Motorcycle oils or not ?

[Hippysmack]

Originally Posted by 1hd4cjm1x4k

just change your oil often, and keep your levels correct.

+1

[hexnut]

API used to require that all oils be able to mix with others. I don't know why they wouldn't now.

[hexnut]

And Amsoil is a small blending company. They have no refineries to make their own oil. Who do they buy their PAO from?. They get 90% from Exxon Mobile the largest producer of PAO in the world. They get most of their group 111 oil from Shell and Petro Chemical. Their add packs come from Lubrizol. Amsoil salesmen hate this. and some outright deny it but when you have been on bitog for a long time you find out stuff.

[Hippysmack]

My understanding is that true PAOs won't mix well with petro.
All other (synths, ahem) will since the base oil is petro.

People that live in extreme cold areas will probably be paying attention to the pour point temps of an oil.

In extreme heat, the flash point would probably be important.

But, the average flash point on the motorcycle oils I cataloged were in the 400Fs which is the low end of the boiling point.
The higher the flash point, the higher the viscosity also.

You can toss some numbers around on an online calculator also.

I just tried this one. You have to already know the 40C and 100C figures.
https://wiki.anton-paar.com/en/astm-...%5D=Calculator

I don't know of the accuracy though.

Ran the numbers on Motul 7100 synth 20W-50:
cSt at 40C = 126.5
cSt at 100C = 18

cSt at 149C (300F) = 7.1

[Hippysmack]

Originally Posted by hexnut

And Amsoil is a small blending company. They have no refineries to make their own oil.

The fact that they are middlemen does rub some the wrong way.
That's still no reason to not use it.

There is nothing wrong with their product.
It's just not the 'be all end all' they would have you believe.

I have swapped brands three times since I upgraded.
I'm also using motorcycle oil in my 85 C-10.

Don't have a favorite but rather what I want to use.
I haven't used Amsoil yet and probably won't, but it's just I don't want to.

[shanneba]

As far as API ratings, the only ones Harley lists to use are the diesel rated oils, CH-4, CI-4 and CJ-4. No recommendation for any S (spark) rating like SL, SM or SN. I haven't looked at enough different "MotorCycle" oils to know if any of them are diesel rated.

If necessary and H-D 360 is not available, add oil certified for diesel engines. Acceptable designations include: CH-4, CI-4 and CJ-4. The preferred viscosities, in descending order are: 20W50, 15W40 and 10W40.

[Tucsonmax1]

Some of the Diesel Oils have a MA rating. I forget which ones.

As far as our Lord concerning Diesel Oil, It also states to change to 100% Harley Davidson Oil. As per 2015 Street 750 Manual, As soon as possible.

One thing I do like about the Japanese bikes, They give you the API Specs. As well as the MA Rating requirements. HD, Good luck.

[bustert]

once again mr. hippy
wisdom beyond your years!
there is an old saying, oil never wears out, only the additives and it gets dirty.
on ocean going ships and now even in the oil environment, oil is changed on a sample, not time or hours. there can be thousands of hours run on the oil, the trick, keeping it clean (centrifuge) and keeping the additive package up (oil make up system).
the early honda's ran centrifuges but alas, people were not too smart and never serviced them so honda went to throw a way units.

[Hippysmack]

I think I remember a few spark oils also rated for diesel but It has been awhile since I looked into it.

The only reason the MA rating is important is if you are intending on using the oil in the primary also. So, that is also a consideration. Goes back to crossing the line I mentioned.

[Hippysmack]

Originally Posted by shanneba

As far as API ratings, the only ones Harley lists to use are the diesel rated oils, CH-4, CI-4 and CJ-4. No recommendation for any S (spark) rating like SL, SM or SN. I haven't looked at enough different "MotorCycle" oils to know if any of them are diesel rated.

If necessary and H-D 360 is not available, add oil certified for diesel engines. Acceptable designations include: CH-4, CI-4 and CJ-4. The preferred viscosities, in descending order are: 20W50, 15W40 and 10W40.

I haven't found the diesel connection.
Doesn't diesel have more detergents for ash removal?
So what extent of detergents is too harsh for a (spark) engine?