Oil and Filter Question

[Wahooman]

Barn you are still my friend :P

[~Barn~]

You all should be happy that I even change my oil.

[Anonymous]

hey fellas just afew more things


the scotts filter, from information on their website, says that it is a 35 micron filter

WIX is a 9 micron filter at absolute testing

most of the motorcyle manufacturers that i have read info on recommend 13 or lower, Barn is officially warned

Just curious (especially since I have no idea who really makes them), but to what level do "OEM" filters typically catch debris? I assume they're all really about the same, and are probably sub-13-micron if they sell them for their own bikes' use...

And Barn, yeah if you're able to see at a microscopic level you let us know. Otherwise you can't really clean out particles that small - water isn't going to get them out completely, and from the sounds of it most of the small stuff isn't even being caught by your filter if it goes to 35 microns. (those pesky dirt particles are way smaller than that.) So, you'll catch the pieces you can see like engine metal and other stuff - which is certainly good since you don't want that getting into the oil passages or journals - but my guess is, your oil is going to look like shit pretty quickly.

Actually when you do your next oil change please let me know - I'd like to be there. I want to catch some of it and send it in for oil analysis. Then I will actually pay for you to use a Wix filter for 3000 miles, and get that oil analyzed at the end (would request that you use the same kind of oil, so that we have a constant to go from here). Curious to see the Scotts vs Wix difference in hard numbers. Sound good to you?

[~Barn~]

Sound good to you?

I'm on board. Can you help me change it sometime soon? I'm due.

We can do the Wix first, and then the Scotts, so I make sure and get as close to the same mileage on the oil.

I'm totally interested to see this also.

[Anonymous]

Yup. Tom let me know what a filter for Mr Clean's 04 R1 will cost me for this little experiment. Barn go get enough oil for 2 changes. How long will 3k miles take you (so I know how long I have to get the oil analysis kits)?

[~Barn~]

Yup. Tom let me know what a filter for Mr Clean's 04 R1 will cost me for this little experiment. Barn go get enough oil for 2 changes. How long will 3k miles take you (so I know how long I have to get the oil analysis kits)?

I'll swing by TK and get me some Yamasauce soon. I imagine I can get 3k done in a month and 1/2 or so.

[~Barn~]

Yo Ralph... the oil is changed. Regular TK Silkolene (yellow). Anyway... I'll let you know when 3k is up and you can get the Wix filter and your lab kit.

Just for kicks, I'm gonna go to TK now and put Brit back up on the Dyno. See if her 151.7 is gonna stand from break-in.

Be back shortly.

[FZRguy]

As for oil filters, I’ve been using HiFlo (list is 6.95). And everything that I’ve read re oil says to avoid running oil designed for cars in your motorcycle b/c it’s not engineered to live inside a tranny, which will break it down much faster than oil specifically for bikes.

[Gramps]

i can't comment on hiflo filtro

i know they are offshore but i don't have any info on them


i'll let ya know on the filter Ralph

[Anonymous]

As for oil filters, I’ve been using HiFlo (list is 6.95). And everything that I’ve read re oil says to avoid running oil designed for cars in your motorcycle b/c it’s not engineered to live inside a tranny, which will break it down much faster than oil specifically for bikes.

That's not true. Basically the reason not to run car oil in a bike, is that some of them have friction modifiers which can cause the clutch in a wet-plate system like most bikes have to slip. Tranny gears don't care one way or the other. Basically it's not always easy (or possible) to tell if the car oil you're looking at has these modifiers, so by getting bike oil you basically pay for the guarantee that it's "modifier free". Otherwise there isn't a whole lotta difference.

Some bike oil does cost more, granted. Anyone these days will tell you to run dino oil for the breakin period and maybe a little while afterwards to allow the rings to seat good, then switch to synthetic. NEVER run synthetic for the breakin, it's too slippery and the rings won't seat, causing your bike to suck. Good bike synth oils run anywhere from about $5 to $12 a quart depending on your flavor and anticipated use (i.e. Mobil 1 MX4T is around the $5 mark, and Silkolene 20W50 racing synthetic is $12). You can also run a synthetic blend, which is a mix of dino/synth. I've used the Castrol Actevo stuff with success in my superchicken and I don't believe it was too much.

[Lurch]

I just switched from car oil (Castrol SYN Blend) in my race bike to Silkolene and noticed a difference right away. The car oil I would pull out after a race weekend or two and it would smell burnt. I just drained the Silkolene after one race weekend and it looks like new. I switched because of engine failure and didn't want to risk it again.

Also I now use a Scotts filter which is a pain in the ass to clean but is very nice to see what is coming out or apart in in the engine. I cleaned it in a Cool Whip container which is white and could see all sorts of shit in there. I found some Yamabond,silcone,paper towel,rag fibers, and a few other little bits. Then to finish cleaning it I ran it trough the dishwasher. Glad my wife didn't find out.

Lurch

[FZRguy]

I’ll just stick with Silkolene petro-based. It’s cheap, it’s oil, it works.

