Engine oil for 4 stroke engines?

[bobsmith]

Hi all. I'm sure I've seen a thread about this before but when I put "oil" in the search it doesn't seem to like it and I couldn't find the thread... so here it goes:

Is the engine oil for 4-stroke engines on bikes the same as petrol cars? Can I use normal engine oil for cars on bikes or do I need special oil for bikes?

Thanks

[Big Chim]

Ive herad it ant the smae. i get my oil from the bike shop. Go down to your local dealer and they should be able to set ya right.

[ZeroIndex]

Hi all. I'm sure I've seen a thread about this before but when I put "oil" in the search it doesn't seem to like it and I couldn't find the thread... so here it goes:

Is the engine oil for 4-stroke engines on bikes the same as petrol cars? Can I use normal engine oil for cars on bikes or do I need special oil for bikes?

I posted something along those lines the other day, my bike manual says my bike requires 20W/40W oil, but you can't get that in this country, I've been recommended to use 10W/40W oil by a few people on KB.
PS. my bike is a single cylinder, 4-valve / 4-stroke 165cc

[Troll]

Ive herad it ant the smae. i get my oil from the bike shop. Go down to your local dealer and they should be able to set ya right.

not quite correct

any oil that is the right grade will be ok

bike specific oil might be marginally better but not enough to justify the price

have over 100,000 miles on my bike and use any known quality brand of oil that is the correct grade

have a oil pressure gauge on my bike and have used the "factory" OEM oil, it has better oil pressure for about the first 100 miles or so and then is the same as any other oil

more importantly than what oil you use is regular oil changes and to keep clean oil in your motor

[Zapf]

Bike oils usually have a friction modifier for the wet clutch. Which means that by using normal car oil your clutch could slip.:nono:

[Brian d marge]

Bike oils usually have a friction modifier for the wet clutch. Which means that by using normal car oil your clutch could slip.:nono:

Yup. Or if you were riding a 750 bonnie just out side paris and decided to top up the primary chain case, untill you thought it was touching the chain,,,,:doh:

Then spend the afternoon cleaning clutch plates !

Anyway I had this tucked away on the computer hope its some help

Stephen

[ZeroIndex]

wow, that is really useful information... will be doing a full oil change/filter very soon...

[Big Chim]

Bike oils usually have a friction modifier for the wet clutch. Which means that by using normal car oil your clutch could slip.:nono:

Yeah thats what i was told about the oil and clutch.

[Stevo]

In my race bike I was using Castrol R4 oil which I was getting 4 litres for 63 dollars from Ashvegas Trading Society (rural merchant). Hard to find this for less than 100 anywhere else!

Now I have switched to Mobil 1, Racing 4T, bike oil, which is even higher grade (SJ rated vs SH or SI for the Castrol one) and get it from the wholesaler, which is TNL in Blen for a little over $50. I hate to think what this stuff might cost at a Mobil garage!!! I run a lesser oil in my road and farm bikes, as I don't tend to give them the same kind of punishment.

What brand/s you use is normally a personal preference thing but just find the best deal for the oil you want and keep going back.

I always use bike oils in my motorcycle engines. One of my farm 4 wheelers has now clicked over 7500 hours, with the motor having never been touched.

[bobsmith]

So having read the bible, I conclude that I can buy any automotive oil (in my case 10W-40 for fxr150 with wet clutch) for the oil as long as I get one with JASO MA written on the bottle? Would everyone agree???

[XTC]

So having read the bible, I conclude that I can buy any automotive oil (in my case 10W-40 for fxr150 with wet clutch) for the oil as long as I get one with JASO MA written on the bottle? Would everyone agree???
Diesel oils like Delo400 etc work well. They are very close to motorcycle oils in formulation but much cheaper. No friction modifiers in diesel oils that will affect clutch operation. I have used the above oil in my XT and previously in my YZF250 motocrosser. Those who say you can only use bike oils in bikes can do so.... and pay the price.

[Motu]

The Warehouse has Castrol GTD and Delo 400 cheap at the moment.Delo 400 has the highest additive package of just about any oil you can get,a seriously good oil.There is a hell of a lot of misconception about oils,and bike riders are fixated on car oils making their clutch slip,it's a very rare event,and 90% of the time it just means the clutch is stuffed.Moly will make your clutch slip for sure - but bike and diesel oils are higher in moly than car oils,because of the higher loadings.It's a different form of moly than that black shit,that stuff really will make your clutch slip.

