Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech oils

Not sure where this post belongs but I figure the lounge seems to get most traffic so I'll try here. I am used to working on antique bikes and know my std oils very well. I will admit I am less than knowlegable when it comes to synthetics. Has anyone tried different oils in our bikes? What is good and what isn't? I am thinking maybe something less expensive but don't want to sacrefice quality. I'll stick with Triumph oil if there isn't anything as good or better. Can anyone make any educated recomendations? Brents is about the same price as Triumph for me. (been dealing with same Triumph dealer almost 30yrs I get 15% off everything)

Lotta folks run Rotella Synth. It seems to test out well.

Thats strange since Rotella has been junk oil in the non-synthetic oils for a long time. Was good once. Lawnmower stuff. But like I said I don't know synthetics. Thanx.

Ah, nothing like a good earl discussion.
Opinions on oil are like, em, seats on bikes. Everyone has one.
To keep my life simple I decided from the get-go to just use the recommended Triumph/Mobil oil.

Royal Purple

Royal purple sounds like a possible option. I just read about it. I also searched availability and it sells for $5 to $7 a qt. on Ebay.

That's a subject that has been discussed at length around here.
Dinqua distilled it all here:

Oil in the Tech Vault

I use the Mobile-1 MX4T 10W40 myself. Year-round. Get it at Auto Zone for 7.99 per quart.

Peanut oil in the turkey fryer.
Extra Virgin olive oil in the antipasto.

LOL @ the peanut oil. I tried to search the site before I made this post but it didn't find what I was looking for. I'll check out that link. Thanx.

While at an auto parts store last week, I said to the
counter-guy " I've noticed that none of the local parts
stores(WAL-MART too) don't carry any MC oil, except 2stroke".
He asked me what I was look'n for. I told him Mobil1 synth
V-Twin. I think this is the same as the Triumph oil, but I'm
no chemist. Anyway, he looked it up, and said he could get it.
At 12 bucks a quart, it's the same as Triumph's.

I'd rather send Brent $48 for the oil, filter, and crush washer,
like I've done for the last 6k miles.

Uncle Charlie

I agree but I get it for less than that at my local dealer for the Triumph oil and filter and gasket. and there is no shipping. with tax I pay $50

The Mobile-1 MX4T is the same oil Triumph uses.

AMSOIL!!!! read the stats

Amsoil overall is the best oil you can currently buy. Check out the following Motorcycle oil study if you would like some light reading.

Amsoil warranties its Motorcycle oil at twice the manufacturers recommended interval or one year, whichever occurs first. So it could also be the least expensive Syn Motorcycle oil.

Tom

This motorcycle oil link is published by Amsoil.....

Thanx for that page. It may be an Amsoil page but it seemed to me to be very informative even if you assume it is a little slanted to Amsoil. Looks like the Mobil; is right up there too.

I am sure you can use a copper crush washer or even reuse the old one. I have had the same crush washer on my BMW for over 10 years and it doesn't leak there. Leaks almost everywhere else but not there! LOL Oh and I do change the oil in that atleast once a year depending on how much I ride it.

Here we go again. Dinqua's favorite subject.

Truth of the matter is that all the new syncthetics do a great job. Just don't use one with additives because it will coat your clutch plates.

What's more critcal is keeping your oil clean. Use a good oil filter and keep air filter clean. They will help keep your oil clean between changes. Change often, especially if you live in dry and dusty areas. These new oils don't breakdown but they get dirty and that's what you don't want.

There's a school of thought that allows as how the old Triumph twins were best served with a straight 50 weight. Apparently heat shear on the oil is an issue with the older twins.

I wonder if anyone makes a synthetic straight weight 50W?


Let me throw out a bomb while I'm here - while I will agree that synthetic oil is a good thing, no one has ever proven in independent, non-manufacturer sponsored comparative testing, that synthetic can or will extend engine life.

If anyone has such proof, please bring it forth. I've been looking for 29 years, and still can't find any proof.

postscript - I have no interest in hearing what any oil maker has to say in this regard. They obviously are going to blow their own horns.

Yes it was, but all testing performed was done per API and ASNI standards.

You will also notice that Amsoil is the only manufacturer that will publish any test results of their oil. No other oil manufacturer will or has publicly release any technical information regarding their oils. The question should be, why don't they? What do they have to hind?

