More SG oil info

[Jamess]

Hi Gary.

Being someone who likes to prod bottles of oil in a shop (rather than buy mail order), the only one I can find round here is Motorex 10/60. Seems to tick all the boxes, and SG rated, and I see people mentioning it every now and then on the hundreds, no thousands of guzzi oil threads. My local KTM dealer stocks it, along with their gearbox oil. So if your changing your oil for a big trip, maybe your coming to Mandello??

[Skeeve]

Thought i would resurrect this thread i am going to change the oil shortly, what oil are you using!!! And does it have a SG rating.

 

Diesel oils sold in gallon jugs @ Deathstar [aka "WalMart."]

 

Shell Rotella-T Synth is now in its 6th gen formulation, & has been a stellar performer from when the 1st formulation hit the ground in any motorcycle that shares its motor oil w/ the gearbox [which really tells you when to change: when the shifting shifts from slick to notchy, it's time for a change.]

 

Diesel oils don't have any of that "friction modified" nonsense on the rocker for the API rating, so they're still o.k. in flat tappet applications.

 

Any oil that has that "friction modified" rocker, shun for your Guzzi [or any other air-cooled motor.]

[docc]

Good advice there on the diesel oils (CI-4/ CJ-4) and to avoid the friction modifiers. Even Pete said so - no self respecting yak would spin off friction modifiers.

 

I'm disappointed to see my latest Lucas 20w-50 is not rated SG/SF but SM/SL/SJ.

 

I suspect the zinc and phosphorus levels have diminished as well. Without a lab test of Rotella 15w-40 and the new Lucas product, we will not really be able to know.

[tmcafe]

Good advice there on the diesel oils (CI-4/ CJ-4) and to avoid the friction modifiers. Even Pete said so - no self respecting yak would spin off friction modifiers.

 

I'm disappointed to see my latest Lucas 20w-50 is not rated SG/SF but SM/SL/SJ.

 

I suspect the zinc and phosphorus levels have diminished as well. Without a lab test of Rotella 15w-40 and the new Lucas product, we will not really be able to know.

I ran out of my Elf Moto 10W-50 XT Synthetic (the real/PAO kind, not the cracked petroleum) so I went and got Mobil 1 V Twin 20W-50. I made sure that it was SG rated, but I noticed that newest ones are SJ instead. Maybe it's superstition but I'd watch for that. I'm going to get Elf again and make sure it's SG like the one I've used so far. If bought by the box of 4 x 4 liters it cost even less than the Mobil V Twin. They also have a 10W-60 kind, not sure if it's SG though: http://matrixsynthet...product144.html

[Skeeve]

I suspect the zinc and phosphorus levels have diminished as well. Without a lab test of Rotella 15w-40 and the new Lucas product, we will not really be able to know.

 

The reason I recommended "diesel" oils is because they still have reasonable levels of ZDDP in them due to the higher peak loadings in a diesel vs. spark-ignition motor. MCN [American version] did an oil test sometime in the past decade where the Rotella [non-synth] version came out tops in key areas [ash content, ZDDP, etc.] and the synth version has performed even better in any bike I've run it in [longer b4 the shifting gets clunky, in shared-oil x-mission bikes...]

 

The reason diesel oils can get away w/ still putting in the ZDDP is they all display "Not to be used in pollution controlled vehicles" on the warning label. And WalMart carries them, unlike special motorcycle lube, which wouldn't sell in high enough quantities to interest them.

[tmcafe]

I suspect the zinc and phosphorus levels have diminished as well. Without a lab test of Rotella 15w-40 and the new Lucas product, we will not really be able to know.

 

The reason I recommended "diesel" oils is because they still have reasonable levels of ZDDP in them due to the higher peak loadings in a diesel vs. spark-ignition motor. MCN [American version] did an oil test sometime in the past decade where the Rotella [non-synth] version came out tops in key areas [ash content, ZDDP, etc.] and the synth version has performed even better in any bike I've run it in [longer b4 the shifting gets clunky, in shared-oil x-mission bikes...]

 

The reason diesel oils can get away w/ still putting in the ZDDP is they all display "Not to be used in pollution controlled vehicles" on the warning label. And WalMart carries them, unlike special motorcycle lube, which wouldn't sell in high enough quantities to interest them.

Wally often also carries Mobil 1 Moto (both 10-40 and 20-50 at around $8-9/qt (granted still more than the Diesel oils) though sometimes not on the same shelves with the other motor oils.

[Skeeve]

Wally often also carries Mobil 1 Moto (both 10-40 and 20-50 at around $8-9/qt (granted still more than the Diesel oils) though sometimes not on the same shelves with the other motor oils.

 

Yes, isn't it shocking how much changing the graphics on the bottle costs?

[docc]

I remember reading that WalMArt can specify its oils with major manufacturers, so you may not be getting the same base oils when you buy at the "guaranteed lowest price."

 

Here's a site worth a read for air-cooled motors: oils for Porsche

[docc]

And also a link to Richard Widman and Corvair oil

[andy york]

Schaeffer's

[The Monkey]

Gads, wish I had spent more time focusing in chemistry 10. I am using Motul 5100 15-50 (a semi-synthetic and SG rated) and am happy with it from 5-35c degree temperatures. bike is strong at 90k. Been using full synthetic in the transmission and the trans seems happier longer, (1 change at end of season) and good ol MG mineral with moly additive in the bevel (likewise change at end of season). Lets see, count in the wheel bearing grease used in various places and extract of bee pupil for the speedometer and ya pretty much have the involvement of a steam engine! Just need a striped hat and a brass receiver for the bee lube. always sumpin!

[Dan M]

I remember reading that WalMArt can specify its oils with major manufacturers, so you may not be getting the same base oils when you buy at the "guaranteed lowest price."

 

Here's a site worth a read for air-cooled motors: oils for Porsche

 

I would think it unlikely a major manufacturer like Mobil1 would reformulate without label changes for anybody. If it doesn't say something like "this oil specially blended for Wallmart" it is the same stuff. Too much liability.

Usually if a major manufacturer packages oil for a private brand it is the same spec with the private brand label.

Valvoline does this directly for independent auto shops and dealers. They have a parallel bulk oil line called Ultramax. Comes out of the same tank as the Valvoline branded oil but is less expensive because there is no company advertising or promotion involved.

[docc]

I remember reading that WalMArt can specify its oils with major manufacturers, so you may not be getting the same base oils when you buy at the "guaranteed lowest price."

 

Here's a site worth a read for air-cooled motors: oils for Porsche

 

I would think it unlikely a major manufacturer like Mobil1 would reformulate without label changes for anybody. If it doesn't say something like "this oil specially blended for Wallmart" it is the same stuff. Too much liability.

Usually if a major manufacturer packages oil for a private brand it is the same spec with the private brand label.

Valvoline does this directly for independent auto shops and dealers. They have a parallel bulk oil line called Ultramax. Comes out of the same tank as the Valvoline branded oil but is less expensive because there is no company advertising or promotion involved.

Looks like I got that from Richard Widman's work linked above. After careful reading on pages 13 and 14, I see he is saying (something like): Just because a store brand oil is made by a major producer (like ExxonMobil) doesn't mean it's the same oil. The store can make it's own specification. He references the SuperTech oil branded by WalMart and apparently made by ExxonMobil.

 

Thanks for getting me to go back for a more careful read.