Engine Oils

[ashwinprakas]

In single cylinder engines vibrations will be pronounced at some rpm no matter what we do. We have to accept it.

Be it singe cylinder or double cylinders, resonance frequencies are present, the only difference is that in single cylinders we notice it but in double cylinders as I explained before the vibrations kick in only after a specific RPM is crossed i.e a range which the engine is'nt quite used to. And since there are two cylinders, one cylinders vibe is cancelled out by the other cylinders, meaning they work in a give and take mech, hence the reason why Straight Twins have increased mechanical balance and lesser vibes thanks to their uneven firing.

They key point is to reduce it as much as possible without causing any side effects. Gulf oil is more viscous and during longer commutations it really is good as the oil doesn't lose its character at high engine temperature. The oil reduces vibrations and reduces oil seepage through rings and increases compression. But all this merits come with few demerits too like sluggishness and warm up time and loss of initial acceleration.

The only way to avoid or reduce vibes is by not crossing resonance points or trying to shift resonance points up along the higher rev range, anything other than that is just called masking vibe's and that can't be good in any means, hope you get the point. If not then take lugging the engine as an example, normally when we lug the engine we dont feel any vibes and the engine feels subtle but the truth is that the engines under strain, and at the same time if we downshift to relieve the strain on the engine, then the bike'll start tugging which makes us feel uncomfortable but in turn is favorable for the engine. Am not saying that using Gulf is equals to lugging, but am saying that in a distant sense they're similar.

And our bike is a 223 cc engine and older karizmas used 20w 40 so the adding extra load is completely negligible . There is no point in worrying about it.

Who said anything about worrying about using 20w40, am just abit concerned about using a HEAVIER 20w40 oil, thats all . Anyways am not against Gulf or anything, am just trying to debate and find more info on the same.

The oil doesn't mask instead it reduces and absorbs the vibrations . And there is no heavy vibrations at high speed too . It performs well in the higher rev range also ( Well for me atleast ). And the engine is silent with a mild grunt exhaust note I love that . Like I said it comes at a price like loss in acceleration and all .

Now, am not going to elaborate everything, since my fingers are starting to hurt after typing so much, so I hope you guys are able to fill in with the rest, since I'll be only providing keypoints that I think are important.

Wave your hand in the open air and dip your hand in a bucket full of water and try to do the same.

And coming to the mild grunt, there are two types of ways in which you can strain the engine,

1. Under revving - In which you're lugging the engine, here the engine makes a mild grunt and is quiter, with little difficulty to accelerate.

2, Over revving - In which you're crossing the effective working region of an ICE, in our ZMA is 6k or 7k(Dont exactly remember.), here the engine makes great noise.

Now surprisingly among the two, the first one causes more damage to the engine than the second.

[Honda_CBF]

@ pinaki & all,
so my bike is recommended for sj (honda oil) but i'm using SL any harm in long run?
Cant find (good) SJ oil.
.
All this oil debate makes me think why cant we tailor our own grades like 15w35 can be made by mixing 10w30 & 20w40 in 50-50 ratio?? One may say it risky & silly to mix different additives but what if we use same brand but different grade. For instance motul 3000 is available in 10w30 & 20w40 both.

[Pinaki]

With the ever more stringent emission norms worldwide , you can't get those older API grades easily (so stop worrying about it) . Only some bike manufacturers make those to meet specs for their older bikes , and some PSU oil companies do for lack of money/will to upgrade . Even these will phased out soon . ZDDP is an extreme wear additive which comes into play in case the oil film is depleted somehow(heat etc) .. then it saves the day acting as the last layer of protection between contacting metal parts . It is necessary for flat tappets and cam and valve springs areas mainly . In the long term an oil with less ZDDP content than specified for the engine might shave off a year or two from the valve train life .

As I have said many times earlier , there is no known incompatibility between engine oils - even of diverse types .. like petrol engine oils and those meant for diesels , or mineral and synthetics . This is because during oil change some oil is retained by all engines and shall mix with fresh oil . Or an petrol engine may be filled (or topped up) with diesel engine type oil by error during regular service .. it happens all the time .If there was any even slight incompatibility .. the streets would become full of stranded vehicles . Manufacturers are aware of these real problems in the field and make all oils chemically compatible with each other at least ...even if incorrect for an particular engines application . So be confident that there shall be no chemical reactions if you mix any two or more engine oils . But I am not sure mixing a 10w30 with 20w40 will arrive at a 15w35 really , mixing oil grades might not work the same way as mixing your favourite drink . But it would be nearly so , and without any harm to your engine in normal use, for sure .
Mixing mineral oil with synthetics is advised against by oil manufacturers just because mineral oils oxidise and break down much faster and consequently the useful operational life of the mix will come down to that of the mineral oil's alone in use . i.e one of the main benefits of buying expensive synthetic oil is nullified .

[ashwinprakas]

All this oil debate makes me think why cant we tailor our own grades like 15w35 can be made by mixing 10w30 & 20w40 in 50-50 ratio?? One may say it risky & silly to mix different additives but what if we use same brand but different grade. For instance motul 3000 is available in 10w30 & 20w40 both.

If you mix 10W30 and 20W40 both of the same viscosity in 1:1 ratio then you get a 20W40 Oil.

