Motor Oil

[Amsoil Dealer Group]

Originally Posted by giuseppe

George, I have been using 10-50 Bardahl full synthetic racing oil and I notice white (foaming)
In the level indicator glass.. Is this normal, or does it indicate a breakdown in the oil composition? I respect your comment on this.. perhaps I sould switch to another brand?.
giuseppe

I am not the George you are looking for, but what you are seeing is foam in your oil and it may not be enough to hurt anything. All oils have anti-foaming agents in them and some oils do not do a good job at busting the bubbles so to speak. A good motorcycle oil has to do a good job in this area due to the shearing forces of the transmission gears. The Amsoil motorcycle oil actually meets the GL-1 gearlube spec to address shearing forces. I am sure some of the other oils meet this also, but not sure which ones. Check with Bardahl and see what they say about the foaming issue you have. Their racing oil you are using might not be able to handle the high RPM's of your bike.
george
ADG

[ducalex]

Originally Posted by giuseppe

George, I have been using 10-50 Bardahl full synthetic racing oil and I notice white (foaming)
In the level indicator glass.. Is this normal, or does it indicate a breakdown in the oil composition? I respect your comment on this.. perhaps I sould switch to another brand?.
giuseppe

it is moisture in the crankcase left over from your previous ride. when the bike cools down after a ride, it wicks moisture from the air and it pools on top of the oil. when you start the bike, it froths into the oil (and looks white). if you ride the bike long enough, it just boils off. if you don't the oil looks whitish.

it is your bikes way of saying "you don't ride me enough"

[Exar Kun]

Hey there, first of all awesome thread, tons of information. I did have a question for you. (If its been asked already I apologize, I've only made it to page 23 and im only 1/4 of the way through!)

I just bought a used 2006 S2R 800. I plan on doing an oil change in the next day or so. You have already sold me on the Mobil 1 MX4T. However, I went to the store and they only had Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 Fully Synthetic. It was a dollar more per quart. I really wanted to get this oil change done ASAP so I bought it. Any idea if this will perform at least as well as MX4T? Thanks for all the great info. I'll try and get caught up ASAP.

[ducalex]

Originally Posted by Exar Kun

I just bought a used 2006 S2R 800. I plan on doing an oil change in the next day or so. You have already sold me on the Mobil 1 MX4T. However, I went to the store and they only had Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 Fully Synthetic. It was a dollar more per quart. I really wanted to get this oil change done ASAP so I bought it. Any idea if this will perform at least as well as MX4T? Thanks for all the great info. I'll try and get caught up ASAP.

Mobil changed the name of MX4T to Racing 4T.

"4T" is the standard for all brands, and I think Mobil figured they were confusing ppl with the MX4T designation.

I find it for $8/qt at Advance Auto parts near me.

[Georgecls]

As has been very well posted, the white appearance is moisture in loose emulsion in the oil. During normal operation of more than 20 minutes or so the water is freed from the oil and one sees good brown/clear oil in the window. If the oil does not approach 180 or so for the 20 minutes, the water will remain in the engine oil in loose emulsion resulting in the milky appearance. As long as we can get the oil warm enough, long enough, the water will not pose any problem. However, if we do not achieve enough temperature this can result in potential corrosion. The "milk' is not the result of a lubricaiton issue; it is a heat, or lack there of, issue.
George Morrison, STLE CLS

[sochuck]

Motul! It worked for me when I was racing!

[BDS-OH]

I just purchased a Monster S4 a few weeks ago. The previous owner said he always put the Mobil 1 synthetic v-twin (15-50) in the bike (and had just changed the oil prior to me buying it). The oil does look honey colored, and super clean (which I am thankful for!). I have put about 500 miles on the bike, and am thinking about the first change, just so I know when it really was last changed (although the appearance is still clean). I was thinking of going with the AMSOIL 20-50 due to the shear rating (it edges the Mobil 1 just barely). Water cooled engine and all, it probably isn't all that critical. I digress... I have two questions for anyone who might know:

1) What about that AMSOIL filter? Does anyone know if the EAOM138C filter is available in black yet? Chrome just wouldn't work. Nothing on their web site. George (from post 811)?
2) Any recommendations on an oil wrench to use? Any old wrench..., billet wrench,... strap wrench.

Thanks!

[Privateer]

Originally Posted by BDS-OH

1) What about that AMSOIL filter? Does anyone know if the EAOM138C filter is available in black yet? Chrome just wouldn't work. Nothing on their web site. George (from post 811)?
2) Any recommendations on an oil wrench to use? Any old wrench..., billet wrench,... strap wrench.

Thanks!

1- I ordered some on thursday (showed up friday) and they were chrome. when I ordered, it was only the "c" option, c being chrome. little rattlecan will un-chrome if it's that much of an issue.
2- I use a plier type wrench since it works on pretty much every style/size of filter. I tried a strap one first but couldn't get it on the filter due to header clearance issues. YMMV.



Andy

[BDS-OH]

Originally Posted by Privateer

2- I use a plier type wrench since it works on pretty much every style/size of filter. I tried a strap one first but couldn't get it on the filter due to header clearance issues. YMMV.



Andy

Very good point, about the header clearance! I think that rules out the cap-end style wrench idea I was hoping would work, as well. Going with a plier wrench. Got a note in to a local AMSOIL rep. Hoping I can pick up a few filters to keep on hand.

Ciao,

Barry

[wmhayes]

Great thread. Mucho thanks to Georgecls for all the tech info. I have always been a fan of Mobil-1, as that is the brand I've used in cars since 1975, and it's what's recommended in every jet powered aircraft that I've flown, and still fly. You might not know it, but the entire Air Force One fleet only uses MobileJet-1. Years ago when I was still a military pilot, every military base where an Air Force One aircraft might land had a stock of MobilJet-1 reserved for their use. I have a 2009 696 and noted that the oil specified in the owner's manual is a 15W-50. I know that the heads on the 696 have been redesigned and now have the camshaft bearing surface directly in the heads. I did not know if this was the reason for the 15W-50 recommendation. While Mobil-1 does not mass market a 15W-50 motorcycle oil, they do provide a 15W-50 for Triumph. You can only buy the Mobile-1 15W-50 through a Triumph dealer, but is you want to use the specific weight of oil specified by Ducati AND want Mobile-1, just go to your Triumph dealer and get some. I luck-out, as my Ducati dealer is also a Triumph dealer.