quick oil question

[tonkoshala]

Would it be a real bad idea to put half a quart of mobil one 10-30 into my S4?

[corey]

probably... especially if you end up mixing dino oil with synthetic...

[Langanobob]

Dissenting opinion 

First, if you're only half a quart low, it won't hurt to ride your  bike to the shop and get the correct viscosity bike oil.  No reason to consider it an emergency.

Second, if you do add half a quart of 10W-30 your bike is not going to explode.  It probably won't know the difference. Especially if you're using a 20W-50 like some guys do, the viscosity will still be way high when mixed with half a quart of 10W-30..

Third, it doesn't hurt to mix dino and synthetic oil if you have to.  That's what para-synthetic oil is.

But of course if you have a choice the best approach is to use the oil recommended in your  manual.

[corey]

^what he said..
i don't know much about oil... other than that I change in March... that's about it...

[tonkoshala]

I added it. My mark was right on the lower line in the sight glass. To my supprise the bike ran better. Idle was more smooth and no "acting like it was going to stall. I use Mobil 1 10-40 generally with the exception of my last change I used Respoil. I'm going to do an oil change tomorrow. Any thoughts on how adding the car oil gave me better performance? (not going to make a habit of it  just found it strange.

[Howie]

Coincidence.

[Monsterlover]

I ran car oil for the entirety of 10,000 miles I put on my 00 M900 (dry clutch)

Never a problem.

I also ran car oil (mobil 1 synth 15-50) in my Triumph 675 for 13,000 miles.  Never a problem (including no slipping clutch)

[Langanobob]

I ran car oil for the entirety of 10,000 miles I put on my 00 M900 (dry clutch)

Never a problem.

I also ran car oil (mobil 1 synth 15-50) in my Triumph 675 for 13,000 miles.  Never a problem (including no slipping clutch)

I think the question here wasn't so much about car oil in general, but mixing a little bit of 10W-30 car oil in the bike oil, and also using 10W-30 which is lower than the recommended viscosity.  I'm pretty sure if you ran Mobil 1 10W-30 which has the forbidden "Energy Conserving" label on it in your Triumph you would've had some clutch issues.

But it all seems to be partly luck of the draw as some guys have wet clutch issues using the recommended bike oils.

[ducatiz]

half a quart of almost any oil isn't going to affect much in a 4 quart crankcase.  hell, you could probably put half a qt of olive oil in and it will just smoke when it starts to heat up.

look at those videos of Cash For Clunkers and see how long they run with water and sodium silicate poured in -- and no oil at all.

I'm not saying it's a good idea.

when you run the engine for a short while on a humid day, come back the next morning and look at the froth --that's WATER.  when you run the motor, it circulates throughout the engine (and eventually boils off). 

it can handle a half a quart of 10w30.

[Monsterlover]

I think the question here wasn't so much about car oil in general, but mixing a little bit of 10W-30 car oil in the bike oil, and also using 10W-30 which is lower than the recommended viscosity.  I'm pretty sure if you ran Mobil 1 10W-30 which has the forbidden "Energy Conserving" label on it in your Triumph you would've had some clutch issues.

But it all seems to be partly luck of the draw as some guys have wet clutch issues using the recommended bike oils.

Doh, my bad.  Yeah, a 1/2 qt won't matter.

As for the mobil 1, I don't know if it was energy conserving or not, but it was the 1 gallon jug from walmart (read: not bike oil) for $25

Re: the cash for clunkers cars, those vids make me sick

[Langanobob]

As for the mobil 1, I don't know if it was energy conserving or not, but it was the 1 gallon jug from walmart (read: not bike oil) for $25

Re: the cash for clunkers cars, those vids make me sick

If it was 15W-50 it for sure wasn't energy conserving.  I *think* the energy conserving stuff is only SAE 30 and below, like 10W-30.  Anything about 10W-40 and higher viscosity is not energy conserving. 

I've been using Rotella T synthetic from Walmart for a long time. It used to be $14 a gallon which was really cheap.  Then they found out I was using it and raised the price to about $20.

I don't know what makes me puke worse than Walmart but dammit I still go there.

[dlearl476]

If it was 15W-50 it for sure wasn't energy conserving.  I *think* the energy conserving stuff is only SAE 30 and below, like 10W-30.  Anything about 10W-40 and higher viscosity is not energy conserving. 

From an oil company engineer I know on another site: XXW-50 automobile oil isn't labeled "EC" because it doesn't meet the specs of an energy conserving oil, although it has the same energy conserving additives that the lighter weights have.
The main difference between car and moto specific oils today is that car oils have decreasing levels of anti-corrosion and anti-wear additives in order to pass increasingly stringent emissions requirements and to avoid causing problems with increasingly delicate emissions sensors.
Delo is the same thing because it's a "diesel" oil and not subject to the tightened specs.  I, too would use it if it came in a XXW-50 blend, but it doesn't and it's too hot here in Las Vegas to feel comfortable with a 40 weight.

[Langanobob]

From an oil company engineer I know on another site: XXW-50 automobile oil isn't labeled "EC" because it doesn't meet the specs of an energy conserving oil, although it has the same energy conserving additives that the lighter weights have.

That's interesting and it seems to make sense.

The main difference between car and moto specific oils today is that car oils have decreasing levels of anti-corrosion and anti-wear additives in order to pass increasingly stringent emissions requirements and to avoid causing problems with increasingly delicate emissions sensors.
Delo is the same thing because it's a "diesel" oil and not subject to the tightened specs.  I, too would use it if it came in a XXW-50 blend, but it doesn't and it's too hot here in Las Vegas to feel comfortable with a 40 weight.

There's been some discussion that XXW-40 actually runs cooler than XXW-50 due to lower friction losses.  (Oh boy - another oil thread!)   

[Monsterlover]

Now look what you've done

[DarkMonster620]

From an oil company engineer I know on another site: XXW-50 automobile oil isn't labeled "EC" because it doesn't meet the specs of an energy conserving oil, although it has the same energy conserving additives that the lighter weights have.
The main difference between car and moto specific oils today is that car oils have decreasing levels of anti-corrosion and anti-wear additives in order to pass increasingly stringent emissions requirements and to avoid causing problems with increasingly delicate emissions sensors.
Delo is the same thing because it's a "diesel" oil and not subject to the tightened specs.  I, too would use it if it came in a XXW-50 blend, but it doesn't and it's too hot here in Las Vegas to feel comfortable with a 40 weight.

I live in Panama and temps are usually around 90F all day every day with humidity about at low 80% to 100% or more..if you get it.
I use the Shell Advance 10W40 and no issues with the bike, it'll run to 130C but it'll come down once I'm moving.
I'll be swithcing to Repsol Racing 10W40 since the dealer is not importing or better said, it's importing at a very high cost $30.00@liter the Shell oil. In my car I use Repsol Elite Full Synthetic 5W40 oil and consumption and engine temps are lower than with the OEM 5W30 oil???