Husqvarna 401 Oil Change

Vintage Veloce

Vintage Veloce

pro rider
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
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It was time for the first oil change on my 2020 Svartpilen 401 and I decided to take some pictures and document the process.

Oil changes are generally pretty easy. But I should note that it is a bit harder to do on this bike than many others. It has the usual filter that you have to change, plus two mesh screens that you must manually clean. Also, you must remove and replace the skid plate / spoiler. (Really, Husqvarna calls it the “front spoiler” in the manual!)

Stuff you need:
  • the manual with instructions and torque specs (download it from the Husqvarna site.)
  • 2 liters of oil (see the manual and maybe the infamous oil thread)
  • oil filter (I used the K&N Oil Filter: KN-155)
  • stuff to clean the mesh filters (compressed air, plastic/nylon safe spray solvent)
  • piece of cardboard to keep your driveway clean
  • oil pan and rags
  • funnel
  • torque wrench (OK, you can do without this, but over or under tightening these bolts can easily result in disaster!)
  • assorted sockets, pliers and other tools (NOTE: The bottom drain plug can be hard to reach to with normal tools. Some have reported needing to loosen the exhaust to reach it. It also may be easier to get at with a thinner 1/4" drive socket and extension.)
  • spare set of mesh screens and o-rings
step 1: remove the skid plate
There are 6 screws, three on each side. The ones one the left side are hard to reach and will require a socket extension. Note that on my bike (and I have heard on others) these 6 bolts are “tight” to remove.
Right side.
01 shield.jpg
The bolts on the left side are hard to see. You will need a socket extension to reach these.
01b skid.jpg

Since the threads seemed poorly formed I used my tap and die set to chase the threads in the engine and to clean the threads on the bolts. This was fairly tough as I didn’t have an extension for my tap. Also note the tape on the tap marking the depth of the bolts. If you don’t have a tap and die set, consider getting a spare bolt and running it in and out of each hole couple times, cleaning the hole out with compressed air each time and cleaning the threads on the bolt with a brush. The bolt should run in and out smoothly.
01c tapping.jpg

Check out all the witness marks on the bottom of the skid plate. I cleaned these off with a bit of WD 40. I also found a nice gouge in my skid plate from my short off road test. I guess it works!
02 skid p.jpg
 
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step 2a: drain the oil
Clean the area around the left side plug/cap and remove it. Be sure to position your pan to catch the oil.
03 draining.jpg

Note the black plastic mesh screen has a little handle on the end. NOTE HOW FAR INTO THE ENGINE THE SCREEN SITS so that you can replace it to the proper depth later.
04 drain.jpg

Gently grab the screen with a pair of pliers and pull it out.
04b pulling the screen.jpg

This was the first oil change at 620 miles (actually 622) for my bike. Check out all the swarf on the mesh screen! It is really important to do your first oil change on schedule.
05c dirty screen.jpg

step 2b: drain more oil
Remove the bottom drain plug. This one is under the engine at an angle with the head of the bolt/cap facing toward the front wheel. It is tough to see. There is a mesh screen under this cap that could come out with the cap. But as you can see, the screen on my bike stayed in the engine. (NOTE: The bottom drain plug can be hard to reach with normal tools. Some have reported needing to loosen the exhaust to reach it with a regular socket. It also may be easier to get at with a thinner 1/4" drive socket and extension.)
06 drain screen stuck.jpg

If it didn't come out with the cap, use a pair of needle nose pliers to pull it out. Be gentle and careful not to damage the screen.
06b pullin the drain screen.jpg

If you look carefully, you can see a little sludge around the left side of the drain. Wipe that area clean now so you don’t push any dirt back into the engine when you replace the plug.
07 drain.jpg

step 2c: remove the oil filter and drain more oil
Remove the cap on the right side of the engine and remove the oil filter. The oil filters on these can be hard to actually remove. The filter is recessed and you cannot easily get a grip on it. One solution is to use a very small and sharp wood screw and to tap it into the filter (lightly and carefully!) and then turn it in with a screwdriver. You can then grab the end of the screw with some pliers and pull the filter out. Note in this picture, the screw is off center, it is much better to put the screw right in the center of the filter so that and light hammering forces go straight down the center line of the filter.
08 filter screw.jpg

Better yet, consider getting this tool from motion pro for about US$12.
https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-08-0400-Filter-Removal/dp/B0012TTAFE

step 2d: drain all the oil
At this point, I carefully position the oil pan under the bike, and then I sit on the bike and rock the bike to one side and then the other side and let the oil drain out completely both ways. Leaning the bike really helps get all the leftover oil out. If you have done this with the bike on the side stand, this is particularly important! Also be careful with swing arm stands; they may tilt the bike too far forward to fully drain the oil.
 
