may have made a big mistake with oil selection

[eba_eba]

I just changed my oil with Penzoil 10-40. the round label at the back says. ...

API SERVICE SL

SAE 10-40

Is this oil ok for the bike? the front of the bottle says stop and go protection.

i am new to this bike and live in a small town that does not have a real bike shop.

[Fastest1]

The oil you chose is fine. It is an SL oil, anything above SI is compatible. Dont ever add any modifiers because of the clutch is bathed with engine oil. Enjoy.

[Slowmotion426]

It won't hurt it...next time shoot for what the manual calls for...

[eba_eba]

Thanks guys, my bike is a 2000 and is on it's 3rd tank of gas since new so i only plan on going for a couple of easy rides then change it again. should i change the filter when i do?

[nilson]

You don't have to be /that/ easy on it.

[Slowmotion426]

If you're racing MX, change the filter every other oil change..if you're trail riding..change it at every third oil change...

[eba_eba]

Thanks again, not that i am being easy on it..mostly being easy on myself...hahaha

this is my first MX bike (used to have enduro's when i was younger), my last bike was an R1 and i sold that because i was starting to not be scared of it...seems like 80-90 km/h on the town street and over 200 on the highway was no big deal so i had to dump it before something bad happened (meaning accident or cops giving me walking papers).

[sirthumpalot]

Change the oil often, that's the most important tip. It's a solid motor, but you should change the oil every few hours of riding time.

[grayracer513]

If it says SL, but does NOT say "EC", or "Energy Conserving", it's OK. There's a possibility it could be better, but it will at least do the job.

EC oils have friction modifiers that are bad for your clutch more often than not.

SL oils will probably have reduced levels of phosphorus and zinc based anti-wear agents, but that may not be true in every case, either. Oils after SG/SH were mandated to reduce the levels of these additives to extend the life of catalytic converters. However, P and Zn were considered so important by Yamaha, Honda, and other Japanese manufacturers of high-performance 4-strokes that they had the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (JASO) create two oil certifications for oils that still contain levels of the additives at least as high as API SG. These were JASO MA and MB. Don't use MB in a YZF, though. It contains friction reducers, and is incompatible with wet clutches. Oils carrying JASO MA are the equivalent of the API SG/SH oils, and are expressly intended to work in a high-output 4-stroke with a wet clutch. Does that mean you shouldn't use an oil not marked MA? Of course not, but it does remove a little of the guess work.

[02YZ426]

eba, where you from in Ontario??

[SWD6]

Two years ago i called Pennzoil in Texas to ask if their motorcycle oil was OK to use in a race type high performance four stroke and the pennzoil rep said NO . It's meant more as an everyday driver street bike oil. When i started complaining to him about the Amsoil hype and advertising he said"they've been around a long time" ? I still don't use Amsoil but i don't use the pennzoil either I wonder if that guy now sells Amsoil ?

[SWD6]

Rotella 5w40 can be ordered from a shell lubricants dealer in Canada. I'm cheap i use the 15w40. Don't use the old 0w40 synthetic from Shell cause Shell says NO 15w40 rotella can be had from any shell dealer ?

[sanpedro426]

I use AMSIOL in my 2k2 426 and love it . It seems to shift much easyer and the oil stays cleaner longer.That may be the scotts S/S filter. ?

[hitech]

...When i started complaining to him about the Amsoil hype and advertising he said"they've been around a long time" I still don't use Amsoil but i don't use the pennzoil either ? I wonder if that guy now sells Amsoil ?

If he's not, he ought to be!

[Doug.]

Why cant people just use motorcycle oil in motorcycles? Is it really that hard of a concept to understand???

[bushy]

Why cant people just use motorcycle oil in motorcycles? Is it really that hard of a concept to understand???

If your like me and you dont feel like paying 9 bucks a quart.

[grayracer513]

I use motorcycle oil and I pay less than $7/qt for it.

I've told you 300 million times not to exaggerate! ?

[resslera]

Why cant people just use motorcycle oil in motorcycles? Is it really that hard of a concept to understand???

Here is a better one. Why not do what the manual recommends? My 650R manual says nothing about it being required to use a motorcycle oil but says do not use an oil SH or higher labelled "energy conserving" I think I will continue to follow my manual and save some cash.

[KiltLifter]

In my opinion you have the wrong oil ?

There are many opinions on oil and opinions are like butt holes, everybody has one, and they usually stink

Seriously, there is a little circle on the back of the bottle, about the size of a dime. In the center it says SAE 10W40 (or whatever your viscosity) Above that it says E Plurabus Unum er um, I mean API SERVICE SL (or SG orS?). Now, if it says anything on the bottom half (like ENERGY CONSERVING) You have the wrong oil.

The energy conserving additives are bad for clutches. They are superslick type stuff that may cause the clutch to slip. They are called friction modifiers.

Most "RACING" oils do not have friction modifiers, because they do not care what kind of gas mileage you get. Most 20W50 oils do not have friction modifiers. Mobil One 15W50 does not have them, nor does Valvoline 20W50.

If you check your manual, you'll see that if you're riding above 40F (most do!) or higher,they recommend 20W40 Yamalube (or non friction modified 20W40 motor oil). The 20 in the 20W40 is the important part. It means it's as thick as 20W would be when it's cold and as thick as 40W would be when it's hot.

Someone looking for maximum horsepower and minimum longevity will pick a super thin oil because they know they will have a new engine next race anyway. I doubt that is your plan.

Because your bike holds so little oil, it's not expensive to use the good stuff. For that same reason I would recommend getting the 10W40 out of there as soon as possible, though I doubt you've caused any harm with it.

A personal reason I run 15W50 synthetic in all three of my bikes is that the engine shares the oil with the tranny, and the tranny chews the snot out of the oil. It's called molecular shear, but that's another mile long email in itself.

I may get some flames for recommending synthetic (and I wouldn't recommend it for break-in) but remember that Yamaha (and Honda and Suzuki, etc.) will sell you full synthetic.?

R

[eba_eba]

Why cant people just use motorcycle oil in motorcycles? Is it really that hard of a concept to understand???

Cause i dont have a bike shop here in town.....I guess reading is not a concept you understand ?