Usually I use Napa or castrol 20/50 in all vehicles that I own. Yes, I own old beater cars. The former owner gave me 3 quarts of Torco 10/40 motorcycle oil with the bike when I picked it up. After I fixed the oil leaks I changed the oil and guess what? The clutch felt better and was not as sticky after about 50 miles. It just plain engaged better. I remember that i had the same experience with my 900 Ninja when I changed to torco also.
Has anyone else run into this?
Went from Yamalube to full synthetic this spring. Bike has only had Yamalube since new. Was skeptical about the claims of synthetic oils. Not any more - cooler, quieter running and much smoother shifting & clutch. Made me a firm believer! It is worth the extra $ to me. Don't put too many miles on so normally change it @ beginning & end of riding season here. (April - October)
Torco is good stuff, the problem is , the price for their synthetic blend is now over 8.00 a quart . I switched to Mobil 1 red cap, (which was recommened by several on this forum) and it offers all the advantages of Torco but is 4.00 a quart.
For my most recent oil change (a week ago), I used Valvoline SynPower full synthetic, 20W50, bought at Kragen (or Shucks, or Checker, depending on geography) for $4.50/qt. It's too soon to really know if the experiment will be successful, but I've never heard any negatives about Valvoline products, and I've never had any bad experiences while using them.
YMMV,
Greg
Although I have nothing to add, I have heard bad things about use of Valvoline's car oil and its build up in the oil pan. But to each is own and it really depends on who told you what/which info is correct.
Ken
I have used Valvoline on every thing I have owned since my first car in 1971. Never had any oil related engine problems. Most cars we kept well over 200K.
PS, I beat the p*ss out of my cars, they really do last longer that way
;D
Glennw
I had a someone ask me today if I ever had any problems with full synthetic oil. He was telling me that his clutch slips only when he uses full synthetic. Has anyone ever heard of this issue. I have been doing some local inquires and somone mentioned to only use full synthetic listed for motorcycles.
What oil filters does everybody use, and where do you get them. I do not have a local Yamaha dealer at the moment, so I was looking for an online source.
I'm running full synthetic motorcycle oil - no problems - smoother & quieter in both engine & transmission. Online, Dennis Kirk has Fram and powersports pro has Yamaha oil filters. I'm sure there are other sources. I've used both Emgo and Yamaha filters. Luckily, I have a Yamaha dealer locally that seems to always have the correct filter in stock. Frams are good as well. I'm sure there are lots of other online sources.
//www.denniskirk.com
//www.powersportspro.com
H2O
JC Whitney sell them too.
Be careful of the fram filters. They had a bad batch that did not fit properly. Guys were cracking there oil filter covers. I measure the OEM and Frams. The Frams are an average of 3-4mm too tall.
Well I just filled er up with a quakerstate 10w30 semi synthetic that is for high revving and high heat. So far so good.
The Yamalube that I've been using is non-friction modified, for use with a wet clutch as in a Vision. Are the synthetics available in a non-friction modified blend? I'd like the coller, quieter, smooth shifting qualities of synthetic but gotta make sure clutch doesn't slip.
I had a similar discussion on a datsun forum I fequent. Not so much about the friction modified stuff but about synthetic vs mineral.
One of the guys said he worked for an oil company and the synthetic oils contain more alkalies and they take about 5000km to burn off compared to a good quality mineral oil which only takes 1000kms to settle. He said if you use a synthetic oil and change the oil frequently it will eat you motor from the inside out.
I don't know how true this is, but I only buy mineral oil.
I changed mine from Castrol that came in it to Moble 1 20w50, then after a run I had to adjust the idle speed screw down because it was then idling at about 2500 rpm.
Is it possible to be that much slicker ?
I have put synthetic oil in every thing I've owned for the last 10 years never had a problem with it. I had a sentra that got a 100km better a tank and all I did to it was change the oil.
I bought oil for the bike today at the dealer- I picked up a gallon of Bellray synthetic- the counter guy, who is a straight shooter said it was a bad move- he said the bike would be blowing the synthetic past the rings and valve seals.
I ended up with a gallon of the Yamalube.
So- I read all your postings, and know what you guys said- question is are all you synthectic users still happy?
Is this guys ass out or what? I'll change to the Yamalube for now- and maybe next time switch up to the synthetic.
Depending how much wear is on the bike, it may loose a lot of oil past the rings and valves or not, try it and keep an eye on it. If you find yourself going through oil then its not for your bike.
I've put about 300 miles scince I changed over to mobile 1 and it hasn't gone through any oil.
I'm running the Bel-Ray EXS full synthetic superbike oil. ?A very little smoke @ startup continues for a short time (less than a minute) nothing noticeable otherwise. ?Changed from Yamalube & noticed much smoother & quieter shifts & the engine just seemed to run cooler & revs more 'freely'. ?500 miles & no noticeable oil consumption yet. I'm staying with it unless something oil related does happen.
What the guy @ your dealer said may be true for higher mileage engines that have been running petroleum based oils for their entire life. ?I've read someplace recently (sorry I can't remember where) that it is not a good idea to switch to full synthetic oil if you have more than 15,000 miles on your engine. ?(I'm all the way to 7,500 so far.)
Guess that was the long winded, lawyerly way of saying I'm still very happy with it.
