-

Well I'll be darned, just double checked on my oil brand and it's Pensoil, I always just sort of liked the name.

Jim, you gave me the name of the oil you used, did you buy it buy the gal. ?

Thanks

-

rokrover wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:09:


Really?  Yours says that?  Mine says Suzuki recommends the use of SUZUKI PERFORMANCE 4 MOTOR OIL or an oil that is rated SF or SG under the API service classification.  Under that, the Rotalla-T should be good, though they have a slightly higher ash content than you might want in the regular and the pure synthetic.  Their triple-protection has lower ash and still contains no friction modifiers.

I understand the differences in the API specs as I've been doing quite a bit of reading on the topic and I don't use Rotella-T, though I may consider it at some point.  I currently use Mobil-1 V-Twin synthetic.  I mentioned it because someone else had posted that they use it.  I was mainly curious that it appeared the LS650 manual's recommendations had been modified.  Thanks for confirming that.

skrapiron -FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:09:


Same stuff I use and that's where I get it too.

Here’s the official language from the June 2005 edition of the LS650K6 (2006 model) Owner’s Manual, p2-3
= = = = = = = = = =
Use SF/SG or SH/SJ in API classification with MA in JASO (Japanese Automobile Standards Association).
= = = = = = = = = =

If you dig deeper in the Factory Service Manuals you find:

Models 650G, H, J, S = Years 86, 87, 88, 95 oil 10W/40 API SE or SF
Model 650T = Year 96 - oil 10W/40 SE, SF or SG
Models 650V, W, X, Y = Years 97, 98, 99, 00 - oil 10W/40 SF or SG
Models 650V, W, X, Y = Years 97, 98, 99, 00 - oil 10W/40 SF or SG
Models 650K1, K2, K3, K4, K5 = Years 01, 02, 03, 04, 05 - oil 10W/40 SF or SG
Model 650K6 = Year 06 - oil 10W/40 SF/SG or SH/SJ with MA

What’s interesting is the MA specification is required for the SH/SJ oils as, if I remember correctly, the “Energy Conserving” additives only started being used for the API SJ classification (and later).  That’s why you don’t see it in the manuals for ’04 and earlier models, as perhaps JASO hadn’t yet recognized the API SJ potential problem meeting the MA wet-clutch requirement.  SJ auto oils were introduced in 1996 so it took 10 years for Suzuki to update their recommendation.

No wonder there’s some confusion.  Problem is, most auto gasoline-engine oils have the energy conserving friction modifier these days, so it’s hard finding the older SF/SG (max) oils.  Also, these older oils had more anti-wear additives (zinc phosphates or similar) that are now cut back in the latest formulations due to issues with catalytic converters.  In fact, BMW do not approve SJ oils in their bikes:
http://www.gunsmoke.com/motorcycling/reviews/sj_oil/index.html


Same old story - newer is not necessarily better.