Valvoline conventional motorcycle oil.

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shade tree mechanic
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Walmart has stopped carrying this oil it was only $3.98qt
the parts stores have it for $7.29qt
look like oil changes are going up bummer
 
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I have started using Harley 20/50 (probably made by valvoline) because I am a Harley mechanic and always have tons of it layin around the shop, and figured I better find a use for it. So far im actually pretty happy with it. Buying oil is getting to expensive for me haha
 
I use a full synthetic Thermal breakdown not a problem. What me worry? I use Valvoline as a break in oil. It is a good oil bummer they quit selling it.
 
Walmart has stopped carrying this oil it was only $3.98qt
the parts stores have it for $7.29qt
look like oil changes are going up bummer
Here in Austin, at least once a year (probably twice a year), Autozone has conventional motorcycle oil, both 10W40 and 20W-50, both Valvoline and Castrol (which I am sure come out of the same tank) on sale for 3.99 a quart. I have once seen the same deal, which runs for a month when it's on, at O'Reilly's. I always check whenever I am in a parts store, and then I stock up when the sale is on.

I question the use of synthetics. The XS650 does not have an oil filter, the way the oil gets cleaned is by changing it at 3,000 mile intervals, conventional oil can certainly last for 3,000 miles in a properly running XS650 at one third the cost.
 
It's not so much the dirt in the oil that compels you to change more often. The XS6550 uses main ball bearings and connecting rod roller bearings.

Multi viscosity conventional oil uses spiral molecular polymers that expand and contract with temperature to produce the multi in multi viscosity. The ball and roller bearings actually crush these molecular polymers and cause the oil to revert to its base viscosity. Other engines, notably Honda engines, use Babbitt bearings like you find in automobile engines so there is no pin point pressure to damage the polymers.

I can see this with my oil pressure gauge and I usually change the oil every 1,000 to 1,500 miles as the pressure goes down.

Just think of that very small point of contact between the ball and the bearing shell. The tremendous pressure there is at the molecular level.
 
I run the same stuff in my M1009 CUCV, so I generally have a few of those 5 liter jugs around. Great stuff, and very affordably priced.

I must be getting old, because I'm the only person at work that knows what the hell 1008 and 1009 vehicles are, and have driven them. Our Six had the only Hummer in our motor pool. Been a few days. Try Tractor Supply for the Valvoline. They always have it here in my home town. It's what I run in my XS.

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I use the Valvoline ATV oil now the last retail oil with significant ZDDP since new street bikes are using cats.
NAPA 20-50 racing oil is also a good choice.
 
Gary, maybe you can help me get my head around this: I've never understood the claim that ZDDP in motor oil is incompatible with catalytic converters in the exhaust system. Wouldn't you have to be burning one helluva lot of oil before any significant amount of ZDDP hit the cat? And thanks for the tip on Valvolene ATV oil; probably cheaper than mixing 2 oz. of ZDDPlus per gallon of 15W40 Rotella, which is what I've been doing.
 
Well I did some looking one time and apparently the EPA found cats were degrading over time due to the ZDDP coating the platinum or some such. With Diesels going catalytic now, even Rotella had to pull the ZDDP. The NAPA 20-50 racing is supposed to have a good dose of ZDDP, By branding it racing they avoid it having to be cat compatible.

Minor point; we don't SEE oil burners "much" anymore. It's not that they aren't out there, it's just that cats finish the job and burn it up so you don't see smoke. My 05 Prius was using a quart every 2 thousand for the last 100,000 miles that's 10 gallons of oil through the cat....... Sold it at 205,000 miles and that car is doing a 100 mile a day mail route every day now, reliable as a rock.
 
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