Put your opinion on the oil I'm using

[Lou Ranger]

As far as I can tell folks the majority of the folks are saying Shell oil, but use Rotella-T 10-40 (or 15-40) diesel engine oil. I've got a gallon of it in my garage that I'm thinking of doing an oil change with after another 1800 miles. I think the last oil change from the previous owner of my bike used regular 4 stroke motorcycle oil. I'm going to top it off with the extra bottle of 10w-40 4-stroke motorcycle oil I've got. Should I worry about doing this?

I'm too new at looking after a bike to have any practical experience with wrecking a clutch, but everyone I've spoken to and every article I've read says as long as it does NOT have a sticker saying it has "friction modifiers" or is "energy conserving", then it will not wreck anything.
Apparently, there are 4-stroke motorcycle oils for bikes with dry clutches. If the quart you have is this type and if it has any of those stickers then I wouldn't use it without checking into it.
I also read somewhere that any oils which are paraffin-based should NOT be used. Anybody know about that?

 

[arfstrom]

I just went and put in the Shell Rotella Triple protection. I started examining the difference between the YamaLube, and the Shell. What was the same, was the MA. I didnt know that before hand. FWIW Tobie

http://www.shell.com/home/content/rotella/products/
I noticed the one thing us Bikers need to know, is the Grade MA.

From http://bikeadvice.in/engine-oils/ says
MA – Grade for Wet Clutch type vehicles (HIGH FRICTION VEHICLES. Non Clutch Slipping Oil)

Which Rotella carries, I suspect there are other options available.

 

[domains]

Car motor oil and diesel even better ( diesels work harder)

They place none slip additives for atvs, means less protection.

If you warm up your motor a few mins the clutch will not slip.

Had car oil in a 4x4 atv i lifted 6inches with 30inch tires. drove 4 years no issues.

My father a retired mechanic placed diesel oil in everything including lawn mower.

 

[domains]

When buying oil look on back for ingredients in the round lable.

Need cf and sf( if i remember ) for more slip.

 

[Lou Ranger]

http://www.shell.com/home/content/rotella/products/ I noticed the one thing us Bikers need to know, is the Grade MA.

From http://bikeadvice.in/engine-oils/ says MA – Grade for Wet Clutch type vehicles (HIGH FRICTION VEHICLES. Non Clutch Slipping Oil) Which Rotella carries....

?? I am more confused after reading these. According to the first link, we are NOT to use CF or CJ grades in our bikes. All of the Rotella T products are CJ-4 - & so can NOT be used.
Nowhere on the Rotella site do they talk about MA grade. Shell does have oils that are MA or MA2 grade but NONE of them are Rotella:

http://www.shell.com/home/content/p...es/find_right_bike_oils/4_stroke_engine_oils/ ​

 

[arfstrom]

MA It was in the Yellow block, Second line down, at the end. I didn't look for any of those other acronyms. Those extra Table jpg images. easy to miss on a Find function.

 

[Renegade]

Wow...there is a buttload of information in here...glad I found it. Now I will have to look more into it as well.

To be honest, I've been running Pennzoil 10w40 in my 82 Maxim since I got it. When I was first learning, my girlfriends uncle (an old school biker who started on the XS400) told me that this was the best stuff to use. "Pair it with a K&N filter and change it all every 3000 miles or so, or 3-4 months, and you'll be right as rain."

So far he's been right...

 

[ken56]

WOW, Just realized how little I know about oil. I've been using 10w40 synthetic bike oil and now thinking it should be 20-50??. My question is because these bikes were designed to run on conventional oil are there still benifits to using synthetic and does it justify the extra cost? Any thoughts?

 

[Scorpio1963]

What a great thread,I have been Castrol 20w50 during the warmer months but Im going with Rotella when I do my next oil change.

 

[Lou Ranger]

... My question is because these bikes were designed to run on conventional oil are there still benifits to using synthetic and does it justify the extra cost? Any thoughts?

I believe some synthetics would be deadly, but if there are any synthetics with an "MA" rating, they would be fine - though maybe unnecessary for an old xs.

Lots of opinions. Dave posted some good info here:

http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9701&highlight=synthetic
​

 

[arfstrom]

Re: Put your opinion on the oil I'm using
What a great thread,I have been

Your right, Perhaps Travis will put this up with Engine & Transmission, on the Tech section.

 

[Travis]

Sure.. Thanks for the message.