I tried a new oil

[mixongw]

At my most recent oil change, I used Castrol GPS 20W50. It's a synthetic made for bikes. Wow! What a difference. The engine is much quieter. Shifting is smoother and quieter. No clutch slip at all. Kinda strange though, it's red, like tranny fluid. If I'm going to continue to use though, I'm gonna have to find a cheaper source than my local Suzuki dealer. It was $7.95 a liter.

[chuckycheese]

Good

That sounds really good!! Expensive, but good. I couldn't find it available in my area but if you want to check around to see if you can find it cheaper, Castrol's customer service number is 800-462-0835.:-D

[bwringer]

I found the same stuff at the local Gander Mountain sporting goods store. They're more hunting and fishing-oriented, but the store is a Polaris ATV dealer. They had the Castrol oil you describe for $5.99 a quart, which is a steal for good synthetic motorcycle oil.

Golden Spectro semi-synthetic (my previous fave) is $9 a quart now, which is freaking ridiculous every 2K miles.

[mixongw]

I found the same stuff at the local Gander Mountain sporting goods store. They're more hunting and fishing-oriented, but the store is a Polaris ATV dealer. They had the Castrol oil you describe for $5.99 a quart, which is a steal for good synthetic motorcycle oil.

Golden Spectro semi-synthetic (my previous fave) is $9 a quart now, which is freaking ridiculous every 2K miles.

You change every 2K? I don't have a manual for my GS1100GL to look up the recommended intervals but 2K sure sounds frequent to me. I had been doing every 3K on mine and after switching to syn, I was going to try to extend it to 4K or even 5K.

You are right! $5.99 a quart is a better deal on Castrol GPS than $7.95 a liter. I have never seen it in quarts but I don't get out much, lol.

[Hoomgar]

3k to 5k is plenty. There is no need or proven benefit to changing your oil every 2k or less miles. Your simply waisting good oil. Exceptions would be running in an environment where you put excessive abuse on the engine in an extremely hot environment all the time. Not very normal in the US. I change my oil every 3k to 4k and if I do end up doing it sooner for some other reason then I let the filter until the next oil change.

The most important detail is being faithful to stick to the change schedule.

[fatty]

my 83

see pics at photobucket do search for 1261fatty it was bone stock still a work in progress 8.5 rear harly with brakes and disk 36mm gsxr carbs engin all good stuff ape falcone shnitz ect.still need gsxr front end would like fule injection but a nother time maby still have to have all cromed this winter and get matchin front wheel

[mixongw]

see pics at photobucket do search for 1261fatty it was bone stock still a work in progress 8.5 rear harly with brakes and disk 36mm gsxr carbs engin all good stuff ape falcone shnitz ect.still need gsxr front end would like fule injection but a nother time maby still have to have all cromed this winter and get matchin front wheel

Are you in the wrong thread maybe?

[fastpakr]

He seems to be having trouble finding his own thread to post on... Not a bad looking bike though.

[bwringer]

3k to 5k is plenty. There is no need or proven benefit to changing your oil every 2k or less miles. Your simply waisting good oil. Exceptions would be running in an environment where you put excessive abuse on the engine in an extremely hot environment all the time. Not very normal in the US. I change my oil every 3k to 4k and if I do end up doing it sooner for some other reason then I let the filter until the next oil change.

The most important detail is being faithful to stick to the change schedule.

The manual sez change just the oil every 2K miles and change the oil & filter every 4K miles. I change both every 2K miles. So the last time I bought myself new shoes was a couple of years ago in the dead of winter. One must have one's financial priorities in order, you know.

I ride the living snot out of my GS850, spending a LOT of time above 6,000 rpm. With over 76K miles, there is a very noticeable difference in engine noise and shift feel with fresh oil. Maybe I need to get that spare engine ready for transplant...

Anyway, Golden Spectro 20W-50 is the oil that always holds up the longest in my personal torture tests, but it went from $6 a quart (bad enough) to $9 (insane), and thus the search for alternatives.

Castrol also makes an oil called Actevo that worked very well for me at a much friendlier price. It's advertised heavily in the magazines, but I've only found it around here once. They need to ship some of the good stuff to Indy once in a while. The Castrol GSL described earlier also seems to be holding up well. Plus, as noted, it's an amusing reddish color.

[svahnm]

When using synthetic eg. Castrol GPS, have you noticed any difference oil comsumption or leakage on old machines?

