2009 YAMAHA YFM250R-W check oil

EBU17420
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY INFORMATION .............................. 1-1
LOCATION OF THE WARNING AND
SPECIFICATION LABELS ............................ 2-1
DESCRIPTION .............................................. 3-1
Left view ...................................................... 3-1
Right view.................................................... 3-1
Controls and instruments ............................ 3-2
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL
FUNCTIONS .................................................. 4-1
Main switch ................................................ 4-1
Indicator lights ............................................ 4-2
Speedometer .............................................. 4-2
Handlebar switches .................................... 4-3
Throttle lever .............................................. 4-4
Speed limiter .............................................. 4-5
Clutch lever ................................................ 4-6
Brake lever (YFM250R-W) .......................... 4-6
Brake lever (YFM250RSE-W) ..................... 4-7
Brake pedal ................................................ 4-7
Parking brake lever .................................... 4-8
Shift pedal .................................................. 4-9Fuel tank cap ..............................................4-9
Fuel ...........................................................4-10
Fuel cock ..................................................4-11
Starter (choke) ..........................................4-12
Steering lock .............................................4-13
Seat ..........................................................4-14
Adjusting the front shock absorber
assemblies (YFM250R-W).......................4-14
Adjusting the front shock absorber
assemblies (YFM250RSE-W) ..................4-15
Adjusting the rear shock absorber
assembly (YFM250R-W) .........................4-20
Adjusting the rear shock absorber
assembly (YFM250RSE-W).....................4-22
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS ..........................5-1
Pre-operation check list ..............................5-1
Fuel .............................................................5-3
Engine oil ....................................................5-3
Front and rear brakes .................................5-3
Throttle lever ...............................................5-4
Drive chain ..................................................5-4
Tires ............................................................5-4
Measuring the tire pressure ........................5-5U33B70E0.book Page 1 Wednesday, June 11, 2008 1:38 PM

Tire wear limit ............................................. 5-6
Chassis fasteners ....................................... 5-6
Instruments, lights and switches ................ 5-6
OPERATION .................................................. 6-1
Starting a cold engine ................................ 6-1
Starting a warm engine .............................. 6-3
Shifting ....................................................... 6-3
Engine break-in .......................................... 6-5
Parking ....................................................... 6-5
Parking on a slope ..................................... 6-6
Accessories and loading ............................ 6-7
RIDING YOUR ATV ...................................... 7-1
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR ATV............... 7-2
RIDE WITH CARE AND GOOD
JUDGEMENT ............................................ 7-2
BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU RIDE ............. 7-9
TURNING YOUR ATV .............................. 7-13
CLIMBING UPHILL ................................... 7-14
RIDING DOWNHILL.................................. 7-17
CROSSING A SLOPE............................... 7-18
CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW
WATER ................................................... 7-19
RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN ........... 7-21
SLIDING AND SKIDDING ......................... 7-22
WHAT TO DO IF... .................................... 7-23WHAT TO DO... .........................................7-23
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND MINOR
REPAIR ..........................................................8-1
Owner’s manual and tool kit .......................8-1
Periodic maintenance chart for the
emission control system ...........................8-3
General maintenance and lubrication
chart ..........................................................8-5
Checking the spark plug .............................8-8
Engine oil and oil filter element ...................8-9
Cleaning the air filter element ...................8-13
Cleaning the spark arrester ......................8-17
Adjusting the carburetor ............................8-18
Adjusting the engine idling speed .............8-19
Adjusting the throttle cable free play .........8-20
Valve clearance ........................................8-20
Checking the front and rear brake pads ...8-21
Checking the brake fluid level ...................8-22
Changing the brake fluid ...........................8-24
Checking the front brake lever free play ...8-24
Checking the brake pedal position ............8-25
Adjusting the parking brake free play .......8-26
Brake light switches ..................................8-27
Adjusting the clutch lever free play ...........8-28
Drive chain slack .......................................8-29
Lubricating the drive chain ........................8-31
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4-20
4
NOTICEECB00090Never turn an adjusting mechanism beyondthe minimum and maximum settings.TIPAlthough the total number of clicks of a damping
force adjusting mechanism may not exactly match
the above specifications due to small differences in
production, the actual number of clicks always rep-
resents the entire adjusting range. To obtain a pre-
cise adjustment, it would be advisable to check the
number of clicks of each damping force adjusting
mechanism and to modify the specifications asnecessary.
WARNING
EWB02490
Suspension components become hot during
operation. Never touch the compression
damping force adjusting bolt and screw, the
rebound damping force adjusting screw or
the oil reservoir with your bare hand or skin
until suspension components have cooled.
Always adjust the shock absorber assem-
blies on the left and right side to the same
setting.