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step 3: clean the mesh screens
I use compressed air and contact cleaner. Be sure whatever you use doesn’t damage the nylon/plastic or the mesh screen!
09 clean screens.jpg

step 4: install the filter, mesh screens, covers and drain plugs
I lightly wipe all the o-rings on the mesh filters and the rubber on the bottom of the oil filter with a light film of fresh oil. This helps them plug in more easily.

The left side mesh screen should slide right in. But make sure it is seated properly, it kind of “plugs in”. If you do not place the mesh screen in properly, it will be damaged when you put the cap on and will need to be replaced!
10a screen.jpg

Attach the mesh screen to the bottom drain plug first, and then carefully install the bottom drain plug. Make sure the filter is straight on the plug and that it goes in straight so that the filter plugs in properly.
10b drain screen.jpg

Install a new oil filter and replace the cap. Torque all the bolts properly to the specifications in the manual!
12 torque.jpg

step 5: fill the oil
Be sure to not overfill the oil!
I use a long tall funnel. Also note the cardboard used to catch drips.
13 fill.jpg

I also use a measuring cup so I can tell exactly how much oil I put in. Most oil containers come with marks on the side you can use too.
14 measure.jpg

After a couple oil changes, I usually learn exactly how much oil to put into the engine. On this bike, the manual says 1.7 liters and I'd suggest starting there. Sometimes bikes need a little more or less for the oil to be visible in the middle of the site glass. Beware of checking the oil level without fully warming the bike. Sometimes during an oil change the new oil accumulates higher in the engine and the engine needs to be warmed up for the oil to fully circulate and be liquid enough to settle at the bottom by the site glass when the engine stops. So fully warm up the bike and then stop it, wait a minute and then check the oil to see the final level.

step 6: re-install the skid plate
The sheet metal skid plate may not be perfectly formed or may be bent.
Make sure you do not cross thread any of the bolts and just put each bolt in a couple turns and fit the skid plate loosely. This allows the holes to be aligned more easily. Then tighten all of the bolts to th torque spec in the manual. These are small bolts and will strip easily if they are overtightened.

step 7: clear the “service reset” warning on the instrument
It is important to do all of the service required for the bike (see the manual). Complete all that stuff before resetting the instrument.
Here is a copy of the page of the service manual that says how to reset the warning.
reset service interval.png
  • Press the MODE button briefly and repeatedly until ODO (with your current mi or km total) appears at the top of the display).
  • Press the SET button briefly and repeatedly until SERVICE appears on the display.
  • Press the SET button for at least 10 seconds.

step 8: recycle!
Recycle the used oil!
Most people just put it in a jug, and bring it to the recycling center. I change a lot of oil, and so I have a big vintage gas can that I use to collect lots of oil before recycling it.
16 recycle.jpg
 
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Vintage Veloce said:
...middle of the sight glass on my bike it took 1.95 liters! That is substantially more than stated in the manual. I’ll note this,...
Click to expand...

Excellent write up.

I probably should have pointed out in the oil thread that I wrote "1.7 exactly" because I learned the hard way that on my bike 1.7 liters means 1.7 liters.

At my first oil change i put in almost 2 liters because it seems right in the glass, and found myself always looking at the glass and filling it back up to where it "should be" according to the glass. I ADDED ABOUT 500 ml BETWEEN CHANGES. Then I thought that cant be right so I poured in 1.7 exactly with the next change and didnt fool with the sight glass. I noted the position in the glass with the 1.7l and it never moved. After further testing, when I fill it beyond that it just "vanishes".

My conclusion is basically the same for oil as with the coolent, if you put too much in it will simply use it away.
 
BISavage said:
Excellent write up.

I probably should have pointed out in the oil thread that I wrote "1.7 exactly" because I learned the hard way that on my bike 1.7 liters means 1.7 liters.

At my first oil change i put in almost 2 liters because it seems right in the glass, and found myself always looking at the glass and filling it back up to where it "should be" according to the glass. I ADDED ABOUT 500 ml BETWEEN CHANGES. Then I thought that cant be right so I poured in 1.7 exactly with the next change and didnt fool with the sight glass. I noted the position in the glass with the 1.7l and it never moved. After further testing, when I fill it beyond that it just "vanishes".

My conclusion is basically the same for oil as with the coolent, if you put too much in it will simply use it away.
Click to expand...
Fascinating. On my bike 1.7 liters was barely visible at the bottom of the sight glass.
Interestingly, that is how I received the bike from the dealer too. I was having trouble telling if there was oil in the bike, I had to lean it to the right to see the level at all.
It's right in the middle of the sight glass now with the bike perfectly level. We will see what happens...
 
