Hey man, just bought a 2014 KX250F last night. Changed the oil today on it because the guy i bought it off of said it probably needed an oil change. after watching your video... realized mine doesnt have a spring on the oil filter gasket. i went ahead and ordered one off partzilla, was just wondering if thats a "big" deal to not have one. thanks for a great video!
Well, the spring holds the filter tight against the inlet seal so that oil filters through it rather than just flowing around it. The oil filter is what traps tiny metal shavings and dirt that may find it's way into the oil. You don't want that stuff cycling around in your engine. It will increase wear or possibly cause serious damage. So yes, it's important. One thing to remember with mx bikes is that manufacturers spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to reduce weight by every last ounce. They are not going to use any parts that aren't absolutely necessary. In your case, if you drained the oil and didn't see metal shavings, or clumps of crap, you should be fine.
In this case yes, but color isn't the only thing to look for. Plus, if the oil is dirty, that means the dirt has been cycling around the engine for awhile adding wear. If the oil comes out clean, it means clean oil was cycling around the engine. I'd rather have clean oil lubricating my engine rather than dirty oil. I change the oil ever few rides, depending on how hard I am on the bike.
When older motor oil with a depleted additive package circulates through the motor, sludge can form, which can lead to internal damage. Additionally internal parts are more likely to varnish.
