Oil change

Well it's raining here in NH, so I decided to change the oil in my 91" VFR. I picked it up a few weeks ago and have put about 500 miles or so. Oil was pretty Bad! I should of done it the week I purchased. Used K&N filter and reg. 10-40 grade. Also inspected air filter, looks like it is a oem part, so I will replace that as well. Any suggestions for air filters and where to buy on line?
I must say, I wouln't of been able to get the tank off so easy without this forum! After reading many posts on tank removal, it was very simple.
I do plan on bleeding brake lines and coolant flush for next project, and oh ya, I still need to order a reg/rec for a back up.

Later,

Mike.

P.S. Any NH riders planning fall rides?

 

Hey Mike.

A little maintenance goes a long way. Nice thing to do on a rainy day.

You said above you used regular 10-40. Do you mean just regular as in regular motorcycle oil (not synthetic), or regular as in car oil?

 

Yes, I used a Penzoil 10w 40, non synthetic, this doesn't sound good, should I have used synthetic?

 

I'm about as far from a mechanic as possible, but I always thought that for bikes, you want to use an oil designated to be used in a motorcycle. Whether or not you go with synthetic motorcycle oil is a matter of personal preference/bankroll.

But I believe the oil has something to do with "molys' (???), and the way your clutch will perform. I'm sure someone with more knowledge will respond, but I'm pretty certain you don't want to use regular car oil in there. (there are exceptions such as Shell Rotella which was designed to be used in Diesel engines, but I'm just trying to keep it simple right now).

Try using the search feature on this forum. You will literally find dozens of threads about "oil" or "what oil is best", etc.

 

Thanks, I did see the Shell rotella at walmart in a different weight. I just went by what the honda manual says 10w 40 sf or sg spec. I Too am not much of a mechanic, but will pick up the correct oil and start this process again. Will the sythectic oil say "motorcycle on the container?

Thanks again,

Mike.

 

There's some debate about this whole issue, but the core differences between cars and motorcycles are the fact that bikes tend to rev faster (harder on oil, more heat) and they tend to have wet clutches (the entire clutch system is bathed in oil) Cars on the whole do not have either of these issues. Some say that many automotive oils have friction modifiers that can damage your clutch. I tend to just play it safe and spring for the motorcycle oil because I don't really have a good reason not to. You might have to go to a specific motorcycle supply store to get it though, Cycle gear, or just try the nearest dealer.

 

Thanks, I would rather play it safer than sorry too. I will be a PRO at changing oil on this thing by the end of the week.

 

I use NAPA (same as Valvoline) 10w-40 in my VF500 (and older bikes in general). You can use car oil in your motorcycle with no ill effects but there are some things to remember. The first is that the oil in your motorcycle is subjected to significantly more stress than in a car. This really has nothing to do with how fast or high it revs. It has everything to do with having a wet clutch and using the same oil to lubricate the transmission. The added shear stress from the clutch and transmission will break down the viscosity modifiers much faster than in a car. As long as you are changing the oil every 2-2.5k miles you should be fine. The second is that some car oils now have friction modifiers. This is what Pliskin was referring to with 'molys.' In some oils (designated as Energy Efficient), molybdenum is added to help reduce friction. Because motorcycles (most anyway) have wet clutches (clutches rely on friction to work) this is bad and can cause your clutch to slip. It's been my experience that there are no Energy Efficient 10w-40 oils. Most are in the 5w-30 to 10w-30 range. There is a ton more information here and here on oil and oil filters (here) that I would encourage you to read.

-Jake

 

Well put Jake, It sounds like a synthectic is more suited for this bike. 20 or so years ago I think I always used a castrol gtx in my cbr but did change oil every 2-3 k.

 

IMO I wouldn't bother with synthetic but that's up to you, your preferences, and your wallet. There is much debate as to whether you should switch from regular oil to synthetic if only regular oil has been run in the motor. Interestingly enough, I've never seen a stated threshold for how long is too long before you shouldn't switch (mostly has to do with age of seals and such). I switched to synthetic in my VFR800 but I don't know what was used prior to my owning it. Knowing the P.O., probably just Honda spec oil (I'm using Rotella T6). The reality is, I'll wind up changing it every 2.5k miles just because I'm not comfortable running it longer than that (despite what any research says). Plus, I can afford it.

-Jake

 

I just switched from regular motorcycle oil to repsol synth blend, and after 100 miles I haven't noticed any difference. As for a NH ride, I'm planning on riding up from D.C. to Littleton this coming Friday (would mean the thunderstorm scheduled for Friday night comes through early). If that's the case, Sunday morning might be a great time to hit the Kanc Hwy out through Lincoln. I've only been riding for about a year so no knee-dragging here. Shoot me an e-mail if you're interested.

 

I would love to take a ride up to the mountains only 1 1/2 hours from there, however I will be gone for the long weekend.

 

I run Mobile-1, 10-40wt. for cars. Have been using it since it came out on everything from small displacement to liter+ bikes. I run my bikes real hard (Not drag strip, mind you) and have never experienced clutch slippage. Has anyone out there actually had their clutch slip due to the motor oil? Personally I suspect it's an urban myth...

I changed every car and bike I've owned over to synthetic as soon as purchased. I tend to buy old vehicles and drive them till they can't be economically repaired. I had been warned about using synthetic (mostly about new oil leaks forming thru gaskets, which never once materialized) but once again I have serious doubts as the last four cars have lasted over 240k miles before their bodies fell off their engines. My Yamaha XS1100 had over 44k when I bought it and ran strong and drip free 'till I sold it at 90k.

Synthetic oils will provide better viscosity/shearing properties at the temps our machines run. Whatever brand/type you select, I think the key here is just to get the oil & filter changed on a regular basis.

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