Oil changes in cars are overrated. I change my car oil about every 40,000 miles or so. I don't use synthetic, I jut top it off with what ever oil the are selling at the gas station I'm at. I have had two cars over the last 15 years both of which had over 200k miles on a good running engine when I traded them in. I also ran them hard their entire life. One was a mazda the other a honda. I can understand an air cooled motorcycle that uses it's engine oil for the transmission needing regular oil changes. But I still can't see paying the same price for a quart that I can get a gallon for. That's my opinion anyway.
On 6/25/10, Joey Kelley <[email protected]> wrote: > Graham, > I haven't done it - yet - in my NH - however - I see no > reason the effect it had on my car engine wouldn't translate to an air > cooled engine. The reason behind the better gas mileage, more power, > lower operating temperature is very simple - reduced friction within > the engine. No one has been able to dispute that a synthetically > constructed lubricant has a lower friction point than a refined crude > based lubricant. I think the debate is really over if it is 'worth it' > either $$ wise or in engine life / performance. > That is really a question that as an Amsoil dealer I would > have told you yes - it was worth it. As an ordinary man to man, I > think it depends greatly on the situation, if its a leased vehicle > you're going to turn in and will then be someone elses problem - > probably not. If its a vehicle that has high mileage and is already > showing some issues - again - this isn't a magic cure-all for engine > problems. However, if your vehicle has moderate mileage and no obvious > known issues, Synthetic oil can provide some tangible benefits. Cold > starting (again, probably not relevant here) being the most obvious / > easiest to demonstrate. > One thing to be wary of - the 'Synthetic blend' oil - > these are synthetic additives on top of a crude oil. They generally > provide no mileage guarantee over a traditional oil and cost more. I > would make the statement that the additives are better - however, this > is is sort of like wearing half a leather jacket. It doesn't work too > well. I recommend either going fully synthetic or staying fully > traditional - either one is fine - both have their advantages and > disadvantages. > I will not go into the political realm that often comes > up in this area - I am trying to remain informative and neutral here. > I will make one comment on the subject of 'reducing our > dependency on foreign oil' - although I wouldn't make the statement > that all lubricating oil comes from overseas - it is safe to assume > that at least a fair percentage of it does. If we went to synthetic > lubricants, exclusively, from any manufacturer, we would reduce our > dependency on oil, foreign or domestic. > If anyone has further questions - I'll answer them off > list - I understand we're not in the business of using this list as a > soapbox for which sort of oil works best. > On a personal note - one earlier 'oil thread' lead me to > realize the problem I've been having with clutch slipping is directly > related to the cheap oils I've been using in the bike of late. I won't > be doing that again. Next time around, it will be a change of Amsoil. > -Joey > > On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 6:09 PM, Graham Rogers <[email protected]> wrote: >> Very good Joey, do you think Amsoil would reducing engine temp in an air >> cooled m/cycle? I should say has anyone tested to see if it does reduce >> the >> engine temp? Graham >> >> On Jun 25, 2010, at 4:35 PM, Joey Kelley wrote: >> >>> Graham and All, >>> I am not a chemist - nor do I play one on TV - but - I do >>> live in one of the colder states in the US (by colder I mean that we >>> do get snow and that the winter temperatures often hover around or >>> below freezing) so I do have the occasion to see one of the major >>> benefits of Synthetic oil, cold weather starting. This doesn't apply >>> (I Hope!) to anyone on a motorcycle but it did prove the concept to >>> me. >>> First the background and financial benefits: >>> I used to have a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix with a 3.1L V6. I >>> ran 3000 miles on conventional oil changes for many miles. I began >>> looking at the prices one day on a Mobil 1 Synthetic change and >>> discovered that the price was less than double what my conventional >>> changes were costing me. In other words if I ran 6,000 mile changes, I >>> would be ahead of the game. I went for it. I only did two changes with >>> Mobil 1 and a friend, and Amsoil dealer, mentioned Amsoil to me and >>> offered me a case at a good price. I ran my first oil change 10,000 >>> miles on Amsoil and the oil didn't appear to have broken down at all >>> on draining. I vowed to run that next change for 12,000 and wound up >>> trading the car in before I had to drain it again. I assume that the >>> oil would have been good as new. I determined that the Amsoil was >>> costing me approximately three times as much as a conventional name >>> brand oil - but I was running it four times longer. In effect, a 25% >>> savings. >>> Here was the difference in performance: >>> Operating temperature of engine: >>> Conventional - 210 degrees >>> Mobil 1 - 200 degrees >>> Amsoil - 190 >>> Gas mileage increase: >>> Conventional - 0 >>> Mobil 1 - 2 MPG average >>> Amsoil - 5 MPG average >>> >>> The real proof one day that the synthetic had superior >>> cold temperature performance was the day I went out to start the >>> Pontiac in -30 degrees F temperatures. I was running Severe Service >>> 0w30 Amsoil at the time and I put the key in the ignition and turned >>> it and the engine fired right up. Just like it was 50 degrees outside. >>> I left the engine idling for a few minutes and when I shifted the >>> automatic transmission (still conventional lube) into reverse it took >>> about 30 seconds to shift into gear. It hit hard when it did too. >>> I did have one experience a few years earlier with my >>> Dad's 1987 HD FLHTC. It had been modified with domed pistons and HI po >>> cams, valves, heads etc. (Stage II Screaming Eagle Kit) The starter on >>> the 87 Hogs was known to be weak and the bike would often have to be >>> jumped if it didn't fire right away. In an attempt to make it easier >>> to start, we put Mobil 1 V-Twin synthetic oil in to the old beast. Not >>> only did it improve the starting characteristics, we actually had to >>> drop the idle jet down by about 33 percent, proof that the reduced >>> friction was in fact working. >>> Just my thoughts and experiences - prices and such may >>> vary as all of this was at least three years ago. >>> -Joey >>> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > -- Sent from my mobile device -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
