Another "Oil related" question

Thumperabbit · Scooby Slapper Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Karma :

My apologies if this has been covered on a previous post.

Right. My oil is getting rather low, a friend of mine has said that when oil get's fairly low it's best to do a complete oil change rather then just top it up. Is this true? As I know that oil changes are best done after every 2-3k miles. My bikes already had a oil change about 1k miles ago.

Also, I know I need a 4 stroke SAE 10W40 engine oil(According to my manual), however, from the oils have had a look at in my local petrol station shop theres ordinary "10W40" oil, then theres "2 stroke 10W40" oil. Does this mean that the ordinary "10W40" is actualy 4 stroke? As it 4 stroke wasn't written on the container.
____________________
Name:Dan
Ride: Yamaha XV535 Virago
Licence: A2 (2 Year restriction, 20 month's to go)

bish777 · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Karma :

Theres 2 stroke oil, but thats particular to 2 smokes. They have a different way of using oils to 4 strokes.

You need normal 10/40 engine oil. What brand or grade will depend on the bike. For the majority of non sportbikes and older machines, supermarket brand 10/40 car oil will do fine.

Go ahead and top up. If you let the oil run low youll regret it.
____________________
GSXR1100J

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

yep just usual car oil for a 4stroke, any 4 stroke, Very Happy

yep its a gimme that they expect you to know that Very Happy

just top it up if you only just done the oil and filter change chances are their never was enough oil in it in the first place
____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

Thumperabbit · Scooby Slapper Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Karma :

Fantastic

Waking up early to get that weight off my chest first thing tomorrow.
____________________
Name:Dan
Ride: Yamaha XV535 Virago
Licence: A2 (2 Year restriction, 20 month's to go)

ZRX61 · Victor Meldrew Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Karma :

cestrian · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Karma :

10w40 semi-synthetic is what you need but DO NOT get the Energy Conserving oil, its not good for clutches. Look for CarLube 10w40 semi-synthetic, about £12 per 5l at a motor factors.

Thumperabbit · Scooby Slapper Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Karma :

Erm, I went for Fully Synthetic before reading this, please don't tell me i've buggered up my bike Razz

____________________
Name:Dan
Ride: Yamaha XV535 Virago
Licence: A2 (2 Year restriction, 20 month's to go)

Walloper · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Karma :

Your engine should use oil as normal.

It should not be excessive.
You should check the level every week. (Or every day when tooooring and doing mental amounts of miles.)

Top up between service should be almost what you have left in the can after service.

Unless you run a BMW they drink oil as the engines are pre Crimian War. Laughing

You friend is almost right as if the oil is way down it may never have been topped up since the last service.
If it is now at the recomended service interval then change the oil.
But this is not how you calculate oil changes Embarassed

So your mate may still be a twat. (But he's your mate so I'm not at liberty to say Smile

)
____________________
W-ireless A-rtificial L-ifeform L-imited to O-bservation P-eacekeeping and E-fficient R-epair

Walloper · Super Spammer Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Karma :

bish777 · World Chat Champion Joined: 11 Nov 2004 Karma :

If i was running a highly tuned, ultra lightweight modern sports bike that has alsorts of coatings and jiggery pokery in the motor Id run fully synthetic all singing all dancing bike oil

But for oldskool lower revving motors car oil does just fine. My FJ1200 started my ownership at about 30,000 miles and left my hands at 80,000 miles on 7 quid a can halvoline oil. Valves and camchain were done at 75000-that revealed virtually flawless valvegear and cams.

My GSXR1100 ran the same oil for 10,000 miles and again when inspecting and adjusting the valves, the valvetrain was remarkably free of wear.
____________________
GSXR1100J

Pete. · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

I doubt you could hurt your VanVan no matter what oil you put in it. There's no real benefit for such a lowly-stressed engine to be spending £35 a gallon on oil just put any 10/40 in it.

Buy the budget stuff and change it more often Wink

____________________
a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good Very Happy

faddius · Traffic Copper Joined: 16 Jun 2007 Karma :

Wouldnt put car oil in it, its made differently and is used in the engine differently.

For the sake of £5 for peace of mind id get motorcycle oil, any 10w40. Have a decent look at the labels, they normally tell you if its 4 stroke or 2 stroke. If not there will either be a 2T or 4T somewhere on the bottle.

mattgirv · Trackday Trickster Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Karma :

I fully drain and refill my oil every 2000 miles, regardless of condition. Frankly I pay about £7 for oil and spend 10 minutes at the most doing both.

Oil looses viscosity over time and I can only imagine topping up 'crap' oil is probably not worth the bother given the amount of time and money it takes me.

Another thing, has anyone seen any proof other than obvious guff from oil manufacturers about Motorcycle Oil actually keeping viscosity better than regular Oil does? If so please enlighten me as I would happily pay more for it if I thought it was actually worth it Confused