TOPIC:

Street Fighter LTD wrote:

missionkz wrote: ....

Its been way longer than that

Dump it with about 400 miles on it now?

Nessism wrote:

bountyhunter wrote:

Nessism wrote:

650ed wrote: If it's motorcycle oil the zddp content should be fine. It was reduced/eliminated in car oil because it damaged catalytic converters, but I don't think they messed with motorcycle oil. Ed

All common engine oils have ZDDP. Car oils just have less than motorcycle or diesel oils. The typical auto oil has about 750 PPM (parts per million), motorcycle oil is about 1000 and diesel oil is 1200.

I can't get a straight answer on that. The only thing most agree on is that car oils have to have LESS THAN 800 ppm, but they don't say what they do contain. I have read that some of the newer SN grades have 400 ppm but nobody knows for sure because (say it with me) they don't put it on the label.

But if it is 750 ppm, I think that's low for a flat tappet engine. Optimum would be more like 1500 - 2k ppm.

Go to the Bob Is The Oil Guy forum and check the oil analysis threads. Lots of good info there. Looking through some threads there and can't see any oils as low as 400. 600 PPM is about the minimum, but I'm certainly no expert.

IMHO, 600 ppm (or even 800 ppm) is not enough. Bottom line is that low ZDDP can and has caused catastrophic failure of cam lobes especially during break in. But, even if it is NOT a flat tappet engine, ZDDP is an effective wear inhibitor that reduces wear on cold start up when oil viscosity is higher than optimal and bearings are not getting adequate protection. From what I have read, 1500 - 2000 is the optimum range. 600 may be better than nothing, I don't know of any studies that measure the relative loss of the lower levels.

The bottom line is that car makers are being bullied by the FED and our engines are thrown under the bus. And I suspect car makers don't care if your engine fails at 80k miles as long as it makes it through the warranty period.

missionkz wrote:

Street Fighter LTD wrote:

missionkz wrote: ....

Its been way longer than that

Dump it with about 400 miles on it now?

Oils way cheaper than a rebuild.

Dave

missionkz wrote: Does anyone know approximately when Castrol changed the formula on the GTX?
Five or six years ago I found the 4 gallon bottles of 20w-50w GTX on sale for something crazy, like $8.99 at Wallmart (or equiv) and I bought six of them.... been using it up over the years and oil changed the bike a month ago with the last of it.
Dump it out and change the filter?
Tossed the bottle weeks ago,
Bugs me now because I have three, 1g bottles of the Rotella T 15w-40w I could have used this time.

But then again you have used it for 5 or 6 years and what maybe for 7 oil changes without a problem with the clutch, right? ..... so you would think a problem would have shown up by now.

I'm planning on switching just to see what happens. You're right Bounty, the makers don't care what happens. My daughter went in for a recall, they changed the oil, put in 5/30 oil. She came out to see me last weekend two months later, we checked her oil and it was dry! When I bought her the car two years ago, I put in Castrol 20/50 and three oil changes, it never was lower that a quart or so. That SHT just evaporated and damn near cost her the car! "That's what they said it is called for in the manual." "I don't give a FK if you lose 2 miles per gallon. You use this damnit!" So I filled it up with the good stuff and changed the filter.
They use the cheapest oil in hopes it won't be checked and they will sell another car. NOT FROM THEM.
GM has asked Congress to wave the warranties while they were in receivership. We had to bail them out in 08, now they want to get away with putting out faulty cars. You know what? They'll probably do it.
Enough. Sorry.
Steve

missionkz wrote: Does anyone know approximately when Castrol changed the formula on the GTX?
Five or six years ago I found the 4 gallon bottles of 20w-50w GTX on sale for something crazy, like $8.99 at Wallmart (or equiv) and I bought six of them.... been using it up over the years and oil changed the bike a month ago with the last of it.
Dump it out and change the filter?
Tossed the bottle weeks ago,
Bugs me now because I have three, 1g bottles of the Rotella T 15w-40w I could have used this time.

The regulations affected oil formulas back around 2004. That's the date by which the EPA mandated catalytic converters needed to last at least 100,000 miles. Ed

I wish they would. A bad plug wire can ruin one so that's a lame excuse in my book. In Californicate you have to buy a approved one with code numbers on it. Of course they cost a lot more. The smog tech. has to visually record the number when he tests the car. (My other neighbor has a test only). Lots of sweet heart deals and money to be made.
Steve

KZB2 650 wrote:

missionkz wrote: Does anyone know approximately when Castrol changed the formula on the GTX?
Five or six years ago I found the 4 gallon bottles of 20w-50w GTX on sale for something crazy, like $8.99 at Wallmart (or equiv) and I bought six of them.... been using it up over the years and oil changed the bike a month ago with the last of it.
Dump it out and change the filter?
Tossed the bottle weeks ago,
Bugs me now because I have three, 1g bottles of the Rotella T 15w-40w I could have used this time.

But then again you have used it for 5 or 6 years and what maybe for 7 oil changes without a problem with the clutch, right? ..... so you would think a problem would have shown up by now.

Well... I used some of those gallon jugs for topping off the cars and for changing the oil in my PU truck too.
Yes, I have used the GTX in my bikes for maybe 30 years and not had a wet clutch issue so I'm either super lucky or .... ? I don't know.
I've used the Rotella T in the bikes for only a few years, and with very limited road use in those 4 or 5 years too.
Life got in the way.
But for the spring time wash out this year, I did use the last gallon jug of the old GTX.
Guess I better wash it all out.

I switched from Castrol GTX when Mr. Turbo recommended Rotella and said Walmart sells it cheap.

Indirectly, wiredgeorge is the one who got me to switch to Shell Rotella.
Whenever Chevron Delo is cheaper, I use that. Valvoline Premium Blue is another one, but it's usually pricy.

PS: in colder climates 15W-40 may not be suitable for starting a cold engine.

I still have GTX in mine now. No problems. About due for a oil change. I have a empty, it lists; API,SN,SM,SL or SI, whatever the F that means.
Steve

O went looking yesterday at Walmart,, and couldn't find any motorcycle specific oil, but I did find several diff forms of the rotella.... No 10-40 tho? Which type (t1,t3,t5,ect) (rotella) is best? And if I can't find 10-40, which weight? I'm in east tn, winters get down to 20f, summers up to 105f, but prob won't ever ride below 40 degrees f....