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Motorcycle oil vs car oil for motorcycle

Discussion in 'Motorcycle Tech Talk' started by fireitup, Dec 30, 2006.

  1. fireitup

    fireitup New Member

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    Hi all, for an 82 maxim is the synthetic motorcycle oil really necessary? I mean it is way more pricey than car oil. And what did they use on that bike when it first came out? When the synthetic oil wasn't around? does it make a difference which oil i use other than price? Happy New Year, Fireitup.
    fireitup, Dec 30, 2006
    #1
  3. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    regular oil changes are the life blood of your engine....and the filter also. i have changed the oil in all my bikes since 67 at 2500 mile intervals. if you have a service manual it should have the type oil used in the bike when new...i would use that oil..hope this helps a bit
    chuck
    chucktx, Dec 30, 2006
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  4. voodoochild

    voodoochild New Member

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    Hey Fire, it's voodoochild again. When I did my 5k service, I switched to synthetic oil. I was always told it was better than the dino oil, runs smoother, cooler, blah, blah, blah. I also run synthetic oil in all my cars as well. I'm sure you will get varying opinions on this subject but that's just me. See what ReeseSS or Kenfuzed have to say.

    Chuck beat me to the punch....what's your opinion of synthetic Chuck??
    voodoochild, Dec 30, 2006
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  5. kenfuzed

    kenfuzed Administrator Staff Member

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    Those who know me know that I'm a synthetic guy all the way. Not only does it run cooler but it doesn't break-down like dino oil. If nothing else synthetic doesn't require an ounce of foreign oil, which I'll gladly pay a little extra for.

    Another thing is if your motorcycle has a wet clutch you shouldn't use regular motor oil. Motorcycle oil (synth or petrolium) lacks the friction modifiers found in car/truck oil. The friction additive is what causes clutch slip.
    kenfuzed, Dec 30, 2006
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  6. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    my take on synthetic oil is that it is too expensive. on my older engines...65 pan i run 70wt straight castoroil...eng,trans,primary....i have isolated my primary. 67 ford 150.......40wt penzoil.....2000 f350 diesel 15/40 penzoil. in my 06 eg i run synthetic. i try to run what the manufacturer recomended when the engine was built. i dont buy into the syn craze that it is better because it is newer.....or more expensive!!!
    chuck
    chucktx, Dec 31, 2006
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  7. voodoo1

    voodoo1 New Member

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    too much weeping for me

    seen too many bikes go syn. and then the they weep around the seals because the bike needed the dino oil to help build up in the gasket area. There are alot of past discussions on this topic on this site if ya check the history I think at one time the site had a dedicated page to "pipe talk" and oil?
    Who knows I just have always ran what the good book says. EZR and no questions. and never any problems.
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2007
    voodoo1, Jan 1, 2007
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  8. kenfuzed

    kenfuzed Administrator Staff Member

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    I've seen CVO models (which come with synthetic OEM) switched from synthetic to petrolium based oil and start weeping, and twice as many motorcycles that never swap and start weeping. I don't believe a choice in oil has any impact on weeping. Evo models especially are prone to weeping from the cylinder gasket and will do so regardless of what oil you use.

    JMHO
    kenfuzed, Jan 1, 2007
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  9. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    from my observations on the weeping cylinder gaskets, is the owner doesnt allow enough time for the engine to warm up properly. after a bit of time, they leak.
    chuck
    chucktx, Jan 1, 2007
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  10. fireitup

    fireitup New Member

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    motorcycle oil vs car oil

    Hi Chuck, Well i have been using synthetic. The first few changes on that bike the mechanic did. So when i bought oil from his shop to do it myself he sold me the expensive synthetic without question or option and my lack of knowledge i bought it. 2 times. the oil (5 quarts) and filter came to 25 bucks. i thought it pricey and wondered if it was necessary. I change that oil and filter at 2000 to 2500 miles and will go to car oil. They're variying degrees of argument both ways i see on the subject each with its own good points. I put it to price as my deciding choice especially for that older bike. thanks. fireitup Happy New Year all.
    fireitup, Jan 1, 2007
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  11. ReeseSS

