Oil...

AcIdBuRnZ · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2003 Karma :

Hi,

Any of you experienced guys offer a suggestion on a good 4-stroke oil for my ER-5? Needs to be 10W-40.

Planning to change the oil and oil filter, air filter and spark plugs at the end of the month.

Gonna get a K&N air filter and oil filter - I had an air filter from them for my car, take it there're stuff's good for bikes too?

Just got the bike and no idea when this stuff was last changed Rolling Eyes

Mark
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Past: Honda NSR125R >> Kawasaki ER-5a2 >> Kawasaki ZZR-600e1 >> Suzuki GSXR-750Y >> Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm
"Chickity China the Chinese Chicken..."

Robby · Dirty Old Man Joined: 16 May 2002 Karma :

K&N filters are good, they can make you run lean but if you are keeping the stock exhaust then it should be good, maybe even make it a touch more economical.

Just got a for a motorcycle specific 10W40 oil. Best to go for a semi synthetic, fully synth isn't worth it for your bike and could give you some clutch slip.
Pick a brand you can get locally and stick to it.

Flip · Super Spammer Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Karma :

I use Silkolene ride semi synthetic. If that's any help Thumbs Up

Claud 14.7 to 1 · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 May 2004 Karma :

I use the castrol 10w40 pt syn. at the mo. Smells nice Laughing

.

Just get that grade, part synthetic and a decent brand and you cant go wrong. Then service at the right intervals...

PsychoHippy · Jammy Git Joined: 01 Jul 2002 Karma :

carvell · Scuttler Joined: 05 Sep 2003 Karma :

I use some random 10w-40 halfords value semi synthetic stuff - no complaints so far!
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AcIdBuRnZ · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Jul 2003 Karma :

Cheers guys Thumbs Up

Was really the synthetic question I was wanting answered - thanks!

Mark
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Past: Honda NSR125R >> Kawasaki ER-5a2 >> Kawasaki ZZR-600e1 >> Suzuki GSXR-750Y >> Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm
"Chickity China the Chinese Chicken..."

blue_ocean · L Plate Warrior Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Karma :

I bought MOTUL Transoil Semi-Synthetic 10w40 for my NSR 125 Raiden gear box.
Do you have opinion about that stuff? Is it good choice. I still havent put it in.
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mr.z · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Karma :

Funney enough ive just got out of the garrage from changeing mine...

I also had an interesting conversation (interesting?!? god i'm such a sad ****) about engine oil, the 10-40w indicates the oils operateing tempreture range, well sort of, if your engine is supposed to take 10-40 and you use 20-40 it wont be runing arorund the engine as it should at lower temps e.t.c. if you use 10-30 it may burn it off or it may go bad... Question

the W number is the viscocity at certain tempretures afaik.*
basicly what he was saying they are all oils are mineral its just some have more synthetic content than others, so.

mineral 5-10% synth
semi synthetic 10-20%
fully 20-more%

not exactly that but you get the idea...

Also provided they all conform to the same standards (SA AECA e.t.c.) they will be as good as the other, at least any difference it would make to the average car/bike owner would be negliageble.

The clutch slip problem varys on the bike, apparently put fully synth in an older kawazaki and it will make the clutch do wrong things, somebody with a similarly aged bike (same as mine, late 70's) uses it and has never had a problem in all his 5/6 years of owning it.

Personally i'd stick with what you have in the owners manual i.e.

SAE 10-40 semi synthetic or whatever, as long as it has SAE whatever standard (or above) then ANY oil will be fine. anything else is BS and clever advertiseing.

Two bits of advice
- Buy a tub to catch your engine oil in and put waste oil in empty milk bottles (the big ones)
- Change your filter every other time and change your oil at a lower interval than your manual says. (if 5000 do it at 3000 e.t.c.)

*this is as i understand it, if i'm wrong do point it out Wink

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Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

The latest grades of oil are actually not as good for protecting the engine. Some of the best additives are not compatable with catalytic converters so they cannot be used in the latest specifications.

The "W" in 10W40 is for Winter as far as I know. Basically it works as a 10 weight oil when cold and a 40 weight oil when hot.

All the best

Keith
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