r1bran

Does anyone know for a FACT if it possible to use automotive oil in a street bike if comperable viscosity are used.

RedStar

You need oil my friend?

whitedevil

it's not just the viscosity, but also the other additives. I would not suggest it. Here is a great read on oil.

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html

whitedevil

More specifically this part:

Recommendations
I get a lot of email, "My buddy has 283,000 miles on his Yamazuki 867 Nintruder, and he's never used anything but 35¢ per quart grocery store oil changed every 48,000 miles." Here's the truth: modern Japanese engines are amazingly well engineered and can tolerate a surprising amount of abuse. However, putting automotive oils in your motorcycle and running them for more than 1500 miles is abuse. I abuse my motorcycle enough with the way I ride them without adding on the abuse of using cheap oil that will break down in 1500 miles.

The question of which oil is best is not settled. We know what we want: the oil is inexpensive, lasts a long time, and makes our engine never break. There are various articles in MCN which do a chemical analysis and make recommendations based on the content of the additive package. I am very skeptical of this, as the utility of these chemicals at various levels is never tested, and the base oils are not tested. There are a couple articles that actually test for viscosity breakdown, and standard petroleum oils don't do very well. Consumer Reports once did a 4,500,000 mile test of oils in NYC taxicabs, however these engines only start once per day and are water-cooled, so they mostly avoid cold start-ups and overheating. If you're using a standard automotive petroleum oil in your motorcycle and running it for more than 1,500 miles, you are taking your chances. By 1,500 miles, the VII additives are pretty much all broken down, and the oil has therefore thinned out enormously.

Your engine will not explode if you use Spiffo-Magic Superlube for 4,000 miles. Your engine will not explode if you never use synthetic oils. However, any of these choices puts additional strain on your engine. You buy $65 tires for your car that last 45,000 miles, and $100 tires for your bike that last 8,000 miles. Why on earth would you try to save $5 on each oil change to buy an oil that can't hold up in a motorcycle engine? My DL650 runs its oil through the transmission, I run off-road (extreme environment due to silicon blow-by at the piston rings), I'm pretty much always revving my engine at 5500 rpm or more (red line on the Corvette, the one that comes with Mobil-1 as factory fill). I stress my little engine enough without making it use dinner candles as lubricants. Nor do I wish to make the bearings run in 10w-40 oil that's broken down to 10w-15 oil.

turbolq4

the wet clutch has alot to do with oil viability as well, if you are looking to get cheap oil, at least make sure its rated for the wet clutch

Linker33

http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/oiltest1.htm

Here is a copy of the study MCN did on Car vs. Motorcycle oils a few years back.
Several car oil brands outperformed motorcycle specific brands in viscosity retention.
I agree that the main issue is the wet clutch aspect. As long as the oil you use does not contain additional friction modifiers, it should be fine for this aspect. If the oil container states "Energy conserving", you shouldn't use it in a wet clutch.

I've been running Mobil 1 Synthetic 10w50, without issue. From what I've read in numerous oil debate threads, a number of others do as well.

Pretty much the lack of friction modifiers, and manufactures tout additional zinc and phosphorus as aintiwear agents. But how much of that is marketing hype, who knows?

Then again you can pick up Castrol 4T motorcycle oil at Shucks for $3/qt, and I think also at Walmart pretty cheap. So as long as you don't buy your oil from a dealer, there's really not much cost incentive to not use motorcycle specific oil.

r1bran

The Rweezy clutch is slipping after beating on it last night at SC. I want to try and change the oil and see if that helps before I start looking for a new clutch. Slippers are not cheap

whitedevil

well does the oil smell burnt? Let me check to see if I got oil, or RedStar said something, he may.

stubby

Cheap and just your color
http://www.amazon.com/Isotoner-Terry.../dp/B000OIB3DQ

RedStar

Yeap I already contacted Brandon, He shall be getting Oil

lil_schmitty

standard car engine oil has anti friction modifiers in it which will cause your clutch to slip. other than a slipping clutch, all should be well

shaner

For the first five years I rode a street bike I ran automotive oil because I really didn't know any better. I had zero problems.

Pimpit

Does your clutch have an adjustment on it? I know on the GSXR (atleast the 05 06 as far as I know) it has a little screw just inside te clutch cover that has to be adjusted all the time

RedStar

I have that screw, I did adjust it once, what point should I adjust it to? Just to where I start to feel it get a little hard or should I go past that?

Pimpit

Are we talking about the same screw? I didn't know the 02 had a slipper clutch? If it is the one inside the clutch cover that I am talking about, you loosen the nut and tighten it just to where it is snug (stops tuning easily) and then turn it back 1/4-1/2 turn re tighten nut. put cover back on and go for shit

whitedevil

WOW! Nuthin happened or went wrong when we put NOS in the gas tank, so it must be ok to do it all the time.


Come on guys, he even got himself some oil already and you are now saying that something bad didn't happen to yours so it must be ok? Take care of your stuff. You go the xtra mile to make the bike look good, you treat it like gold as you clean it up, then you don't care what you do to the engine? Bah nevermind, falling upon deaf ears and know it alls.

Grumbler

I've used Mobil 1 (old red cap bottle) as well as Shell Rotella T 15w40 In the past with no issues. When it comes to conventional automobile oils, diesel oil is the only one I'd use other than MC specific oil. I replace oil and filter every 2K miles although it's a low revving cruiser. BTW, my shifting and gas mileage sucked with Hondaline 10w40 back in 2006. Changed it within 500 miles.

Pimpit

Ive heard of people using diesel oil in there bikes. I am to scared to

r1bran

Scott post a pic of this adjustment screw your talking about. I have my lever adjustment then there is one on the OUTSIDE of the clutch cover that the clutch cable runs through and has an adjustment. I dont know what screw you mean.

RedStar

I think this is what he is mentioning. I also have this step in my adjustment, It would be part 4 and 5 if i am correct Scott?

micko24

i use rotella t synthetic 5w40 and thats diesel truck oil and i never have problems with it. i havent heard anyone who used it that was disappointed. to each his own.

Linker33

My disclaimer was that Motorcycle specific oil can be acquired cheap if desired. However, riders have been using auto oil in bikes for a long time with no ill effects. And I have read enough to be convinced that the transmision shearing issues are a non issue.

Pimpit

That would be it I do believe. But I didn't think your bikr had that adjustment. I thought that started with the 05 06 with the slipper clutch