Oil Filters and Oil

[ponti_33609]

Hi,

 

I am going to change the oil on my newly aquired 2000 sport with 3,400 miles. I have read many posts regarding tightening and how-to's so I think I am all set there. My questions are:

 

1. Type of oil recommended....20/50, synthetic, brand, etc

2. Brand of filter

 

Would appreciate anyone's opinion or let me know what you use and have been successful with and maybe anything to avoid.

 

Regards,

Bob

[JoeV11]

The only way you are going to get the 5W-40 that MG recommends is with synthetic. Once you make that decision, you have many choices. You can give yourself headaches by reading all the topics.

I just put in an UFI filter (thru the hole). The dealer did the initial service and that UFI filter was still tight after ~3400 miles. Next oil change, which will be during the winter, I will probably drop the pan, and maybe put in a Roper plate. Joe

 

edit: my owners manual calls for Agip Racing 4T SAE 5W-40, which is a full synthetic.

[quazi-moto]

I thought M-G recommended 20W-50? Anyway I'm currently using Amsoil 20W-50 for V-twin motorcycle engines. I was going to install a K&N filter with the nut on the bottom, but it didn't clear the manhole cover. I have to make up a spacer to shim the manhole cover out a little bit. Maybe .030" or thereabouts. Right now I'm running a UFI filter. I tightened by hand with the sump off. Next time I drop the sump I'll find out if it has loosened. I've been keeping a watchful eye on the oil pressure light and so far everything seems okay.

[Ryland3210]

The causes of filters loosening has been thoroughly researched in other threads. Look up the summarized results under FAQ. You'll find a thread on oil filter tightening.

 

As my bike came from the factory, the filter, presumably tightened in accordance with the highly suspect torque spec on the UFI filter body, came loose with my fingertips when I went to change it. That was plenty of motivation for me to get very, very analytical about the cause and solution.

 

The Purolator equivalent to the UFI is the L 10241. Its gasket design is less prone to loosening than the UFI. In my opinion, hand tightening through the porthole in accordance with the recommendations is difficult, if not impossible.

 

If you decide to use the UFI, be sure to get one with a recent date code. The gasket design was improved, but still is inferior to the Purolator. There may be other filters with good, or not so good, gasket designs which I have not analyzed. I have no financial interest in Purolator.

 

Whatever you decide, by all means use a filter wrench and a ratchet to tighten it using the turns method.

[antonio carroccio]

Great topic this!

 

Dave and Ratch will give you what you ask.

 

My own experience, I use UFI or Champion C305 as filter, and Mobil 5/50 100% synthetic.

For sale as oil for diesel engine...

I buy this oil in Italy but I leave in Holland, 1000km far away. Call me crazy.

[ponti_33609]

Great topic this!

 

Dave and Ratch will give you what you ask.

 

My own experience, I use UFI or Champion C305 as filter, and Mobil 5/50 100% synthetic.

For sale as oil for diesel engine...

I buy this oil in Italy but I leave in Holland, 1000km far away. Call me crazy.

 

 

Wow - Now I am just a bit confused on the 5/50 versus the 20/50. I think I read on threads here to stay away from the 5/50 because that was primarily designed for the newer, closer tolerance engines? I think I read where someone did engine damage. Should I not be concerned running 5/50 synthetic?

 

Thx again for all your help. I do own the 27mm socket tool and filter wrench!

 

Bob

[GuzziMoto]

The "5" is the low temp viscosity. A low number means the oil will flow better at lower temps. It does not affect the viscosity of the oil at higher temps(i.e. operating temp)

And to through my two cents in on filters, I've had no problems with the UFI's. They're good filters, well made inside(where it counts). I have recently switched to WIX filters because they are cheaper and better made inside. There is an excellent web site where a gut cut apart a bunch of different filters and shows how they're made. Forget the site name but I'm sure someone else knows.

[ptrkbeam]

Congrats on the new ride.

 

Amsoil 5W40, UFI filter, no hose clamp.

Roper plate.

Experts at MPH recommendation.

Good enough for my peace of mind.

