Motor oil

[Anonymous]

I see motor oil in the discount auto parts store in gallon containers-one oil is $3.89 and ther other is $6.49. Both are 20-50 and both have the same API rating. Does any one know what the story on this business is.????

[Jeff Tate]

The more expenxive one probably has a "very pretty, high tech looking container" that will easily impress the garbage man.

[saaz]

20-50W is a good start, as no friction modifiers. Even if they have the same rating, the more expensive one may exceed the standards by more due to more expensive additives etc, but it could also be more heavily advertised!! Change the oil regularly, smile a bit!!!.

[Anonymous]

I'm a real sap! I buy my oil at the motorcycle shop because it comes in large containers and have motorcycles printed on it!!!
GY

[Anonymous]

Motor Oil

Hi,
I have a 1980 GS850G with 32K, and I used the Suzuki oil when I first got it. However, after reading "All you wanted to know about oil" I started using Castrol GTX 20/50 without friction modifers in the bike. I have noticed no change in the clutch, nor any other problems, however, I'm sort of anal about changing oil every 2K.
Thanks,
Steve

[Anonymous]

Does any one know what the story on this business is.????


Propaganda, or the lack of it for this matter, large amounts going to one customer, plus the need of the chain to distract customers from going to walmart etc, heavy competition, no much profit on somenthing that everybody needs plus that attractive thing for the garage....personaly, for a frecuent oil changer or vehicle that make's oil ''disappear'' is OK

[Anonymous]

Oil

The magazine Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN) has done several series on oil. They are in the middle of one now. I haven't digested it yet so can't summarize it for you. The last series left me with the impression that the newer two letter ratings included additives that are or might not be good for wet clutch bikes but that the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers have adopted a new oil rating system called JASO (I think) and oil that carries that should be ok for wet clutch bikes.

I have used petroleum and synthetic oil in my bikes. No problems other than the synthetic will find leak points in gaskets that the petroleum seems not to find.

One old car mechanic said about oil quality and frequency of oil changes, "A quart of oil and a connecting rod bearing cost about the same. One is a lot cheaper to install than the other."

[Anonymous]

Re: Oil

One old car mechanic said about oil quality and frequency of oil changes, "A quart of oil and a connecting rod bearing cost about the same. One is a lot cheaper to install than the other."

I liked that! But, I can't forget the Energiser v. Duracell war for brand loyalty... "Nothing outperforms a (insert product name)!" What does that mean? If nothing outperforms it, does that mean it's better than the others? I guess not, because Consumer Reports tests batteries regularly. Their results are consistent: An alkaline battery is an alkaline battery. Big name brands do not outperform the no-name versions to any significant degree. Certainly, any tiny incremental performance increase doesn't justify a doubling in price. CR says buy by price.

This doesn't relate directly to choice of oils, but there is no doubt that the industry wants us to continue to believe that only $5-10 a litre oil (Canada) will work in our bikes. People in the motorcycle or general mechanical trades aren't necessarily wiser on this subject than anyone else. I've learned they tend to repeat what they've been told without critical thought or research.

I put Castrol 15W-50 auto synthetic oil in at my "put the bike to bed for the winter" oilchange. I'll let you all know if my faith is rewarded when I start slipping the clutch, or not, this spring. In the meantime, folks considering abandoning motorcycle specific oil need to learn how to avoid buying an oil with "energy conserving" friction modifiers.

[dgeorge]

One thing that always comes to my mind when I see cheap oil is to read the label very carefully. Sometimes these cheap oil are re-refined oil. They actually take the recycled oil and re-refine it to take out the impurities, but I still don't trust them. I built racing motors for several years back in my younger days and we always used Castrol, and we never had an engine fail, so that pretty much sold me on it. Just thought I'd add my 2 cents worth.

[Anonymous]

One thing that always comes to my mind when I see cheap oil is to read the label very carefully. Sometimes these cheap oil are re-refined oil. They actually take the recycled oil and re-refine it to take out the impurities, but I still don't trust them. I built racing motors for several years back in my younger days and we always used Castrol, and we never had an engine fail, so that pretty much sold me on it. Just thought I'd add my 2 cents worth.

Where did you find this informatyion on re refined oils. I would like to know where to look??

[dgeorge]

I didn't read it any where, back as a teen ager (back in the stone age) I worked for a gas station that openly sold re-refined oil so I've always been aware that it was there. By law it has to be included in the labeling if it is such, but they don't say how big it has to be printed, so often it is very fine print listing it. That is why I said to carefully read the labeling on cheap oils. What else do you think the they do with recycled oil? Sorry a bit of the smart a@# coming out in me, but you seem to bring that out in a lot of people.

[Anonymous]

I didn't read it any where, back as a teen ager (back in the stone age) I worked for a gas station that openly sold re-refined oil so I've always been aware that it was there. By law it has to be included in the labeling if it is such, but they don't say how big it has to be printed, so often it is very fine print listing it. That is why I said to carefully read the labeling on cheap oils. What else do you think the they do with recycled oil? Sorry a bit of the smart a@# coming out in me, but you seem to bring that out in a lot of people.

Well I remember recycled oils and it was pathetic stuff--I will looke further since you brought the subject to mind but i seriously doubt that recycled oil is being sold in the discount or regular auto part stores. Now i shurely wonder what they do with it--maybe they were selling it to Bin Ladin

[wrench]

I didn't read it any where, back as a teen ager (back in the stone age) I worked for a gas station that openly sold re-refined oil so I've always been aware that it was there. By law it has to be included in the labeling if it is such, but they don't say how big it has to be printed, so often it is very fine print listing it. That is why I said to carefully read the labeling on cheap oils. What else do you think the they do with recycled oil? Sorry a bit of the smart a@# coming out in me, but you seem to bring that out in a lot of people.

Well I remember recycled oils and it was pathetic stuff--I will looke further since you brought the subject to mind but i seriously doubt that recycled oil is being sold in the discount or regular auto part stores. Now i shurely wonder what they do with it--maybe they were selling it to Bin Ladin

Thats how he probably " slipped" out of afghanistan