which oil to choice

i just buy oil filter and i dont know which oil to get. any advice? is it any different ?

10w40, I use Shell 4T semi-synthetic

why semi synth?

Cheaper than fully synth and it is the bike needs, I have been using this oil for the last 10 years. I change it about once a year roughly.

Use genuie filters

this might help you. Plenty on oil in the threads.

it have to be Semi?
i found one on ebay
Shell Advance Ultra 10w/40 4T Fully Synthetic £10.25 - free delivery

Shell Advance VSX 4T 10W-40 Motorcycle Oil 1 ltr Semi-synth 8.99 (with delivery)

Yes, semi - make sure it is motorcycle oil, oil for cars will not work - or at least your clutch won't after a short while.

is it any different between makr? is it better to spend 2-5£ more to get better oil?

is this one good someone told me this one is the best for bikes
LINK

I'd probably give that stuff a go myself (the 10W-40 one).

I can recommend that one (in 10W-40)!

but why 10w 40 and not 10w 30 ?

weasley wrote:I can recommend that one (in 10W-40)!

Cheap advertising.

I have always used Motul semi syn 10w-40
The only reason for this is that a race engineer at Ducati told me that its the only motorcycle oil guaranteed not to make the clutch slip, even when its really old.....(how true this is, I dont know!)

Dunno why, but he also said to stay away from Castrol!!
(And NO, he didnt have a Motul cap on either!!!)

TomCom wrote:but why 10w 40 and not 10w 30 ?

Erm, not sure on "Why" but the 10w-40 is the one that was recommended to me for the Cat (I think it was on here somewhere....)
All I know is that if you use the wrong oil you will give yourself a lot of trouble (clutch slip, burning the oil, over heating and worst case engine seizure!!)
I was also told NOT to use fully synthetic oil either......Can anyone shed any light onto why this might be the case? If I remember correctly, it was something to do with the age of the engine?.......I might be wrong

10W-30 is probably OK for winter since it's optimal in ambient temperatures of -10°C to 35°C, 10W-40 starts off less viscous and gives a bit more range (-10°C to 45°C), so it should be less viscous even during the height of summer where the 10W-30 could be running a bit thin in a hot engine.

ok so 10w-40 but why semi synth? why not full synth ?

Synthetic oil isn't kind on some engine components (plastic and rubber iirc), so they blend it with mineral oil to get the best of both worlds.

Wooster wrote:Synthetic oil isn't kind on some engine components (plastic and rubber iirc), so they blend it with mineral oil to get the best of both worlds.

Thanks Wooster,
I knew it was something like that.....

If you're going to do oil changes every year then semi-synthetic is fine.

I don't think there's much to choose between brands - in various bikes I've used Halfords, Hein Gericke, Castrol, Silkolene and others without any problems. So long as they meet the specified API or JASO spec they should be fine. I've always used 10W/40, simply because that's the most readily available. And I prefer not to mix brands if possible, though I have no rational reason for that.

Having said that, I've been using fully-synthetic (Castrol, but only because of availability, not a particular preference) in the 'Cat since the warranty ran out and I started doing my own servicing. This is mainly because I don't do big mileages on this bike and I want the oil to last longer than a year. The theory is that a full synthetic does not break down so readily into potentially corrosive components so it is less likely to do any harm if left in the engine for longer periods.

Of course, if you do a lot of short trips and let condensation build up, that's different, but generally my 'Cat only gets long runs (80 mile +) and I try to take it out at least every month.

I got a lot of info from a Mobil guy many years ago when they first brought out Mobil 1 (the first readily available full synth oil) and he basically said the oil could potentially last the life of an engine (he was talking about cars, mind). The main limiting factors were filtration (so regular filter changes, and with big diesels, centrifuging) and making sure that there was no water dilution (condensation) caused by short runs. This latter reason, I'm sure, is why manufacturers still play safe by specifying annual changes, because they have no control over whether their vehicles are used for short shopping trips.

Motorcycles do put some additional demands on the oil, what with wet clutches and integral gearboxes, which tend to chew up the additives and generate more debris. But I reckon a 2-year change interval is still well on the safe side with a full synth oil.

I had read that some of the concerns were from the early days of synthetic oils, and another wee hunt around found this interesting article:
http://www.whybike.com/motorcycle41.htm

Hell I might even try fully synthetic myself, next oil change.

bobh wrote:The theory is that a full synthetic does not break down so readily into potentially corrosive components so it is less likely to do any harm if left in the engine for longer periods.

An old mechanic freind of mine told me full-synthetic breaks down faster than mineral oil. Making religious 6mnth/4000mile oil changes a must?!?



In answer to the OP, I just bought some Castrol power1 10W40 Full Synth (£30 - Halfords) and a champion oil filter. Was a bit more expensive than halfords OB motor oils, but for the sake of £5... I'd rather buy a brand thats well known for their oils.

There are loads of myths doing the arounds most of them are part truths and misinformation. On a well serviced vehicle that has normal engine wear the basic truths on oil and engine life are:-80% plus of engine wear is on cold starts, the longer the vehicle is at normal temperture the longer the oil will last, any fueling problems, internal water leaks, dirty air entering the engine, cheap filters, bad combustion in the cylinders etc will add unwanted material to the oil, this causes wear.

Simple rules to prolong the engine life are oil level between the level marks, don't rev the T**S off, or labour a cold engine, long trips are better than short ones, all oils types will degrade if not used. Cheap oil and filters don't work. Apply those guide lines to your bike useage and change the oil and filter accordingly.

I've always run mineral oil and changed oil and the filter at 3500 miles, with the miles I was doing at the time it would have lasted longer, now with the shorter trips that I am doing I'll change it every 3000 miles.

I have done an Oil change last night and put in Castrol Power1 semi (£29.00 from Halfords) and after a mornings riding the difference is massive. The engine runs smoother, gear changes better, and the vibration at 6k is a lot less.

Will never confess to what brand of Oil I had in previously only that I will only use Power1 from now on.

Good man!!