Changing the oil is one of the most fundamental steps in caring for all motor vehicles. Often times, small problems due to old, sludgy oil or the use of improper oil will snowball into much large issues that could have been easily avoided. The first step in oil maintenance is getting to know about your vehicle. Does your QLINK unit have a screen or an oil filter? Does it have a separate compartment for gear oil or does it share its engine oil with its gears?
The four main types of engine oil to use on your unit are 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40 and 20W-50. 10W-40 is the most recommended by our QLINK technicians. However, you must also take the temperature of your area and how it affects the oil into consideration. In warmer areas you may want to move to a thicker oil, such as 10W-40, and in very hot climates it is good to move to an even thicker oil such as 20W-(40 or 50). You can look to your owner’s manuall for a detailed chart on this.
QLINK recommends performing the first oil change at 600 miles and then the rest should be done at about 1,800 mile intervals. For that first oil change your engine should take about 1.0 L of oil and then only 0.8 L consecutively after that. You also need to know if your unit has an oil screen or an oil filter. For QLINK units, only the XF 200, XP 200, FrontRunner 700/500, and Rodeo 700/500/400 have an oil filter, which should be changed each time the oil is changed. All other QLINK models have an oil screen, which can be cleaned out in solution and replaced until about every third oil change, then it should be replaced with a new one.
The other thing that you should change regularly is the gear oil. This is usually separate from the engine oil and oil labeled “Gear Oil” should be used. The only QLINK units that share engine oil with the gears are the XF 200, XP 200, Legend 250, and the Rodeo 90; these units do not have separate compartments and you should not worry about changing the gear oil on them. For all other units, QLINK recommends that you change the gear oil whenever you change the engine oil, however, many people find it okay to only change the gear oil every other time (we recommend doing this when the oil is slightly warm, but not hot, to allow for complete draining).
Remember, every engine is slightly different and your climate can have an effect the engine and the type of oil it needs. Always check with your owner’s manual or dealership if you have any questions at all in reference to your oil. QLINK always recommends that you have dealership or repair shop to perform any maintenance or repair for your vehicle. Without correct procedure, you could damage your vehicle and void warranty. It will also be a good idea to keep record of all your maintenance just in case we need for warranty purpose.
I will soon start riding my new 2009 Legacy. I live in Michigan (cold) & will be riding in 40 - 90 degree (F) temps. Is it better to use a petroleum based oil & gear oil, a synthetic oil & gear oil, or a blend of the two? Also, would the engine be better with one type & the gears with another?
Posted by: Mike Johnson | March 08, 2010 at 10:26 AM