[2001ex500]

I just bought a 2001 ninja 500 and really want to change the oil. I have ordered a service manual but it's not come yet. Could someone tell me what the oil capacity is for the 500 engine?

Thanks!

 

[longhaul747]

The owners manual says 3.2 quarts with a new filter and 3.0 quarts without a new filter. Don't be surprised if it takes slightly less oil then that when you fill it. Once you have oil in the engine you can never get it all out. Its 3.6 quarts if the engine is completely dry.

 

[2001ex500]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

 

[ex_dsmr]

just as a lil tip when you go to change your oil...fill the filter before installation. and dont just pour and screw it on. it actually soaks up alot more than you think. dump in a bunch...tap the bottom, youll do this probably 7-8x untill its fully filled. if youve done it all and held your mouth just right everythign will go according to plan when you start it up. however, if your oil light stays on just for a few seconds longer, youll need to "burp" your system. to do this youll LIGHTLY losen your oil filter and start it up....should evacuate all the air. it wont just clear on its own.

also in case you wonder about oil, we have an ongoing discussion in the same forum area =)

 

[2001ex500]

I'm just curious, as far as pre-filling the oil filter. I've been changing oil on cars for years and years on multiple vehicles, and I've never had one that was reccommended by the manf. to pre-fill the oil filter. It was always a great extra thing to do, if you didn't mind a little extra mess, and wanted to get your oil pressure up fast. This is my first bike, so is pre-filling recommended by Kawasaki? Is the oil pump on these engines a little simpler or is there a design reason that it might be necessary? I'll be glad to do it, I'm just trying to learn a little more.

Thanks

 

[Guest]

Besides all that, the filter mounts horizontally. How do you expect to fill the filter, hang the bike from the rafters by the rear tire? If the filter mounts vertically, I always pre-fill it. But I don't see how on an EX.

Rich

I'm just curious, as far as pre-filling the oil filter. I've been changing oil on cars for years and years on multiple vehicles, and I've never had one that was reccommended by the manf. to pre-fill the oil filter. It was always a great extra thing to do, if you didn't mind a little extra mess, and wanted to get your oil pressure up fast. This is my first bike, so is pre-filling recommended by Kawasaki? Is the oil pump on these engines a little simpler or is there a design reason that it might be necessary? I'll be glad to do it, I'm just trying to learn a little more.

Thanks

 

[fog]

It is totally unnecessary to pre fill the filter, This is some kind of annaly retentive Idea invented by folks with little enough to do. You will never have to "Burp " the filter either. This condition only ocurrs when the engine is run without oil in the sump (can you say Wheelie?), and it is caused by the oil pump trying to pump air (it can't). He got one thing right though to clear this condition loosening the filter and cranking the engine will allow the air to escape and oil to enter the pump. From there the pump pressure will blow through all the passages just fine.
The few seconds it take for the oil pump to fill a filter are totally harmless (at Idle).

FOG