Questions from a new timbersled owner (YZ450)

[Ew83]

Bike is a 2018 yz450f. Kit is 2018 raw120.

First question is how often do you change your oil and what do you use for cold weather (I'm in Alaska). Heard 0w40 is the way to go. Change it every ride or is that excessive? Temps here are prob around 10deg F where I'll be riding.

What recurring parts do you buy for a 4T (I'm coming from singletrack riding on a 2T, so 4T is new to me). Figure oil, oil filter, crush washers, but don't know what else.

Third, in the pics I found this spacer on the ground. Anyone know where it goes (I know long shot)?

Bike is mostly setup w c3 termobob, snow air filter, drifters blanket, etc. Waiting on radiator guards to come in.

Any help appreciated!

 

[dooman92]

Ew83, as I recall there are some offset spacers that look like that one in the plastic around the radiators and tank. Possible? Fwiw, I have been using 0w40 Mobil 1 euro car formula oil in a fx and an exc for about 300 combined hours. I've had both engines apart and inspected for wear. No appreciable wear anywhere. On both engines piston ring end gap was hard to measure a difference between used and new rings. Both were less than .002 wear, and the yami had 200 hrs on it.
In regard to changing oil, the biggest factor determining that is engine operation temps, and to some degree clutch use/slippage. If you run consistant temps 180 and above you will have very little fuel or moisture contamination of the oil and it will be good for several days rides, I've done 20 hrs numerous times under consistant temp conditions. If running cold and get fuel or moisture in oil then one or two 6 hrs rides. That approach has worked for me. My first bike had 300+ hours on the snow and other than one slight valve adj I never touched it. I am assuming like most of us on the snow you will be operating in a pretty much dust free environment. Air quality is also a factor in oil change intervals. A dust free environment reduces the need for frequent oil changes. Have fun....

 

[raleigh111]

Ew83, as I recall there are some offset spacers that look like that one in the plastic around the radiators and tank. Air quality is also a factor in oil change intervals. A dust free environment reduces the need for frequent oil changes. Have fun....

You hit the nail on the head. The spacer looks like bottom radiator shroud and this oil change thing is out of control. We are riding in a dust free environment. On the dirt different story.

 

[aka Mr Floyd]

Spacer: if it is not one of the plastics inserts, the only spacers for the fit kit that small are at the top and bottom of the fixed strut or TSS.

Oil type: temp range should be in your manual for the bike.

Changing oil: very dependent on your bike and conditions. When I started, no thermostat or anything, I would get alot of water/gas contamintation in the oil so I would change it every ride. Do your first ride, change the oil, if it is milky (water) or smells excessively like gas, might want to change it every ride. If it is clean uncontaminated you can go longer. With my thermobob now installed I go a couple rides before changing the oil as I now only gain some gas/water if it is a really deep powder day (I don't run an engine jacket).

Filter: as stated above, we aren't riding dirt so less likely to have contaminants clogging up the filter (water and gas don't screw up the filter). Change first ride, then once a season or so just to make sure it looks OK each time. I've often thought since I don't use the bike on the dirt I could probably get away with never changing these.

Extras: crush washer can usually just be reused as long as you are not overtorquing the drain bolt. Buy one replacement just in case you put it back together one time and it leaks. I haven't replaced one on my 17 YZ 450 yet. Also get an extra O ring that seals the cap over the oil filter. Again usually this can be reused (lubricate with a little oil on it prior to putting it back on). One time I did get in a rush and pinched one and ruined it, would have sucked to not be able to go riding if I hadn't had a replacement in the toolbox.

Hope that helps, have fun!

 

[Ew83]

Wow all informative responses, thanks!

W regard to the spacer; I have the TSS shock. Where would this mount on the TSS shock so I can look and see if it's missing? Also, the TSS shock has the eyelets slightly crooked on the upper and lower mounts, only providing it a few mm's of rotation. That okay?

AKA Mr floyd: yes the manual lists all 10w and a 20w oil which I figured would be too thick for the cold up here which is why I asked. Timbersled makes a 0w40. Thoughts on that?

Fwiw I bought a tusk magnetic drain bolt along w crush washers and spare oil filter o rings.

I have the c3 thermobob thingie so hopefully I won't need any radiator blocking shields, because I have the bulletproof designs rad guards on my KTM and they fit tight to the radiator (might not be enough space to slide them in there).

 

[dooman92]

Ew83, 0w 40 is great choice, 40wt viscosity at oil operating temps (200 degrees or more is preferred) and thinner less viscosity when cold compared to a 10w-40 or 10w-50. Most wear in an engine takes place during cold starts. Thinner oil pumps easier and gets through the engine faster. Great info at 540rat blog.
Regarding blocking the rads, you will need to cover/block at times. Because they are above the engine the cold coolant will fall and warm coolant rise and cool the engine even though the thermostat is closed. Thermostats alone don't work on the bikes. Several good discussions on here about those issues and potential cures.

 

[aka Mr Floyd]

Nevermind on the TSS bushing. I only looked at the picture, not the measurement on the calipers. I don't know of anything on the timbersled that would be that small, so I'd look on the bike.

