Engine Oils

[Honda_CBF]

its a strange world out here, where 15w40 is not recommended in place of 20w40 as 20w40 is written in the manual and top up(100 to 200 ml) with any grade any brand is claimed safe.
In practicality using any grade oil(even deisel cars and cng autos) in any bike is what we have been doing for years, where its the inventory available with the mechanic decides what oil is going in the bike. 10w30 spec of HH is widely violated by using 20w40 or even 20w50 oils. Practically nothing happens to the engine.
Tip- googling improves knowledge, use it more often. I found this thread from google only!! And you are asking me to go back to the practicle world again - my mechanic is waiting with his inventory :-)

Yes you are right, Mixing is NOT RECOMMENDED but it can be DONE. (if one's not able to find the same oil)
Btw, have mixed castrol GTX (car oil) twice, some 200ml each time nothing happened.

[j4zb4]

its a strange world out here, where 15w40 is not recommended in place of 20w40 as 20w40 is written in the manual and top up(100 to 200 ml) with any grade any brand is claimed safe.
In practicality using any grade oil(even deisel cars and cng autos) in any bike is what we have been doing for years, where its the inventory available with the mechanic decides what oil is going in the bike. 10w30 spec of HH is widely violated by using 20w40 or even 20w50 oils. Practically nothing happens to the engine.
Tip- googling improves knowledge, use it more often. I found this thread from google only!! And you are asking me to go back to the practicle world again - my mechanic is waiting with his inventory :-)

I have bee using Mobil1 5W50 since the art 3 years in my pulsar 220... It has never given me any problems... It is expensive yea... But my engine and gear changes are very slick... And a change interval of 8-10 k mms works well too...

[sand_sat]

HI Everybody,

I own pulsar 150 from last 6 years.
Currently i have used Shell Advance Ultra (Fully Synthetic Oil ) in my bike.
I want to know after how many kilometers should the synthetic oil be changed?
Now iam about to complete 4000 kms using this oil, so should i change after 4000 kms or still cover 2000 kms more and then change after 6000 kms ?
I heard that Fully Synthetic Oil last for 6000 kms, is it true ?

[muztariq]

I have bee using Mobil1 5W50 since the art 3 years in my pulsar 220... It has never given me any problems... It is expensive yea... But my engine and gear changes are very slick... And a change interval of 8-10 k mms works well too...

thanks for posting it here.. You are doing a blunder! Using a 5w50 grade car oil that too from mobil is a big mistake bro. Why?
1. You lose control over bike.. It becomes super smooth and even go out of control. Sometimes clutch slips and in a life threatening situation if that happens its very very dangerous. Please guys DONT imitate even for testing if you have read this!
2. Clutch damage and gear pitting happens when you do that. Clutch damage is widely reported. JASO is introducing a gear pitting test just for this. Read about it.
3. May be nothing is percievable to you right now.. When it will be, it would be too late..
I have 5w40 total quartz synthetic car oil 1l with me..my santro took 3l and it was available in 4l only.. Way costly then best fs for bikes.. But i cant use it in my fazer even for 5 mins..
Would request you to drain it as soon as possible..

Muztariq'jee , when I first used that Motul cng power-plus 20w50 oil, I was in a fix, my old yamaha crux had lost much oil en-route to an important work because I had forgotten to screw in the engine oil dipstick (it also ruined my pant) . So when my friend (auto rickshaw owner who plies that route) offered to help with half a bottle, I took it . Not much choice , the work that day could not be missed, and I would never run on low oil .
Later when I came to examine it , the oil is not JASO or API rated but Bajaj approved for it's RE CNG/LPG 3-wheelers . Motul also has claimed long drain period of 10000kms and it is 20w50 grade . Bajaj's RE has air-cooled 175cc 4-stroke engines with wet multidisc clutch same as motorcycles . It is also an bi-fuel engine designed to run on both CNG and petrol(delhi) , or LPG and petrol(kolkata) .The auto's have a 3-liter auxiliary petrol tank and ability to switch to "limpback mode" , where it runs on petrol if it runs out of the compressed gas fuel . So the oil cannot be unsuitable for wet-clutch petrol engine use, else bajaj or motul would not have vouched for it .So it is my belief now that this oil may be quite suitable for motorcycle use by itself too, where the bike is spec'd for a 20w50 grade .
I have used two partial bottles of it (free - from same source) for top ups etc . 10-20% 20w50 oil in about a liter of 20w40 wouldn't drastically affect the overall consistency of the whole volume anyway, both being same 20 weight base oil .

