length between oil changes

[Huckster]

Whats the feedback on the Honda oil? I didnt see it in the test.

[grayracer513]

HP4? I don't know anything specific about it, except that it's available in both MA and MB blends. JASO MB oils are for engines only, and not to be used with wet clutches (high content of friction modifiers).

Otherwise, in the absence of any info to the contrary, I would assume that it's OK if frequently changed, like Rotella.

[Huckster]

If you change you oil every 2-3 hrs, which is the best to use? Amsoil? if so where can you buy that stuff?

[grayracer513]

IMO, Amsoil or the Mobil 1 motorcycle are the best you can get. Buy Amsoil direct at http://www.amsoil.com.

If you sign up as a preferred customer, you get over 20% off the price you see in the retail catalog. If you buy 2 12 qt cases a year, the true cost, including your fee and shipping is about $8/qt. (and they leave it on your doorstep.)

I change it every three rides (unless one of them is a race day), which is anywhere from 4-10 hours.

[Huckster]

10w40 or 20w50?

[grayracer513]

I use the 10w-40 (MCF) except for late July and August. It's not even really hot enough then to require a 50 wt, but I run it anyway.

[toofast2]

Gray,thanks again for your in depth info about oils (you missed your calling,

you should have been a editorial writer in a Motorcycle magazine!) but I digress...so from what I gathered,you use Amsoil MCF 10/40 in your YZF 450

or Mobil 1,which is your preference?..also,how come Yamaha only recommends

a blend of synthetics and petroleum in there 4R oil,not a full Synthetic?? THX

ED...no more NEWBIE!!

[twenty34]

IMO, Amsoil or the Mobil 1 motorcycle are the best you can get. Buy Amsoil direct at http://www.amsoil.com.

If you sign up as a preferred customer, you get over 20% off the price you see in the retail catalog. If you buy 2 12 qt cases a year, the true cost, including your fee and shipping is about $8/qt. (and they leave it on your doorstep.)

I change it every three rides (unless one of them is a race day), which is anywhere from 4-10 hours.

I understand there is the 10/40 MX4T and also a Racing version of this MX4T. Have you heard of it? I take that back, after searching again, this is what their site states - "Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 was previously known as Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40." So the Mobil 1 Racing 10W 40is the current oil to use. I just went out and bought some.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Mobil1_Racing_4T_10W-40.aspx

[red7]

I use the 10w-40 (MCF) except for late July and August. It's not even really hot enough then to require a 50 wt, but I run it anyway.

GR, above what temperature would you recommend the 50wt over the 40? We're in the 70-80 during winter and 80-mid 90's in the Summer....if I had to choose between weights when ordering 12 quarts of Amsoil which do you think would be better? I don't know if humidity comes into play at all but we have high humidity.

Also, is it the length of time a motor runs or the temperature cycle of heating up, cooling down, heating up, cooling down that has more of an impact on the oil? I ask because my riding now consists of 100% track and since the track is only 2 blocks from my house I don't usually go for that long so a ride day may consist of 2-3 15 minute practice sessions. So 4-6 hours ride time on my oil could be 8-10 days. Is that ok given the short ride times or am I actually wearing out the oil faster by the fact that it's going from cool to hot more often?

Thanks!

[NM_KDX200]

See for yourself:

http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g2156.pdf

Wonder where Rotella would've placed?

Hmmmpfff...and I just bought 8 qts of Yamalube-4R. Maybe I'll run 'em in my Grizzly instead of the 450F.

Also, FWIW, I've been changing Rotella every 5 h, cleaning the filter every time.

[grayracer513]

I've often wished for a similar test including the top automotive oils used by people like us. I suspect that Rotella would perform well in all respects except shear stability, only because there isn't a particular reason for it to have been blended to have that capability, given the target market. You should be quite safe to run it as long as you don't run it for too long.

[Nova1194]

I've often wished for a similar test including the top automotive oils used by people like us. I suspect that Rotella would perform well in all respects except shear stability, only because there isn't a particular reason for it to have been blended to have that capability, given the target market. You should be quite safe to run it as long as you don't run it for too long.

All large deisel engines use a gear train to run the cam and accessory drives on the front of the engines, I would think the Rotella would be blended to help deal with this.

Mike - who changes his Rotella and filter every 4 hrs

[TMAC25]

Dumondtech and I change it every ride to every other ride depending on how much time I have. Change the filter every time you change your oil. IT simply the easiest cheapest way to keep your bike up. Simple rule to maintaining your bike keep fresh rubber on it, fresh oil in it and fresh air going through it and your all good.

[grayracer513]

All large deisel engines use a gear train to run the cam and accessory drives on the front of the engines, I would think the Rotella would be blended to help deal with this.

That would be a reasonable assumption, but UOA's of Rotella in motorcycle transmissions don't bear that out. Quite the opposite, actually.

The the gear drives you mention are much more a steady state kind of situation, and are mostly absent the constant load reversals and general lashing around the a transmission is subject to.

[Wiz636]

Dumondtech and I change it every ride to every other ride depending on how much time I have.

I see the Dumonde Tech oils all over the bike shops in Washington and I notice that the company is based in Kirkland (?). It is very expensive oil and I've asked the parts/service guys at several dealerships if it is any good and of course they always say that it is "the best"...but when I ask them why, or what makes it so good, or if they have any technical papers on it all I ever get is a deer-in-the-headlights look combined with a shrug of the shoulders. Do you know anything specific about the Dumonde Tech stuff?

I do like thier chain lube based on my use of it.

[tahoeacr]

I have a '06 6.0L Ford. On those forums the oil debate is also huge. 6.0's have a sheer problem with oil caused from high oil pressure used to fire the injectors. Dello and Rotella are the major players with Rotella seeming to get the edge on sheer protection coming from analysis by Blackstone labs.

[grayracer513]

I was recently sent a stack of UOA's from a friend of mine. One set of them was of a Kawasaki 1600 running Rotella. The oil sample for the 15w-40 had 900 miles on it and the oil was out of grade at the equivalent of 30 wt at 100 degrees C. Similarly, the two samples of Rotella T Syn were out of grade at 2000 miles, and marginally in grade at the same mileage in another sample.

By contrast, the same motorcycle running Amsoil MCV 10w-40 was well in grade in one sample at 2000 miles, and was still the same grade as a virgin oil sample at 4700 miles in another test, all by Blackstone.

[TexN343]

I was thinking about the weight of oils and couldn't figure out why I should use a lower weight oil in place of a 50wt oil. The higher the number the higher temp it is made for? So starting at a higher wt and it changing wt from usage down to a 30wt after a couple hours is still ok but if I started with a 30wt wouldn't it be like a 15wt?

[grayracer513]

Better to use an oil that stays at the rated grade, don't you think?

As far as why use a lighter oil, it's the best practice to use the lightest oil that is capable of maintaining a film between the parts being used. Light oil circulates better, new oil flows through the filter and the system at a higher rate, and gets to the places where it's needed faster, especially on a cold start. It requires less power to pump through the system, and puts less drag on the parts being lubed.

Chevrolet Racing has said for decades that 30wt is all that's necessary to lube a high performance V-8. But it's my opinion that engines that make extensive use of ball and other rolling element bearings need a little heavier oil, since the surface area of the bearing that is actually riding on the oil film is so much smaller than in a plain bearing, and that puts extra pressure on the oil.

[Stripes123]

I've been using Mobil1 MX4T but that foam test result has me thinking hard about the Amsoil. Thanks GR!