Fluid changes on a bike (Specific to the Yamaha XJ, but good for all) > next question , not wanting to get into the oil debate, but can the >xj700-xn owners out there give me a list of grades/types of oil needed for a >total service, and tell me where all the drain,oil filters etc etc >also any helpful tips to keep it pristine(except not ride it) Warm up then engine before changing the oil. Center stand it on a level surface. Use a 6 pt socket to remove the oil filter bolt. Chances are it was put on too tight, so any other tool with just round it. There is a gap between the inner 2 headers and it's a bit tight pulling the housing off with the bolt. Don't pull the bolt off. You might be one of the few that still has the washer and I'd imagine this is how they get lost. Of course if you do the filter housing first, the drain pan will be empty and make it easy to find the washer and spring. The drain plug is a few inches below the filter housing and is easy to spot with the Phillips screw head. I use about 10 inches of extentions (6" & 4") to avoid hitting the pipes. Gloves are a good idea. Not the end of the drain plug. It is magnetic. Clean it real good and note the amount of material on it. Does give an idea of wear and if something might be wrong. Install the plug and torque it to 31 ft lbs. There are 2 o-rings for the filter housing. One fits over the bolt and one is for where the housing mates with the engine block, which should be wiped clean. Compare the o-rings with the new ones (that should come with the filter). Sometimes they are too small and might leak, re-use the old ones if that is the case. Provided they are in good condition. Coat them with white lithium grease. New engine oil is good too, just don't install them dry. With grease, the housing o-ring will stay put. The ordering is bolt into the housing, spring, washer (if you still have one), and the filter, which should be the recessed side. Some grease or oil on the rubber bits is a good idea. When you were removing the housing note the top part by the mating surface has a tang, which fits into the gap between two bosses on the block. It can be lined up first, pushed in place, and held or spin the bolt on first and wait for the tang to catch, then back off a little and line it up. Pushing it down first does make it easier to start the bolt, but either way works. The housing bolt is tightened to only 11 ft lbs, which is not much. The seals are there to prevent leaking. Consider either anti-size or grease on the bolt threads. Most of the anti-seize or all of the grease will wash away over time, but it's much easier to remove the bolt next time around. Not to mention easier to turn and that means 11 ft lbs will seal leak free. The sight glass is on the right hand side, as is the fill hole (about mid shin). Capacity is 3 US qt (2.5 Imperial qts or 2.8 litre). Fill it until the oil is either gone or the level is 2/3 the way from the bottom of the sight glass. Put the fill plug back on, start the engine, run for about a minute, wait about a minute and re-check the level. Add until the oil is about 1/2 to 2/3 the way from the bottom of the sight glass. Then put on 3000 miles as soon as you can to change it again. Repeat many times for years of enjoyment. Oh, the manual says to change the filter every *other* change. Sod that, change it every time. Final gear oil should be done after a 20 mile ride to warm the housing up. Drain plug is on the bottom and fill plug is at an angle mid-rear of the housing (the top "plug" is a breather). The drain plug also has a magnet to clean and inspect. The torque spec is 17 ft lbs and is filled to the top of the fill hole's threads. One US qt or Imp. qt or litre will be good for about 5 changes. Interval is 15, 000 miles or 24 months. Many here do it yearly. Mine has been done every other oil change. Now that I've changed to semi-synthetic (eventually a full synthetic) that could be extended. Figure with the small amount it's rather cheap. John already mentioned the 3 drain bolts for cooling (all on the right side). Torque spec is 11 ft lbs for them. Mix should be 50/50 and don't think that going to a higher percentage coolant mix is better due to higher boiling point. Water has a greater heat capacity than ethylene glycol and using less water will reduce the total heat capacity of the cooling system. Needs about 2.5 US qt (2.11 Imp qt or 2.4 litre) total. Manual says soft water is OK, but distilled water is better. The system can be flushed, just like with a car. Use the same stuff, only about 1/4 to 1/2 what you need. A bit rich, but it's only temporary. DO NOT install the cap when flushing. Drain, add the flush, and fill with tap water. Just don't fill it too full. As is, it might overflow. Run for about 10 minutes. This is also a good time to check the cooling fan operation. It should come on right about when the gauge reaches the red mark. Might be after, but gauge operation varies. Rather than allowing the cleaning mix too cool after turning the engine off, drain some into the reservoir to clean it up first, then flush the system with tap water. This will cool it off and you can add the 50/50 mix, start the engine, run it until the gauge is at the middle and add mix to the reservoir to about 3/4 the way to the "full" mark. Flushing the system yearly, as well as using distilled water with a coolant that contains no silicates will extend the life of the entire cooling system. Idle the engine from time to time and ensure that fan works, else you might be in a jam and overheat. Came close last year due the fan being a slow starter. An override switch to run it periodically or in case the sensor goes out is a good idea. Jeff "The Mountin Man" - '86 MaximX