Oh no, not another oil question!

[Gizmo]

Hi guys.

After loading my 2003 Valk with regular bike oil for the last 15 years, last year a I decided (based on a lot of info from this site, especially Grumpy) to go with Mobil 1 High Mileage synthetic 10x40.
I’m in Canada and for some reason couldn’t find it ANYWHERE in my home town but as I go across the border quite frequently for long long rides, I picked up a jug at a Walmart on the way back…lots of it and a great price!

The Mobil 1 high mileage worked really well for me this year but I was a bit nervous about the whole thing so I want to go as close as possible again, but I’m looking ahead to my winterisation a couple of months from now, and I STILL can't find it here and can't drive into the USA

We have lots of 5w20 with additive but NO 10w40,

All I seem to find is Rotella T5 15w40 in a 5L jug. I’m good with the 15w40 but not sure about the Rotella synthetic blend.

No one knows when the border will open for me to get some of the Mobil 1, so I might end up riding with the Rotella next season.

Would appreciate a bit of advice.

[scooperhsd]

If you could find Rotella T6 (0w40 or 5w40) it would be better than the 15w40.

[cookiedough]

If you could find Rotella T6 (0w40 or 5w40) it would be better than the 15w40.

agree, Rotella T6 in the blue gallon jug 5w-40 would be best.  I would not run 0w though unless live in Alaska where colder all year long.  0w being synthetic only way to buy is made for some newer vehicles and some ATV's and snowmobiles and is darn watery runs out no thickness to it at all when pouring it into my toyota tundra would not recommend for our cycles calling for 10w-40 oil.    Few years ago they started making it in the 2.5 gallon jug as well which is cheaper yet especially if changing oil on ATVs and cycles multiples....  I quit using 10w-40 Amsoil when I acquired more than 3 cycles to change oil on simply because near 12 bucks per qt. is not worth it for the less than 4000 miles I put on the cycles, etc. per riding season. 

[DDT (12)]

I've run all of those at one time or another in our girl... Any will do nicely, but ALI seems to do just fine with Rotella T6, and that's the one we've used more than any other. If that is unavailable, I don't hesitate to go with the T5 or any of the others. Although I have used the Rotella 0w40 a couple of times in a pinch or due to pilot error (simply grabbed the wrong jug), I've always been a tad uneasy. Never had a problem, but for me, that is more of a 'resort to' than a 'go to'...

The advantage of fully synthetic is you can go longer between oil changes than with dino especially, but also with a blend... The key is to change often enough with whatever you happen to be using.  Mobile 1 is great stuff, just a tad more expensive, I've found. If any one of those is not available, just go with any of the other ones you've listed... Go with confidence, any of those will work just fine... IMHO.

DDT

[Rams]

I like and use Royal Purple 10W40 Synthetic motorcycle oil.   I got a great deal on it a few years ago and bought about 20 cases of it.   Shared my luck with a few friends who wanted some and still have enough to last me the rest of my riding days.   

I normally would not have bought Royal Purple, it's always priced about 30% higher than other similar oils but, as I said, I got a great deal.   Is it 30% better than other synthetics.   I doubt it but, when you get it as I remember 75% off retail, it's hard to pass up a deal like that.   My fat girl has run flawlessly so, I am very happy with the results.   

Is there much difference in oil brands?   Won't get into that, some folks believe so, some folks, not so much.   Use what you think is best.

Rams

[98valk]

Hi guys.

After loading my 2003 Valk with regular bike oil for the last 15 years, last year a I decided (based on a lot of info from this site, especially Grumpy) to go with Mobil 1 High Mileage synthetic 10x40.
I’m in Canada and for some reason couldn’t find it ANYWHERE in my home town but as I go across the border quite frequently for long long rides, I picked up a jug at a Walmart on the way back…lots of it and a great price!

The Mobil 1 high mileage worked really well for me this year but I was a bit nervous about the whole thing so I want to go as close as possible again, but I’m looking ahead to my winterisation a couple of months from now, and I STILL can't find it here and can't drive into the USA

We have lots of 5w20 with additive but NO 10w40,

All I seem to find is Rotella T5 15w40 in a 5L jug. I’m good with the 15w40 but not sure about the Rotella synthetic blend.

No one knows when the border will open for me to get some of the Mobil 1, so I might end up riding with the Rotella next season.

Would appreciate a bit of advice.

 due to EPA standards of a few yrs ago,  auto motor oils and some diesel oils, have the zinc and phosphorus levels below 1000ppm, which will increase wear in valkyrie engines.   The Mobil 1 car oils and their diesel oils are all that low.  Even the newer Jaso motorcycle rated oils have low levels, now all for the scam of the catalytic convertor.
 Rotella is keeping the levels high.
see my post  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,96825.0.html

https://pqia.org/   is the new address to a less user friendly website.
https://pqia.org/heavy-duty-diesel-engine-oil/

can also check oil analysis results at https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/

[Gizmo]

Thanks for all the input guys. I've searched around and can find some T6 5w40. I've always been cautious about going low with the winter rating because I assumed it would be too thin when starting the bike up up in very hot weather (I ride down in the south when it's hot). No one has mentioned that so I'm going to go with it.