Uneven adjustment can cause poor handling
and loss of stability, which could lead to anaccident.EBU28240Adjusting the rear shock absorber as-
sembly (YFM250R-W)The spring preload can be adjusted to suit the rid-
er’s weight and the riding conditions.
Adjust the spring preload as follows.
1. Loosen the locknut.
2. Turn the adjusting nut in direction (a) to in-
crease the spring preload and thereby harden
the suspension, and in direction (b) to de-
crease the spring preload and thereby soften
the suspension.
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5-1
5
EBU19200
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS
EBU19223Pre-operation check list Before operating this ATV, be sure to check the items listed in the following table.
WARNING
EWB00480Always inspect your ATV each time you use it to make sure it is in safe operating condition.
Always follow the inspection and maintenance procedures and schedules described in the Owner’sManual. Failure to inspect increases the possibility of an accident or equipment damage.TIPThe maintenance of some items in the table has to be performed by a Yamaha dealer. Refer to the periodicmaintenance charts on page 8-3 to determine which service should be performed by a Yamaha dealer.
ITEM ROUTINE PAGE
FuelCheck fuel level in fuel tank, and add recommended fuel if neces-
sary.
Check fuel line for leakage. Correct if necessary.4-10, 5-3
Engine oilCheck oil level in engine, and add recommended oil to specified lev-
el if necessary.
Check ATV for oil leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-9
Front brakeCheck operation. If soft or spongy, have Yamaha dealer bleed hy-
draulic system.
Check brake pads for wear, and replace if necessary.
Check brake fluid level in reservoir, and add recommended brake
fluid to specified level if necessary.
Check hydraulic system for leakage. Correct if necessary.5-3, 8-21, 8-22, 8-24
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5-3
5
EBU19540Fuel Make sure that there is sufficient fuel in the tank.
(See page 4-10.)
WARNING
EWB00520
Do not overfill the fuel tank. Fuel expands
when it heats up. If the fuel tank is overfilled,
fuel could spill out due to heat from the en-
gine or the sun.
Be careful not to spill fuel, especially on the
engine or exhaust pipe which can cause a
fire and severe injury. Wipe up any spilled
fuel immediately.
Do not refuel right after the engine has been
running and is still very hot.
Be sure the fuel tank cap is closed securely.EBU19560Engine oil Make sure that the engine oil is at the specified lev-
el. Add oil as necessary. (See page 8-9.)
EBU19710Front and rear brakes Brake lever and brake pedal
Check that there is no free play in the brake le-
ver. If there is free play, have a Yamaha dealer
check the brake system.
Check for correct brake pedal height. (See page
8-25.) If the pedal height is incorrect, have a
Yamaha dealer adjust it.
Check the operation of the lever and pedal. They
should move smoothly and there should be a
firm feeling when the brakes are applied. If not,
have a Yamaha dealer check the brake system.
Brake fluid level
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-22.)
Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
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8-6
8
10*Swingarm pivots• Check operation and for excessive play, and re-
place bearings if necessary.
 Lubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√√
11*Upper and lower
arm pivots Lubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√√
12 Drive chain Check chain slack and adjust if necessary.
 Check rear wheel alignment and correct if neces-
sary.
 Clean and lubricate.√√√√√
13*Drive chain rollers Check for wear and replace if necessary.√√√
14*Chassis fasteners Make sure that all nuts, bolts, and screws are
properly tightened.√√√√√
15*Shock absorber as-
semblies Check operation and correct if necessary.
 Check for oil leakage and replace if necessary.√√√
16*Steering shaft Lubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√√
17*Steering system Check operation and repair or replace if damaged.
 Check toe-in and adjust if necessary.√√√√√
18*Engine mount Check for cracks or other damage, and replace if
necessary.√√√
19 Engine oil Change.
 Check ATV for oil leakage, and correct if neces-
sary.√ √√√
20Engine oil filter ele-
ment Replace.√√√ NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1300
(800)2500
(1600)2500
(1600)5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320U33B70E0.book Page 6 Wednesday, June 11, 2008 5:44 PM

8-9
8 To install the spark plug
1. Measure the spark plug gap with a wire thick-
ness gauge and, if necessary, adjust the gap
to specification.
2. Clean the surface of the spark plug gasket
and its mating surface, and then wipe off any
grime from the spark plug threads.3. Install the spark plug with the spark plug
wrench, and then tighten it to the specified
torque.
TIPIf a torque wrench is not available when installing
a spark plug, a good estimate of the correct torque
is 1/4–1/2 turn past finger tight. However, the spark
plug should be tightened to the specified torque assoon as possible.
4. Install the spark plug cap.EBU28953Engine oil and oil filter element The engine oil level should be checked before
each ride. In addition, the oil must be changed and
the oil filter element must be replaced at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
To check the engine oil level
1. Place the ATV on a level surface. Specified spark plug:
NGK/DR7EA
Spark plug gap:
0.6–0.7 mm (0.024–0.028 in)
1. Spark plug gap
Tightening torque:
Spark plug:
17.5 Nm (1.75 m·kgf, 12.7 ft·lbf)
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8-10
82. Check the engine oil level on a cold engine.
TIPIf the engine was started before checking the oil
level, be sure to warm up the engine sufficiently,
and then wait at least ten minutes until the oil set-tles for an accurate reading.
3. Remove the engine oil filler cap, and then
wipe the dipstick off with a clean rag.
4. Insert the dipstick into the filler hole (without
screwing it in), and then remove it again to
check the oil level.
TIPThe engine oil should be between the minimumand maximum level marks.
5. If the engine oil is at or below the minimum
level mark, add sufficient oil of the recom-
mended type to raise it to the correct level.
6. Insert the dipstick into the oil filler hole, and
then tighten the engine oil filler cap.
To change the engine oil (with or without oil fil-
ter element replacement)
1. Start the engine, warm it up for several min-
utes, and then turn it off.
2. Place an oil pan under the engine to collect
the used oil.
3. Remove the engine oil filler cap, and then re-
move the engine oil drain bolt to drain the oil
from the crankcase.
1. Engine oil filler cap
2. Dipstick
3. Maximum level mark
4. Minimum level mark
1
2
3
4 1
U33B70E0.book Page 10 Wednesday, June 11, 2008 1:38 PM