i completely agree with you, have tried lal ghora oil on my splendor, nothing happened. I was also riding back home when i saw an oil shop, as my old bike was consuming oil i thought i will get it there.. He was just having cng auto oils and some other oils.. I checked oil level and it was below mark.. I drained old oil and put lal ghora red color oil in it. Nothing happened. But now when we know a lot about oils.. Why not give advices which are theoretically also correct (as practically nothing happens). An advice on oil mixing may go like this- oil levels are important, if your bike requires more than what you have, prefer using same viscosity and brand.

HI Everybody,

I own pulsar 150 from last 6 years.
Currently i have used Shell Advance Ultra (Fully Synthetic Oil ) in my bike.
I want to know after how many kilometers should the synthetic oil be changed?
Now iam about to complete 4000 kms using this oil, so should i change after 4000 kms or still cover 2000 kms more and then change after 6000 kms ?
I heard that Fully Synthetic Oil last for 6000 kms, is it true ?

Just what is happening with me.. I have used the same grade oil for 4000 kms in past 4.5 month, now if i use it for 6000 kms i have to go beyond six months.. I just dont want to use an oil (whether synthetic) for six months. Hence i will drain the oil in six months.
If you have used the oil sanely (no unnecessay idling, racing etc) you can extend this oil till 6000 kms. More than six month usage is not advisable. This oil doesnot contain any VIIs even tho its 10w40, hence the additive package is quite suitable for extended intervals.
How long (in duration) its there in the engine?

[chiragwarm]

engine oil filter is mandatorily changed on first service of my yamaha. Please check your bills, may be it has been changed. Also check the oil filter change interval as per manual. If its changed at 1st service, you may have sometime left.
Its not possible now to change the filter and get same benefits as changing during oil change. You can try - Drain the oil, change the filter, refill the oil, check the levels, topup if required. Disect the filter and see how much contaminated it was :-)
Paper filters as in yamaha may accomodate around 50 ml of oil. For an fz, engine oil quantity without filter change is 1l but with filter change is 1.2l as per manual.

No ya never done free service so I know that its not changed even once. I can purchase new(same brand Motul Mineral 20W40) & use a bit for the filter change & keep it packed for the next refill ? ?

[muztariq]

No ya never done free service so I know that its not changed even once. I can purchase new(same brand Motul Mineral 20W40) & use a bit for the filter change & keep it packed for the next refill ? ?

oil filter collects debris from either your oils degradation or metal particles or big cabon/sludgy deposits etc.
During engine breakin metal particles are produced and thats why its mandatory to change oil filter. For mesh type filter oil cleaning is mandatory in first service for the same reason.
Its very important for you to change the filter.. Now your filter may have lost its capacity to do that. Even your new filter may saturate soon if de ris is being mixed from the ruptured filter.
To be on the safer side, you can do one thing.. Buy two filters and an oil bottle which you have used recently.
Dont open the bottle. Change the filter and measure the oil content.. Only if its required go for topping up. And save the remaining content.
On next oil change use this bottle and the extra filter you bought(together!) from there onwards go for filter change as mentioned in your manual.

[Pinaki]

... oil levels are important, if your bike requires more than what you have, prefer using same viscosity and brand.

.. drain the oil in six months.

That is right , if same type(mineral or synthetic) and grade of oil is handy with you , by all means use that only .. that would be best of course .
Any oil , synthetic or mineral should be drained within six months of pouring in, irrespective of kms used . Mineral earlier .

..Dont open the bottle. Change the filter and measure the oil content.. Only if its required go for topping up. And save the remaining content..

