oil and filter?

i go with the theory of regular oil changes with a decent semi-synthetic oil. Don't reckon you need the fully synthetic expensive stuff for a 15+ year old bike (mines an 88). I change it after around 4000km and its always BLACK, even though there are no problems with the engine. You'll need 2L for just oil change, or 2.2L if you're changing the filter too, which you probably should, but is a bit of a bugger on the 2kr...

 

when putting oil in it is highly recommended to add less than what you think is required (i.e. 1.75 litres) - and then finish filling by looking at the sight glass on the bottom right. That is really the only accurate gauge.

 

Here's a very good write-up on oils. I just read it and I may be changing oil brand.

http://www.xs11.com/stories/mcnoil94.htm

 

Cluch slipping with synthetic oils!? Man, thats not true and I'll stake a vampire on that claim. Just get a reliable, cheap oil like castrol GTX. All fluids for an automobile have to pass a regulatory standards test, or they'd sell us bottled urine. As long as the oil doesn't have floating bits, you're fine.

 

Now that sounds like a very uninformed post.
All oils are NOT fine - most oils are NOT fine... any oil that contains a friction modifier will mess with your clutch and starter clutch. MOST car oils believe it or not... even when they say they don't - the only one that i've found that doesnt is a Penrite HPR10 (if i recall); although the reason it doesn't is that it's an older refining process used for it, before friction modifiers were the norm.

You see all those letters on the back of the bottles of oil... that mean stuff - i mean really important stuff! I'm not going to pretend that i know what those letters actually mean, but if i recall the most common letters on the backs of car oils signify a 'treatment' process that involves modifiers... yep, friction modifiers.

Like most bike mechanics, i'd recommend sticking with a semi-synth bike oil. The differences between the bike oil and car oil are minimal, but with all the issues i've been hearing recently about clutches & starter clutches slipping after medium-high km's i'd say there's a reason bike oil exists - and not just to rip of us consumer bikers. If your that strapped for cash, get a cheaper car oil and change it every 3000km's on the dot.

 

wow. I got owned.

Well my bike experiences are with dirt bikes - as i lived in the coutry for some time, and im still waiting to get my fizzer.
It's all probably different for road bikes I'm sure, as dirt bikes rev a lot less, so yeah. I'll take your word for it.

*crawls back into hole*

 

Well there's the reason you assumed it's safe to use any old oil then - dirt bikes. As far as im aware the majority of chook chasers use separate oil for the engine and the clutch. Therefore, you could safely use an engine oil with a friction modifier in it with minimal ill-effect.

See the problem is your using oil as a lubricant within the engine, to prevent metal on metal contact creating excessive friction, but in the clutch... we want it bathed in oil to keep it cool and allow a little bit of play - but don't want it lubricated enough that it's going to slip. Friction modifiers coat the parts in the particular material they're made of, reducing the friction even if we want it!

To play it safe, again... bike oil for bikes. Car oil for car's. Vegetable oil for vegetables.

 

here we go again...

Car oil.. can be used in a bike.. but depending on the bike and the rider it can efect the bike eather right away or 80,000km later...

I have used Penzoil semy synth (car oil) in my VFR for the past 80,000km and well I never had any cluch sliping... but my gear box... well I'm thinking it is on its way out... why??

Car engines use engine oil with special addetives to make them work better coz all they have to deal with is engine compnents such as pistons, valves and the good old combastion! Motorbike engines well they share their oil with the cluch (as most of theem use wet cluches), a gear box (%99 of cars have seperate oil for that) and the engine as well...

I have done a fair bit of reasearch on oils.. and all of it boils down to this: IN A MOTORBIKE USE MOTORBIKE SPECIFIC OIL! Personaly in a FZR250 I would use a semy synth, ester based as I PERSONALY had good expiriance with MOTUL oils...

 

how do u chek your oil level with the site glass is it ment to be full and will over filling make for bad shifting

 

Ok... stand the bike streight and level... than look... the level should be right in the middle of the glass...

Over filling is BAD and many things can happen...

 

Over filling is bad. If you do over fill it you should drain the excess oil before riding the bike.

The oil should be about halfway in the sight glass when the bike is UPRIGHT, not on the side stand.

Hope that has cleared that up for you.

 

Beat me to it <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif" alt=":lol:" title="Laughing" /><!-- s:lol: -->

 

thanks for your help my bike thaks you as well. Im using sinforce which is a local firm it is 100% Aus owned i went for a tour of ther factory im using ther sae 15w 50w for bikes. I had a oil leak from a supposed blind bolt so i was filling the sit glass.

 

where are they?? and how much do they charge for their bike oil?

 

Im in Herveybay and so are they I dont no how fare they hav spred.A year ago i was paying $35 now im paying $55 gess they wanted more profit

 

$55 for how much? Seems a bit pricey. Last time i bought oil it was about $10/litre for semi synthietic shell gloop.

 

4 liters the cost is a bit hi but now i use it i might as well stay with it for the moment