Wed May 21 12:53:25 1997 - Message No. 867
From: "Robert Rowe"

Subject: Oil thread


muehlberger@grz.co.at wrote:

> So I took a look which oil they filled in at the service this spring.
> I
> found out that they used Mobil 1 full synthetic oil, so I drove to the

> next
> mobil petrol station and looked for the appropriate oil.
>
> But I didn't find one specially for bikes! So I bought the newest (and

> most
> expensive) one, Mobil 1 full synthetic 0W-40.
>
> Is this okay, or should I investigate further for a correct one??
>
I would investigate further because of the following.

In the UK there were a number of articles last year regarding the
suitability of the latest generation engine oils which conform to the
API Spec SH, these oils it would seem have friction modifiers which are
not good for our gearboxes as they are aimed at cars. The advise given
at the time was use an SG or lower oil, that advise coming from the
manufacturers themselves, notably Kawasaki, though the others backed
them up.

Modil are now doing a Mobil 1 aimed at the Bike Market so it may be
worth looking for this type of oil, I understand Triumph dealers will
carry it as Triumph demand the use of Mobil 1.

If you're planning to change from a Mineral to a Synthetic oil, you need

to be aware that you should be changing the first lot of Synthetic oil
after the first 1200Km/800miles. This is because the left over Mineral
and the new synthetic do not live as happily together as one might
desire.

Finally the @ engine is a relatively lowly stressed motor and I don't
think there is any gain to be had from going to Synthetic oils. There is

a belief that using th latest and greatest oil will help your engine and

whilst that can be true, the opposite can apply.

When an engine is designed, it's designers work on a number of
assumption, one of which being the quality of the oil likely to be
available. As I mentioned earlier, newer car oils have addatives that
are harmful to our gearboxes so putting a modern oil in an old Bike
wouldn't be doing the gearbox any favours.

On the STOC list ( the Pan European owners list ) there has been endless

debate about the advantages of Synthetic vs Mineral and yet there are
plenty of 150K Km bikes which have used only Mineral oils, as
recommended by Honda.

There is my bit.

Rob



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