Tom

I'll wade in, here, too. I'm an Amsoil dealer. Not for profit, I don't hawk the stuff. I buy the license every year because it allows me to buy at wholesale for myself and friends. The savings outweighs the license fees, and I get a check at the end of the year for "commission". The benefit of synthetics is they are much less prone to oil failures like viscosity and thermal breakdowns. The key with high end synthetics is to keep them clean. High end is Royal Purple, Amsoil, Lucas, etc. There are others, too. I think Mobile is a great product. Mobile synthetic is the best, by far, of the commercial off-the-shelf oils, but is not as durable as the above.

I run Amsoil in my Dodge with the Cummins Diesel, wife's Ford Escape, family's ski boat, and the Speedmaster. I've used it in previous bikes as well. I change the oil in everything- yes everything- once a YEAR. I ran oil analysis on the Dodge for three years at 5k miles, 10k, 15k, 20k, 22k, and 25k. At 20k, it was always still good to go. At 25k it was still good, but was showing signs of high particulate contamination. I do have dual filters on it, but it also has bigger injectors, stacked fuel and programmers, and a bigger turbo- all of which add carbon and soot to the oil.

So- oil changes once a year, oil filters twice a year.

I'll throw out a couple others as well. My biggest concerns with conventional oils are heat, contamination, and oil base compound. Several of the big name conventional oils are paraffin based. Yes that is paraffin as in wax. Not good for colder climates and tend to gum up if not changed often in any climate.

All this said, Mobile is great. Change it every 3-5k with a new filter. Buy good filters.

Interesting read with un-biased Rotella Analysis.

Not exactly what I call proof, but here is my testimonial to synthetic. My son drove a late model small block Chevy with a 430 HP Jasper racing crate motor. When we changed over to Royal Purple we saw the oil temps drop a good 30 degrees. While several others puked, we never had a problem in 2 seasons (we did change it every 2 nights). He also won a bunch of races. Did it make more power? Maybe: I'd like to think it was his crewchief . All my vehicles now get Mobil 1.
BTW, Mobil dropped the MT4 name and now call it T4 Racing just like on the Triumph jug. The Mobil web site said it was and is the same stuff, now it has the same name all over the world.
When I go to change the oil in the spring, I have trouble finding the bike oil. Nobody wants to stock it all year long. I am going to stock up in the fall from now on.
Mike Sr.

I'm still waiting to see if Professor Pat will be chiming in here!
I run the 4T (or T4) in my bike, and Royal Purple in my car. I am thinking about doing the swap over to RP in the bike to... just haven't decided yet.

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Im guessing it is the same for my Bonneville t100. Can I get the correllating oil filter at autozone and if so, what is the number? Is it K&N? I need to do an oil change and Im tired of my Dealer. Can I get a crush washer from autozone too?

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I think Autozone carries K&N oil filters. If they do, they can order one for you from their warehouse, the same with the oil if they don't have it in stock. Usually one day, no extra charge.
The washer is not a crush washer so much as an aluminum gasket. I still have my original after six oil changes, no leaks. Just anneal it every time, it realigns the molecules to make the metal more ductile.

To anneal:
Heat washer in a gas (propane or natural) flame for about thirty seconds. I use the stove burner and needle nose pliers.
Set on piece of wood or similar non-heat conducting material and let cool.
Done.

Puolator PureONE makes a good Triumph sized filter

PL14612 Available by mail

The Pureone is a great filter but I wish it wasn't blue.

I looked at that study by Amsoil that was posted and I wouldn't go with Royal Purple if that study is at all accurate.

Every aftermarket oil filter I have tried leaks a little. So I now use the OEM filter ......it dont leak none.

I tried several different and I used every technique for installing that was offered by the most knowledgeable human beans on this site and they all still leaked enough to irritate me. For whatever reason my Speedie has a preference for the OEM filter.

NAPA oil filters are made by WIX. Just take the first number off the NAPA part number and you have the WIX part number.

Tom

Has anyone tried the Amzoil Filters or oil??

I'll be trying one out this weekend...

I have used both Amsoil 20W-50 syn Motorcycle oil and Amsoil oil filters with great results. I have experienced some very small oil leaking at the filter. It should be noted that Amsoil changed their oil filters from a Synthetic Blend medium to a Nano fiber (full synthetic blend) filter medium. The Nano fiber material was developed for the military for use in the Abramas Tank and Apache helicopter. I haven't used the new filter yet.

The new Nano fiber synthetic filter is rated at 98.7% efficient at 15 microns, synthetic blend filters are rated at 80.3% effiecient at 15 microns and paper filters are rated at 30.3% efficient at 15 microns.

With the new filter and oil Amsoil warranties it for twice the manufacturers recommended changed interval or 1 year, which ever occurs first.