Well, we picked up a 2006 F4i last weekend and am now going through doing the normal maintenance. While washing the bike I noticed that the oil was over filled. I figure that the PO had filled the oil while sitting on it's kickstand.



I removed all the lower cowlings to make it easier to work on as this is our first F4i. I hate it when oil gets all over the exhaust so I use a piece of angle aluminum to catch the oil from the filter and have it run into the drain pan.




It certainly makes it nice and tidy. I noticed that the PO was using a K&N filter on it. I was not impressed with this filter. Not only was it short, but because they incorporate a Hex nut on the end of it for ease of installation/removal, but they sacrifice filtering capacity in doing so. In this photo, you can see the sizes of the filters from Purolator. The one on the left PL14612 is the standard size filter for the bike. You can see how much smaller the K&N filter is compared to it. The one on the right is the larger (longer) PL14610 that I prefer to use. It has a much higher filtering capacity than the K&N and the standard size Puralotor.



After filling with Shell Rotella T6, you can see in the window how the level looks right.



But after starting it, you can see how the level drops due to having to fill the oil filter after the change.



I then top the oil off back to capacity after letting it run for a bit.


I'll post up other things I do as I go through the bike to bring it up to snuff.

 

Offer is still good if you want my hard copy of the 2001-2006 f4i service manual

Now buy a s1000rr so I can bug you for wrenching advice

 

OMG! The dirt man has gone to fi. What is the world coming to? LOL

Man, that oil was dirty. Did the PO ever change it?
Clever on the angle aluminum though. I just use a pile of rags...

Let us fi guys know if you have any questions. You know we'd be hitting you up if we bought carbed bikes.

 

Good visual info for people. I personally stick a funnel under the oil filter - the headers hold it there nicely.

Don't change your oil while the bike is hot, folks! Should be a no-brainer but you'd be surprised.

 

I appreciate it, but found one on ebay for $25. Couldn't pass it up. Besides, you may go back someday.


Now, lets make this perfectly clear, this is my wifes bike, I just get to maintain it... lol.

 

hey man, what kind of oil did you use?

 

After filling with Shell Rotella T6, you can see in the window how the level looks right.

wow, reading > me... apoligies, its late out here : |.. better question may be, how much did you end up using?

 

I guess I have no brain, then. I always warm up the engine before changing the oil. Cold oil doesn't drain very well.

 

He said warm it up, not change the oil immediatley after turning the bike off at 225*.

A couple things Mr. Dirt- Removing the fairings is completely un-nessacary on the f4i, including when using the sidestand to change oil. But being the clean freak you seem to be [weird to me as the bike is riding down very dirty roads] removing might be the only option. The other thing is the filters. Paying attention to only the length of the filter is meaningless. What micron the filter media filters down to is important, as is the end cap contruction. All a longer filter is going to do is allow more dirt particles to become stuck in the filter without impeading flow or filtering ability. Seeing as most people change their bike's oil way before it gets really dirty the extra filtering capacity is normally a mute point. Just some food for thought...

 

Actually I've been hearing that K&N oil filters are actually inferior to other products when it comes down to filtration.