Using synthetic (SP?) oil

[CyclePro238]

Will using a synthetic oul in my YZ426 make the clutch slip? I all ready put the oil in but havn't started it yet. Should i drain it and replace is with a regular oil?

thanks, Nick

[grayracer513]

Will using a synthetic oul in my YZ426 make the clutch slip?

No.

Oils labeled "energy conserving", or API EC-II might lead to that, but synthetics in and of themselves will not. I run Amsoil MCF fully synthetic oil exclusively.

[FinchFan194]

My bike is an 04 hand has never had synthetic Gray would it hurt anything to start running it now??

[Bacon537]

as often as you should change your oil, you're wasting your money on synthetic...... you're not gaining any protection, "IF" you're changing your oil as often as you should.... if it was a street bike it would make a difference

[FinchFan194]

I change every 3-5 hours and I heard you can double that with synthetic oil? Not sure though. It would be nice to not have to mess with changing oil every other ride instead be like ever 3rd or 4th ride.

[grayracer513]

My bike is an 04 hand has never had synthetic Gray would it hurt anything to start running it now??

No.

as often as you should change your oil, you're wasting your money on synthetic...... you're not gaining any protection, "IF" you're changing your oil as often as you should.... if it was a street bike it would make a difference

It does make a difference. Good synthetics are less prone to oxidation and thermal degradation than petro based oils. Besides, that, there is the matter of having adequate shear stability to serve as a transmission lube, and it is very difficult for a petroleum based multi-grade to accomplish that to the extent that it's good for more than two hours use. In fact, not many synthetics have a sturdy enough additive package to run them for the 5-8 hours I do mine.

If you change every ride day, then fine.

[FinchFan194]

Thanks Gray! So I can expect to get 5 to 8 hours use out of Amsoil MCF?

[TIG88]

as often as you should change your oil, you're wasting your money on synthetic...... you're not gaining any protection, "IF" you're changing your oil as often as you should.... if it was a street bike it would make a difference

Remeber, you have little more than a quart in there, and a wet clutch that I guarantee sees alot more abuse than your average street bike.

For the cost of a 2.5k engine, an extra few bucks is cheap insurance.

[grayracer513]

Thanks Gray! So I can expect to get 5 to 8 hours use out of Amsoil MCF?

Depends what you are doing with it, but I normally change every 3 ride days, which ends up fitting into that time frame.

Exceptions are when one of the 3 has been or will be a short session, in which case I may decide to extend to a 4th day, and when one such day was a race day, in which case I usually shorten up to two days.

I have run as many as 4 fairly long ride days on the same oil before during a New Year's trip to Superstition, and racked up 10+ hours on that one. I had that oil sample tested, and although it was showing the extra use, it was still a 40wt, and still had a good TBN number.

[FinchFan194]

Ok great I like to ride MX tracks on practice days half the time and trails the other half. So it sounds like a winning situation to me as I can extend oil changes from every 2 rides to about 3 or 4.

[642MX]

Ok great I like to ride MX tracks on practice days half the time and trails the other half. So it sounds like a winning situation to me as I can extend oil changes from every 2 rides to about 3 or 4.

I wouldn't go by how many trips to the track or trail, if your wanting to run Amsoil (and change it like Gray does) then get an hour meter and keep track of it.

For example, Grayracer might ride a day and rack up 2 hours of actual run time. I might ride a day and have 6 hours of actual run time. Not saying I ride longer than Gray, just an example... An hour meter is the only way of keeping track.

As for me, I'll keep my Rotella and keep changing it daily. I like my "garage time". ?

[642MX]

Will using a synthetic oul in my YZ426 make the clutch slip? I all ready put the oil in but havn't started it yet. Should i drain it and replace is with a regular oil?

thanks, Nick

If its motorcycle synthetic oil, you'll be fine. If its something like Mobil 1 5W30 car oil, then you should dump it and get a synthetic for motorcycles.

[grayracer513]

(you should dump it and get a synthetic for motorcycles) If its something like Mobil 1 5W30 car oil

Or say, Rotella? (gotcha ? )

Again, automotive synthetics NOT labeled as EC-II oils are no more likely to cause the clutch to slip than any other oil. The only shortcoming automotive and commercial ("C" grade, or "truck" oils) have is on the question of viscosity retention, other things being equal.

[642MX]

Or say, Rotella? (gotcha ? )

I kinda walked into that one eh?...

Here is what Shell says about Rotella in motorcycles: http://www.shellusserver.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=310&page=24

[grayracer513]

For motorcycle engines, that may well be true, and I have said many times that Rotella is a good engine oil. But I think you will find that the Mobil1 full synthetic line up is at least equal to Rotella in regards to use as an engine oil, and in fact, there are 3 or 4 M1 oils that are superior to it.

However, the problem here remains that we have to use our oil as a gear lube, and this inflicts stresses on the polymer additives that give an oil its ability to act as a multi-grade oil. When these are damaged by the transmission, the oil shifts from a 10w-40 to a 10w-25 in a very short amount of time.

The tech expert at Shell can say what he wants, but by actual test, Rotella fails to retain it's viscosity for more than a very short time in a motorcycle transmission/engine combination.

[rufusz]

Little hijacking the thread:

I've just bought Motorex CrossPower4T 10w-60, do you have an opinion about this one?

[grayracer513]

Little hijacking the thread:

I've just bought Motorex CrossPower4T 10w-60, do you have an opinion about this one?

I'm not familiar with it, but 60wt is unnecessarily heavy, and the heavier the oil, the more slowly it circulates. I would avoid it only because of its high viscosity. 40wt is plenty in most cases, although I do run a 50 during the hottest 4 months of the year.

[rdefonce]

For motorcycle engines, that may well be true, and I have said many times that Rotella is a good engine oil. But I think you will find that the Mobil1 full synthetic line up is at least equal to Rotella in regards to use as an engine oil, and in fact, there are 3 or 4 M1 oils that are superior to it.

That's what I like to hear, since I use motorcycle Mobil1 (10w40 and 20w50) in all my bikes, street and dirt. I figure the extra additives in motorcycle Mobil1 are better for the clutch/trannies, especially in my 4-strokes since the oil is pulling double duty.?

Cost is secondary to performance in my book

[FinchFan194]

I wouldn't go by how many trips to the track or trail, if your wanting to run Amsoil (and change it like Gray does) then get an hour meter and keep track of it.

For example, Grayracer might ride a day and rack up 2 hours of actual run time. I might ride a day and have 6 hours of actual run time. Not saying I ride longer than Gray, just an example... An hour meter is the only way of keeping track.

As for me, I'll keep my Rotella and keep changing it daily. I like my "garage time". ?

I do have an hour meter thanks though. . .the nature of the convesation was just that conversation, not a technicality.