I know that a lot of guys swear by certain brands, but what are the differences between the synthetics?? I have an AC 500i with a wet clutch and an "87 trx 250 which is obviously a manual shifter. Which types/brands can I use on either model and is 5w-30 a good all year weight??

Thanks

 

Im not big on my old Hondas.....so I will just assume we are talking about 4 stroke machines.

5w30 is incorrect for two reasons.

The first and easiest to explain is its just to thin....for any weather. 10w40 or 20w50 is whats mostly used, depending on weather conditions.

The second is that every 5w30 oil I have ever seen was Energy Conserving oil. On the starburst on the back of the bottle you will see this noted. This type of oil is not for use in wet clutch applications as the friction modifiers in EC oil are a determinate.

Now I use Shell Rotella T 15w40....which is in between the two generally recommended weights. This specific oil is a heavy duty diesel oil and its commonly used by motorcyclist as a cheaper alternative to expensive motorcycle specific oil. Ive been using this in my offroad machines forever.....no ill effects. Ive still been using Castrol EvoTec MC specific oil in my street bikes......but my mechanic says hes about out and when he re-orders the price will have to go up as its gotten FAR more expensive since he last bought it. If that happens I will likely go to the Shell Rotella T in all my street bikes......or atleast the 7 I ride the least. My big mileage bike (Honda Goldwing) may still get the "good" oil.

 

First some essential reading:

ThumperFaq: 4-Stroke Oil

Oils Well That Ends Well, Part 1 - Sport Rider Magazine

http://www.maximausa.com/technical/l...beNews2002.pdf


You always want to look for an oil that is motorcycle specific, API SG/JASO MA! Beyond that, the synthetics are superior to petroleum in many ways.

There are three different types of synthetics: The very best oils will be Group V ester based, with some Group IV PAO thrown in for "balance". Here I like Redline and Maxima Extra/Ultra/530MX. Some oils are PAO based, which makes them a little less expensive than ester based. Amsoil is an example of a PAO based oil, that is fortified with a little ester. Group III has the least desireable chemistry, and all it really has going for it is a low price. An example here would be Rotella or Mobil 1. (Note, Mobil 1 use to be PAO based, but sadly has now gone Group III in order to keep the price down.)

Personally, these days I run Redline in everything, 10W40 and 10W30 in warmer weather. In cold weather I run Maxima 530MX, and in very cold weather I would run Maxima Ultra 0W30. These are all polyolester based. (Note that Redline is very slick and rated JASO MB...yet it is wet clutch safe, just like any JASO MA oil)! I am seeing an increase in torque and horsepower running these oils. Horsepower out of a bottle!

 

As for what weight oil to run, ALWAYS RUN WHAT YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL SPECS FOR THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP AT THE CURRENT TIME OF YEAR! Don't accept advice from anyone except your own owner's manual!

That said...manufacutrers (especially Honda) have been tightening tolerances, and that means they are specing thinner oils! My latest Honda purchase (Rancher 420) specs 0W30/5W30 as a possible year round/all season oils. It also specs 10W30 and 10W40 for warmer weather. I ride the southwest desert, so in summer I run 10W40. In milder weather I run 10W30, and when I go to the mountains to ride in the snow I run 5W30. If it is cold enough for 0W30, I don't want to be outdoors!

But....if one has an old school engine, particularly an air cooled one, the thicker oils like 15W50 may still be called for in very hot weather, and very thin oils may be out completely even in cold weather. (Engines with slacker tolerances, need thicker oils to fill the larger gaps between moving parts.)

Is your TRX250 a 4-stroke? The above discussion pertains to 4-strokes.

 

See I didnt know that, learn something new every day. The newest ATV I have is a 1994 so I wasnt aware some of the newer stuff called for such thin oil.

 

Thanks, guys, I am speaking of synthetics. I know that many guys are running the atv 0-30's in their machines. I know that the manual for the Honda shows that conventional oils with the given stamp on the bottle are acceptable, but that was 20 plus years ago and before the syns became so prevelant.

 

I should also add that I am in Minnesota and that my machines are used often in the winter for ice fishing and other. Both are also 4 strokes as has been eluded to by other posters. Many good points brought up and it is always interesting to learn from others. Thanks again!!