For someone who as gone with dino oil all his life, this is quite an adventure haha!

[scooperhsd]

No - in "hot weather" the 5w40 is likely to be 10, and maybe even 20, when you first startup. As the engine warms, it will get heavier.

I use the T6 in my 2000 VW TDI New Beetle as a filler, and it works wonderfully. I once ran 15,000 mile between oil changes with it (before the Beetle developed some oil leaks). Now - I'm more likely to have put the equivalent of an oil change in it by then . But then, that car / engine has close to 375,000 miles on it....

[..]

No - in "hot weather" the 5w40 is likely to be 10, and maybe even 20, when you first startup. As the engine warms, it will get heavier.

Heavier = thicker?

If so why does it get thicker as it heats up ?

[scooperhsd]

For better protection.

[Gizmo]

>> No - in "hot weather" the 5w40 is likely to be 10, and maybe even 20

That settles it for me. Didn't know it would be that high.

Thanks

[98valk]

>> No - in "hot weather" the 5w40 is likely to be 10, and maybe even 20

That settles it for me. Didn't know it would be that high.

Thanks

u always want thinner oil at startup to reduce wear, 5w does that.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-102/

[Gizmo]

here's what I think.
You want thinner oil when it is cold and you startup. That's why 0 and 5 are good for winter, else your thick/heavy oil puts a strain on your engine.
But when you haven't warmed up, and your engine is at a medium ambient, say 70deg, 0w and 5w is not thick enough to do it's job until you run it a while, hence the higher winter grades.

Still, I think the 5w40 T6 should do me for now until I can get the 10w40

>> No - in "hot weather" the 5w40 is likely to be 10, and maybe even 20

That settles it for me. Didn't know it would be that high.

Thanks

u always want thinner oil at startup to reduce wear, 5w does that.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-102/

[cookiedough]

as stated in 100's of posts, our Valks are not too fussy on oil as long as around 3.90 qts. in it.  For me, is about 4-5 ounces short of a full 4 qts.  If anal like me,  when doing an oil change,  sit on the bike and lean bike over to the right as far as your right foot can take holding up the Valk and another 3-5 ounces will drain out of the crankcase.    I lean bike over to the right 4-5 times holding cycle up with right foot mostly until I get tired of doing it for about 20-30 seconds each time doing it.

I am anal on car oil changes as well.  All car shops let the oil drain say 1-2 minutes tops then once just starts to drip drip drip not running a full stream anymore, they put oil drain plug back in.  I think that is bad thus do it myself and with a warmed up engine,  I let my oil drip drip drip for a good 30 minutes and is still dripping out but never over 1 hour waiting for it will drip a very long time although much slower and slower.  I bet I get another 12-16 ounces or pretty close to it of old oil out vs. most auto dealerships do.  They work by the hour,  I work for free....

[Rams]

I work for free....

Well, in that case, have I got a deal for you...…………..   

Rams 

[98valk]

here's what I think.
You want thinner oil when it is cold and you startup. That's why 0 and 5 are good for winter, else your thick/heavy oil puts a strain on your engine.
But when you haven't warmed up, and your engine is at a medium ambient, say 70deg, 0w and 5w is not thick enough to do it's job until you run it a while, hence the higher winter grades.

Still, I think the 5w40 T6 should do me for now until I can get the 10w40

>> No - in "hot weather" the 5w40 is likely to be 10, and maybe even 20

That settles it for me. Didn't know it would be that high.

Thanks

u always want thinner oil at startup to reduce wear, 5w does that.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-102/

doesn't work that way   "But when you haven't warmed up, and your engine is at a medium ambient, say 70deg, 0w and 5w is not thick enough to do it's job until you run it a while, hence the higher winter grades."

suggest u study the 101 link I provided.

[Gizmo]

OK, my first statement is mostly correct I think, but clearly my second is not...how I wrote that oil gets thicker as it warms up is beyond me 

here's what I think.
You want thinner oil when it is cold and you startup. That's why 0 and 5 are good for winter, else your thick/heavy oil puts a strain on your engine.
But when you haven't warmed up, and your engine is at a medium ambient, say 70deg, 0w and 5w is not thick enough to do it's job until you run it a while, hence the higher winter grades.

Still, I think the 5w40 T6 should do me for now until I can get the 10w40

>> No - in "hot weather" the 5w40 is likely to be 10, and maybe even 20

That settles it for me. Didn't know it would be that high.

Thanks

u always want thinner oil at startup to reduce wear, 5w does that.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-102/

doesn't work that way   "But when you haven't warmed up, and your engine is at a medium ambient, say 70deg, 0w and 5w is not thick enough to do it's job until you run it a while, hence the higher winter grades."

suggest u study the 101 link I provided.

[baird4444]

I have been running the MOBILE 1 Turbo  Diesel full synthetic. Some of the additives had been changed in the Rotella if I remember right and this has the CK-4 which is better; at least according to my maintenance notes....
        - Mike