The OIL thread. All oil related questions here.

[vmax2extreme]

Here's what the Gallon I just used looked like:

ROTELLA 15w40

Ive been running the Rotella 15w40 for about a year now and the bike surely does run smoother. I had a problem with my clutch slipping at 5000 miles and I never do burnouts or ride the clutch. I think the prior owner before 1100 miles must have done something perhaps....anyhow I have the DD clutch mod and run rotella on the still stock clutch with no slipping and smooth shifting. This is a good oil to run in the vmax for sure!

 

[naughtyG]

:th_bump_2::th_bump_2::th_bump_2:

 

[DMAN999]

Hey Dman, are you noticing any difference in how the engine runs, shifts, noises, etc. ?

It shifts smoothly and only has a little noise when Idling in Neutral (but it always made that noise no matter what oil I used).
I've used the Shell Rotella T 15W-40 for quite a few years now and have always been happy with it.
I have used Castrol Tection Extra 15W-40 (which is also a Heavy Duty oil) a few times and it worked well too.

 

[gamorg02]

anyone hear anything about kendall in the past few years?

http://www.amazon.com/Kendall-10432...SZPS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1338481732&sr=8-4

http://www.conocophillipslubricants.com/brands-products/Single.aspx?pid=326&brand=Kendall+Motor+Oil

walker recommends it apparently:

http://www.holeshot.com/old/chemicals/kendall.html

 

[FootNote]

Car oil?

Well I need to buy oil for the bike and we finally have the motor mounted again. My buddy who is helping me put the bike back together said that even though the grades may be the same, car oil vs motorcycle oil is different. True? If so I will have to wait till Tuesday.

 

[grimmie]

Auto oils have friction modifiers in them that the clutch doesn't like. Motorcycle specific oil is best

 

[FootNote]

Auto oils have friction modifiers in them that the clutch doesn't like. Motorcycle specific oil is best

Gottcha. Thanks.

 

[gamorg02]

just picked up some valvoline 20w50 from autzone for 2.99 a quart. gonna use that in both the vmax and the harley. i'll report back. going to buy some brad penn stuff to use after that though i think.

 

[Redbone]

Here's what the Gallon I just used looked like:

i think i'm finally gonna switch from yamalube to dino rotella. did the labelling change? i attached two pics, old/new labels, same stuff right?

ROTELLA 15w40

Ive been running the Rotella 15w40 for about a year now and the bike surely does run smoother. I had a problem with my clutch slipping at 5000 miles and I never do burnouts or ride the clutch. I think the prior owner before 1100 miles must have done something perhaps....anyhow I have the DD clutch mod and run rotella on the still stock clutch with no slipping and smooth shifting. This is a good oil to run in the vmax for sure!

+1, been running Rotella 15w40 for 4 years and it works great.

 

[Diablotin]

just picked up some valvoline 20w50 from autzone for 2.99 a quart. gonna use that in both the vmax and the harley. i'll report back. going to buy some brad penn stuff to use after that though i think.

I use a similar oil 20w50 mobil 1. I found the engine noiser compared to a 15w40. Valvoline was on the shelves too, I hesitated...
I was recommanded the 20w50 due to the hot climate here.
Ill be interested by your feedback Garrett

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[gamorg02]

I use a similar oil 20w50 mobil 1. I found the engine noiser compared to a 15w40. Valvoline was on the shelves too, I hesitated...
I was recommanded the 20w50 due to the hot climate here.
Ill be interested by your feedback Garrett

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

i will let you know my friend. i'm being picky but i wanted a cheap, good oil that would work in the harley and the vmax that i can just have at the house. I think brad penn is the oil i want, gets great reviews and its drilled, refined made in the US. That being said most places have to ship it etc so i just got the valvoline for now but my next case will be brad penn. found a place i can pick it up from next time i'm back home in CNY for $60~. both bikes call for a 20w-50 so its all good.

i find it hard to believe the vmax, a bike who's technology is rooted in the late 70's needs 2012 $10 a quart oil (mobil 1). i bet crap oil as long as it doesn't make the clutch slip works fine. did some research over at bobistheoilguy.com (wayo too much info) and valvoline had some good used oil analysis, with only one guy complaining his clutch got too sticky.... so if it sucks i have the case of brad penn coming and i'm sure the harley will be happy with whatever i put in it. maybe i'll use the old vmax oil in it, hehe (j/k of course).

 

[stilkus]

okay, here comes another mystery of the vmax. I never had an oil pressure gauge installed in my vmax also it scared the shit out of me when I took the clutch baskets out to find our mighty oil pump is geared in plastics . Before I move the bike each and every time I glance at the oil window after I start it just to make sure that the oil pump started working and the oil level there decreases. Well, I noticed that when I had the (TOTAL Rubia Tir 7400) 15w40 oil, it was almost gone off the window at all times the bike was running and when I rev the engine I would get splashes indicating it still had oil, I liked this view knowing that most of the oil in the pan was off to work. After I changed my oil to the (shell helix hx5) 20w50 oil, I run the engine glance at the oil window to find almost below the half mark and when I rev that oil decreases but returns half again at idle. is this meaning that my oil pump cannot pull the new oil up probably cause it's thin oil or what ? do I need to use regular oil which isn't synthetic ? I also noticed the bike heats up pretty easily after the last oil change, but the clutch is better now as it used to slip with the old oil (rubia tir 7400).



SHELL HELIX HX5 SPEC SHEET:
http://www.epc.shell.com/Docs/GPCDOC_GTDS_Shell_Helix_HX5_(SL_CF_A2_B2)_(en)_TDS_v2.pdf

TOTAL RUBIA TIR SPEC SHEET:
http://www.lubadmin.com/upload/produit/FichePDF/lang_29/5515.pdf

 

[sdt354]

Rotella 15w-40 at Auto Zone. $25 for 2& 1/2 gallons (you have to ask for it otherwise you'll pay $17 a gallon.). Sometimes at a tractor suppy store you can do better. Great oil for a Vmax.
Steve-o

 

[Sonoran6]

After I changed my oil to the (shell helix hx5) 20w50 oil, I run the engine glance at the oil window to find almost below the half mark and when I rev that oil decreases but returns half again at idle. is this meaning that my oil pump cannot pull the new oil up probably cause it's thin oil or what ?

I thought the 20/50 was much thicker, and took longer to heat up.

 

[charlieRobinson]

I just switched from 15w-40 to 10w-40 and wow, what a difference. Much smoother now. Manual says 10w-30 is good too. If the shop had it I would have used it.

 

[sdt354]

I just switched from 15w-40 to 10w-40 and wow, what a difference. Much smoother now. Manual says 10w-30 is good too. If the shop had it I would have used it.

10w-40 is fine. 10w-30? Cold weather operation only.

 

[charlieRobinson]

10w-40 is fine. 10w-30? Cold weather operation only.

My manual specifies to use 10w-30. It says 10w-40 is ok as an alternative. I am going by what the manual says.:biglaugh:

 

[sdt354]

My manual specifies to use 10w-30. It says 10w-40 is ok as an alternative. I am going by what the manual says.:biglaugh:

10w30 is for below 60 degrees F. That's from the Yamaha Shop manual.
But, to each his own.

Steve-o

 

[charlieRobinson]

10w30 is for below 60 degrees F. That's from the Yamaha Shop manual.
But, to each his own.

Steve-o

 

[sdt354]

:rofl_200:I give up.