Oil??

[JC FC]

So i was reading around, but im still confused...is it okay to use "automotive" oil in the bikes? if so, what do i use? like 20/50? 10/30? etc.

[BigDick]

get ready to do some reading!

More than you ever wanted to know about oil!

That's a link to the tech tips here in the forum, lots of good info if you spend a couple hours reading all the tips in all the sections.

TL;DR yeah automotive oil is ok to use, just make sure you have the correct weight.

[HobbyMan]

Let me be the first(edit: second) to say "Yes."
Make sure that that it is not synthetic. - Big debate issue
I use Castrol GTX 20-50 with no problems. Then again, I normally ride in 90+ deg traffic.

[TopCatGr58]

NOoooooooo...not another Oil thread!!!

Yes, Auto oils okay, just don't want any extra friction modifiers in it, one half of the API seal needs to be empty/blank. Where you live in Utah, pretty warm, so yes, 20/50 would be what you would want for high temp protection. This is why many of us use Castrol GTX 20/50. YMMV!
T.C.

[Cobia]

What oil?

Just like TC and Hobbyman, I use Castrol GTX 20w 50w and have not had a lick of problems on any of my three bikes, cars, boats, etc....

[b.walker5]

GTX 15W40 goes in everything I have that takes oil, including my sons bike, and the oil can. We dont get extremes of temp in summer, 25 degrees C is a hot day and we get -5 to +5 on a cold day. I dont have any starting problems in the winter and I don't have any clutch slip in the summer, so it's all good as far as I'm concerned.

[nightpilot]

anti corrosives?

For what its worth, I read somewhere that bike oils have extra anticorrosives or other additives that make a significant difference on a bike.

On another note, someone said not to use synthetics, but I have also heard that synthetics protect much better in extreme heat conditions.

Due to lack of sense I have cruised the west in the summer on a xj700, xj700x, a magna that did not handle the heat well and hoping to upgrade by reconditioning my project 82xj11, and am hoping for some definitive intel on oil. I used castrol 20 50 and semi syn before.

Does anyone know the ultimate reality here?

[trbig]

I read somewhere that bike oils have extra anticorrosives or other additives that make a significant difference on a bike.

You aren't the first person to believe that lie. Read the link that BigDick posted. Be sure to read down a bit to the "Preliminary Conclusions". As TC stated earlier, on the back of the bottle of oil, there will be a donut looking stamp that is the API seal. In the bottom part of the circle, if it says "Energy Conserving" in the stamp, you don't want that for a motorcycle.

Please also feel free to do a search for oil threads as this question.. as well as "What's the best tire?" have been covered EXTENSIVELY. Here's just one of them you can read through.

Oil, What to use?


What it comes down to on both questions, is the facts have been stated and opinions made. Everybody has a preference, and they will feel free to state it as well as to WHY. If you believe that motorcycle oils are better since they say "Motorcycle" and cost more.. then all the proof isn't going to change your opinion. If you have good luck with a certain type of tire, you're going to stick with it even if people say another is better and you'll get better mileage.


This question about oil and the questions on tires have been covered many many many many times, and if you want to post to those threads after reading them, feel free... but anybody that has been on the site any length of time and sees yet ANOTHER thread started on this subject, has the same reaction as TC.

NOoooooooo...not another Oil thread!!!

Although it seemed like he was joking... he/we weren't. lol.

Tod

[BigDick]

On another note, someone said not to use synthetics, but I have also heard that synthetics protect much better in extreme heat conditions.

Due to lack of sense I have cruised the west in the summer on a xj700, xj700x, a magna that did not handle the heat well and hoping to upgrade by reconditioning my project 82xj11, and am hoping for some definitive intel on oil. I used castrol 20 50 and semi syn before.

The general concensus is synthetics will leak past the 30 year old seals and gaskets easier/faster/better than dinosaur oil. I believe someone has said that if you want to go with the semi synthetic/sythetic blend that this will eliminate or minimize the problem of said leakage.

[crazy steve]

The big difference in currently available motor oils is zinc phosphate, and it's lack in most oils now out there is the problem if you're running other than a late-model car engine. This is an anti-scuff additive and it's absence has caused a lot of cam failures in non-roller cam motors.

At one time, this was a common oil additive, but the advent of cat convertors and the near-universal conversion to roller cams caused this to be pretty much eliminated from most oils. The oils that still contain this in amounts we're looking for are 'specials' for motorcycles, diesel engines, and some turbo/racing oils. So, if you're looking for a somewhat cheaper and/or easier-to-find alternative to a 'motorcycle specific' oil, look to a diesel-rated oil such as Shell Rotella or Chevron Delo. Generally, you should avoid the 'car rated' oils in motorcycles.

Everybody has their fav oil and will defend their choice, and to tell the truth if you don't expose most oils to extreme use and change it often enough, nearly any will do the job. But an air-cooled bike motor can be an extreme-useage application, due to it's poor temp control with 'hot-spots' and many with non-roller cams, so don't 'cheap out' completely in your choice.

My personal experience has been if the motor is 'using' oil (and not leaking), I need to look for a 'better' (i.e. higher quality) oil. I have reduced or eliminated oil useage between changes in several motors by simply switching brands from what the PO used. The two oils I will not use under any circumstances are Pennzoil and Quaker State (they should spend more money on the quality of their product and less on advertising IMO). From what I've seen, if you're running a multi-grade oil and using oil (particularly below 3K on the oil), that's a pretty good indicator that the additive package is breaking down.

I recently had a high-mileage (over 250K) V-8 rebuilt, and cylinder wear was minimal; it almost didn't need an overbore. And this motor had been USED; the reason for the overhaul was bad valves (pre-unleaded motor) and the nylon timing gear wore out (still ran right up until it jumped time). The valvetrain looked near-new. This was with Chevron Delo since the motor was new.

Of course, YMMV....

'78E original owner

[trbig]

Shell Rotella

I have recently heard that Shell has removed the extra zinc from this oil, so I would double check that before using it.


Tod