Oil Change - the Good part and the Bad part

[RichInFla]

The GOOD: Not being mechanically inclined (it ain't a computer !!), I was feeling pretty good about the fact that I was actually able to change the oil, filter, and spark plug (proper gap and everything) this weekend. Ended up using only 4 paper towels and only got a couple of small oil drops on the driveway. Actually had my HD riding neighbor over for moral (and technical) support. As soon as I finished and fired her up, I saw him look across the street and he give me the thumbs up :2tup:

The BAD: I don't know how this happened (actually, yes I do, I have a 4-year old and I'm in Walmart, can anyone relate ?), but I could have sworn I picked up Castrol Syntec 10W-40 full synthentic. I went to put the bottles in the recycle bin, and for some reason (don't know why), I looked at the grade. SHI :curse: if it wasn't 10W-30 !!

I read the previous posts about avoiding 10-30W, and I knew I wanted 10W-40, so much for my great accomplishment

So, do I have to change it again or can I ride with it for a while (I think I know the answer, but who knows, I'm a newbie) ???

[music man]

I personally would drain it back out and put 10-40 in it, but it won't be too bad, you already changed the filter and it doesn't take too much oil to do it. You are talking about a machine that depends on just a little over a quart of oil (and nothing else) to keep it alive, the way I look at it, that qaurt of stuff needs to be good and it needs to be right.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by RichInFla

I went to put the bottles in the recycle bin, and for some reason (don't know why), I looked at the grade. SHI :curse: if it wasn't 10W-30 !!

First, I don't think anybody ever said to avoid 10W30.

Get one of those empty bottles and look it over closely.

If it does NOT say "energy conserving" anywhere on the label, then there is no reason to panic.
I'd leave it in there until the high temps. get above 90 consistently and then change it to something with a 40 or 50 on the end. Mobil 1 has a good synthetic bike oil that is labeled for V-twins (air cooled). Get that and there won't be any question. Should be available at Auto Zone but anyplace that sells Mobil 1 should be able to get it.

[RichInFla]

If it does NOT say "energy conserving" anywhere on the label, then there is no reason to panic.

Took another look. Sure enough, it says "Energy Conserving" on the back. Well, I guess it was a good practice session. Got an Auto Zone around the corner, so I guess that I'll be heading that way and doin' it again !! Can I still use the same filter or do I have to take that out and get all the other oil out ?

And...why is "motorcycle" oil $3 more than regular motor oil ? I looked for the Rotella brand as well, but it didn't say "motorcycle oil". Does it matter ? Can't I use regular motor oil ??

Thanks again...

[music man]

Originally Posted by RichInFla

And...why is "motorcycle" oil $3 more than regular motor oil ? I looked for the Rotella brand as well, but it didn't say "motorcycle oil". Does it matter ? Can't I use regular motor oil ??

Thanks again...

Rotella is actually primarily used for Deisel engines, mainly 18 wheelers, but it is safe to use regular motor oil in your motorcycle as long as it doesn't say ENERGY CONSERVING on it. And as for why motorcycle oil is more than regular oil, because they can I guess. And actually if you did not have a motorcycle that had a wet clutch (the transmission uses the motor oil for lubrication) you could use any kind of motor oil you wanted, energy conserving or not.

[David Bo]

You can use any kind of motor oil as long as it is 10W-40. I personally do not buy special "motorcycle oil" but I do use FULL SYNTHETIC. If it were my bike I would drain that 10W-30 stuff out and save it for the lawn mower... Then I would grap a couple for quarts of either Castrol or Royal Purple 10W-40 and perform a "re-do".

[RichInFla]

Thanks all. Looks like it's off to Auto Zone for 10W-40 full synthetic. Have to admit though, for the brief time it was in there, sure shifted a whole lot smoother with full synthetic. :biggrin:

[David Bo]

I found this litte gem on the internet... I was written about oils for Honda Shadows but everything should apply to Gee Zee's.

Suitable Non Motorcycle Specific Oils

I receive questions about using a non motorcycle specific oil in their Honda Shadow. The idea is if Honda only recommends an oil that meets the API certification of SF or SG then it should work. This is a very good point but there are some things that must be considered. The fact that automotive oils, although they meet the correct API code, have some things that make them more automotive than motorcycle specific. The difference is that many of the automotive oils are an 'Energy Conserving' type of oil and most people feel that the additive packages used in those oils are not good for engines that share the transmissions and the clutches. These engines have what is called a 'Wet Clutch' system and the energy conserving oils may have an adverse affect on the clutches.

So I decided to put together a list of non motorcycle specific oils that are not the energy conserving type and should work well with the wet clutch systems that are used in the Honda Shadow's.

Another point I'd like to bring up about the automotive oils is that these oils use lower cost viscosity improvers (VI polymers) as compared to the VII polymers used in the motorcycle specific oils or the heavy duty truck oils. This means the automotive oils are not as shear stable as the oils that use the VII polymers. You'll noticed at the beginning of the list of oils, I refer to the oils as a 'Low mileage' ' Middle mileage' and 'High mileage' oils. There are other differences between the automotive oils and the truck oils or the motorcycle specific oils but that's a little deeper research than I felt this page needed to go. You may find other oils that would work in your motorcycle just be sure you look at the API service seal. If the bottom half of the seal reads 'Energy Conserving' I recommend you pass it up.


