Info Oils ain't oils - Specifications and Ratings

There is a lot more to oils than just selecting the cheapest stuff on special at supercheap while matching up the viscosity ratings. OR buying the most expensive Motul stuff at the bike shop. Although mainly focused on cars, TAFE took me through oil specifications and ratings, and I'll share.

We are only concerned with multigrade oils. Multigrade oils have different viscosity for hot and cold temperatures. Higher numbers mean higher viscosity. The "W" stands for "Winter" or cold temperature viscosity. Notice that it is lower. The second number is the viscosity rating once the oil has reached a certain temperature.

When your engine is cold, the vast majority of the oil will have drained into the sump. When you start the engine, the lower viscosity helps the oil move around the engine and get to where it needs to be. It's also a good reason why you don't want to start your engine and rev the daylights out of your bike. The oil light may be out as soon as you start the bike - it doesn't mean you should redline the engine straight away!!! You WILL cause advanced wear of your motor by doing this.

Motorcycles use wet clutches, and the oil also lubricates the transmission. Due to the wet clutch, the oil must not contain any friction modifiers.

The main oil rating standard we are concerned with is API, or American Petroleum Institute. The other standards for engine oil are ACEA, JASO, and ILSAC. We need not concern ourselves with those, as they mostly cater for modern cars with catalytic converters, EGR's (exhaust gas recycled into intake - nasty) and more emissions bollocks, large diesel engines with DPF's (Diesel Particulate Filters - stops the nasty black ash from truck/roadtrain exhausts) for emissions purposes. Most specific motorcycle oils are still rated as API SF/SG, due to API removing all references to motorcycle use with the SJ rating onwards, however not all are like this.

API "S" ratings are for petrol engines, API "C" ratings are for diesel engines.

The below image was taken from the Petroleum Quality Institute of America website, which illustrates API oil ratings and the era of vehicles that said rating can be used in. Here's the page with some more information: http://www.pqiamerica.com/apiserviceclass.htm



Since a few of us are using Delo 400 Multigrade (SAE 15W-40) oil in their motorcycles, I'll use it as an example. Below are the most relevant ratings and other information for Delo 400 Multigrade.









From this information, we know that Delo 400 Multigrade is suitable for 4-stroke petrol engines (API S rating), can be used for turbocharged engines, and is NOT suitable for diesel vehicles with a DPF.

The API SJ/SL rating means that it can be used in petrol engines going back to 1979 without a problem.


So what does all this mean?


You need to check your bike's manual for the recommended API or equivalent rating. If that's not available, check the PQI image for the era that your bike was manufactured in and go by that.

Oil viscosity should be selected based on the ambient temperature that the bike will be running at. Thicker oils for higher temperatures, and vice versa. A 5W-40 oil is more suitable for varying temperatures than 10W-30

Ignore all of the marketing crap

Check for friction modifier content or statements such as "Suitable for wet clutches" / "Not suitable for wet clutches"

Car oils without friction modifiers CAN be used if the specs are correct

 

Bumping this for an article I read regarding modern oils having lower levels of critical anti-wear additives. ZDDP (Zinc) being the main one. It basically attaches itself to steel and forms a protective glass layer.

Read about zinc here http://www.drivenracingoil.com/news/dro/training-center/articles/zinc-in-motor-oil/

Good thing that Delo 400 is CI-4 rated! More ZDDP in it than modern rated oils.

The proof is in the pudding, as they say.

 

Meant to reply earlier but I had to do some checking and get clarification on a few things.

How long has the JASO MA rating been around? I have been trying to find out and I've had no luck. My point regarding JASO is that it's a relatively new specification. From what I know, the API is a much more well respected institute as far as oil goes. Motorcycles are a small market share compared to diesels and petrol cars, so why would someone eg Caltex bother to get an oil trageted at diesel and petrol fleet vehicles certified for motorcycle use? They wouldn't, additional cost of licensing for negligible market share in return. Better for them to stamp "not recommended for motorcycle use" on the MSDS.

I think the reason Delo 400 and the like are "not recommended" for motorcycles is because the companies don't want to be held responsible for costs if their oil "destroys" an engine that had already been neglected or had a known problem prior, and the owner is trying to blame it on the oil,Or if the engine happens the break down in some fashion while it has Delo in it. Or even if a bike owner uses it during the bike's warranty period thus voiding warranty, if anything happens they could only chase the oil company for supposed damages. Superfluous lawsuits and all that.

Diesel engines often run gear-driven accessories off of the camshaft, such as a fuel pump. Interestingly, this is the same type of load as a gearbox, the oil must resist the shearing forces of gears meshing. Considering the size of stationary/plant diesel engines and the loads they are put under, as well as how much weight road trains etc can haul, I don't think that a motorbike gearbox can compare in terms of load on the oil.

The API CI4 rating does specify that it is suitable for wet clutch applications, so that is not an issue. The newer Delo 400 LE has the newer CJ4 rating but it also has less zinc, but more boron and calcium as substitutes, specifically designed for new diesel engines that require low sulfur from the oil and are fitted with a diesel particulate filter.




We also have to consider that auto makers these days simply will not care what happens once the warranty period has ended. 10,000, 15,000 and higher KM engine oil change intervals on modern petrol cars are pure BS. They use it to help with reviews, focusing on service costs. The modern mini-cooper is a case in point. They had to replace engines under warranty because they died early due to sludge buildup, because of the long oil change intervals specified in the owner's manual. The same goes for recommending 0-weight oils. They use it for fuel economy and emissions testing purposes, and are then required by law to recommend their ongoing use. You might save 5% on fuel economy, at the cost of 30% more engine wear.

Regarding modern API S (petrol) oil ratings, they have taken into consideration catalytic converters and other emissions related systems. They focus on saving the emissions reducing equipment by changing traditional anti wear additives like Zinc/ZDDP and Moly for Boron and Calcium, at the cost of increased engine wear.



That's why the fleet diesel oils are a good choice. High quality base oil, higher levels of proper anti wear additives without substitutes, and higher levels of detergents. To boot, they are API SG/SH/SJ/SL rated. Suitable for older petrol engines, I dare say including motorbikes because the JASO MA ratings did not exist at the time (as far as I can find)

AS ALWAYS, find out the ratings, do your research, and ignore the marketing when buying an oil. The proof will be in the results. Everyone who has run the Delo in a bike always comments on how smooth the gear-shifting becomes, even for notoriously clunky engines - especially Yamahas!!!

 

And as far as bikes are concerned, change oil and filter every 5000km or 1 year, whichever comes first.