Triumph Thunderbird Commander, Owner'S Handbook Manual

Page: 81 / 136

81
Maintenance and Adjustment
Disposal of Used Engine Oil and Oil
Filters
To protect the environment, do not pour oil
on the ground, down sewers or drains, or
into watercourses. Do not place used oil filters
in with general waste. If in doubt, contact
your local authority.
Oil Specification and Grade
Triumph's high performance fuel injected
engines are designed to use 10W/40 or
10W/50 semi or fully synthetic motorcycle
engine oil that meets specification API SH
(or higher)
and JASO MA, such as
Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 (fully
synthetic) engine oil, sold as Castrol Power RS
Racing 4T 10W-40 (fully synthetic) in some
countries.
Do not add any chemical additives to the
engine oil. The engine oil also lubricates the
clutch and any additives could cause the
clutch to slip.
Do not use mineral, vegetable, non-detergent
oil, castor based oils or any oil not
conforming to the required specification. The
use of these oils may cause instant, severe
engine damage.
Cooling System
To ensure efficient engine cooling, check the
coolant level each day before riding the
motorcycle, and top off the coolant if the level
is low.
Note:
• A year-round, Hybrid Organic Acid
Technology (known as Hybrid OAT
or HOAT) coolant is installed in the
cooling system when the
motorcycle leaves the factory. It is
colored green, contains a 50%
solution of ethylene glycol based
antifreeze, and has a freezing
point of -31°F (-35°C).
Corrosion Inhibitors
To protect the cooling system from corrosion,
the use of corrosion inhibitor chemicals in the
coolant is essential.
If coolant containing a corrosion inhibitor is
not used, the cooling system will accumulate
rust and scale in the water jacket and radiator.
This will block the coolant passages, and
considerably reduce the efficiency of the
cooling system.