Synthetic Oils. What are you running? - Page 4

UNCLE WILLIE · 06-21-2015, 09:16 PM

just switched to Valvoline 10-40 synthetic bike oil and see no diff. from shell dino or Valvoline dino or Castrol atx.
next im going back to Valvoline dino bike oil with a shot of lucas

fyi - in the 80's there was a test done on oil coolers and the results show 10-40 ran cooler than 20-50. for that reason and others I use the thinnest oil recommended by the factory

ponch · 06-21-2015, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vulcanrider

2011 Amsoil 10-40, doesn't effect warranty...

As long as the oil meets the specs, it shouldn't.

ponch · 06-21-2015, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UNCLE WILLIE

just switched to Valvoline 10-40 synthetic bike oil and see no diff. from shell dino or Valvoline dino or Castrol atx.
next im going back to Valvoline dino bike oil with a shot of lucas

fyi - in the 80's there was a test done on oil coolers and the results show 10-40 ran cooler than 20-50. for that reason and others I use the thinnest oil recommended by the factory

I think Vulcans use 10w-40 for the most part. If you lived somewhere that the temps you rode in were over 100˚, synthetic makes sense. I found with the vulcans I owned that the shifting got a little less smooth and the clutch would get sticky when the engine was cold when the oil started getting broken down and it was getting nigh for a change anyway...

UNCLE WILLIE · 06-26-2015, 04:49 PM

dirty oil works like sandpaper no matter what kind it is
keep it clean--I change @ 3000 max because it gets chewed up in the gear box which lowers the viscosity
in the 60's the Pennzoil rep told me that according to their studies you waste oil if changed before 4000 in cars
the cars I maintain all get changed the week of every season change and it works out to @ 3000+ -- no numbers to keep up with & easy to remember

ponch · 06-26-2015, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UNCLE WILLIE

dirty oil works like sandpaper no matter what kind it is
keep it clean--I change @ 3000 max because it gets chewed up in the gear box which lowers the viscosity
in the 60's the Pennzoil rep told me that according to their studies you waste oil if changed before 4000 in cars
the cars I maintain all get changed the week of every season change and it works out to @ 3000+ -- no numbers to keep up with & easy to remember

Newer vehicles have much longer intervals. My 2013 VWs have 10K mile intervals and my RT has 6k mile intervals. The oil never really looks beat in the RT, but it's just engine oil, not shared with the transmission. I use synthetic in both, usually Mobil 1.

**canuckrider** · 06-26-2015, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponch

Newer vehicles have much longer intervals.

Many today have oil life monitors (OLM) that analyse your type of driving (temperature extremes, long highway trips vs. stop and go traffic, etc.) and will tell you when it is time to change. I was looking at an owner's manual for a Ram 1500 with a customer the other day and it stated a MAXIMUM of 16,000 km (10,000 miles) or 1 year between changes if the OLM doesn't tell you before that.

That's expecting a lot out of your oil if you ask me.

ponch · 06-26-2015, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canuckrider

Many today have oil life monitors (OLM) that analyse your type of driving (temperature extremes, long highway trips vs. stop and go traffic, etc.) and will tell you when it is time to change. I was looking at an owner's manual for a Ram 1500 with a customer the other day and it stated a MAXIMUM of 16,000 km (10,000 miles) or 1 year between changes if the OLM doesn't tell you before that.

That's expecting a lot out of your oil if you ask me.

My Suburban had OLM, but I changed it before at 5000 miles, which was usually every 3-4 months for the most part until the last year I had it. Glad it's gone. The VWs have a service indicator, but it's set to yearly/10K miles. I am doing my Passat this weekend. Mobil 1 0w-40, 6L. That's a lot of oil for a 2.5L engine.

recumbentbob · 06-26-2015, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponch

My Suburban had OLM, but I changed it before at 5000 miles, which was usually every 3-4 months for the most part until the last year I had it. Glad it's gone. The VWs have a service indicator, but it's set to yearly/10K miles. I am doing my Passat this weekend. Mobil 1 0w-40, 6L. That's a lot of oil for a 2.5L engine.

I have never seen a 0 w 40 oil.

ponch · 06-26-2015, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by recumbentbob

I have never seen a 0 w 40 oil.

Oh sure. 0w-20 through 50.

UNCLE WILLIE · 06-26-2015, 11:32 PM

all good comments here - the oil now is way superior to a decade ago and beyond and so is engine design - what ive seen is with vehicles with miles on them when the oil gets dirty it starts burning or gets blown out & most times u don't notice until u look at the dipstick--my stuff is older like me so don't have oil monitors - its my personal choice to keep things clean and they last a long time

**smokier** · 06-27-2015, 09:33 AM

Rotella T6 every 5k.

