Which oil?

You're not supposed to use synthetic in rotary engines; it's definitely a good thing you don't put it in the rx-8 :)

Actually, lots of the "Rotorheads" are now using synthetic in their RX8s. Early on it was a no-no. Mazda uses it in their race engines because of higher rpms and heat production but they do get torn down after each race.

U.S. spec is 5W20 but everywhere else in the world Mazda specifies 5W30 and that is what I have been using in a blend formulation.
 
i talked to a bike shop around the way about using diesel oil, and they said that one of there customers is a professional rider and he uses Rotella diesel oil in his dirt bike. i went with the blue Valvoline in my bike.
 
I prefer Valvoline Blue also because a year or two ago it was rated as having more anti-wear additive than any of the other name brands although all are pretty good oils. As I said before, today you can't really go wrong with any name brand oil. The other great thing is that these oils are good for wet clutches. You don't want to use diesel oils rated for the latest high-tech diesel engines, though.
 
hey ya'll, I need help finding which oil should i put in my 1978 yamaha XS400 2e. The manual says for 20w/50 but when I google it all the oils are full synthetic am I allowed to use that? or should I get a specific oil.
Thanks
 
Whatever you use, you need to make sure that it is specifically for motorcycles. I do not use synthetic oils in my bikes because they dont require it. You could use it, but its a waste. Now if you had a newer BMW or another sportbike, yes! use ONLY synthetics

I use this: https://www.castrol.com/en_cr/ccsa/...ne-oils/motorcycle-oil-brands/castrol-go.html

Others use Valvoline motorcycle oil. I used Valvoline before but it gave me problems shifting gears. I stick with Castrol for all my bikes now.

Oh btw, I order my Castrol (and oil filters) by the case online. Pepboys has an EBay account that I buy from... I buy it online because the stores never stock enough quarts, and any motorcycle dealer will jack the prices up..
 
Whatever you use, you need to make sure that it is specifically for motorcycles. I do not use synthetic oils in my bikes because they dont require it. You could use it, but its a waste. Now if you had a newer BMW or another sportbike, yes! use ONLY synthetics

I use this: https://www.castrol.com/en_cr/ccsa/...ne-oils/motorcycle-oil-brands/castrol-go.html

Others use Valvoline motorcycle oil. I used Valvoline before but it gave me problems shifting gears. I stick with Castrol for all my bikes now.
hey thanks for the reply. Would you recommend me using yamalube all purpose oil for 4 stroke motor 20w-50? I found a gallon for 26$ on ebay.
No idea if its expensive or not but that's what I found for now.
Also is the castrol one good? any knocks or troubles using it
thanks again
 
Whatever you use, you need to make sure that it is specifically for motorcycles. I do not use synthetic oils in my bikes because they dont require it. You could use it, but its a waste. Now if you had a newer BMW or another sportbike, yes! use ONLY synthetics

I use this: https://www.castrol.com/en_cr/ccsa/...ne-oils/motorcycle-oil-brands/castrol-go.html

Others use Valvoline motorcycle oil. I used Valvoline before but it gave me problems shifting gears. I stick with Castrol for all my bikes now.

Oh btw, I order my Castrol (and oil filters) by the case online. Pepboys has an EBay account that I buy from... I buy it online because the stores never stock enough quarts, and any motorcycle dealer will jack the prices up..
also do you know will the yamalube 20w-50 will affect the motor during winters of Texas? and anything happens to your motorcycle while you use the castrol 20w-50 during winter.
I am a newbie and sorry if my questions annoy anyone. please reply to me thanks
 
I dont use my bike from November to March so its stored all winter. If your temps go below 50 degrees, you should use 10w40 weight. I was just in Austin and it was 100 degrees so youll be good with 20w50.

20w50 is thicker oil and it struggles to flow properly and keep everything lubricated when its cold. By cold, i mean up to around 50 degrees at the warmest temps.

Theres a science to oil, check out BobIsTheOilGuy.com

I cant speak of any other oils as the Castrol is what all my bikes and myself are happy with..
 
I have been running Valvoline 20w-50 for wet clutches for many years in all my bikes without any issues. It costs around $4.50 a quart at my local Walmart so it's a no brainier. Yamaha lube seems to work better but costs twice as much and with five of these bikes oil changes get very pricey. I do add 10% Lucas oil stabilizer to each oil change. With these old of bikes it can't hurt and after 20 years it hasn't hurt anything. Another thing to look for is a magnetic oil plug. I got mine off ebay years ago. It's not xs400 specific but as long as it has the same threads and pitch your fine.
 
I use Rotella T6 (synthetic). 5w-40, widely available, wet clutch appropriate, suitable for very wide temperatures, beloved by motorcycle community. As mentioned synthetic might be overkill for our bikes, but at $20 per gallon why not?
 
ihaopla, Synth oil don't make a clutch slip unless it is a car oil with friction modifiers that help conserve energy. This applies to Dino oils as well.
Heavier weight car oils such as 20W50 are not energy conserving oils.
Energy Conserving oils have the starburst symbols on the front.
When checking out an oil I look on the back and look for a JASO or JASO-MA rating. These indicate they have been tested and approved for use in wet clutches.
Most M/C synth oils have this rating.
If your engine has adequate filtration and no leaks a synth oil can provide several benefits. Most because of lower friction, such as, lower operating temps. The lower friction of course can reduce wear but it also lets the engine turn easier, using less fuel.
On my Harley I run synth oil. The engine runs better than 20 degrees cooler at the rocker boxes. The mileage improved by better than 2 MPG. The engine sounds quieter.
The clutch works fine. The tranny shifts easy.
I have run the Rotella15W40. I tried several other brands of oil. I now run the Valoline 20W50 I my older bikes. They run a bit cooler and sound quieter.
Leo
 
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