Oils & Clutch Slip?

[OZXS]

I've just been reading about the automotive vs motorcycle oils debate and thought you may be interested to know here in Australia the "tactic" used to scare us off using non-motorcycle specific oils is to say that they would cause wet clutches to slip! From what I've read, no one in the association seems to have any concerns about this. These stories began to circulate when the first "friction modifiers" were being introduced into automotive oils back in the eighties and I would be very interested to know what others have experienced in this matter.

[bkr]

Slippery Oil

Hey OZXS Used car oil& bike oil for 50 yrs. in my bikes ( 117) and never had a problem. Went to Mobil Synthetic and all hell broke loose. Clutch slip, starter clutch slipped , started to burn oil. Went back to Castrol 20 -50 W, all my problems went away. If it's not broken don't fix it. PS Got 13 in. snow yesterday,. Damn snow.. bkr

[strom]

I put valvoline durablend semi in my 78E at first. Clutch slipped, one of the crank oil seals was leaking. Changed to the cheapest mineral motorcycle oil I could find. No more leaks and almost no clutch slipping (after 2 changes since valvoline was in).
I tend to put in a cheaper oil and change it more often. The bike is happy, I am happy and it was a damn cold ride today, but I still have a stupid grin on my face.

LP

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there OzXS,

I don't know what "Association" you're talking about with NOT seeing any concern about oils and clutch slip!? There has been a fair amount of debate on here about it. Many folks have experienced the slippage problems with synthetic oils, and so have only used 1/2 synth blends at best, but either MC specific or auto has been used equally well.

It has been suggested that if the clutches and springs are not within spec or very close to going out of spec that the synth oil will aggravate conditions and contribute to slippage. A few others have stated that if the parts are fairly new, that they haven't had any problems with slippage with synths. However, as they wear, you could experience slippage problems much sooner using full synth that the blends or straight dino juice!?

[OZXS]

In the article 'Motorcycle Oils vs. Automotive Oils' taken from Motorcycle Consumer news Feb. '94, and posted on this site I'm given the impression that these oils are all interchangeable. There is no mention of problems in using auto oils in motorcycles. Is there anyone out there who knows how to tell which auto oils are suitable for use with wet clutches?

[skids]

Castrol synthetic blend = good, Dinosaur juice = good, Mobil 1 full synthetic = bad!

Originally posted by OZXS
In the article 'Motorcycle Oils vs. Automotive Oils' taken from Motorcycle Consumer news Feb. '94, and posted on this site I'm given the impression that these oils are all interchangeable. There is no mention of problems in using auto oils in motorcycles. Is there anyone out there who knows how to tell which auto oils are suitable for use with wet clutches?

[OZXS]

Thanks skids. Just one more thing for those of us here "down under". Could you define 'dinosaur juice' for us! We don't have the benefit of access to this product, I don't think? Thanks again.

[ratbyk]

Dino Oil

Dino juice or dino oil is just normal everyday motor oil. No synthetics. I use and have had very good luck Castrol GTX 20-50. No slips, no smoke, lots of oil pressure. Running in a 78XS11E, from the original production run of the XS family and it has never had the head off of it. Get about 1000km to a liter while running it hard. Compressions 160-165 right across.
Ken/Sooke
78 XS11E Ratbyk
82 FT500 "lilRat"
92 ZX11 Temptress

[wildbill]

I use Rotella 15w 40 in both street and dirt bike.If not that I use Delo 15wt 40.Doesn`t break you up cost wise and since I have to change the oil in my dirt bike between 5 to 10hrs, well you know what I mean.I have had good luck with other makes but stay away from the slick stuff if you are going to put it in a xs.

[MAXIMAN]

I started using automotive synthetic long ago and never had a problem.

However last year the clutch on Maxine started slipping. I thought it might be the synth because of all the hype. It would only slip when I was speed shifting at WOT... other than that it was fine.

So I changed to "YAMALUBE" the dealer said "That'll stop the clutch slippage!" Well it didn't. Turns out the clutch was bad.

I dropped a Barnett Kevlar clutch in it and WAH LAH. I've put 12,000 miles on that clutch with synthetic with no problem of slippage. So IMO it's generally not thesynth that's causes slippage.

HOWEVER if you are going to use "Dino" oils out fo paranoia of clutch slippage, then use a type that DOES NOT say "energy conserving" on the little round API certificate seal on the back. These oils have friction modifiers and theoretically will do same to a clutch as synth.

For winter I use a lighter oil (5-30). But the ONLY one I've found that is NOT friction modified is Valvoline MaxLife 5w-30.

[strom]

Automotive oils tend to contain some teflon stuff... ctcsomethingpa... Generally good stuff, keeps the engine lubed for a bit longer if it runs outta oil, creates a layer blablabla... anyway, most cars/trucks have dry clutches. Go figure...

LP

[OZXS]

Thanks to everyone for your contributions. You guys are the best thing thats happened to me since starting this rebuild. I guess in the end it's a case of 'suck it and see'. In my case were I'm fixing an 'E' model to ride again after 12 years of storage, it'll be dino juice at least to begin with. I figure that's what it was built for so thats what it'll get.

Cheers.


[QUOTE]"HE WHO EXPECTS NOTHING SHALL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED".

[MAXIMAN]

OZXS

I think that's smart. I know most of the Yammyites ya talk to will recommend that.

Besides I don't think it will hurt ya. I know several guys that ran nothing but 10w-30 Dino in there XS11s and got 100,000 miles with no major probs.

[John]

Originally posted by MAXIMAN
OZXS

I think that's smart. I know most of the Yammyites ya talk to will recommend that.

Yammyites??? Is that what we here in the Dallas area call 'West Texan'? You know, like "M R ducks. M R not. O S M R. C M wings? L I'll be...M R ducks!"