I used to use NAPA "Non-energy Conserving" oil. There is a store a block away. I had serious clutch slippage in a Honda Rebel and a Dream using it and it drove me crazy trying to figure out what the problem was. I took both clutches apart and all the components mic'ed very close to brand new. I did some research online and found the recommendation to use Rotella T. It is rated for diesels (and, I think still has ZBBT in it).
Walmart has it for something like $12 for a gallon. I put it in both bikes and the clutch slippage issues cleared up within a few miles on both.
I am not trying to engage in the "Great Oil Debate" here. Only relating my experience. Perhaps not all "non-energy conserving" oils are the same. I don't know. I do know I got my sanity back - well what little there was to have...
30W Non-detergent - Or is there something better?
debate on oilYes, the oil debate is a lot of fantasy. It's true not all oils are the same. Honda oil is manufactured by Appollo Oil in Ohio and certainly they have their own package of additives. (Yamaha oil is made by Citgo and it may have different additives than the same Citgo brand in the stores. I have had Pennzoil cause a 82 Honda Sabre clutch to stick when it sat over a week. You had to put the bike in gear (before starting it) and roll it backwards to break it loose. It would be fine until you let it set again. But I still use Pennzoil occassionally in other bikes and it works fine, now. (They probably changed the formulation over time, which all oil companys do.) And I've found oils that make a clultch slip.
To clarify my other statements --- while on a Navy ship--I had to run a centrifical DeLaval oil seperator/cleaner, but it was 10 inches in diameter about 20inches tall and spun at 20,000 RPM and heated the oil to 250 degrees. And yes, it made the oil as clean/clear as new. That is why I made the statement about the little oil filters not taking out anything but the large particles, and the oil getting dirty no matter what type oil you use. It just isn't physically possible to filter the carbon, etc. at the speed they run. Wally
Thanks for sharing your info. That's quite some force generated with 20,000 rpm at 10 inch diameter. The Honda big end sludge traps get a little bit closer to that. I designed an external filter unit for a large experimental hydrostatic-drive railroad vehicle a long time ago. We used to filter the 'clean' oil that went into the system as the stuff that came from the supplier was nowhere near clean enough. Then we would flush filtered oil through the whole system to clean out the pipework before use. It was only a single car but it ran two 600hp engines driving four axles via 6000psi hydraulic motors and the acceleration was pretty special for a rail vehicle..... G '60 C77 '60 C72 '62 C72 Dream '63 CL72
'61 CB72 '64 CB77 '65 CB160 '66 Matchless 350 '67 CL77 '67 S90 '77 CB400F
which motor oil to useConfusion about which motor oil to use may be the norm. Everyone has a favorite oil, but as these engines are way overbuilt, you can just about pick any oil you want, especially if you do what everyone else does and change the oil every 1000 or 2000 miles or every season.
I say this because -- what modern 300cc engine has four crankshaft bearings, four camshaft bearings all roller and ball. Most all the transmission bearings are roller and ball also. None of which need great amounts of oil when compared to shell bearings in modern engines. Modern engines even have camshafts running right against machined aluminum surfaces... all of which require higher pressures and volume of oil. With oil and filter changes they last 100,000+ before they are considered "worn out". Has anyone ever heard of actually wearing out any of these engines from running them 25,000 or higher. They generally wear out from misuse, lack of any oil or other maintenance problems. Think of other small engines like your lawn mower, do you buy the best, highest priced oil and change it every season, then how long does the engine last. Most small engines recieve little or no maintenance, (have no oil filters at all) yet run for hundreds of hours or years on the same oil. My point being - how many hours or years will your newly rebuilt Honda engine run if you ride it in a normal manner and maintain it with even the cheapest brands of oil changing it every 1 or 2000 miles --- you will certainly never ride it enough miles to "wear" it out with any brand of modern oil .
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