I feel that automotive oils can be used in our motorcycles but it would be good to adjust the oil change intervals when using them. Here is a general rule that I use;


Crude base automotive oils = 2000 to 2500 miles max.

Heavy duty truck oils or motorcycle specific oils = 3500 to 4000 miles max

Full synthetic oils = 4500 to 5000 miles



For this list I used Advance Auto Parts and Wal-Mart. The list is not a complete list but it shows a lot of oils that should work fine in our Shadys

I'm starting the list with the crude based Automotive oils. These oils are not in any order of preferences. The list is grouped into three different groups.

Crude based auto oil. (Low Mileage)
Heavy duty crude based Truck oils. (Middle mileage)
And full synthetic or synthetic blended oil. (High mileage oil)

All oils listed are 'Non Energy Conserving' oils that should work well with wet clutches.

Wal-Mart-Low mileage automotive oils.
Mobile Clean 5000 10W-40 $1.68 a quart.
Pennzoil 10W-40.................$1.77 a quart.
Pennzoil 20W-50.................$1.77 a quart.
Castrol GTX 10W-40............$1.97 a quart.
Valvoline 10W-40................$1.88 a quart.
Quaker State 10W-40..........$1.74 a quart.
Havoline 10W-40.................$1.42 a quart.
Super Tech 10W-40.............$.97 (cents) a quart.
Super Tech 20W-50.............$.97 (cents) a quart.

Wal-Mart-Heavy Duty Truck oils (Crude based)
Shell Rotella-T 15W-40........$1.92 a quart $6.50 a gallon.
Mobile Delvac 15W-40.........$6.32 a gallon.
Super Tech 15W-40............$1.26 a quart.

Wal-Mart-High mileage synthetic or synthetic blended oils.
Mobil 1 5W-40 Truck & SUV.......................$4.88 a quart. (Syn)
Castrol Syntec 20W-50..............................$4.72 a quart. (Syn)
Shell Rotella-T 5W-40 Truck Oil!..............$13.48 a gallon. (Syn)

Now For Advance. They had a better selection than Wal-Mart.


Advance Auto Parts (Crude based auto oils)!
Havoline 10W-40..................$1.58 a quart.
Havoline 20W-50..................$1.58 a quart.
Advance Brand 10W-40........$1.18 a quart.
Advance Brand 20W-50........$1.18 a quart.
Formula Shell 10W-40..........$1.48 a quart.
Motorcraft 10W-40...............$1.78 a quart.
Mobil Clean 5000 10W-40.....$1.98 a quart.
Pennzoil 10W-40..................$2.18 a quart.
Valvoline VR1 racing 20W-50.$2.68 a quart.
Valvoline 10W-40.................$2.18 a quart.
Valvoline 20W-50.................$2.18 a quart.
Castrol GTX 10W-40.............$2.18 a quart.
Castrol GTX 20W-50.............$2.18 a quart.

Advance Auto Parts Heavy Duty Truck oils (Crude based).
Shell Rotella-T 15W-40........................$7.77 a gallon.
Valvoline Premium Blue 15W-40...........$7.97 a gallon.
Mobil Delvac 15W-40...........................$7.77 a gallon.
Castro RX 15W-40..............................$2.12 a quart.
Castrol Tection Extra 15W-40...............$7.97 a gallon.

Advance Auto parts synthetic or synthetic blended oils(High Mileage oils)
Valvoline Dura Blend 10W-40...............$3.18 a quart. (Blended)
Valvoline Dura Blend 20W-50...............$3.18 a quart. (Blended)
Castrol Syntec Blend 20W-50...............$3.18 a quart. (Blended)
Castrol Syntec 10W-40........................$5.18 a quart. (Syn)
Castrol Syntec 5W-50..........................$5.18 a quart. (Syn)
Valvoline Syn Power 20W-50................$4.68 a quart. (Syn)


I on purpose left the below oils out of the list and the reason for each.

Wal-Mart
Mobil 1 15W-50 Extended Performance.......$5.36 a quart. (Syn)?

Advance Auto Parts.
Mobil 1 15W-50 Extended Performance......$5.98 a quart. (Syn)?


At first I left the above two oils out of the main list because of the uncertainty of its Moly contents and how this new oil would work with wet clutches. Since that time, I've been seeing reports of people using it with no problems.



I found two Mobile Clean 7500 oils at both locations but these oils are 'energy conserving' so I didn't put them on the list.

I found a Quaker State 4X4 & SUV oil that was a 10W-40 but it was a 'energy conserving' oil. This is the only one with a viscosity above 10W-30 that was energy conserving. So watch the API service seals on the oil bottles because some of them are 'Energy Conserving'.

MarkC

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by David Bo

You can use any kind of motor oil as long as it is 10W-40.

That's a pretty broad statement and MAY not be true.
[Edit] As some parts of your subsequent post would seem to indicate.

Does anybody make an energy conserving 10W40; I don't know but they might.
Does Slick 40 market a 10W40 oil with PTFE (Teflon) in it? Maybe so.
Maybe some other exotic brand makes a super slippery 10W40 that is not good for bikes.
I certainly wouldn't use the $.85 a quart stuff found at many convenience stores.

It IS true, however, that any major brand 10W40 that is not marked "energy conserving" should be OK.......key word: should.

Rich should get the super-slick stuff out ASAP. I think the filter should be changed too to get as much out as possible.

[burkbuilds]

I'm voting with Easy Rider on that. Change the oil and the filter, it's not worth the risk for that little bit of money!