Introduction
Change the oil in your '94-'09 Kawasaki Ninja 500 to improve engine performance and longevity. Note that the process for changing the oil in this bike is the same as the previous generation, '87-'93, Kawasaki Ninja 500.
What you need
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Begin by locating the center stand peg. It is located behind the the left foot peg and just below the exhaust pipe.
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Mount the bike and raise the kickstand.
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Use your left foot to apply pressure to the center stand peg and rock the bike backwards onto the center stand.
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Use a 17 mm box end wrench or socket to turn the oil drain plug counter-clockwise until you can turn it by hand.
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Finish removing the oil drain plug by hand and allow the oil to drain. Loosening the oil fill cap either before or after removing the drain plug will help drain the oil faster.
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Once the draining oil has slowed to a drip, clean the area around the drain plug hole with a clean towel or rag and replace the oil drain plug.
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Screw in the oil drain plug by hand, turning it clockwise as far as possible. Finish tightening the drain plug by using a 17 mm box end wrench or socket.
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Rock the bike forward off of its center stand and hold it straight up and down.
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Look at the oil level view port, located at the bottom of the clutch cover. The oil level should be between the two notches or completely full.
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Add oil if the oil level is below the bottom notch.
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Place the bike back on its kickstand.
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Start the bike and check it for leaks. If there are leaks, shut the bike off and determine if the drain plug or filter need to be tightened, or if a part has been damaged.
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After running the engine for a few minutes, let it cool down for at least an hour and re-check the oil level. If the oil level completely fills the oil level view port you will need to drain some of the oil. If the oil level is below the bottom notch you will need to add oil.
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Allow 12-24 hours for all the oil to drain out of your old oil filter.
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Take your old oil and filter to a recycling facility. Most auto parts stores and repair shops accept these at no charge. In addition, some cities and/or counties have a service where they will collect used oil and filters from your home. For more information, see the American Petroleum Institute's web page on used motor oil collection and recycling.
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5 Comments
I dont know what year your bike is but mine is a 96 and it only takes 3 liters of of oil.
Not 3.6 quarts=3.4 liters.
Based on forums and old manuals, it looks like you might need anywhere from 3-3.6 qt (2.8-3.4 L) of oil depending on the year and model. It’s probably best to look up the capacity of your specific bike and check the oil level view port (as recommended in the last step) to make sure you have the correct amount.
I am about to do an oil , and filter change on an old gpz500s I recently bought , and done up a little for the first time . Thanks for the tips I had done oil changes of course on various other bikes but just had a look as i do not have a manual book. A great read here , and very easy to follow. Thanks for editing the pictures etc.
Shaun Malvern HIlls U.K.