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  • #16
    Yes;
    You may/will get leaks with old gaskets. My machine is leaking, and I'm using a "blend". I still plan on going to full synthetic once I rebuild the engine, probably in about a year.
    Ray Matteis
    KE6NHG
    XS1100 E '78 (winter project)
    XS1100 SF Bob Jones worked on it!

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    • #17
      Zilla had 5800 miles when I got him. I changed oil within 100 miles and started off with Mobil 1 20w-50 and put about 5000 miles on it with no problems. No clutch slip ...no leaks.

      I now have 11500 on Godzilla. I'm about to change oil in the next few minutes and I'm sticking with 20w-50 Mobil 1 (motorcycle grade for air cooled engines). The main reason is because of the superior heat protection that synthetics yield. Anyone that's knows anything about motor oil knows that synthetics are far superior when withstanding extreme heat.

      I do not use synthetics in my car or actually in any liquid cooled engine as it is really not neccesary since a water cooled engine stays cool even when idling. As most of you well know the cooling medium is constantly circulating and heat is always being removed via radiator and fan. The properties of mineral engine oil are more than sufficient to withstand the heat generated via liquid cooled engine.

      Air cooled engines are quite another animal all together. As you well know, as long as the engine is moving through the cooling medium (namely air) the engine stays sufficeintly cool (unless you run it out of lubricant in which case a water cooled engine will seize also!). But when a air cooled internal combustion engine ceases to move through the cooling medium (read: comes to a stop) it's just as if your water pump on your car quit circulating water for that minute....or two....or five. And the resulting temperature increase exposes the mineral based oil to a heat it is not designed to withstand. Thus it suffers thermal breakdown much more rapidly....in as little as 800 miles according to Woolum: You can read his research on this website.

      http://www.xs11.com/stories/mcnoil94.htm

      As I mentioned before, much research has been done on the subject. Go see what Mobil research found on the heat of air cooled v-twins. Look for the infrared photos they provide.

      But the proof is in the pudding. Do as my V-twin, air cooled cruising friend in Alpine, Texas did, and as I too eventually did. The result were quite alarming. Get a candy thermometer ($5 at Albertons)....drive your air cooled bike down the road on a nice hot summer day for 10 miles at 75-80 mph. Come to a quick stop and drop said thermal registering device into the fill hole of your XS11 (or any air cooled internal combustion engine). Make certain the thermometer is all the way down in the oil. Allow the temperature to stabilize. It may take 2 or 3 minutes. Mark down on a note pad the peak tempertature observed.

      Then go change oil to a synthetic. He used Amsoil....I used Mobil 1. Now go do the same thing....same day....same road...same temperature and record the temperature. I think you'll be alarmed at what you see. I was.

      Many people may not think 25 or 30 degrees is a big deal. That's their freedom. But if, for example, your car coolant temperature runs normal day in and day out at 195 degrees with no effect, if for some reason it started running 220 degree would you be concerned?

      As for me and my house...my air cooled house...we will serve the lord of synthetics.

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      • #18
        ManMade Oil

        I used Shell Rotella T Synthetic in A Honda VFR750. It has no friction modifiers,and can found at Walmart for about $11 for a gallon. Because the VFR had a history of eating cams due to poor oiling, I added Lucas Synthetic Oil Stablizer (about 25%) to keep the works wet. This combination never caused clutch slippage.





        Narrow is the Way and straight is the Gate and few be there that find it.
        1980 XS1100 Standard 53k
        1985 Venture Royale 23k

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        • #19
          bobaluey

          Ya know they had a retrofit fix for the VFR that diverty oil flow from directly to the cam somehow to alleviate that cam eating tendency.

          BTW: ...strait is the gate...as you well know strait is very dissimilar to straight.

          blessings

          Cody

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          • #20
            vfr fix

            Yeah I knew about that fix but I was trying the "cheap easy no wrench turning method". Anyway, the Sabre belongs to the neighbor and I now scoot on a '80 XS.

            Are there any common problems like that for the XS1100 I should know about?


            Strait-(Greek "Sten-os") narrow due to obstacles.

            I stand corrected. Thanks MAXIMAN. I believe when we are quoteing we must be accurate.
            Last edited by bobaluey; 05-02-2005, 10:11 AM.
            1980 XS1100 Standard 53k
            1985 Venture Royale 23k

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            • #21
              Re: vfr fix

              Originally posted by bobaluey
              [BAre there any common problems like that for the XS1100 I should know about? [/B]
              Not really. The second gear issue is the only one...and I think if you treat it right you may never see that problem arise.

              I've talked to numerous XSives (and XJsives) that have realized 100,000 trouble free miles from this engine. Just a little maintainence (valves...sync...oil changes..and of course cam chain tensioner!) and you should see good service out of this engine...very good.

              I've talked to a couple of guys that build drag bikes and they say the lower end of the XS11 is one of the strongest designs they've ever seen on any bike. Though the tranny wasn't designed for "racing" it is very sturdy. As well the crank and entire lower end of the engine. these old bikes are built like a TANK!

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