consult your bike’s owner’s manual.
Is the engine getting enough power?
You have to check your engine and see if it is getting enough spark, fuel, or air. Your engine will not start if it is not getting enough of these. This is because the air needs to keep flowing through the carburetor.
Pop the spark plug and crank the engine to check the spark. If that’s okay too, check the fuel using the petcocks. You have to make sure these petcocks are turned towards the right place.
Check the battery
If the carburetor, spark plugs, and petcocks are all okay, the root cause of the problem can be your battery. It might need some charging or even a total replacement.
Why do you need to change the oil?
The oil keeps your engine lubricated and prevents those smaller components from rubbing with each other and wearing out. This oil will also pull out any additional heat from the engine.
With time, the oil begins to break apart because it is frequently exposed to pressures and temperatures. This breakdown makes the oil less effective in lubricating. As a result, it becomes less effective in protecting your engine.
If you don’t do it regularly, you will end up damaging your engine. The whole matter involves changing your oil which is quite a simple matter.
And now you have to tear down your entire engine just because you were too lazy to change the oil. Your engine oil has a critical role to play. And for that reason, you have been very consistent with all your oil changes.
Changing the oil in correct way
What’s the right way of changing the oil? To begin with, make sure you warm up your bike but if you have recently ridden it then. If you have recently ridden it, you can start right away. You can start and run it for a few minutes after your motorcycle has been parked for a while.
It will warm the oil, and its viscosity will change as well. In other words, changing the oil will become less painstaking because draining will be easier and fluid.
- Remove the oil cap that is on top of the engine. You are allowing air to flow through the engine as the oil drains. It will also help in easy flow out for the oil.
- To remove the drain bolt and fur hat, you need to take a socket wrench. As you pull the bolt, the oil will pour out. Make sure you place something beneath to catch all the oil.
- It would be better to change the oil filter with the oil as well. Therefore, locate it and then twist it off. If you cannot reach it, you can use one of those special filter wrenches to grip and torque that oil filter in a better manner. Then, after unthreading it completely, pull it out. Just be careful about the oil that is inside the filter.
- When all the oil is out, put everything back. Place the drain bolt back, take your new filter, and run some oil on its O-rings to seal it better. Now it’s time to fill the oil filter.
- Start the bike and check for any sounds and vibrations. Then, check the oil level the next day and see whether you need more oil on your bike or not.
Starting Motorcycle After Oil Change
Your motorbike needs to start just like normal after you are done changing its oil. But you still have to be cautious and run different checks.
- First, make sure you have added the correct amount of oil and the right type to the bike. If you have done that, it’s time to start your motorcycle.
- When you start your bike for the first time after the oil change, pay more attention to all the sounds and vibrations.
- Right after an oil change, your oil pressure light will indicate low pressure, but that is normal. And this happens because there is air inside the system. So, it will take some time for the oil to enter the system.
- To reduce the time for which the oil pressure light stays on, you need to fill the oil filter before installing it. This will be tough if your oil filter is installed horizontally. However, if the filter is vertical, you will be able to fill it up easily.
- You can even add a little bit of oil at the start, which would be better than adding no oil at all. This way you will be able to keep the oil pressure high and your engine will start normally.
Tips on Changing Oil that Will Prevent Starting Issues
The most important thing you can do when changing your oil is to pay attention to the whole procedure. No matter how many oil changes have you been through, it is important that you pay attention to what is going on.
It is not just about going through the motions because you might end up regretting it. In most cases, low oil pressure is the standard issue that arises right after an oil change. And for that, you have to fill the filter first.
When you are done, if the bike still doesn’t start, go through the steps we mentioned above one by one. This way, you will be able to maintain the overall well-being of your bike.
Conclusion
There are plenty of reasons why motorcycle won’t start after oil change. All these possibilities are there and you should run a check before you make any hasty decisions. Oil changes are critical and this is the reason why you have to replace it regularly.
One of the main reasons why motorcycle won’t start after oil change is there is the low oil pressure within the engine. And for that, make sure you fill the oil filter first and then add oil into your bike engine. This way, your engine will take less time to run to be operational.
