You guys sure got your oil problems

verslagen1 wrote on 01/22/13 at 07:14:28:


I do not go over 2000 miles. I started out with Castrol Synthetic and had to keep adding up to a whole pint in 15-2000 miles. After being beaten into submission by my Rotella using friends in racing single cylinder KLRs and KTMs I noticed a quieter engine and almost no oil usage. The Castrol was used in a new to me bike with 7400 miles to about 12,000 mi then I changed to Rotella. Around 22,000 mi now and I try to do less drag starting, but I still like to twist it hard in fourth and run up to 80 in fifth just to feed my need for speed. Plus, I have not been able to put my 3500 mile average in 2012. I might just change it to feel connected again. Most of you will understand that feeling.  

For those who like their data from 2008 and earlier (at least two standards changes ago) here is some about the 3 Mobil changes ago Mobil1  "red cap" version.    the one everybody liked so much

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1502559

(I used to use Mobil1 "red cap" oils of this generation as my Walmart stocked it, and I was among the many thousands who felt betrayed when Mobil1 neutered that oil and then insulted us all greatly by NOT TELLING ANYONE that they had done it.)

The real purpose of posting this is so you can feel sick to your stomach when your new version VOA comes back in and you can see what the oil USED TO BE compared to what it is today.


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Why can't you run a good synthetic oil for 10,000 miles?   You could if .....

1) you had a decent air filtration system on your Savage that kept the silica dust from building up in the oil.

2) you didn't have a wet sump clutch and a common gear box shearing up the oil 5x more compared to what a car ever sees.


People who say they hit a point where oil consumption goes up noticeably are talking about the shear issue.   And they have picked the limiting factor that mostly applies to them as shear and oil consumption will likely hit before enough dust (silica) contamination builds up to be an issue.

I change the oil before going up to the Dragon as part of my general prep routine.  This year I will change the oil filter out again and post again in the smagnet thread what sort of crap I see when I take it all apart and brake parts cleaner it out good.

Mobil1 4T has been re-done as Mobil1 RACING 4T, got itself a new package and a new FAQ for it that states the ZDDP level, which now exceeds MA or MA2 levels so they effectively lost the right to use the MA ratings (but they still have it in their advertising and somewhere on the bottle of course).

..... now which piece of conflicting advertising do we believe this time, Mobil1?

Gist of the change is that the old standard "red cap" Mobil1 car oil is supposedly back with us again .... as a "racing only" motorcycle oil.

So, for as long as this version/bottle style lasts before Mobil1 changes it on us without telling us -- it goes back on the approved list.


(approved oil listing modified accordingly)


So, the folks who like to buy $10 a quart oil have a new one to go looking for.   Make sure you buy the right bottle, as there are 3-4 different Mobil 1 oil bottles out there in reality land to get confused between.

rat907 wrote on 01/23/13 at 18:28:03:


If your oil stays nice and clean (doesn't get darker in the first few hundred miles), get better oil.  The detergent in your oil is not doing its job.

Gyrobob wrote on 01/24/13 at 03:51:43:




I use consistantly any, Pennzoil, Castrol, Mobil 1, Quaker State, Amzoil, ect., depending on the application and monetary situation. Whether its Dino or Syn, heat and legnth of operation plays a big factor. Darker isn't my concern, light transmission is and the time/miles it takes to defeat that along with particulates in the old oil.

If your oil gets really dark to black in a short time, then theres a problem with the efficiancy of your motors operation and oil choice, not the cleaning qualities of detergent in the oil.

I have done minor overhauls and found little to no excessive wear to high load parts, little to no varnish inside my engines and certainly no oil gunk globs in the recesses of the nooks and crannies.

My way is my way and it works well for me, I just passed it on to those that haven't their own system and they can take it or leave it.


DavidOfMA wrote on 01/24/13 at 05:41:43:


I'm still learning myself, so far I have come up with 3 areas of concern.
1) high heat of an air cooled engine and maintaining lubricity.
2) wet clutch operation that doesn't promote/support slipping.
3) cam/rocker arm cushioning/decellerating wear.

My background is automotive illegal street racing (possibly my efforts is why they have such strick laws against it). I am new to the single 4 stroke scene and I like this challenge to maximize efficiancy.

Not all "racing" stuff is good for the daily street user, oils included. there are what many racers consider throw away items that are part of the game. If it holds out for one race or one high end run then its good.

A racing oil is subjected to high load and high heat in a short amount of time. You can bet you bottom dollar that they get rid of it as soon as the race is over. Some of these oils never see the extremes in a daily driver and can be counter productive. So if your not running hard all the the time, the oil may just not be doing what its supposed to.

Most people think the dark color is in fact dirt, or carbon, Not always true, Most of the color you see is due to the oxidation of the additives in the oil due to the heat. I've found that with  hot running engines that the oil darkens quicker. Thats in an engine in good operating condition.

The cleaning ability of the oil on the engine will add to the darking as the oil gets older but is in no was harming the engine. Thats the oil doing what it was designed to do.

Gas in the oil from a too rich carb, blow-bye form worn rings, and not changing the oil at the proper intervals will cause oil to get dark and dirty as well.

You can't judge the oil by color. A used oil analysis is needed to tell whats really going on. It will also tell you how many miles you can go between oil changes as well.

I don't necessarily agree with all of these but some interesting reads from bobistheoilguy.com

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1528239

Hey, I smell the oil. If it smells burnt I then put some on a white paper towel and look at it. usually change it. In my truck I change the filter every oil change.  My bike I got it used. I will be changing the filter @ every oil change.  I just put in M1 t4. Going to try rotella T6.
I'm thinking, that header pipe dont help the life span of are/s40 oil.