Rob
Thanks for those well-considered reflections. As an Engineer of 30 years standing it's nice to discover that people are willing to accept that Engineering and Science achieve progress for us all.
G
30W Non-detergent - Or is there something better?You know, G-man, as many oil threads that there are out there, way too many of them are driven by conviction based on gut feelings and other info that is not driven by data or other empirical information. So although the discussions get heated, after you read thru them, when all is said and done, they do very little to help anyone wishing to reach a decision do so.
There is a really good technical paper on the web that is done by an engineer who is now a physics student with the goal of determining what is the best oil to run in his motorcycles. I would assume that as a student, he has a lot of research tools and technical info at his fingertips and he did a pretty good job of presenting the known facts on the subject and how they relate to vintage motorcycle engines. It was his paper that help me make what I consider an informed decision on which oils to run. This thread helped confirm that decision. Here's the link to that paper. http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Oils1.html I think this is a good read for anyone that is trying to get up to speed on the subject. For those that found this thread too detailed and technical, this may help them move up to a new lever of understanding. And I do not mean that in any, but a positive way. More knowledge is never a bad thing. One mantra that crops up in just about every oil thread, and although not stated directly here but was implied more than once, is if you change your oil frequently, say every 1000 miles, it really does not matter what oil you use as long as it is within the range of properties specified by the engine maker. Exceeding those properties simply provides that much more insurance that you are taking good care of the engine. And it could be argued you are reducing "normal" wear byexceeding those properties. But without hard data to prove it, that argument is just a rumor. In our turbine business, we rarely recommend a given product. We provide a spec for lube oils, hydraulic oils, coolants, water, etc.. and when a customer asks if a certain brand is approved by us, the standard answer is if the brand meets our spec, we are happy, but we neither approve or recommend a given brand. We will on occasion mention a brand and grade of lubricant, only to add clarity or assist those operating equipment in remote areas with limited resources. But in today's internet world, those places are greatly reduced, if not eliminated completely. Personally, I don't think you can beat a subject too much. I think a good beating may bring some info into a discussion that might have otherwise not been shared. regards, Rob Rob
Just spent the last half hour reading that page. Very enjoyable and informative. It gave an interesting insight into a few nagging doubts I had. MIght even try a synthetic oil in my old Matchless... Thanks for the link 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
Hi,
I feel flattered Rob, and unfortunately I don't have much time at the moment to write on the forum. Several big project (in Germany) consume a lot of my time, including traveling. At the moment I'm glad I have 5W30 oil in my XRV 750 Africa twin, because it's freezing cold in Germany. Yesterday morning it was freezing 10 degrees (-10 Deg Celsius or 14 degrees Fahrenheit). No ice on the window screen, but the buddy was a bit slippery. The picture is taken yesterday at my hotel in Koln. Cold gets another meaning when driving 160 km / hour at the German High way's with temperatures like that. The heated gloves are really appreciated. I expect that the projects are finished around April / may, so that leaves more time to react on the forum. Jensen
assembly of Japanese motorcycles requires great peace of mind (Pirsig)
So Rob, let me ask you -- would it be okay to run the Shell Rotella synthetic in the SuperHawk? I'm currently running the regular Rotella, and would love to give synthetic a try. Rotella Synthetic seems like a good choice, but I just want to make sure it's not going to give me clutch problems. I think it's JASO MA that's okay with our clutches, as opposed to MB?
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