[guzzijack]

There is an excellent web site where a gut cut apart a bunch of different filters and shows how they're made. Forget the site name but I'm sure someone else knows.

 

Here it is Toby's Oil Filter Mayhem

 

Have a look at what he says about Fram before you decide to save a few pennies by going down that road

 

UFI comes out pretty well though.

 

GJ

[Greg Field]

UFI, hose clamp, Roper Slopper, and Motorex 10-60 or Redline 20-50 in summer and Castrol R 5-40 in winter

[GuzziMoto]

Thanks GuzziJack. You da man.

[Steve G.]

The only way you are going to get the 5W-40 that MG recommends is with synthetic. Once you make that decision, you have many choices. You can give yourself headaches by reading all the topics.

I just put in an UFI filter (thru the hole). The dealer did the initial service and that UFI filter was still tight after ~3400 miles. Next oil change, which will be during the winter, I will probably drop the pan, and maybe put in a Roper plate. Joe

 

edit: my owners manual calls for Agip Racing 4T SAE 5W-40, which is a full synthetic.

 

It should be noted that, unlike your 2004 model, Ponti's 2000 V11 requires 15-50 or equivalent. Don't know why, but the older ones do.

I use the UFI filter, and tighten the thing good. I use ELF 10-60 full synthetic motorcycle specific oil, just because I care, and I got a totally smoking deal on 60 litres of it, @ $3cdn a litre.

Ciao, Steve

[guzzi jon]

I always used mobil 1 15-50 with no issues in all my guzzis except the griso, works in the eldo, ss and recently demised lemans

[ponti_33609]

Here it is Toby's Oil Filter Mayhem

 

Have a look at what he says about Fram before you decide to save a few pennies by going down that road

 

UFI comes out pretty well though.

 

GJ

 

 

GuzziJack,

 

Thx, that is a wicked awesome link. UFI looks good. I just wanted to make sure it was one of the better ones. I am in Florida so I do not need to worry too much about cold weather viscosity...I think.

 

Bob

[pete roper]

ARRRGH! God this gives me the screaming shits! How can something so simple cause such problems.

 

The Guzzi engine has changed NOT A JOT in 40 years. it was so massively over-engineered in the first place that even with the new (Supposedly!) 110HP motor in the 8V Griso I doubt very much if we will see an actual change in the *serious* bearings in the bottom end. It is so bloody bulletproof you really could run it on un-refined Yak FAt and get away with it! (top end will be a different issue but I'd honestly expect that the stresses there will be lower due to the lighter reciprocating weight in the valve train.

 

So what does this tell us? It tells us that the bearings will take *it*, whatever *it* is, and the important factors are going to be the oil's ability to absorb an neutralize the acids and munt that will blow-by as the by products of combustion and to hold together sufficiently for the long chain polymers in the oil to maintain viscosity and the ability to wedge.

 

In a Guzzi motor there are very few shear forces that will chop up the long chain polymers so expensive, complex, molecular polymers are un-neccessary. It's only a twin, in a comparatively low state of tune, and the circumfirences for blow-by are, given the ratio to oil volume, low. Therefore contamiation for volume is low, especially with Nicasil bores.

 

OK, Here's a chalenge! When I get my Scura next year in the USA I'll run it exclusively on NAPA 20/50 for all the time I'm riding it. When I get it back to Oz I'll strip the bottom end and do a photo-journal of the results. You can then see for yourselves exactly how critical oil choice is.

 

While the bike in question doesn't yet have a sheet in it will and the previous owner has stated he's never seen to oil light flicker. This means that the big ends *should* be Ok but I'm experienced enough to know the difference between oil starvation and boundary lubrication problems due to oil inadequacies so I'll be honest. If I pull it to bits and its a horrible, worn out sh!tter? I'll put my hands up. But I'll bet you a box full of angry atourneys that as long as the cheap sh!t is tossed at 3000 mile/5,000Km intervals it will do the job EVERY bit as well as the super-dooper-TOTR expensive bollocks, and no, I'm not planning on riding like a complete c*nt! While I ride like a feeble twat I do use the motor, I'm just a crap rider

 

Pete