How to Change The Oil on a 2001 Buell Blast

by Chris Gilliland

Buell's 500-cc Blast was a small and easy-to-ride motorcycle that introduced many riders around the world to the two-wheeled sport since its introduction in 2000. The 2001 Blast P2 remained largely unchanged from the previous year, relying on its single-cylinder engine and transmission to provide enough power to satisfy most riders. Due to its simplicity, the Blast required minimal maintenance that called for engine and transmission oil changes every 5,000 miles. Although the job is fairly straightforward, part of the motorcycle must be disassembled in order to drain and refill both fluids.

Step 1

Start your Blast and let it idle in place for 3 to 5 minutes to warm the engine oil. Stop the engine and let it cool for another 10 minutes.

Step 2

Mount the Blast on a rear swingarm stand to support the motorcycle in a vertical position. Unscrew the oil dipstick from the Blast's frame, located between the fuel tank and the handlebars, by hand.

Step 3

Remove the seat, using the release latch under the left side of the tail fairing. Unscrew the cables from the battery, starting with the black negative cable, followed by the red positive cable, using a Phillips screwdriver. Lift the battery out of the motorcycle's frame.

Step 4

Unscrew the left foot peg bracket nuts, located within the frame's left seat rail, using a 14 mm flex-head socket and a socket wrench. Pull the foot peg bracket slightly away from the motorcycle and unscrew the oil drain hose-retaining bolt from the inside face of the bracket, using a 1/2-inch socket and a socket wrench.

Step 5

Place an oil drain pan below the oil drain hose and the crankcase vent hose. Loosen the spring clamps attaching the drain plugs to the ends of both hoses, using pliers. Pull out the drain plugs, by hand, and drain the engine oil into your oil drain pan. Let the oil drain for at least 10 minutes or until the oil flow has reduced to a trickle. Push the drain plugs into the oil drain hose and the crankcase breather hose, then pull the spring clamps into place with pliers.

Step 6

Move your oil drain pan to the front of the engine and set it below the cylindrical oil filter. Unscrew the oil filter, using a socket wrench and an oil filter socket. Place the oil filter into your drain pan and allow any remaining oil to drain. Wipe the oil filter mounting plate clean with a shop rag after it has drained.

Step 7

Spread a light coat of 20W-50 motorcycle-specific engine oil around the new oil filter's gasket. Screw the oil filter onto the engine, by hand, until the oil filter gasket is seated against the engine, then tighten the oil filter an additional three-quarters of a turn.

Step 8

Fill the oil tank with 1.5 quarts of 20W-50 motorcycle-specific engine oil through the filler neck between the handlebars and the fuel tank, using a funnel. Remove the funnel and screw the dipstick into place, by hand.

Step 9

Move your oil drain pan directly below the engine. Unscrew the transmission oil drain plug from the bottom of the engine crankcase, using a 5/8-inch socket and socket wrench. Drain the transmission oil into your drain pan. Wipe the drain plug with a shop towel, then screw the drain plug into the crankcase, by hand. Tighten the drain plug to 18 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and a 5/8-inch socket.

Step 10

Remove the clutch inspection cover from the transmission, located on the left side of the engine, using a Torx T-27 screwdriver. Pour up to one quart of 75W-90 transmission oil into the transmission. Stop filling the transmission once the oil level has risen to the bottom of the clutch diaphragm spring, visible through the clutch inspection port. Reinstall the clutch inspection cover, using a Torx T-27 screwdriver.

Step 11

Reinstall the oil drain hose and crankcase hose onto the left foot peg bracket, using a 1/2-inch socket and a socket wrench. Remount the left foot peg bracket onto the frame's left seat rail, using a 14 mm flex-head socket and a socket wrench. Tighten the foot peg bracket nuts to 35 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and a 14 mm flex-head socket.

Step 12

Lower the battery into its tray between both seat rails. Attach the red positive cable to the battery, followed by the black negative cable, using a Phillips screwdriver. Lock the seat into place onto the seat rails.

Step 13

Remove the Blast from the rear swingarm stand and start its engine. Let the motorcycle idle for five minutes to warm the engine oil, then stop the engine. Lift the Blast off of its side stand and into a vertical position, then check the oil level with the dipstick. Pour additional oil into the oil tank, one ounce at a time, if the oil level is below the "Fill" mark imprinted into the dipstick. Lower the Blast onto its side stand, if the oil level is situated between the dipstick's "Fill" and "Full" marks.

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