Mobil 1 20/50 fully synthetic

[patrickp]

Hi guys, I'd like to pick your brains in regards to using Mobil 1 20/50 fully synthetic - have any of you used this on your bikes, ie oil consumption? I want to use the best possible oil and would appreciate any feedback. Thanks. Pat

 

[royfisk]

use oil designed for diesels. Automotive oils are designed for liquid cooled engines and have additives to help stop catatic converters from clogging. Not sure how true it is but the motorcycle oil industry claims that these additives eat up motorcycle clutches. Diesels have a differant demand on oil which is very simular to air cooled engines such as the beloved xs. I have run mobil delvac with good results, am presently running shell rottella. 15/40 is fine unless your doing alot of city riding or live in a hot climate then go for the 20/50. Oils are a arguementive subject, and everyone has a opinion. this is mine. My brother swares by castrol gtx but I do know of him going through clutches. As for full synthetic I dont think that you will benefit much on your top end do to the expansion and contraction of a air cooled engine, however your trainy and bottom end bearings probably would like it, but I doubt it would be huge gaines.

 

[gentlemanjim]

Mobil makes a Mobil 1 specifically for wet clutch motorcycles (not automotive Mobil 1). It is pretty much SOP on new bikes. My Triumph Speed Four used it and it was just fine. I'm a fan of Shell's Rotella T and they make a full synthetic flavor. On these vintage bikes I'd go there first, but I'm sure the bike specific Mobil 1 may be fine as well.

 

[XSLeo]

I tried several synth oils in my Harley. I didn't like the Mobile 20w50 motorcycle oil It was ok in the primary, clutch worked fine. In the engine it ran hotter and sounded not quite right.
I finally ended up with Amsoil. I use the 20w50 in engine, 10w40 in the primary, 75w110 in the tranny.
The engine runs much cooler sounds great and gets better gas milage. The clutch works better, smoother. Between the longer oil change interval and the extra 2or3 mpg it comes alot closer to paying for itself.
The tranny shifts well, it has always been a bit clunky shifting, no gear noise.
I have been thinking about using the Amsoil in the 650, with my better filtration the oil may last long enough to be worth the extra cost.

 

[pamcopete]

royfisk,,
Diesel oil has a very high level of detergents because Diesels create a lot of soot that gets into the crankcase. Detergents work on the surfaces of the engine to suspend the soot so it will be removed from the engine when the oil is changed. ZDDP, the zinc compound that is so important for our cams, also works on the surface. The result is that the detergents "compete" for the available surfaces with the ZDDP, and the ZDDP loses, so whatever the level of ZDDP in Diesel, it's effect is diminished.

Here is a word from Castrol on the subject:

Although Castrol Diesel oils carry an S rating, its primary credentials are diesel. The S rating is meant for short term use if the owner cannot find the appropriate gasoline engine oil. Diesel engines and gasoline engines have different operating regimes (loads, temperatures, speeds, fuel, exhaust recirculation); the lubricants are formulated differently (additives, ZDDP) to be in line with the primary operating requirements of the engine. Diesel engine oil is formulated with very high levels of detergency to counteract the soot that is circulated back into the oil. Detergency is surface active and does compete with ZDDP for the surface of the cam lobe and lifter face. The proper engine oil to use long-term in gasoline classic car engines is an oil designed for use in a gasoline engine with the correct level of ZDDP to protect his cam and lifters.

 

[XSLeo]

Right now I have a 50/50 mix of Valvoline 20W50 motorcycle oil and Valvoline VR-1 20w50 racing oil. The bike seems to like it. Runs a bit nicer, shifts a bit nicer, The clutch slips about the same as before. In first starts slipping about redline, drops about 500 rpm with every up shift. In high gear starts about 5000 t0 5500 rpm. It most always has been this way. Need to get a heavier set of clutch springs, try three new one to see if it helps.

 

[royfisk]

like i said oil is a argumentive subject. mobile 1 oil is for liquid cooled motorcycle engines which have a constant heat temperture due to the thermastat and radiator. and pete i guess that diesels cams do not need zddp, what are they made from titanium? Thats all I have to say on the subject

 

[CDNTX650]

i run rotella t or delvac in my xs and it works fine.

 

[pamcopete]

royfisk,

This from Mobils web site for Motorcycle Oil:

Mobil 1 Motorcycle Oils are full synthetic, high-performance engine oils formulated specifically to meet the demanding needs of motorcycle engines. Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 is designed primarily for on-road, high-performance, 4-cycle sport bikes, however, it may be used in other types of on and off-road 4-cycle motorcycles especially where a 10W-40 viscosity grade is specified. Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50 is formulated to offer outstanding protection in 4-cycle, V-Twin type engines, particularly those which are air cooled and tend to run hotter than other types of engines.

 

[gggGary]

If you change your oil at normal intervals synthetic is overkill. Since we run screens not filters (unless you have changed to a real filter kit, getting hte crud out matters more than super oil. Most fleet stores sell an SUV, farm, fleet oil with the slippery sulfur stuff, ZDDP? what I use.

 

[Sundie]

 

[anysnail]

i ran some NAPA brand 15w40 diesel stuff for the last 1,000 miles and she seemed to run just fine. i just changed the sump and oil filter today and put in some kawasaki brand (i.e. the cheapest oil i could find at iron pony) 10w40 motorcycle oil.

i guess i'll see if there is a difference.

i know one thing. i am going to change the oil every 30 days cuz goddamn it sure turned dark quick!

 

[XSLeo]

The desiel oil has a lot of detergents in it. This will cleanout the old crud in your engine. After a few changes it won't get as black as the first time.

 

[kent_in_kc]

It looks like Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50 is about $10 a quart.

 

[tx650]

I learnt the hard way on my 1st 650 many years ago to not under any cicumstances use any other oil other than recommended motorcycle oil....Chronic clutch slipping.I did an oil change and used an oil with a friction modifier,but I only did it once.
I have always wondered though what the story is with the grades of oil like say a 20/50,does the oil get thicker at 50 when warm or does it get thinner?
Maybe there is an oil guru out there that could tell me.

 

[XSLeo]

All oils get thinner when hot. To keep the oil stable at high temps the add modifiers.
A 20 w 50 oil acts like a 20 weight oil in the winter, thats were the w comes from. They add modifiers to make the oil act like a 50 weight oil when it gets hot.
Most synthetic oils can act like a 20 weight when cold and act like a 50 weight when hot without the modifiers that a dino oil needs.
Thats one of the major reasons synth oils last longer, no modifiers to break down.