Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet with the UCE engine => Topic started by: hocko on November 11, 2012, 11:51:49 pm

Title: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: hocko on November 11, 2012, 11:51:49 pm
I saw the post on the C5 fork oil change, I've read that the G5 is a straight foward change. The screws on top of each fork leg are taken off and that there is a drain on the bottom of the fork leg. Is it a simple matter of undoing these top and bottom screws and pumping the forks up and down to force the oil out of the bottom drain plug, replacing this and then just adding the required amount into the top of the fork through the screw opening on the top of the forks. All this with the wheel in place?. Any advice would be appreciated. No manual on hand is the problem.

Kind regards

 :)
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: barenekd on November 12, 2012, 12:02:59 am
You have to remove the big caps on the bottom. You might try shoving the rods that are sticking out up into the forks for better oil flow if you have a magnet to pull them back down. Not absolutely necessary, but you might get a bit more old oil out.
Bare
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: singhg5 on November 12, 2012, 05:16:55 am
The clutch cable runs just above the top screw and can be scraped (don't ask how I know it  ;) ).  Best to cover it with rag or move it a bit to side.

Otherwise it is straight forward - exactly what you wrote. To avoid bottom screw from spinning (sometimes it can happen), give it a quick turn to loosen it. 

Just for curiosity, measure the amount of fork oil that comes out of each leg.

What fork oil are you going to add ? 
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: hocko on November 12, 2012, 10:52:27 pm
Bare & Singhg5, thanks for the tips. I'm not sure which Fork oil I'll use yet, but as you state I've heard some shocking stories about the quality (and) quanity of the oil used ex factory. I thought that it just sounded too easy. Any suggestions re type of oil (Weight etc).

Kind Regards

Ernie
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: GSS on November 13, 2012, 03:08:30 am
Ernie,
You can use a dedicated fork oil otherwise Amsoil synthetic ATF fluid works really well. Our previous resident expert ScooterBob also recommended ATF fluid type F.

Regards,

GSS
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: singhg5 on November 13, 2012, 04:18:36 am
Bare & Singhg5, thanks for the tips. I'm not sure which Fork oil I'll use yet, but as you state I've heard some shocking stories about the quality (and) quanity of the oil used ex factory. I thought that it just sounded too easy. Any suggestions re type of oil (Weight etc).

Kind Regards

Ernie

I have used BEL-RAY Fork oil 10W.  Some people like heavier oil such as 15W or even 20W.  Fork oil is specifically formulated and is the preferred choice.  May be go for 15W and let us know how it works for you.
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: hocko on November 13, 2012, 04:23:12 am
Any ideas about how much is required, just as a guide, not trusting what  amount is able to be  drained out.

Thank you all again.  :)
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: singhg5 on November 13, 2012, 04:36:41 am
Any ideas about how much is required, just as a guide, not trusting what  amount is able to be  drained out.

Thank you all again.  :)

It is like all things RE - never know exactly how much.   

The manual states 265 ml (+2.5 ml) for each leg.  My guess is that is the upper limit. BUT manual has been known to have values that are not quite right or always right. I don't know anyone who has recovered that much volume out of factory installed fork. 

So it will be an approximation. See how much fork oil comes out and add just that much to begin with - keep the volume same in each leg. Go for a ride.  If not satisfied add some more !  Perhaps anywhere between 150 to 250 ml will do the job.
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: Ducati Scotty on November 13, 2012, 05:14:59 am
I believe 256 is a misprint.  Go with 200ml. I put that much in my friend's G5 and it was really nice. 

I recommend 10w fork oil.

Scott
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: hocko on November 13, 2012, 06:34:50 am
Thanks all once again for the advice, I'll go with the 10W - 200 ml per fork and see how we go.

kind Regards

Ernie  :)
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: Craig McClure on November 17, 2012, 03:25:55 am
Really unforgiveable to get something incorrect in the Factory Manual. Who can you trust then?  200 sounds about right, I put the 265 listed in the Factory Manual in my G5 fork legs & one has ejected some through the seal & dripped ever since. seems to be about done dripping, so it must be about the right level by now. When draining, after pumping the forks, I blew each one out with compressed air via a cork, with a hole to accept blow nozzle. I also am using Amsoil ATF, as per Pete Snidals CD manual. This is surely sufficient & preferable to the 10w30 motor oil called for in the Stinking factory Manual.
Title: Re: G5 Fork oil change
Post by: Ducati Scotty on November 17, 2012, 01:30:27 pm
If it's doing that I'd drain again and refill with 200ml to be safe.  If you don't it may blow the seals after a while and never stop leaking.  Then you'll have to replace the seals. And you don't need to blow them out with compressed air, that's overkill.

Scott

Scott