Ok..I am going to use Synthetic Oil in my DS. I know there have been posts about synthetic usage in the past, but I don’t believe anyone ever said they were using synthetic in their DS.

Anyone familiar with Mobil 1 MX4T Synthetic Motorcycle oil? This is what I have chosen to use.

After reading about oils in general on many different websites, I believe that the MX4T is the best choice.

Some of the high points that I noticed on the Mobil 1 website about this oil are listed below. (www.mobil.com).

Of course, they have all the advantages to synthetic oils listed too…notice the “optimized for wet clutches”
Advantages

Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 and Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50 4-cycle motorcycle oils offer the following benefits:
· Exceed API SH, SG/CF, CD performance levels
· Maximum shear stability to resist viscosity shear down in high performance engines and transmissions
· Exceptional thermal stability to resist oxidation and high-temperature degradation
· Outstanding protection against wear of engine and transmission components
· Enhanced lubrication to help maintain maximum power and acceleration over the life of the engine
· Optimized wet-clutch performance
· Excellent low temperature flow characteristics to help minimize engine wear during start-up and optimize engine performance during low temperature operation

 

Clutch slipping is usually a function of burned/glazed clutch disk surfaces, not the joy-juice; thus, "optimized for wet clutches" doesn't seem a far-fetched statement.

My only reservation about synthetics resides in the possibility of dry starts and cam and rocker wear. Since synthetic flows better than "natural" petroleum, overhead cams appear vulnerable to dry starts with synthetics. Two cam grinders claim this is so; maybe the problem isn't critical for stock cam gear stresses, but: the limited ability of synthetics to "self-heal," to cover dry spots, may be a factor. Anyway, repeating what the cam grinders say, cam lobe wear appears greater with synthetics. It's your quad, you decide.

Tree Farmer

 

Were there actual tests done in a controlled environment on cam wear between natural and synthetic oils? I did search a little on the internet, but didn’t find anything.

 

I know of no controlled experiments of cam lobe wear vs. synthetic/petroleum lubricants. Not all synthetics are created equal; conceivably, some may resist wear as well as if not better than natural lubes. I only repeat the cam grinders' words, based, I assume, upon their generalized empirical experience.

Tree Farmer

 

I would think that if there was indeed a problem with this, tests would have been done my many manufactures. Since so many cars are overhead cam now and many people use synthetic. Of course with all synthetic oils not being equal, many, many, tests would have to be done.

If I have a cam wear problem in the future, I'll think about this posting/issue.

I am sure Bombardier would blame any engine problem on the use of synthetic oil regardless. Since my DS is out of warrenty, it really doesn't matter what oil I use....I'll have to pay for any repairs.

If it was still under warrenty, I would probably still use regular oil. Wouldn't want to give them a reason to not cover repair if I had a problem.

 

In my research of synthetic oils, zinc frequently comes up. Zinc is not present in some Synthetic oils like Mobil 1 (the auto oil anyway), and zinc is the last line of defense between metal to metal contact after all of the oil has drained off. I spoke with a lady with web cams and she was telling me the same thing about zinc and how it's presence needs to be in the oil. She told me it was fine to use a synthetic oil with their cam, as long as the oil had zinc in it. I was looking at the MX4T (among others) for my Raptor.

 

Yes, zinc and phosphorus both are important during metal-to-metal conditions such as startup. I read a bunch on these as well. The MX4T does have both of these in it. That is one of the differences between motorcycle synthetic and automobile synthetic. They say that these are hard on the catalytic converter, so they are very low amounts in automobile synthetic.

 

Have you looked into Amsoil? They started the whole synthetic craze way back in 1972, and they have some of the best synthetic oil on the market. I use Amsoil in every motor I have with great results. Check out Amsoil's website www.amsoil.com I think thats the address. Good Luck.