Full ester synthetics like Silkolene are the best you can get for your bike (Group IV),they can handle extreme heat,and the esters cling to metal giving good start up protection (Castrol Magnetec has just a small amount of esters).But esters are aggressive cleaners,they can cause seals and gaskets to leak,clean the crap off your clutch and cause it to slip,dislodge crap and block filters - nothing wrong with the oil,but a hell of a lot wrong with your engine....don't blame the oil!

[bobsmith]

So if the engine is in a fairly good condition (only done 12000km), I could get a fully synthetic oil for a car, use first two litres to flush the engine out completely, get a new filter and fill the bike up with the new oil and it should be fine?

[XTC]

So if the engine is in a fairly good condition (only done 12000km), I could get a fully synthetic oil for a car, use first two litres to flush the engine out completely, get a new filter and fill the bike up with the new oil and it should be fine?
I wouldn't worry about a fully synthetic oil... Just go get some Delo400 and put it in. No need to flush the engine just change your oil every 5000-6000 kms and filter every second change and she'll be sweet...

[Troll]

Diesel oils like Delo400 etc work well. They are very close to motorcycle oils in formulation but much cheaper. No friction modifiers in diesel oils that will affect clutch operation. I have used the above oil in my XT and previously in my YZF250 motocrosser. Those who say you can only use bike oils in bikes can do so.... and pay the price.

too bloody true

I went to an oil supplier and according to their charts the recommeneded oil for my bike was diesel oil

Like I say I use car oil and bike has over 100,000 miles on it

clutch on this particular bike runs separate oil to the engine anyway

but I ran a modified / stroked shovel head on car oil that had the engine oil going thru the standard clutch as per factory set up with no problems

in comparison other people i know altered the oil routing to keep the engine oil out of the clutch and had problems with teh clutch sliping.

at the end of the day if people want to pay a premium for bike specific oil good on them, I'm sure it will make their local bike shop very happy but its their choice and their wallet that is paying for this choice

[Motig]

Look up some of the oil company websites, they usually have a chart somewhere that tells you what to use for a particular bike model. Worked for my CBX

[ZeroIndex]

Went and looked at the Delo 400 today (the Caltex one in the blue bottle), 15W/40W, is that the right one?

[pritch]

I once read a thing on the Web allegedly written by a former oil industry chemist or similar. He made the case that the oils used in truck engines contain more xinc which is the friction protection of last resort. Over the
years the amount of zinc in oils intended for cars has been reduced to cut costs. So the oils intended for truck engines (which are not called diesel oils) are in effect professional grade oil.

I mentioned this to a friend who has been in the automotive reconditioning industry for over forty years and he was somewhat horrified and mentioned how the different oils all have different detergents etc. If I was running an older bike, however, I would seriously consider an oil rated for use in truck engines.

Another friend in the motorcycle industry told me of a customer who insisted on a particular oil. It was pointed out to him that the oil in question was not one of those recommended by the manufacturer, but he was adamant. He subsequently developed clutch slip and was informed that regrettably it wouldn't be repaired under warranty.

As it is though, I use a fully synthetic oil as recommended by the maker and will continue to do so for at least the period of the warranty and then probably beyond.

[bobsmith]

So I had a look through SuperCheap and suprisingly they had Castrol GPS on stock for around $52 for 4 litres http://www.castrol.com/castrol/productdetailmin.do?categoryId=8290020&contentId=6007644

Would that do the job? Is that a good value? (their website didn't have fx150 listed but they recommend the same oil for just about any bike anyway.

[ZeroIndex]

So I had a look through SuperCheap and suprisingly they had Castrol GPS on stock for around $52 for 4 litres http://www.castrol.com/castrol/productdetailmin.do?categoryId=8290020&contentId=6007644

Would that do the job? Is that a good value? (their website didn't have fx150 listed but they recommend the same oil for just about any bike anyway.
That Caltex Delo 400 stuff (15W/40W), that was mentioned earlier on this thread is 4litres (maybe 5), and is $27 from the Red Shed

[Fatjim]

So I had a look through SuperCheap and suprisingly they had Castrol GPS on stock for around $52 for 4 litres http://www.castrol.com/castrol/productdetailmin.do?categoryId=8290020&contentId=6007644

Would that do the job? Is that a good value? (their website didn't have fx150 listed but they recommend the same oil for just about any bike anyway.

