what oil do you use ? how often do you change it ?

type of oil ?

  • Total voters
    38
A

audiobahn20

New Member
#1
#1
I run a CJ-4 oil in my jeeps, so I have over time switched all my motors that can benefit from it as well, to Rotella syn-blend T5 10w30, (I love this stuff)
I was curious to see what other guys run, heavy duty engine oil, dino, syn-blend, full syn, race oil.............. and what weight ? also include your engine and if it's raced or just a fun rider.

I have been changing mine at begining of every year but I'm gonna start doing it 2-3 times a year, I have never done a UOA for any of my small engines so I have no proof behind the correct oi change interval.

mine is a stock DB30 motor, casual toy for myself and the kids
 
Last edited:
Oldschool

Oldschool

New Member
#2
#2
audiobahn20 said:
I run a CJ-4 oil in my jeeps, so I have over time switched all my motors that can benefit from it as well, to Rotella syn-blend T5 10w30, (I love this stuff)
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Hmm

I ran the 15/40 rotella untill the CJ-4 came out.
The drop in zink and phosphate levels are what caused the search for something better.

I still have 3 gallons of the CI-4

I am still sitting on the fence as to the new standard ( not all that new actualy ).
I may leap to the 10/30 cj-4 and fortify it with some GM EOS in the future.
The only other alternatives seem to be going with a Japanee spec motor cycle blend or something like Brad Pen.

I don't think there is enough solid infromation out there for me to make an educated comment on high spring rate with flat tappets and all the other complexities of splash lube engines.

Add to that a recent change to methanol fuel means These types of oils will probably fall off my prefered list one my stock of CI-4 and CH-4 runs out.

Oh and for oil changes.
My experience to date has been RT 15/40 has a detergent package that is working well to keep the inside of these engines spotless and scuff free on gasoline. So I look at the oil and make a call based on colour. If it loosk like its getting dirty I dump it and refill with clean stuff.
 
D

DavyZ

New Member
#3
#3
I try to change the small engine's oil once a year or so. I always try to use a quality synthetic oil, like Mobile 1 or Castrol since it is what I use in my automobiles. So far I have had good results even though what I use may not be "recommended" by the manufacturer. Hey, Mikuni carbs and missing rev-limiters aren't either, to be sure, but I frankly don't care.

Intersting point you made, that you look at the discoloration to decide when to change. In most oils, color change can be attributed to heat, not necessarily to contaminants--this is for automobiles at least. I don't look at the color as much as the calendar for changing small engine's oil. For the cars, it's purely mileage and I do that at the 5000 mile mark. It may be way overkill for synthetic, but everyone has their preferences and their own experiences.

I may be switching over to Valvoline or Quaker State in the near future for their synthetic products. They are significantly cheaper and for my daily drivers, I seriously doubt it will hurt them, especially at the frequency I change the oil.
 
joekd

joekd

Active Member
#5
#5
I change the oil in all my small motors (kart, bike, tractor, etc) once a year with a full synthetic oil. I used to go with synth blend in my small motors and full synth in my cars but the price is so close I converted over to full for ewverything.

Just wait till the local auto parts store has an oil change special and get 5 quarts at the sale price which is more then enough for all of them. I honestly don't care what brand since the little motor is not going to know the difference, I even used the wal mart brand full synthetic one time because the price was right.
 
D

DavyZ

New Member
#7
#7
joekd said:
I switched to full synthetic Valvoline a few years back for the engine guarantee program

https://valvoline.promo.eprize.com/engineguarantee/
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Good deal. I doubt they will be paying me for my engines if one goes out--I have over 200,000 mi on the Chevy and just over 190,000 mi on the Ford. As you can tell I am not brand loyal :laugh:

That's good to know that they do have an engine guarantee though. it makes me feel better about switching. I have a hot rod that I am building and that has a high performance Chevy engine--that will probably only get Mobile 1 or some other premium (read: expensive) motor oil just because of the amount of money tied up in the engine itself.

Thanks for the tip! :thumbsup:
 
Oldschool

Oldschool

New Member
#8
#8
Things to think about.

