synthetic or not synthetic

[Nightmare]

Spending big bucks on motorcycle specific oils, is not going to do much other than lighten your wallet. Again, my opinion.

So... it could be argued that Synthetic oil improves the performance of your bike by giving you a slightly better power to weight ratio

I think the arguement of synthetic and a wet clutch is interesting, along the lines of oil additives, any oil with high zinc should in theory promote clutch slippage as the zinc is supposed to prevent metal to metal contact/wear...

For the record I'm running full synth

 

[Keith Winter]

Like I said,
To each his own. I did not say anything about the synthetic oil being bad for roller bearing's, or that synthetic is more "slippery" than regular oil. What I DID say was that the METALIC COMPOUNDS that are found in ENERGY CONSERVING rated oils, both dino AND synthetic, are not good,, or maybe not recomended is a better term,, for the clutch or roller bearings that are found in most bikes. The synthetic,, or "dino",, aspect of the oil has nothing to do with the "energy conserving" aspect of most passenger car type oils.
According to ALL the deisel mechanics I know,, both heavy duty and passenger car type,, the reason "energy conserving" oils are not to be put into any deisel engine, is because of the LOADS that deisel engines place on the internal, moving, engine parts. Oil for deisel engines ALSO have additive packages for sludge, acids, ect, ect, but they also have nothing to do with "energy conserving" metalic compounds. The metalic compounds,, as far as I can remember the explaination,, in lowering friction on the bearing/ moving part surface's, reduce's the load bearing ability's of these parts.
The average pickup, or car, MOST of the time is only running at about 25% of it's maximum power output,, and even this isn't ALL the time. If by using energy conserving oils in the average car, with the light duty cycle the average engine see's, it makes no difference if you lose a little bearing load ability.
Motorcycle engines,, as most of us know,, are called upon to put out as much output as they can ALLOT of the time, or in other words, they are a high load engine,, just like a deisel. Like I said,, to each his own opinion.
If there are those out there that really want to know about this stuff,, you can contact any of the large oil company's,, Chevron, Shell, Esso (or Standard maybe?) ect, and ask them for the run down on Synthetic verses crude type oil, energy conserving data, and just about everything else you would want to know about oil. This is what I did years ago, and found that the tech's at Chevron were the best, and the most patient, at explaining things to "Joe average".
Keith

 

[Road_Clam]

Man I just love the techno mudfest synthetic vs. petro !!! As soon as I see the first post, I crack open a beer, sit back, and keep hy head low.....

 

[Arfdog]

The oil in my '86 GS450 ws mineral, but was changed to synthetic (or semi maybe) a week before I got the bike, and since then the clutch slips at over 7000rpm. I'm changing back to castrol GTX 10W40 tonight.

 

[cberkeley]

yup! ....Have been using Castrol GTX in my private autos and lawn-mower since '75 and never a problem to date. Used Synthetic (KLOTZ) in my racing karts in the 80's and Bel-Ray 2-stroke outboard oil in my houseboat and in my buddy's racing boats (Bel-Ray sponsorship on the boats).
Did a bike-engine rebuild last year and was surprised to see the pristine condition of the innards (>48000-miles). I'm almost certain the four POs only used dino oil in it as she was certainly a commuter bike.
Anticipate changing oil and filter next month and it will be Castrol GTX 20W50 again.
But this debate will have no end as each has their own imbedded opinions / preferences and the marketing people sure know how to play us to the hilt, with just the right mix of fact, fiction and omitted data, be it motor-oil, toothpaste, detergents, cosmetics, tissue-paper .....the list can go on forever.

 

[Road_Clam]

Used Synthetic (KLOTZ) in my racing karts in the 80's

I run Klotz R50 full synthetic premix in my KX500. The only reason I run a full synthetic is that full syn. oils keeps the internal exhaust power valves from getting all gunked up (vs. a petro based oil), and operating smoothly. When you have a sticking power valves, you loose a lot of midrange throttle response and torque.

 

[ScottMc1100L]

The oil in my '86 GS450 ws mineral, but was changed to synthetic (or semi maybe) a week before I got the bike, and since then the clutch slips at over 7000rpm. I'm changing back to castrol GTX 10W40 tonight.

What makes you think the clutch did not slip before the oil change?

...another oil thread :-s, I suppose better than another political or religious thread :-|

 

[Arfdog]

What makes you think the clutch did not slip before the oil change?

I know the guy who sold it to me, and I know it was fine before the oil change..

...another oil thread :-s, I suppose better than another political or religious thread :-|

So, do you guys think the oil price might rocket after the politicians decide to pull the troops out of Iraq?

In order to make the right decision about what oil to use, do you think a helpful question to ask ourselves would be "What oil would Jesus use?"?

:-D

 

[Mike McNaney]

Seems the best aside from science would be to ask the guy with 30K+ miles on his bike. When my clutch slipped at hi rpm, I changed pressure plate springs, not oil.

Really, if you change your oil and filter on schedule then your chances of any oil related problems is nil.

Heres a tidbit. I worked for Chrysler Motors in tech support and training for 8 years in the 90's.
Mopar Performance and R&D used bulk 30w CG oil back then. Thats diesel grade oil.

Unless you're racing and oil science is a integral part of the motor blueprint, I vote for diesel grade 15-40w changed every 2500 and forget about it.

 

[Boondocks]

Seems the best aside from science would be to ask the guy with 30K+ miles on his bike. When my clutch slipped at hi rpm, I changed pressure plate springs, not oil.

Really, if you change your oil and filter on schedule then your chances of any oil related problems is nil.

Heres a tidbit. I worked for Chrysler Motors in tech support and training for 8 years in the 90's.
Mopar Performance and R&D used bulk 30w CG oil back then. Thats diesel grade oil.

Unless you're racing and oil science is a integral part of the motor blueprint, I vote for diesel grade 15-40w changed every 2500 and forget about it.

Good advice.