Yes , this method will work .. provided the position of the filter recess is at higher level than the oil in the sump and engine is rested overnight so that all the oil has drained back into the sump . Then the oil filter cover may be opened to replace the disposable filter . The oil has to be topped up (by the dipstick level) once after the filter is fitted and again once after a short run of the bike . Don't forget to clean the oil filter recess(hole) with soft dry lint-free cloth .The new bottle of oil has to be opened before the filter change anyway .. a new paper type disposable oil filter has to be soaked wet in the oil before fitting . Disposable oil filter is a cheap part , preferably change it everytime you change oil .. or atleast every other time .

[deville_56]

its a strange world out here, where 15w40 is not recommended in place of 20w40 as 20w40 is written in the manual and top up(100 to 200 ml) with any grade any brand is claimed safe.
In practicality using any grade oil(even deisel cars and cng autos) in any bike is what we have been doing for years, where its the inventory available with the mechanic decides what oil is going in the bike. 10w30 spec of HH is widely violated by using 20w40 or even 20w50 oils. Practically nothing happens to the engine.
Tip- googling improves knowledge, use it more often. I found this thread from google only!! And you are asking me to go back to the practicle world again - my mechanic is waiting with his inventory :-)

HH bikes used to run on 20W40s, suddenly on a fine morning HH comes with a new discovery that if you are using 20W40 it will create adverse effect and you should use only 10W30. If the engine can take 10W30 without any modification, why did they recommend 20W40 in manual at first??? If originally designed for xW40 and company saying safe to run on W30, then why can't it run on W50.

I'm pretty much impressed by your old posts like the new discover of your engine running on a Kissan jam bottle extra of oil and cutting the chain.

Why did you use 10W40 and 15W50 on your bike when manual says strictly 20W40??

Don't take it as personal attack. I don't advocate things that I never tried or I am never sure of.

[sand_sat]

Just what is happening with me.. I have used the same grade oil for 4000 kms in past 4.5 month, now if i use it for 6000 kms i have to go beyond six months.. I just dont want to use an oil (whether synthetic) for six months. Hence i will drain the oil in six months.
If you have used the oil sanely (no unnecessay idling, racing etc) you can extend this oil till 6000 kms. More than six month usage is not advisable. This oil doesnot contain any VIIs even tho its 10w40, hence the additive package is quite suitable for extended intervals.
How long (in duration) its there in the engine?

I have filled it in Engine, when i have done my servicing in the end of the December at 24/12/2012. After that i have gone for a ride in Pune, and now i have completed 3598 kms and three months over.

Also tell which oil should i put now,since summer has started and we can't use 10W40 grade oil in summer.So now can i go with Castrol Active 20w40, or any other you can suggest.

[muztariq]

HH bikes used to run on 20W40s, suddenly on a fine morning HH comes with a new discovery that if you are using 20W40 it will create adverse effect and you should use only 10W30. If the engine can take 10W30 without any modification, why did they recommend 20W40 in manual at first??? If originally designed for xW40 and company saying safe to run on W30, then why can't it run on W50.

I'm pretty much impressed by your old posts like the new discover of your engine running on a Kissan jam bottle extra of oil and cutting the chain.

Why did you use 10W40 and 15W50 on your bike when manual says strictly 20W40??

Don't take it as personal attack. I don't advocate things that I never tried or I am never sure of.

10w40 is better than 20w40 on any given day..
I was pointing to the irony here where 15w40 is not considered good in place of 20w40 (pinkiji's post sometime back) and mixing 200 ml of any oil is considered safe.
(pinakijis post).
I have never used 15w50 grace oil in my bi,e.. Used castrol power 1 15w40 though.
I also remember you typing engine oil content is 1l with or without filter change for an fz- why you wrote it when you are not sure? As its 1.2 l with filter change. I removed extra oil i put no matter whats the volume. Its the dipstick volume that matters and not the volume you put.
I have myself mixed oils but dont advice mixing oils to others.
Regarding chain cut- i have experienced it and from 25k i went till 50k as the mechanic pulled out a link.. I was typing what i have experienced.. From the chain cut posts i changed by stance to typing whats theoretically correct no matter what pratical experience i have.