I have used GPS on my GSXR, but haven't tried yet on my old GS...

Don't you guys complain about price. I am paying in Finland $15,6 (12,5 euros) per liter for Castrol GPS.
Well, Gasoline is $1,75 per liter..

[Jethro]

I've been using the Castrol GPS myself. Currently have Golden Spectro becasue I was too lazy to drive accross town to get the Castrol.

The manual says change at every 2k miles. This has nothing to do with the oil itself at all. The oil will most likely last 20k miles or more. It has to to with dirt, sludge and pollutants that gets into your engine through the gasoline you buy and the air your bike breathes.

BTW, I do not have any oil leakage whatsoever, but I do notice a little higher consumption with the synthetic. I burn about 4-6 oz. over 1000 miles. The dyno oil I used for years would burn very little, almost negligable between oil changes.

Oh, and I pay $9.95 per 1.2 liters (wierd bottle size).

[bwringer]

When using synthetic eg. Castrol GPS, have you noticed any difference oil comsumption or leakage on old machines?

I have used GPS on my GSXR, but haven't tried yet on my old GS...

Don't you guys complain about price. I am paying in Finland $15,6 (12,5 euros) per liter for Castrol GPS.
Well, Gasoline is $1,75 per liter..

I have never noticed a diffference in oil consumption with any type of oil, and I have not sprung a leak. I have switched willy-nilly betweeen conventional and synthetic with no problems.

Despite my known engine abuse habits, I usually only need to add between 4-6 ounces of oil once between changes. This has also been remarkably consistent.

The only tangible effects I've noticed when using different oils are very subtle and slight differences in how soon engine noise and shift action start to deteriorate. Things usually start to go "off" at about 1,500 miles with synthetics and a bit sooner with dino oil, maybe at 1,200 miles. Golden Spectro is advertised as a semi-synthetic, and it seems to hold up the best of anything I've tried.

One shop very nearly refused to sell me a gallon of synthetic once they found out it was going into a vintage motorcycle. The pinhead behind the counter insisted my engine would spring leaks everywhere. I finally had enough, and carefully explained to him that reports of leaks were largely exaggerations from the early days of synthetics in the '70s. My bike has happliy used both for years, so shut up and sell me the %$#@! oil already. When pinned down, he admitted that he had never personally seen or heard of a specific case of synthetics eating engine seals. Motorcycling is complicated and expensive enough without all these stupid urban legends.

Good point about the costs -- consumer prices in the US are remarkably low compared to the rest of the world.

[ScottMc1100L]

Not sure of how your oil is holding up? Have it analized.

Companies such as Blackstone Laboratories in Fort Wayne IN, will test it and you'll get a report on what's going on in there. Hey, if you ride a lot, at 6-9+ per liter, finding you do not need to change it nearly as often could be a savings of your money and time. Some of the synthetics are really outstanding.

[bonanzadave]

How about Valvoline ? Have been using straight 10-40 in every thing I have ever owned. When the GS was new I did 10 oil changes in 15K miles. Now maybe every 2-3 years. 35K and going strong. Anyway... I needed a quart for the truck and its up to $3.00!!! They have promotions going on now for Max life and Dura blend if your into the rebate game. They also offer a MC oil that looks interesting. Go to Valvoline and click products. What do you think ? Dave.

[Hoomgar]

How about Valvoline ? Have been using straight 10-40 in every thing I have ever owned. When the GS was new I did 10 oil changes in 15K miles. Now maybe every 2-3 years. 35K and going strong. Anyway... I needed a quart for the truck and its up to $3.00!!! They have promotions going on now for Max life and Dura blend if your into the rebate game. They also offer a MC oil that looks interesting. Go to Valvoline and click products. What do you think ? Dave.

Dave, I've used Valvoline for decades. Some Penzoil but mostly Valvoline. I only recently started using the Castrol GTX line but am following what these guys are saying about the synth and watching. I have yet to see or read anything posted that compels me to believe I will see anything substantial by switching to synth other than the cost of the oil! I am tempted, but only from an experimentation point. They have me tempted, but I have yet to cut the check!

I change my oil every 3 to 4k miles and the filter goes with it at that time. Works well for me. In these bikes, another good thing to have that plays into this is a good magnetic oil plug. These engines continue to shred small metal particles even long after they are broken in and it is good to collect that stuff at the bottom onto the magnetic plug so you can keep it out of the oil that is being circulated.