Oil on sale

[marcmax]

Don't want to start an oil discussion but just wanted to let anyone in the US who has an Autozone nearby that all of their motorcycle oil is $2 off per quart. I was in to get supplies to change by truck oil and saw it, asked and was told it is nationwide. My store had Castrol 10w40, 20w50 and Valvoline 10w40 for $1.99 a quart after the discount. I bought all the Castrol my store had and put it in the garage. I don't think the price will get any lower.

[montmil]

Wish my local Auto Zones stores carried the correct motorcycle oil for my two R65s. That's a great price. BTW, is the Castrol motor oil you purchased marked as 4T motorcycle oil with an API-SG rating?

Robert Fleischer, aka: The Snowbum has an excellent essay on his website regarding specific oils for BMW Airheads.

http://bmwmotorcycletech.info/oilessay.htm

The following included quote is from his essay. Please check out the entire article as da 'Bum recommends several good SG-rated motorcycle oils.

Snowbum states:
"I cannot recommend Castrol motor oils, of ANY type EXCEPT for: Castrol's 4T oil, (and Grand Prix oil, which is the SAME OIL) in either grade 10W40 or 20W50, as appropriate to your climate, is SG rated and formulated.  Zinc component is 1100ppm; Calcium component is 1900 ppm; and Phosphorus component is 1000 ppm."

ZDDP is zinc dialkyl dithio phosphate and provides needed protection of the flat tappets and cam lobes in the Airhead engine design.


Also, a good site is Phil Hawksley's UK-based web site. Here's a Airhead tappet gone bad due to using oil without the API-SG rating. Occasionally, the cam gets wasted along with both tappets. Expensive.
http://www.boxerman.co.uk/blackmuseum.htm

We haven't had a big oil thread in quite awhile. Hope this doesn't start one. :-/

Monte

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

It would appear that I have been running NON SG oils for many years now!    (I just came back from the garage...)
Good thing I replace my engine every few years.  

From now on it will only be Castrol 4T or Valvoline M/C oil.  In the past I just grabbed the first 20w50 that came to hand...



click on the images for source & links to MSDS sheets

And it seems Autozone has both of these oils, so I should go shopping apparently and see if there is any left on the shelf! http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Fluids-and-Chemicals/Small-Engine-Oil-4-Stroke/_/N-25ie?filterByKeyWord=motorcycle+20w50&fromString=search

[darrylri]

Thanks to Marcmax, I went to the nearest Autozone -- by far not the nearest auto parts place -- and bought a case of Castrol 4T 20W50 m/c oil, which is SG/SH rated, for just under $2/qt.  

[montmil]

The Castrol Act>Evo semi-synthetic 10W40 is my choice in the Triumph Trophy 900 rather than the no longer specified by Triumph Mobil 1 20W50 full synthetic.

BTW, it seems to me that the Triumph peeps sell their "oil recommendations" and have the lube du'jor packaged with the triumph-branded logo, then sell the Mobil 1 for $60.00/gallon at my area dealerships. Just this past year, Triumph switched/sold their recommendations to Castrol.

The Trophy's owners manual states quite clearly that a semi-synthetic 10W40 is just fine... hence my switch to Castrol Act>Evo.

For the Airheads, I like the Valvoline 20W50 MC oil. Gotta have my ZDDP

Monte

[marcmax]

I bv and use Castrol 10w40 (always 4T an SG rated) even though I live in a temperature zone that most would use 20w50. I just change it a little more frequently. At the price of oil at AutoZone it makes it a no-brainer.

[Olliepup]

I live in the frozen north, no BMW or Autozone dealers around. Any issue with using Yamaha or Honda branded motorcycle oil?
Wavydave

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

I live in the frozen north, no BMW or Autozone dealers around. Any issue with using Yamaha or Honda branded motorcycle oil?
Wavydave

I would say oil is oil, as long as it has the SG rating.
I have NEVER bought BMW engine oil or gear lube.
I bought BMW fork oil just to get the 7.5 weight easily.

[Semper Gumby]

Hi Rob.

I downloaded the info pages from Ashland (Valvoline) about their oils.  The oil with the most zinc is the VR Racing 20W50.  It beats out their 20W50 motorcycle oil (but not by much).  The 10W40 motorcycle oil beats out the racing 10W40 for winter time ops however...I've had good results running the last of my expensive Spectro 10W40 in the bike this winter.  Makes for easier starts!  I'm about to switch back to Valvoline VR 20W50 for summer ops though.  

I've been using the Valvolene Semi Synthetic 85W140 (dark blue bottle) in the drive train (tranny, drive shaft, final drive) for years now during the summer.  During the winter I use the lighter weight 80W90 in the same dark blue bottle.   [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]

[Semper Gumby]

I live in the frozen north, no BMW or Autozone dealers around. Any issue with using Yamaha or Honda branded motorcycle oil?
Wavydave

Dave,  I think you are fine with either of those oils.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

The 10W40 motorcycle oil beats out the racing 10W40 for winter time ops however

I don't think I'll be doing as much cold weather riding like I did in my younger days...

[montmil]

...I have NEVER bought BMW engine oil or gear lube.

I seem to recall that BWM motor oil is/was re-branded Golden Spectro.

Monte