H2O
Guys- Thanks for the input-
My bike may be 20 somthing but it's only got about 3600 miles on it so it's well within the mileage you mentioned. Like I said I'll try the synthetic next time. If you guys find any issues with the synthetic in the meantime please post them.
YOU SHOULD NEVER use any thing lighter than a 10w40. WHY?As stated in many cycle mags., because they are "energy conserving oils" with that silly star symbol. Those have the additives that cause clutch slippage. And a 10w30 will thin to water in about 1000 miles of warm weather. The new oils are not like the old, when these bikes were made.
I found this on the mobile 1 site, take it how you may.
Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 and Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50 are recommended for 4-cycle, motorcycles which specify the use of a 10W-40 or a 20W-50 engine oil, respectively. These products will provide excellent performance in motorcycle engines that are designed with a common engine/transmission lubrication system or where the engine lubrication system is separate from the transmission system. In the case of the latter, follow the manufacturer's recommendation for the type of fluid to be used in the transmission. Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 and Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50 engine oils are also designed to provide the proper frictional characteristics necessary for wet-clutch engine/transmission systems. Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 and Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50 exceed the requirements of API Service Categories SH, SG/CF, CD and have been fully tested, both on laboratory dynamometers and in the field, to provide optimum horsepower and acceleration.
Has any personally experienced any problems with synthetics ?
:-/
A long time ago before these starburst oils. About 1988 on my Suzi GS1100GK slipped when I used Mobil 1 15w50. This was a shaft drive touring bike. The solution was just to put barnett clutch springs in. The stockers were weak. Never slipped again with any oil.
Mobile 1 or Amsoil synthetic. GREAT!
Hi there everyone,
Not that I think that there are not enough replies about this subject already, but I thought I may offer a different perspective.
First, the grade; Yamaha's engineers designed every part of the Vision engine assuming it was going to bathe in 10w40 most of the time. Stick with the reccommended grades (according to ambient temperature - can't remember the options; 20w40? other?, check owner's manual), no matter what type of oil you decide to use (synthetic or not).
Second, the main argument put forward by oil companies tryin to sell motorcycle-specific oil is the following: In many bikes (mostly japs), the engine oil also lubricates the transmission. The shearing pressures of the gears is a lot greater than anything encountered on the engine side. Hence, the need for an oil especially designed to face this shearing.
Fine. Let's look at all that, shall we. The greater "shearing" does indeed exist, and it does have an impact on the oil; il reduces it's viscosity. Mineral oils resits poorly here. I've read some studies (I hate to say that, it is a scientifically weak statement; but I did read a few articles on the subject, I can't remember where, plus this is a bike forum, not a Thesis review board so I shall continue) that essentially stated, after independent lab results, that any synthetic oil (for bikes OR cars) was by far resisting the loss of viscosity due to shearing way better than any mineral oil (even those having additives making them "better for bikes").
I'm still not entirely convinced about all of this. There may be some truth to the bike oil makers claim that their motorcycle-specific additives actually make their oil perform better. One thing I'm trusting, though, is that I never put anything but synthetic oil in all my engines, bike or car or truck. (OK not my wood chipper, but the day may come). I've seen in may engines the LONG TERM difference between those treated with synthetic and those without.
Make your engine parts happy, use the right grade of synthetic oil. If you must stick to mineral based oils, my advice is: use a brand claiming it's for bikes, and change it often - every 1,000 or 1,500 miles. That being my humble opinion.
That's all for now,
Louis
we have discussed all this before , the word is that they have left out the (I believe ) the zink which prevents bearing wear on cold startup , from car oils . the feds felt too much was being put into the atmosphere. The word was that racing and MC engines would still need the additives . Still ,I 'm using mobil synthic 15 50. Oils have changed since the visions engineers made their recommendations so I wouldn't hold those as gospel, besides we used castrol or torco 20 W 50 long before the factorys made any recommendition about it.
Well I did the oil and filter- changed to the Yamalube- it occured to me that I had put automotive type oil in last time- having read the postings here I became aware of my error, ref the "wet clutch" and proper motorcycle oil.
Anyway- the bike shifts better- I don't notice much difference in the clutch action, but as I said the shifting action is improved!
Now I see a very slight weeping oil leak from the right-outside engine cover, where the big screwdriver style slot is. If I had changed to the synthentic (like I was going to do) I would have blamed the synthetic oil for the leak?! Is this a typical leak for the Vision? I don't think it was weeping here before.
Try GENTLY tightening the case screws a bit and see if it stops.
Rick's right putting the emphasis on "gently". Spending some money on a good torque wrench isn't a bad idea. Anyone remembers the torque spec for the 5mm allen bolts in the Vision's aluminium threads?
Now, a little oil leaking from a Vision engine is pretty standard stuff, even if anoying.
Mind you, Yamaha still has in stock most of the o-rings and gaskets (some $$$, some not too much) so if retightening doesn't stop the leak, and the leak is more serious than your driveway's tolerance for oil, there's that option. Better change a gasket than have to redo thread.
By "screwdriver slot" i'm assuming you mean the round access plug. this plug is palstic so NEVER use a screwdriver on it, instead get a very large washer from the hardware store, and use it with knuckle busters to unscrew that plug. there is an o-ring on the plug that you can get at any hardware store. that will stop the leak.
--Lucky