    ReeseSS New Member

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    Well, a little confused about your header, said car oil vs motorcycle oil......
    The motorcycle oils out today are higher in zinc and phosphourus and other formula differences for an aircooled V twin application.
    But what is really the most important thing is changing it before it breaks down so weather it is syn, dino, car, bike, whatever, change it often and regular.
    ReeseSS, Jan 2, 2007
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  12. hotroadking

    hotroadking Super Moderator Staff Member

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    The difference in the two is the syn doesn't break down as quickly and it maintains it original properties through a wider range of heat, so, it stays better longer.

    Why are you changing at 2500, is that the service interval? If not run the syn and go to the service interval, you can probably go farther but it's not necessary.

    The weeping gaskets of old bikes tale is true, the reason though is the detergents if any in the old straight weight olds don't clean that well, in fact these oils can leave a sludge deposit, and they do it in places where the oil seeps into the base gasket and then becomes a solidish sludge.

    then the owner pops in the new syn which keeps its properties better and cleans better and voila the sludge is removed only to find a leaky base gasket. The thing is the leak was already there it was plugged by the old sludge, so you always had a fault, the syn just exposed it.

    Run an oil for the bike made for it by weight and type and change it at the proper intervals. I do know that the syn in my softail has helped keep temps down, a must with the oil tank under your seat and the hot summers
    hotroadking, Jan 2, 2007
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  13. Namato1

    Namato1 New Member

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    There is a great article comparing dino oil and synthetics on this site. I use synthetics on mine, runs about 10 degrees cooler sitting in traffic then dino oil.
    Namato1, Feb 1, 2007
    #12
  14. skull2007

    skull2007 Active Member

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    the great oil debate

    Hi i'm new. don't say much; because i don't know much. but i have come to a simple conclusion when it comes to this ever time comsuming of"oil" what to use. my conclusion is as follows:

    The best oil to use is clean oil.

    do people ever really wear out their bike. seems that must people upgrade long before the engine comes close to wearing out, or they never ride it. it just sits in the garage so friends can marvel at it. so does the kind of oil ever
    reallty have a chance to influence the life of the engine
    skull2007, Feb 16, 2007
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  15. fireitup

    fireitup New Member

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    oil debate

    Well Skull, I sure do ride. People marvel at how many miles are on my 82 Maxim. 65,000 of which i put 10,000 on this year. Why I ride so fast no one ever sees me ride. Its an einstein thing you realize.Yes it is a marvel. He was a smart man.I'm a retro kinda gal. I don't upgrade bikes. I change my oil every 2,000 miles and filter each time. Now i realize back in the eighties there was no synthetic oils for bike as far as i know but it is important to me. My bike is the coffe of my life. I RRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIDDDDDDDDEEEEEE...:biker: fireitup
    fireitup, Feb 16, 2007
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  16. chucktx

    chucktx Moderator Staff Member

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    skull, yes engines do wear out...i have a pan that i have owned for over 20 years. it has had 3 top ends and one complete rebuild in that time. the later came this past winter. as for milage i couldnt even guess....but my 06 eg is a little over a year old and it has 19.000 miles on it. i change oil 2500+filter...even with that schedule, stuff still wears out. you are very correct about the clean oil, but ya need to add filter in there also.
    glad your here and jump on in...we love input!!
    chuck
    chucktx, Feb 16, 2007
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  17. voodoo1

    voodoo1 New Member

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    thanks HRk

    that is something alot these days don't realize..the dino-gunk actually helped stop the leaking on the older rides. dang those sloppy tolerance levels poor castings....etc...:cool:
    voodoo1, Feb 18, 2007
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  18. REED

    REED New Member

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    oil debate

    the petroleum oils these days are so far superior to those of the 50s and 60s, gone are the days of pulling your engine apart and spending hours to wash out all the grey sludge and varnish. All these new oils have aggressive addative packages that will clean and hold the sludge in suspension till drain intervals :angry:
    REED, Feb 20, 2007
    #17

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