Egads, another oil thread!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Folks,

Has anybody else had trouble recently finding Castrol GTX 20/50 oil at their local Walmart?? I have been checking for many weeks/ a month now, and my local stores aren't carrying it anymore....they used to!

I will be doing an oil/filter change before taking my bike on a trip out west (Texas) where I expect it to still be a bit warm in early Sept, and wanted some fresh blood in my engine, and I always use the Castrol stuff. Since I couldn't find it, I went to the Autozone and dished out over $4.50 a qt for the Castrol stuff!

SO....this got me to pondering, cause I saw the Walmart brand SuperTech stuff in the 20/50 formulation on their shelves, and thinking that I might try it. I am a member of a wholesale type store chain like Sam's....but it's called B-J's ........pull your minds out of the gutters...for Berkely & Jensen, manufacturers of many household products! However, they only sell the 5-30 or 10-40 Rotella Stuff, or Mobil Synth, nothing in the 20/50 DINO range!!

I checked on the "net" about who makes SuperTech oils, and found that depending on where in the country you are, it could be Pennzoil/QS, or Exxon/Mobil, or Warren performance packaging! The forum/thread I found talked mostly of the SuperTech SYNTH oils, but also occasionally mentioned the DINO juices.

I've read many a thread on here about what brands folks use, don't want to start that UP again. But would like to hear if anybody has used the Walmart Brand of 20/50 and if it seemed to work okay, not any more or less noisy, easier or rougher gear shifts, and the color/appearance of the oil at the oil change. My GTX even looks quite dark/dirty after my changes, and I don't put that many miles on mine...usually change it in spring and fall due to lack of miles..so just getting the acids from sitting out of it.

I think ToolmakerTim has told me he uses the ST stuff, or at least their filters, but not sure if also their oil!?
T.C.

[fredintoon]

Hi TC,
here in 'toontown Canadian Tire sells Castrol 4-cycle motorcycle oil in several weights including 20W50.
They also sell their house brand on the next shelf down at $1 a US Quart jug cheaper.
FWIW, I've never noticed any difference in bike performance between the two.
So long as your 20W50 Wallymart oil specifically says it's for use in 4-cycle motorcycles and you don't try to go 10,000 miles between oil changes I'd say you'll be fine.

[motoman]

Wally world hasn't had Vav. 20-50w for quite some time now either........I just bite the bullet and get it at AutoZone or Napa.

[bikerphil]

Yep, same here. I buy the Castrol 20W50 in the 5 quart jug from auto parts. It's cheaper that way and sometimes they throw in a free oil filter for the cage.

[Toolmaker Tim]

Oil

Haven't tried the Super Tech oil in my bike engine. I do use it in my lower unit on my boat motor and the synthetic stuff in my middle and final drives. Haven't had any problems there. I use the Castrol 20-50 dino juice myself. I will have to look myself and see if my local Wally World is still carrying it.

[tinman905]

Hi TC,
here in 'toontown Canadian Tire sells Castrol 4-cycle motorcycle oil in several weights including 20W50.
They also sell their house brand on the next shelf down at $1 a US Quart jug cheaper.
FWIW, I've never noticed any difference in bike performance between the two.
So long as your 20W50 Wallymart oil specifically says it's for use in 4-cycle motorcycles and you don't try to go 10,000 miles between oil changes I'd say you'll be fine.

It's on sale this week at Canadian Tire for $13.57 plus a free Fram "Extra guard oil filter. Sorry TC I know that's not much help for you!!!

[CatatonicBug]

I had the same issue this spring when I did the seasonal oil change. I did manage to find it at WalMart in the single-quart containers, but I could only find one or two quarts at a time. I think most newer cars don't use 20w50 anymore, so they don't feel the need to sell it. I'm a Castrol die-hard, so if I have to go to an auto-parts store to get it, I suppose I will.

[natemoen]

I am using it right now. Mainly just cause its cheap but so far I have not had any problems but have not put all that many miles on it so far, maybe 200 miles...

[Cobia]

TC,
I'm experiencing the same problem. I typically went to Wallyworld for the 20-50 but haven't seen it in months now. They usually had the 5qt jug for the same price as the gallon jug at Advanced, but no more.
The reason newer cars use the 10-30 stuff, I was told, is so they can get the better mileage required by law. When I asked about increased wear due to decreased lubrication protection I got a look back as if saying..... you think the automakers want the cars to last longer? !!
Makes sense to me.
I'm a diehard Castrol GTX 20-50 guy, have been for many, many years and that's what I put in the bikes as well. Guess I'll have to pay the higher price at the auto parts stores.

[malber]

So long as your 20W50 Wallymart oil specifically says it's for use in 4-cycle motorcycles and you don't try to go 10,000 miles between oil changes I'd say you'll be fine.

Is there a significant difference between "auto oil" and "motorcycle oil"? Aren't they made from the same stuff? Shouldn't a 20W auto oil have the same viscosity as a 20W 'cycle oil? Is there a difference or is it just marketing on the label?

[CatatonicBug]

Is there a significant difference between "auto oil" and "motorcycle oil"? Aren't they made from the same stuff? Shouldn't a 20W auto oil have the same viscosity as a 20W 'cycle oil? Is there a difference or is it just marketing on the label?

That's one of the age-old debates. Personally, I'll never pay the extra $$ for "Motorcycle" oil. Modern Auto oil is just fine for these 30 y/o bikes IMO, and probably any other bike out there, as long as you get the right viscosity and change it regularly.

[natemoen]

I agree with cbug. I think its just a marketing thing. I dont know what would be different between the two, other than the friction modifiers. I have not dug through looking hard at all that many different mc oil bottles to see if they make any with the modifiers. So it could just be a "lets help the idiots out and just put a lable on these saying its for an mc so they dont go and make their wet clutch slip."

[cywelchjr]

I think that the friction modifiers are the issue most of the time. Frankly, most auto parts stores carry MC oil for just slightly more than the auto stuff, and MY experience has been that my clutch is a bit better behaved with it. Would a pay 2 or 3 bucks a quart more for it like it is an MC stores and shops, no way. But for less than a buck a quart more, it makes me more comfortable that I'm getting the right performance out of my clutch. OTOH, I won't go out of my way to find the stuff either, if where I'm going to buy my oil only had auto stuff, as long as it's not got friction modifiers in it, that's what I'm buying, and if I can get it in gallon or 5 quart jugs, so much the better as that makes it even more cost affective.

[bikerphil]

IIRC, motorcycle specific oil is not supposed to foam as much as auto type. Probably a bunch of BS.

[natemoen]

IIRC, motorcycle specific oil is not supposed to foam as much as auto type. Probably a bunch of BS.

Isn't it all the detergents and addatives in the oil that foam anyways? Unless they add in a defoamer I could be wrong though