Most of what you see in oil is contamination.
By products of combustion ( soot, ash, )
Tars and cracked ends ( baked oil residue )
Metal shavings from wear ( self explanitory ).

What oil and how long you leave it depends on if you feel your doing more harm than good.
You are likely to indroduce to dirt into an engine with no filtration system if your changing the oil too often and your not very clean about it.
Your going to get more dirt in your oil if your in a dusty enviroment.
Your oil choice depends a lot on what you think your oil needs are if your right or wrong about it.

Back in the day chaning oil in an engine like this recomended oil changes were anywhere from 50 to 200 hours.

I am not an expert in oil or this aplication and selection of oil type.
 
joekd

joekd

Active Member
#9
#9
DavyZ said:
Good deal. I doubt they will be paying me for my engines if one goes out--I have over 200,000 mi on the Chevy and just over 190,000 mi on the Ford. As you can tell I am not brand loyal :laugh:
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You're out, they say you need to have a max of 125,000 miles when you sign up

Funny thing I just realized, I have 3 vehicles here. Model years are my 1996, the 2002 I just bought for my daughter and my wife's 2005 and they all have in the 70,000 mile range. Surprised I didn't notice that sooner.
 
KB2ROCKET

KB2ROCKET

Active Member
#11
#11
These air cooled potato digger engines were designed to use straight weight oil i use straight weight 30 ... But by all means use what ever you want:eek:ut:
 
A

audiobahn20

New Member
#13
#13
KB2ROCKET said:
These air cooled potato digger engines were designed to use straight weight oil i use straight weight 30 ... But by all means use what ever you want:eek:ut:
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I've never seen a clone that recommends that much visc. @ start up (or winter weight),
but rather a 10 or a 15.

being an air cooled engine is the main reason I use a HDEO , in the summer I'll go back to RT or DELO 15/40, actually I think i'm gonna mix in a qt of RT 15-40 with a remaining qt of T5 10-30 and use this as my DB oil.
 
A

audiobahn20

New Member
#14
#14
tonite I mixed up 3/4 qt of RT 15/40 with a 1/2 qt R T5 10/30....

I seem to have quite the "soot" issue (if you will) not sure what to think maybe the PO never changed the oil or used junk, or maybe the inside of my motor is so gunked up from prev. carb troubles and the HDEO is doing its job of cleaning it out .............I can run 2hrs on an oil change and it is BLACK and kinda has the fuel smell like a fuel dilution problem from rings or long idle time, but I have good compression and no idle time !:shrug:


dammit I am about ready to a UOA on the mini !!
 
125ccCrazy

125ccCrazy

Well-Known Member
#15
#15
change the oil :confused: whats wrong with the oil the factory put in it :shrug:

LOL that was the comment some elderly gentleman told my buddy years ago when he bought his old car......:doah:
 
B

BigKat

Member
#16
#16
My oil changes itself.

I use straight 30 weight oil. I'm running an old worn out tecumseh OHH 6 hp. I use HD 30W oil. I think the HD stands for either heavy duty or high detergent. Not sure which. I always cringe when I see people putting the ND 30 in thier engines. ND stands for no detergent. ND is what you use for door hinges and some air compressors. My engine leaks and/or burns so much oil that in effect it changes itself. Because I have to add oil to the engine each time before I run it.
 
Oldschool

Oldschool

New Member
#18
#18
audiobahn20 said:
tonite I mixed up 3/4 qt of RT 15/40 with a 1/2 qt R T5 10/30....

I seem to have quite the "soot" issue (if you will) not sure what to think maybe the PO never changed the oil or used junk, or maybe the inside of my motor is so gunked up from prev. carb troubles and the HDEO is doing its job of cleaning it out .............I can run 2hrs on an oil change and it is BLACK and kinda has the fuel smell like a fuel dilution problem from rings or long idle time, but I have good compression and no idle time !:shrug:


dammit I am about ready to a UOA on the mini !!
Click to expand...
Thats odd.

Might be a carb issue there what spark plug and how does it look.

Did you drill your idel jet?
 
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