RACNRAY · 06-27-2015, 11:07 AM

I run the oily kinda oil, available at your local retailer.

LOL

I have always had one of the most chunkiest shifting 1700 of all the 1700's I have ridden.
YUK!! I recently put in the new Amsoil dirt bike oil, which meets ALL the same specs as the m/c oil but is only rated MA which is the least aggressive clutch friction spec. Amsoil went with this formula to improve "clutch feel' on m/x skoots. Definitely shifts better but i'll have to wait till the skoot gets about 3500 mls on this oil, that's when my skoot would start shifting harder with the m/c oil

I shall see.

RACNRAY

Duc796canada · 07-01-2015, 12:11 AM

For those that have to store your bikes over winter, do you drain the old oil prior to storage or do you drain it at the beginning of spring prior to riding? I used to drain my monster at the end of the rding season, then put in fresh oil for storage over the winter. I've since heard that is not good??

recumbentbob · 07-01-2015, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc796canada

For those that have to store your bikes over winter, do you drain the old oil prior to storage or do you drain it at the beginning of spring prior to riding? I used to drain my monster at the end of the rding season, then put in fresh oil for storage over the winter. I've since heard that is not good??

Change the oil then ride about 5 miles then store it.

robj · 07-01-2015, 05:22 PM

ran rotella but switched to Mobil1 this time. have actually noticed it will run cooler with the Mobil1 for some reason.

06-21-2015, 09:16 PM	#46
UNCLE WILLIE Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: knoxville tn Posts: 227	oil just switched to Valvoline 10-40 synthetic bike oil and see no diff. from shell dino or Valvoline dino or Castrol atx. next im going back to Valvoline dino bike oil with a shot of lucas fyi - in the 80's there was a test done on oil coolers and the results show 10-40 ran cooler than 20-50. for that reason and others I use the thinnest oil recommended by the factory Login or Register to Remove Ads
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06-26-2015, 04:49 PM	#49
UNCLE WILLIE Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: knoxville tn Posts: 227	oil dirty oil works like sandpaper no matter what kind it is keep it clean--I change @ 3000 max because it gets chewed up in the gear box which lowers the viscosity in the 60's the Pennzoil rep told me that according to their studies you waste oil if changed before 4000 in cars the cars I maintain all get changed the week of every season change and it works out to @ 3000+ -- no numbers to keep up with & easy to remember
	0

06-27-2015, 11:07 AM	#57
RACNRAY Sr. Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SOUTH FLORIDA Posts: 1,210	I run the oily kinda oil, available at your local retailer. LOL I have always had one of the most chunkiest shifting 1700 of all the 1700's I have ridden. YUK!! I recently put in the new Amsoil dirt bike oil, which meets ALL the same specs as the m/c oil but is only rated MA which is the least aggressive clutch friction spec. Amsoil went with this formula to improve "clutch feel' on m/x skoots. Definitely shifts better but i'll have to wait till the skoot gets about 3500 mls on this oil, that's when my skoot would start shifting harder with the m/c oil I shall see. RACNRAY __________________ "TRUE HAPPINESS IS IN THE HEART, NOT IN THE OUTSIDE FIXES" WITH OVER 46 YEARS AS A MOTORCYCLE TECHNICIAN/HI-PO SHOP OWNER I AM A PURVEYOR OF FACT NOT FICTION! "WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN CHAINS NEVER KNOWING WE HAD THE KEY"
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07-01-2015, 12:11 AM	#58
Duc796canada Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 146	For those that have to store your bikes over winter, do you drain the old oil prior to storage or do you drain it at the beginning of spring prior to riding? I used to drain my monster at the end of the rding season, then put in fresh oil for storage over the winter. I've since heard that is not good?? __________________ 2014 Vaquero SE Cirius engine guard lights Vizi-Tec Supa-brake II Afterburner 4500LM LED headlamp Ivan's Performance 12 VDC plug-in BAK Thunder mfg. Cobra Tri-Flo 2011 Ducati Monster 796 2006 GSXR 600 (track bike)
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06-26-2015, 11:32 PM	#55
UNCLE WILLIE Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: knoxville tn Posts: 227	all good comments here - the oil now is way superior to a decade ago and beyond and so is engine design - what ive seen is with vehicles with miles on them when the oil gets dirty it starts burning or gets blown out & most times u don't notice until u look at the dipstick--my stuff is older like me so don't have oil monitors - its my personal choice to keep things clean and they last a long time
	0

06-27-2015, 09:33 AM	#56
smokier Join Date: May 2015 Location: DBQ Iowa Posts: 1,807	Rotella T6 every 5k.
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07-01-2015, 05:22 PM	#60
robj Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: St Louis Posts: 64	ran rotella but switched to Mobil1 this time. have actually noticed it will run cooler with the Mobil1 for some reason.
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