[Honda_CBF]

If you mix 10W30 and 20W40 both of the same viscosity in 1:1 ratio then you get a 20W40 Oil.

err.. How?? Dont you think 10w30 will make 20w40 a little thinner?
So you get a oil which is thicker than 10w30 but thinner than 20w40?
*i believe this is THE noob-est post*

[ashwinprakas]

err.. How?? Dont you think 10w30 will make 20w40 a little thinner?
So you get a oil which is thicker than 10w30 but thinner than 20w40?
*i believe this is THE noob-est post*

Nope, you see, the additives used while making oil's behave in a particular way, the dominant one determines the character of the entire oil. But in another scenario as in say an oil change from 20W40 to 10W30, only 300ML of oil is retained and the rest 900ML is replaced with 10W30, then the oil shows the properties of 10W30.

Edit =>

Having browsed this entire thread, I can say that this is one of its most informative questions ever to be.

[Honda_CBF]

the dominant one determines the character of the entire oil.

but none of the oil is dominating.. Both are in the same quantity, say 450ml of thinner oil + 450ml thicker..
Sorry, didn't got what you explained

[ashwinprakas]

but none of the oil is dominating.. Both are in the same quantity, say 450ml of thinner oil + 450ml thicker..
Sorry, didn't got what you explained

By dominating means the one with the higher rating and in the case of 10w30 vs 20w40, 20w40 would be the dominating one.

[Honda_CBF]

^^Okay, now i understand what you were saying in the earlier post.

[virajkin]

Engine oil for Pulsar 150

Hii i own a Bajaj Pulsar 150 UG 4.5 bought in April 2011
Till now i am using the Bajaj DTSi oil when i used to do the servicing.
I dont have any problem with this oil till now. Sometimes engine gets heated.
Till now i have completed 12000 Kms. I travel average 50Kms a day.
Can anyone suggest a good engine oil for my bike which will keep the engine healthy and cool?? Also suggest the interval to change the oil

Thank You
Viraj K.

[Pinaki]

Isn't the Bajaj DTSi oil of 20w50 rating while the recommended oil for Pulsar-150 is 20w40 ? Please confirm this from your owner's manual and tell us .
Welcome to the xbhp forums .

[prajnyan]

Hii i own a Bajaj Pulsar 150 UG 4.5 bought in April 2011
Till now i am using the Bajaj DTSi oil when i used to do the servicing.
I dont have any problem with this oil till now. Sometimes engine gets heated.
Till now i have completed 12000 Kms. I travel average 50Kms a day.
Can anyone suggest a good engine oil for my bike which will keep the engine healthy and cool?? Also suggest the interval to change the oil

Thank You
Viraj K.

Isn't the Bajaj DTSi oil of 20w50 rating while the recommended oil for Pulsar-150 is 20w40 ? Please confirm this from your owner's manual and tell us .
Welcome to the xbhp forums .

Yes the Bajaj Pulsars use 20W50 grade Pinaki ji.
I had a question here with regards to my SZR. Is it okay to run with just changing the oil and not oil filter if I have only run 1000km from last oil filter change?

Becoz here in threads they say to change oil filter at each oil change, but after i got my bike from second service I observed they had not billed for oil filter, just the oil. When I asked the mechanic suggested against oil filter change this time saying the oil itself was still good, but I should change coz its really not advisable to run new bike with same oil for long but oil filter there was no need. Whats your take?

Now that I have got the bike from service, do you think I should go back and ask to get oil filter replaced by draining oil and refilling the same or wait for 1-1.5k km or this month end and change oil + filter?

[Pinaki]

AFAIK Pulsar-150 uses 20w40 grade oil , unlike the other Pulsars . Is that changed now to 20w50 in the 2011 UG4.5 ? Please confirm from the owner's manual .

You should change your oil and filter within the first 500kms of it's life . Next change is within 1000 kms . And then every 2000 kms thereafter . It is best to change oil & filter at the same time . This is what I do myself without any prejudice to other methods and opinions . Oil & filter change is rather cheap insurance for your bike's engine .

[prajnyan]

AFAIK Pulsar-150 uses 20w40 grade oil , unlike the other Pulsars . Is that changed now to 20w50 in the 2011 UG4.5 ? Please confirm from the owner's manual .

You should change your oil and filter within the first 500kms of it's life . Next change is within 1000 kms . And then every 2000 kms thereafter . It is best to change oil & filter at the same time . This is what I do myself without any prejudice to other methods and opinions . Oil & filter change is rather cheap insurance for your bike's engine .

Wow ! Really? I think I overshot it? But the manual recommends like this:
1st Service - oil+filter - 1000km/30days
2nd Service - only oil - 3000km/100days

Both time change was Yamalube SL mineral 20w40.

Now my concern is should I really get oil filter changed or wait till 3rd as i dont cover so many km. Perhaps as you said an interval of 2000km for oil+filter change but in that 2000km I am changing oil twice but filter once?

3rd Service - oil only - 6000km/170days

[Pinaki]

Correction . I would not pay heed to mechanics or the manual on this one .
Yamalube 20w40 mineral is very good oil .Don't worry about what is already done . For the future , better keep to 2000kms change, atleast until the bike is run for 10000kms . If you can afford it , do it at 3000kms again with a filter change , it's money well spent . No problem .