At that price I'd go for Super helix (about $45 from a shell shop) which is fully synthetic. Either that or the delo 400

[bobsmith]

I heard that you couldn't use fully synthetic oil for cars for bikes with wet clutches? - does that make sence?

[Krusti]

Just a tip.. If you find an oil ya like at motrcycle shop etc and you have or know someone who has say a Shell fuel card, do what I did.

Rang Shell NZ on their nationwide ph no, asked for 20 litre container to be couriered to me, quoted card number, hey presto oil at under half price. Works great if ya use alot or a few guys get together.

Just my 2 cents....

[Lazy7]

i just picked myself up some Elf 10w-40 semi synthetic from Red Baron.

i use their 0-40 race oil in my car and am really happy with it so heres hoping it works a treat in the bike

[Stevo]

So I had a look through SuperCheap and suprisingly they had Castrol GPS on stock for around $52 for 4 litres http://www.castrol.com/castrol/productdetailmin.do?categoryId=8290020&contentId=6007644

Would that do the job? Is that a good value? (their website didn't have fx150 listed but they recommend the same oil for just about any bike anyway.
Should be able to get GPS for $35-40 if you can find it. Rural retailers are a good place to go.

[Stevo]

I heard that you couldn't use fully synthetic oil for cars for bikes with wet clutches? - does that make sence?
Not really.

[mynameis]

Mate I think the best thing to do is actually read the manual it will tell you exactly what oil to use, they come in standards with certain viscosity but dont use car oil.

Things to check for is:

Grade eg SAE ect..
Visco eg 10W 40

And don't use mineral based one or semi synthetic use a FULLY SYNTHETIC oil which is generally twice expensive but worth the dollars good luck.

If not then shoot to local dealer they will tell ya :done:

[hsvboy06]

So if the engine is in a fairly good condition (only done 12000km), I could get a fully synthetic oil for a car, use first two litres to flush the engine out completely, get a new filter and fill the bike up with the new oil and it should be fine?
You might want to check what it had done at it's last service, which was not that long ago, before you do anything. It probably got new oil, maybe even a new filter. I've got the docs at home for you.

[bobsmith]

You might want to check what it had done at it's last service, which was not that long ago, before you do anything. It probably got new oil, maybe even a new filter. I've got the docs at home for you.

:) Thanks. I'm looking forward to the records as well as the bike... I was only referring to something I heard once that if you want to change to fully synthetic oil from mineral (which is what I assume has been used on the bike) that you need to flush the engine out before changing the type of oil used... I'm a bit of a obsessive bastard when it comes to changing oil frequently which is why I can only afford to do it myself. (on my car it gets changed every 4000km or less...) now I just don't know why my girlfriend wants me to get rid of about half a dozen of used oil bottles I have, I think they look good in front of the house.....

[Brian d marge]

:) Thanks. I'm looking forward to the records as well as the bike... I was only referring to something I heard once that if you want to change to fully synthetic oil from mineral (which is what I assume has been used on the bike) that you need to flush the engine out before changing the type of oil used... I'm a

Was the case, but compatability between oils has been sorted now.

ANY OIL will be fine, you will most likely change the oil before its need anyway. Just dont get super cheap sh1t as it can be not so good, but even then it will be perfectly fine for most people . if changed regulary.

2 smoke oil run at 40 to 1 , yes the quality of the oil makes a big difference, I have 2 cranks sitting here because I raced using cheap sh_t. But I have never had a 4 stroke failure using crap 4 stroke oil ( Once maybe ,,,but I bricked the throttle and had to wait for 20 min be fore it stopped...and then after a push I rode it home !

So dont panic about the oil, you will be fine with a reasonable ( ie major manufacturers oil .. Honda is ok using motul, ie didnt void warranty , and that aint the bees Knees ( read cheap sh1t...well its not really cheap , but it aint gold plated !!)

Stephen