How to do an MT07 Oil Change in 5 minutes DIY

It still amazes me that a lot of people take their motorcycle into the dealer to do the regular service interval oil changes. Sure if you have lots of money or you just don’t have the time then drop it in.

But if you are like me and would rather spend your hard-earned dollars on some cool upgrades for your MT07 other than oil changes then read on for the procedure.

The MT07 or also known as the FZ07 in some parts of the world has a service oil change interval of every 10,000 Km (6200 miles) according to my workshop manual. This is after the first 1000Km oil change.

The service manual says that you can replace the engine oil filter every 20000km but I like to replace it every time I do an oil change as it is a cheap part.

In fact, I like to change my motorcycle oil every 5000 Km which is around every 6 months. It’s a quick job that gives my engine clean oil. I like to take care of my gear.

Parts and Tools Needed.

• Oil drain pan
• Oil filter wrench
• Rags
• Funnel
• Socket set.
• New oil filter K&N and Recommended Oil 3L (I USE CASTROL 4L POWER 1, 4T 10W40 4 STROKE ENGINE OIL)
• New drain plug washer seal.
• Torque Wrench (not really needed)
• Cheap motorcycle rear stand.

Recommended Brand Yamalube, Type SAE 10w30, 10w-40, 10w-50,15w-40,20w-40 or 20w-50. I like to use 10W-40 as it has a good temperature range.

Recommended engine oil grade. API service SG type or higher. JASO standard MA.

Warning

Note: The engine oil also lubricates the clutch, so using the wrong oil type can lead to clutch slippage. Do not add any additives to your oil or use an oil with a grade of “CD” or higher. Do not use oil labeled Energy Conserving II.

Procedure

The following MT07 oil change procedure is from the workshop service manual. It is a guide for those wanting to do an oil change themselves. There is a video further down this post for those who like to watch movies on how to change the MT07 oil.

Checking the Engine Oil Level

• Stand the motorcycle on a level service and upright.
• Start the engine and warm it up for a few minutes.
• Turn off the engine and wait a minute.
• Check the engine oil level in the sight glass.
• The engine oil should be between marks (a) and (b)
• If the oil is below (a) add some in. If it is above (b) remove some oil.

Procedure for Changing the MT07 Engine Oil

• Start the engine and warm it up for a few minutes and then turn it off.
• Place a container under the engine that can hold more than 4L
• Remove the oil filler cap marked number 1

• Remove the engine drain bolt and gasket (numbers 2 and 3)
• Drain the engine oil

• Remove the oil filter cartridge with either an oil filter wrench or with a socket if it has the hex nut.
• Lubricate the oil filter o-ring with some new oil. I like to also pour some engine oil inside the filter to soak into the filter pads.

• Screw on the new oil filter to 17Nm (1.7 m.kgf, 12 ft.lbf)
• Replace the engine drain bolt with a new gasket to 43 Nm (4.3 m.kgf, 31 ft.lbf)
• Fill the FZ07 engine with the correct amount of oil which will be around 2.6L capacity.
• Replace the oil filler cap.
• Check for oil leaks and start the engine.
• Run-on idle for a few minutes and then turn off. Check for leaks again.
• Check the oil level in the sight glass and add or remove oil as needed.

Problems you may encounter with the FZ07 Oil change

Sometimes the oil filter will just not come off. If it has been put on with a lot of force or it has not had the o-ring seal lubricated before installing it may be very hard to get off.

The two ways I have used to get a stuck oil filter off are to use an oil filter 3-jaw wrench and the drill method.

The 3-jaw wrench is an adjustable oil filter wrench designed to apply maximum force to remove stuck oil filters.

Sometimes the excessive force needed to remove the oil filter will crush the top of the filter. This is not a big deal as we will be replacing this filter anyway since we are doing an MT07 oil change.

The second method to remove a seized oil filter is to drill a hole near the very top of the oil filter and use a thick screwdriver to turn the filter off. Now a word of warning doing drill too close to the base of the filter near the motorcycle as you could drill into the oil filter connection pipe.

Another common issue is leaking oil filters at the seal but all you need to do is give it a 1/8 clockwise turn to tighten up the filter some more.

If you are going to do all of your own servicing on your bikes you should get yourself these special tools for motorcycle maintenance.

Is Yamalube a synthetic oil?

The racing Yamalube RS4GP 10W40 is fully synthetic engine oil. Y4-M 10W40 is a cheaper alternative and is mineral oil. Each has the following properties:

• Delivers the optimum mix of high-performance and value
• Recommended for wet clutches
• Synthetic base stocks provide outstanding lubricating properties and strong oil film that decrease friction and wear and increase engine lifetime
• High detergent and dispersive properties

What is the best synthetic oil for motorcycles?

1. YamaLube All Purpose 4 Four Stroke synthetic oil is the best.
2. Castrol Power 1 4T 10W40 4 Stroke Engine Oil
3. Lucas Oil 10702-PK6 High-Performance Synthetic 20W-50 Motorcycle Oil. (not for cold climates)
4. Maxima (349128) Premium4 10W-40 Motorcycle Engine Oil.
5. Valvoline Advanced Full Synthetic 20W-50 Motor Oil.

Which oil is better 10w40 or 20w40?

10w40 oil has a lower ‘W’ rating, than 20w-40 this means that it has better performance and lower viscosity at colder temperatures. This means that 20w40 weight oils have a higher ‘W’ number, which means they will be thicker and not perform well in colder temperatures. You can run 20w40 in colder climates but you will need to warm the engine up longer to get the oil up to temperature. Otherwise, engine wear will happen at a faster rate. Think about honey when it is cold it is thick and not very runny.

Cold climates 10w40, hot climates 20w40 engine oil.

Coolant in your Oil

If you find that you have to water or coolant in your oil it could mean you have a failed gasket in your engine. The oil will come out milky white with lumps in it. Water and oil don’t mix well together.

You will also find that the coolant level will start to go down. Never let your radiator overflow tank run empty. You can follow this procedure to do a MT 07 coolant change flush.

It will be best to take your motorcycle to a repair shop to diagnose the fault and replace the faulty gasket. Don’t ride your motorcycle until you have repaired the problem or you can do engine damage.

Conclusion

As you can see doing an FZ07 oil change is a very straightforward process. You can literally save yourself hundreds of dollars by doing it yourself. With the money saved, you can go and buy some cool upgrades for your MT07.

The Yamaha MT07 / FZ07 is a fantastic sports bike. If you take care of it you will have years of fun riding it. As always be safe and maybe I will see you on the road one day.