Eyelets slightly rotated should be fine as long as they aren't binding.

 

[jfdesroc1]

Spacer look like the one used for the chain case cover!


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[Ew83]

Spacer look like the one used for the chain case cover!


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Good guess but I checked the chain case cover (on the raw120- the cover over the chain) and they use slightly bigger gold ones. So it's not that. Wondering if it's from another bike and the previous owner put it in the parts bag by mistake

 

[YZ426F]

I change my oil almost after every ride. I know it’s a lot but figure oils cheaper then a engine. I’m running Yamaha 10/40 but travel with a enclosed trailer




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[4Seasonfun]

Ew83, looks like spacer on shroud / tank. usually stays in the shroud but that's an easy check

 

[jethro450]

If the spacer isn't where others aid it was, maybe it's the spacer that goes in the side covers where the seat bolts down. I made a couple videos that should help you out.


The frequent oil changes are due to cold weather and either gas/water getting in there. I change mine every other ride no matter what. I haven't had water/gas in the oil ever on this bike due to my setup. My first snowbike, on the other hand, was lubricated with water about 95% of the time and the motor had 300 hrs on it when I sold it, still in spec, stock clutch. I changed the oil every ride. I had no idea what I was doing with engine temps.

 

[Ew83]

If the spacer isn't where others aid it was, maybe it's the spacer that goes in the side covers where the seat bolts down. I made a couple videos that should help you out.


The frequent oil changes are due to cold weather and either gas/water getting in there. I change mine every other ride no matter what. I haven't had water/gas in the oil ever on this bike due to my setup. My first snowbike, on the other hand, was lubricated with water about 95% of the time and the motor had 300 hrs on it when I sold it, still in spec, stock clutch. I changed the oil every ride. I had no idea what I was doing with engine temps.

Your videos have been extremely helpful. I've been tracking all your build videos and watched them numerous times. Check out the tape I put on the blankets, thanks to your vids (my drifters blankets has some rub spots where the exhaust guard bolt holes are).

Another thing I noticed: the chain touches the track, shown in the pic. Is that okay? I also took the other chain cover off and noticed it had about an inch of slack in it (I've never attempted to mess with this chain, I only tightened the chain that runs from the engine sprocket). Thanks for all the help!

 

[jethro450]

Nice! Gotta protect that engine blanket. I just put a fresh layer of 3M tape on my engine blanket for this season. It lasts a lot longer than expected.
Yes, you need to be checking your case chain frequently. I'm probably a little OCD but I take my cover off and check it after every ride. A very long road ride at high speed can heat it up if you're not careful so that's why I check it so much. I rarely have to adjust it though. I do grease it a lot. Every ride. That's excessive but hey, I've never had a chain failure.

 

[needpowder]

That spacer is for your plastic shroud that covers your radiators. Not going to look up the schematic for you. Your slack in your chain case should be between 1/2 and five eights of an inch. Super easy to adjust. Check out Revyup engine blankets. Takes a couple weeks for him to make it and ship it to you from Canada but they are insulated and way better.
Change your oil often. If you are running stock ECU then you are over fueling every time your engine gets cold.

 

[Revv Up]

Check out Revyup engine blankets. Takes a couple weeks for him to make it and ship it to you from Canada but they are insulated and way better.

Thanks for the endorsement, our turnaround times are usually 1 to 2 days before they are shipped

 

[needpowder]

Thanks for the endorsement, our turnaround times are usually 1 to 2 days before they are shipped

Really happy with mine so far. Had a PST for the last 4 years. The Revvup not only keeps it warmer but seems like it will hold up better as well.

 

[Ew83]

That spacer is for your plastic shroud that covers your radiators. Not going to look up the schematic for you. Your slack in your chain case should be between 1/2 and five eights of an inch. Super easy to adjust. Check out Revyup engine blankets. Takes a couple weeks for him to make it and ship it to you from Canada but they are insulated and way better.
Change your oil often. If you are running stock ECU then you are over fueling every time your engine gets cold.

Do you mean the plastic that covers the front of the radiators? Or the radiator side cover plastics? I replaced the radiator front covers (louvers I think is what they are called) with bulletproof designs radiator guards. I checked the side plastics for the radiators, and I did not see anywhere where that spacer would go. Unfortunately, if that's what you're referring to, I would need to check it on the oem diagram to know where you are referring to.

Didn't know about the chain case slack, wish the instructions I got mentioned the slack spec. I will check it.

 

[needpowder]

I was thinking the side plastics. I remember a couple spacers like that in between the bike and plastic. Can’t remember exactly which bolt. Honestly though, you don’t need them at all. It is more just a cosmetic thing to make the plastics fit perfect.
If you have space between your new radiator guards and your radiator, design and cut a piece of thin plastic to slide down in between them that you can easily pull in and out to help regulate temperatures.

 

[needpowder]

Went back and reread your original post. The thermostat does a little. The engine jacket and foam around Engine does a little. Covering the radiators does a little (actually a lot). It’s kind of a constant balancing act. Just keep an eye on your temperature gauge and you’ll figure out what works!