Thanks for the detailed write up! I’ve changed my oil 3x now, using the factory Husky/ KTM kit. Which includes the paper filter and two new screen filters. I bought them on an AOMC.mx Labor Day sale in 2019. Forgetting what I paid, but it was very reasonable and on par with K&N filter prices.

However, I agree that the Mesh screen filters are robust and could be cleaned & reused - as long as one is careful not to damage them on removal.

One product I’ve found to be indispensable for MC oil changes - the Malcolm Smith Racing [MSR] Clean funnel. The outlet is perfectly sized for our bikes, and the screw on covers at each end are a great feature.
 
You're all checking the oil level according to the manual, yes?
Run bike until it's fully warmed up (I run it until the fan comes on, then goes off again). Then switch off the engine. Then wait 1 minute, then check oil level in sight glass with the bike sitting level (not on the side stand). This is easier with two people.
When the engine is cold, there is no oil visible in the sight glass. When I first got my bike I made the mistake of checking the oil level while cold and hence overfilling with oil. The bike burned it off, not good.
 
Vanessa said:
You're all checking the oil level according to the manual, yes?
Run bike until it's fully warmed up (I run it until the fan comes on, then goes off again). Then switch off the engine. Then wait 1 minute, then check oil level in sight glass with the bike sitting level (not on the side stand). This is easier with two people.
When the engine is cold, there is no oil visible in the sight glass. When I first got my bike I made the mistake of checking the oil level while cold and hence overfilling with oil. The bike burned it off, not good.
Click to expand...
In my experience, it can take longer than a minute after the engine is clicked off for the oil to run down in the engine and reach maximum height in the site glass. And then it doesn't go back up into the engine on its own. So I get the highest level in the site glass after waiting as long as I am willing to wait. ⏳(edit: I was wrong in this case! The hot engine does show a higher oil level. See comments that follow.)
But you are correct, if the bike is on the sidestand and leaning to the left and very cold, when you put the bike upright the cold oil can take a bit to settle level and be visible in the glass.
And yes, perfectly level.
On the two people thing... it is delicate to balance the bike and bend down to see the site glass alone. But my first site glass bike was in 1992, so I've had some practice. ;)
 
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Actually, the bike needs to be driven in order to get the oil temperature up, for about 10 minutes longer than it takes until water temperature is up. Gotta keep in mind these bikes have a semi-dry-sump with 2 oil pumps, and tend to be a little cold blooded. Then after shutting it down, by the time you get off the bike and remove your helmet, you can check the oil.

I personally prefer to lift mine up so I dont melt my skin trying to do some fancy balancing act.
 
I checked the oil level after just running the engine until the fan cut in and out and noted the level. Then for comparison I also checked the oil level after a good long ride with the bike really hot, and guess what? Same oil level.
But as you say, the easiest way is to just check it after a ride, by the time you've removed your helmet it's ready to be checked.
With all my previous bikes you checked the oil level with the bike on the stand, easy! This 401 is the first one where the bike has to be 'level', and after nearly dropping it while trying to bend down to see the glass, now I just ask hubby to hold it level for me. I still think it's a daft way to check it though.
 
Again, this only goes along the lines of the idea behind this bike.
Its not the level that's important, if you see only oil, it's ok, the glass is for sure only there to see if your oils is full of water or not, in which case you would need to do something before the disintegration of the engine seals progresses further.

Otherwise, it's probably half fuel/half oil anyways and the level only shows how well the burnt oil is replenished by unburnt fuel.
 
Well, I stand corrected. Thank you Vanessa and BISavage. I took the bike on a short ride (8 mi) and then checked the oil, and I had overfilled it. Luckily I have a suction tool and just pulled a bit out through the filler cap. It does look like the bike only required about 1.7 to 1.8 liters... I'll be curious to more carefully measure at my next oil change!
 
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Vintage Veloce said:
Well, I stand corrected. Thank you Vanessa and BISavage. I took the bike on a short ride (8 mi) and then checked the oil, and I had overfilled it. Luckily I have a suction tool and just pulled a bit out through the filler cap. It does look like the bike only required about 1.7 to 1.8 liters... I'll be curious to more carefully measure at my next oil change!.
Click to expand...
Happy Days!
It's easy to overfill.
 
That's exactly what I mean, it's so easy to overfill this bike with oil if you don't check the level correctly.
 
Idling your bike to warm it up works fine folks, I've tried it out with no issues. But do what you want.
 
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This situation where "you can't see the oil level until the bike is hot" is a bit annoying. I generally like to check the oil before a I go a ride. This makes that "easy site glass check" rather harder to do. And I had been doing that for many years on my other "site glass" bikes, all of which are air cooled. It's not likely a problem, just a new habit to learn, checking the oil after a ride.
 
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