[lifeon2]

I owuld love to see some documentation on the friction modifiers by an outside source (a.k.a. not a motorcycle or oil company) because I have never had any problems with using automotive oil in the 15 yrs that I have been riding

[HDave]

ok, so I resurrected this post while searching for oil and filter opinions.

What do you think about what this guys says about iol and filter types?

http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Con...tml#OilFilters

Sounds like gramps is pretty much right on about the filters. I need to start doing my own maintanence.

How do you get rid of the spent oil? I have not changed oil since the '80s and back then I discarded it in an eco-damaging manner.

[NZ Darren]

You can take your old oil down to an autoparts store, I think they all accept it.

[Gramps]

most auto parts stores have a way of getting rid of it.

also if you use a auto shop regularly they will sometimes take it to burn as a heat source.

you can also usually take it to your local city shop, they take it to keep it out of the drains


hope this helps

[HDave]

Good to know there are several options close by.

Where is the best place to pick up oil and filters?

What about the sealing washer on the drain plug - hit the stealership for some of those?

[rybo]

Dave,

Both autozone and checker take used oil free of charge. I know that autozone stocks mobil 1 synthetic bike oil. As far as oil and filters go I'm a big fan of the Amsoil brand and there are several independent distributors in the area. It's a full synthetic bike specific oil for about $5.00 a quart.

They make filters for all brands too, but they are more money than the Wix parts.

If you are in the Aurora area there is a quick change place that stocks it on east colfax called Stripes. The guys there are really nice.

Mobil just changed their car oils, at least in packaging. In the old style the 15W stuff (red cap) didn't have friction modifiers in it, the other weights did.

I had an FZR 400 at one point that I made the mistake of putting car oil with friction modifiers into. It did make the clutch slip. Changing the oil again solved the problem, so no permenant damage was done.

FZR guy, I used the filters you mentioned in my bike with no issues.

Best to all

Scott

[Boy Scout]

Where is the best place to pick up oil and filters?

__________________________________________________ ___________


1230 Etna Dr., Lafayette, CO 80026
303-665-5812
Ask for Jason (Quick636 on this board).

Cost + 10% for club members

Not only can they help you with your automotive parts needs,
they also have the following for your motorcycle:
oil filters
spark plugs
wheel bearings
__________________________________________________ ___________

[ImolaFem]

I’ll just stick with Silkolene petro-based. It’s cheap, it’s oil, it works.

Where do you get this?

[RAGrote]

copied without permission from a non-copy writed souce.


Go to the Shell Rotella Synthetic website and click on "MSDS", you'll see it's really dino oil. It certainly does NOT exceed Mobil 1 specs.

Mobil 1 is a "Group IV" true synthetic. (PAO based) So is Amsoil & Royal Purple.

Lots of companies taking liberties with the term synthetic these days. Rotella may work fine... but personally, I don't like the false advertising of "fully synthetic".

CASTROL AND MOBIL GO TO COURT TO BATTLE IT OUT:

Recently, Mobil accused Castrol of reformulating its synthetic by substituting other basestocks in place of its synthetic polyaphaolefins (PAO's). Castrol Syntec is a hydrocracked oil. That's right, Castrol has replaced the PAO synthetic base stock with hydroisomerized petroleum base stock. Hydrocracking, as it's called, is the highest level of petroleum refining. Castrol isn't even a synthetic yet Castrol ended up winning the battle when the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus ruled that Castrol could still market its oil as "synthetic" despite their new formulation. Basically, they expanded the definition of synthetics to include Group III hydroprocessed petroleum oil. This high profile case took place because synthetics are recognized as the market's best hope for growth. Synthetic oil sales have outpaced petroleum oil sales by a wide margin and the gap continues to widen every year. Consumers are getting smarter and demand the best for their vehicles. Read the full story on the Castrol issue in our informative articles section. Additionally, just as soon as Castrol won this battle, several other major oil companies jumped in and came up with hydroprocessed motor oils of their own and labeled these products to be "100% synthetic", when they still are Group III hydroprocessed petroleum oils.

[FZRguy]

I’ll just stick with Silkolene petro-based. It’s cheap, it’s oil, it works.

Where do you get this?

Any m/c dealer, or Performance which has the best price.

[japrules]

I would like to just point one thing out here.. Mobil has lots of money for R&D.. lots more than ANY of the other major oil manufactures. They also have a reputation at stake... Most sports cars now come with Mobil 1 in the crankcase and is the recommened oil type. So if Porsche came out and said, oh we found a problem with Mobil 1 oil they would be screwed.

Ok, one more thing... in the early 90's BMW ran a Million mile test on a BMW325is. Mobil 1 synthetic, running day and night on a chassis dyno. Regular BMW change intervals of I think 8k miles... engine tear down showed all tolerances within BMW specifications..

I for one sleep well at night knowing my bike has Mobil 1 in it.

Joe

[Gramps]

we have mobil 1 at carquest of lafayette

i can sell it as cheap as yuo can buy castrol at retail

you guys need to use your resources