There is a live example of a senior member using car grade fs oil in his bike; above 5-6 posts.. That too from three years.. But you must be knowing its not at all safe. Practical experiences are not always correct.

[Honda_CBF]

10w40 is better than 20w40 on any given day..

only if bike is operated, or going to be operated (including cold starts) in lower temperatures (below 0'C to something around 38'C)

[muztariq]

only if bike is operated, or going to be operated (including cold starts) in lower temperatures (below 0'C to something around 38'C)

Not true. Check my post 4704 for clarity.. Its better even at room temp. Also its w40 so it will thin similarly as 20w40 at any given temp.. Hence better than 20w40 anywhere in the world.. But yes it will have more VIIs then 20w40, but as shell advance ultra does not contain any vii its better all round than 20w40 corresponding grades.

[Honda_CBF]

Not true. Check my post 4704 for clarity.. Its better even at room temp. Also its w40 so it will thin similarly as 20w40 at any given temp.. Hence better than 20w40 anywhere in the world.. But yes it will have more VIIs then 20w40, but as shell advance ultra does not contain any vii its better all round than 20w40 corresponding grades.

so your earlier post was towads FS oil..
I thought its about all kind of oils.
Btw, FS in 20w40 or even 15w40 grade will be a great hit here, of course given the good cost.

[muztariq]

so your earlier post was towads FS oil..
I thought its about all kind of oils.
Btw, FS in 20w40 or even 15w40 grade will be a great hit here, of course given the good cost.

actually 10w40 is better than 20w40 even if its mineral.. The problem is as vii degrades the oil will become thinner than w40 may be w30 (assuming). If you change the oil before that happens you have done your bit. As manufacturer recommends oil drain interval as per his tests on recommended grades like 20w40 which contain less vii if we reduce the drain interval further we have best of both the worlds.
Never heard anyone using a 15w40 or 10w40 mineral reporting oil loss when 20w40 was running fine.. If the oil gets thinner than the clearances there should be oil loss.. But that doesnt happen in reality.
I always use 10w40 or 15w40 oils in my bike, even though recommendation is 20w40 or 20w50. Never lost any oil.

Pulsar is the max selling sports bike.. Have you seen any synthetic oil in 20w40 or 20w50 grade in india, which pulsar recommends? Not because they cant make it.. But because 10w40 15w50 available with motul are better than the recommended grades on every front. Same is tje case with shell, castrol all comes in 15w40 10w40 grades.. Even corresponding ss. These guys are no fool to market these oils for that recommendation.

[Honda_CBF]

actually 10w40 is better than 20w40 even if its mineral.. The problem is as vii degrades the oil will become thinner than w40 may be w30 (assuming). If you change the oil before that happens you have done your bit. As manufacturer recommends oil drain interval as per his tests on recommended grades like 20w40 which contain less vii if we reduce the drain interval further we have best of both the worlds.
Never heard anyone using a 15w40 or 10w40 mineral reporting oil loss when 20w40 was running fine.. If the oil gets thinner than the clearances there should be oil loss.. But that doesnt happen in reality.
I always use 10w40 or 15w40 oils in my bike, even though recommendation is 20w40 or 20w50. Never lost any oil.

Pulsar is the max selling sports bike.. Have you seen any synthetic oil in 20w40 or 20w50 grade in india, which pulsar recommends? Not because they cant make it.. But because 10w40 15w50 available with motul are better than the recommended grades on every front. Same is tje case with shell, castrol all comes in 15w40 10w40 grades.. Even corresponding ss. These guys are no fool to market these oils for that recommendation.

i wont buy that completely. Yes 10w40 is better than 20w40 & 10w40's "being better" part can be only used in very very cold conditions. And this is what i was trying too say in my earlier post(s)
20w & 10w flows with same rate at 20'C & Around temperatures.
And there are FS oils in 20w50 grade made by Motul & valvoline.
Though i agree with the more vii, sooner degradation part.