The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => BMW Technical Q&A, Primarily R65 => Topic started by: Adrian on November 09, 2020, 04:33:41 AM
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Hi there Brains Trust - finally managing to put a few KS on the bike each week.
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Oil changing.
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With the newly rebuilt motor with the Siebenrock conversion - currently running standard mineral oil for running it in - recommendations please for the kilometers for a change of oil & filter & which oil - synthetic or mineral oil - should I use.
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So far I have been advice that I should change the oil at 1000klms & 2000klms - confusing. Using fully synthetic because of the change to the motor.
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Cost is unimportant - doing the correct thing is.
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Thanks for any advice......
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Adrian
My policy has always been to regard the oil in the engine after a rebuild as "sacrificial" I usually change it after 50 - 100 kilometers. After that I do a clearance, timing and balance check, I repeat the checks but the 2nd lot to f I up stays in for 3,000km or 6 months - whichever comes first.
After that the service interval is 3,500km or 12 months, whichever comes first.
Oil filter is changed every oil change.
I use Penrite HPR30 (20W-60). A mineral oil.
There is no reason whatsoever to put synthetic oil in an airhead. They are not designed for synthetics and may delay you lavishing such oil on them by developing leaks.
Of far, far greater concern is the fact that many synthetic oils contain little to bugger-all of an additive package called ZDDP (zinc). Modern engines designed for synthetic oil do not need Zinc so the manufacturers leave it out.
Zinc is essential for flat tappet engines like our Airheads. I do not wish to alarm you but there are zero, Nada and zip, new R45/65 cam followers available in the world right now. As these are the very part that breaks up in the absence of ZDDP I would look after the ones you have as they may never be more.
BMW heritage parts have 6,000 nice brand new, correctly chill cast followers for the long stroke engines in stock, unfortunately the guy who ran the business that used to finish grind them and then harden them, has retired.
Unless someone else steps up to make more cam followers for the R45/65 engine then what is available on the 2nd market is it. It is generally considered unwise to reuse a cam follower unless it is going. ACL into the engine it was fitted the - in the same position.
So, mineral oil with lots of ZDDP. In Oz that means basically Penrite or Nylon racing oil (which does have a lot more ZDDP than Penrite, but I distrust Nylon and regard them as the "Demtel" of oil blenders due to involvement in questionable products like tank additive injector cleaner and really crap oils aimed at supermarket sales.
There are some who dick about adding ZDDP to other oils like Shell Rotella. Rotella is a great oil and is amazingly cheap in large quantities, but it is a diesel oil and has detergent packs that I worry about suitability in a petrol engine.
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I'll second Tony's early first oil/filter change. That first change is to get rid of whatever dirt, metal flakes left on new parts, gasket sealer goo that has squeezed out into the rotating mass and any other foreign object left after a rebuild.
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+2 on the filter change. As far as oil that is a fight that should be taken to the "rants" section. I personally use synthetic Valvoline Racing Oil which has ZDDP, at least it did when I layed in a several year supply. I just went down the aisle at Auto Zone reading labels... You can also get a ZDDP additive from eastwoodco.com which I used to put in Mobil 1 when I ran it.
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Thanks guys + I got in touch with Penrite Australia & will take their advice re:oils to use] :dankk2:
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Thanks Tony I had no idea that ZDDP was an important additive to our R65 motor oil!
A quick search shows that most "racing" oils have it, anyone here in the states care to share what they are using and where they find it?
And yes you guessed it... next I'll be asking about oil filters.....
Dave
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Just found Valvoline VR1 Racing 20W50 at my local auto parts house.
"High performance formula for Push-Rod & Flat Tappet Engines"
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Just found Valvoline VR1 Racing 20W50 at my local auto parts house.
"High performance formula for Push-Rod & Flat Tappet Engines"
I us VR-1 dino in my oil burning R1150R
I use the VR-1 Synthetic in the R65 because I ride in the winter
Menards has the Dino for $5.00/qt
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I use Spectro Golden 4 semi-synthetic oil in the airheads, tried Mobil 1 full synthetic motorcycle oil in the late '90's and had rear main seal leakage .
With the high heat that's here for 6 months of the year I think a blend is a better choice for the airheads .
The oilhead and Guzzi get Mobil 1 full synthetic motorcycle oil .
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How does this compare?
https://lucasoil.com/pdf/Zinc_Values_MotorcycleOil.pdf
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If you can get motorcycle specific oil, without it being overly costly, I think it would be a good choice .
I used regular automotive oil in my '81 R65 for about 9 years, before a synthetic blend became widely available .