Oils aint Oils

[rossr]

I have a new XVS650 Custom. Yamaha recommend engine oil change at 1000k and apparently there is a

'running-in' oil in it for this time. Is this correct?

I love fresh clean oil in any engine and I am tempted to change to a API SL 15w50 MOTUL 3100 Gold 'MA' -asap???

I understand re. using MA oils as the wet clutch and gearbox requires the hi pressure additives etc. for that application.

But what about 'running-in' a new bike. Like a car engine where the bore will glaze if a hi quality multi grade oil is used in a new engine?? And what about the gearbox and a 'running in' oil?? If that is what is in fact used.

I have flushed and changed the oil in the Final Drive. Recommendation is SAE 80 API GL4 and I assume that is what is in it when new. I used a 75w90 API GL5 and am confident that will be OK. Any comments appreciated.

Thanks heaps. New to bikes!!!!!

rossr

(Ross Rolley- Cairns)

[Dickwad]

If your bikes brand new then I would assume you have warranty on it, Its usual for the dealer to undertake the servicing for the period of the warranty, be careful here, If you do any maintenance yourself, beyond that recommended in the owners handbook, you may null and void the warranty, check this with the dealer before you change anything.

[rossr]

Yep..hear what you say and will not do anything rash. Hence this query.

Flushing the final drive and filling with better oil could not, I hope, have anything other than a benifical outcome. I will do it again at the 1,000k mark as it only requires 190ml. To change the engine oil is a different matter.

On warranty generally I understand that a supplier could not refuse FOC repairs simply because another party had worked on the vehicle. It would need to be shown that the particular claim was a consequence of that work. Simpe example- if the starter motor on my bike failed, then Yamaha could not refuse to repair the problem because I had changed the final drive oil. The two actions are not related.

However, I agree fully that we need to be careful as errors can be expensive.

Thanks for the interest.

rossr

[drewpy]

when I rebuilt my engine, I used a mineral oil to enable the rings to bed in as synthetics don't provide the right properties to enable this. I also thrashed it for 20 miles then changed to a semi synth oil and its been fine ever since (6 years)

[Morpheuz]

A High quality oil is less likley to glaze an engine than a mineral oil. Engines that are new are still rough with the manufacturing process, its not like the old days, its not needed so much now, but it does help.

Running an engine in relies on wear and tear, it polishes the rings to match the cylinder walls, providing a better flush seal, preventing blow by and adding more power and life to the engine.

Synthetics are so good at protecting your engine that they slow down the wear process, making it hard for the rings to polish themselves to the cylinder barrel.

A mineral oil is all well and good at letting wear take place, but if run hard for too long it can glaze the walls of the cylinder.

If run too gently though it makes little difference to the seating, due to better engine builds and clearences today.

Some engine enthusiasts reccomend a mineral oil to gently warm the engine up, and have a ride to ensure the engine becomes fairly freely moving.

Then after a good few heat soaks and a few miles, switch to a semi synth, and give it a blast taking it quite a way up the revs. This is where the seating process begins. It helps to weight up your bike and have pillion passengers, as the explosion is having to push harder to move the piston, thus pushing on the rings and polishing them to the barrel.

After about 50 miles, chainge the oil, as tiny bits of metal is being removed each time. Replace with another semi and same again, for about 100 mile.

After this is done, they normally switch to a fully synth/ester, and replace after 200 miles, 500, 1000, and so on... and their engine keeps power and reliability for decades.