hey i have a new to me 08 scrambler 500ho. I have been doing a lot of lurking here but haven't really found an answer to my question. When i first start it up, for about a half second i suppose until oil gets to where it needs to be the motor is mechanically loud but quiets down some after a second. After reading how noisy these can be i may just be paranoid but it also has a noise that when i use a long screwdriver seems to be coming from the starter, probing where its mounted on the right side (passenger side on car) up where it looks to be where the starter is mounted you can hear a loud tapping and a dry bearing type of sound? should i pull the starter and see whats going on? Also, i went to the local atv/bike shop here and got all the oils to change, and after reading here it seems they should've given me a 0-40 oil where they gave me a 10w30 four stroke specific synthetic blend, i already did the oil change, should i drop whats in there and put in some 0 weight? and the noises were there before the oil change

 

Get the 10w30 out and go with fully synthetic 0w40!It is a must on this engine to get any life at all out of it.

 

Get that oil out, The whole point of 0W vs 10W is the lower the number the thinner the oil on cold starts, 0W flow instantly even in winter and will be in the motor's top end long before 10W , the second number 40 is just it weight at operating temperature long after start up ,its not as vital.

I agree Full synthetic 0W-40 also it flow faster on cold starts then Conventional 0w-40 can also.

The 500 is a dry sump motor it does not hold its oil in the crankcase like most motors, but in the oil tank so the oil has longer trip to get to the motor and the sooner it start that trip the better.

 

thanks guys! reaffirming what i already though, i'll dump that oil and put it in one of my other bikes!! no ideas on the noises?