General maintenance and tips

[Redneck biker]

Just got a 49cc 4 stroke kit and there’s not much I could find on maintenance. The engine comes with oil and seems to go to the middle slot in the dip stick not sure if I should immediately change the oil or how to read the dipstick. Also is there any other general maintenance tips I should know about? I also just bought lawnmower oil that is sae 30

 

[Old Busted Hotness]

SAE30 is OK as long as it's warm outside. Really you want a good multi-grade synthetic, like 5W-30 or 10W-30. Synthetic flows better, which is pretty crucial in a splash-lube engine. And since you get 4 oil changes out of a quart, there's no good reason not to spend a few bucks on some good oil. I change it every 100 miles.

Soon I'll be installing a Fumoto valve to make oil changes less messy, Look for a how-to thread soon.

 

[Redneck biker]

What about the factory oil? Should I keep it in and how do I fill the oil up (like to what level) and how do I read the dip stick?

SAE30 is OK as long as it's warm outside. Really you want a good multi-grade synthetic, like 5W-30 or 10W-30. Synthetic flows better, which is pretty crucial in a splash-lube engine. And since you get 4 oil changes out of a quart, there's no good reason not to spend a few bucks on some good oil. I change it every 100 miles.

Soon I'll be installing a Fumoto valve to make oil changes less messy, Look for a how-to thread soon.

 

[Old Busted Hotness]

The factory oil is probably OK, certainly good enough for break-in purposes.

To fill, set the engine so it's level, then fill it til it runs out. You really can't overfill that engine. Since the dipstick isn't level, it reads different on each side. On one side it'll look full, while the other side reads half full. To read it, stick it in the opening without threading it in, then pull out and read. If the oil level is up to the top of the threads you don't even need the dipstick.