What are the advantages to using synthetic oil in an atv? It costs three times more, but why? I ride a 300EX. Is it right for me?
Thanks for your time.

Chris "00" 300EX

 

Uhhh oh! Here we go again!

The great oil debate!

Here's my two cents.

Typically, Synthetic oils are not the best thing to run in a single-cylinder engine. They work really well while the engine is running, but they don't leave anything behind to "pad" the metal after an engine has been sitting for awhile. Meaning your camshaft and rockers grind against each other for a few seconds before oil gets to the top end.

A good quality petroleum based motorcycle oil is what seems to do best. Hondaline, Torco, Maxima, etc.

Automotive oils can be okay, for people who change their oil really frequently -- like after every ride-- and only the really heavy-duty automotive oils seem to hold up to our kind of abuse. I've used Valvoline racing oil to break in new engines, and it seems to be a pretty good oil. Would I trust it all the time in my built engines? Probably not. But I think it would work fine in a stock engine.

Pam

 

I to have heard the debate on reg oil vs synthetic,its very cofusing ,you see Polaris recomends ONLY synthetic oils in their quads.Why would they recommend an oil that runs off its parts while the engine is not running?Makes no sense to me.Seems to me that you'd want lubrication protection at ALL times.In fact,I beleive that they void your warrenty if you dont use synthetics.As you said,the debate continues and who are we to beleive when nobody can really seem to agree on whats really right,including me.BILL

 

I don't know where people come up with these myths. Pour some synthetic oil on a piece of metal and come back in a week and see if it is still there. It will be. It won't be as thick as regular dinosaur oil because it is thinner by nature. Synthetics stand up to heat better. Heat is what kills oil, the hotter they get the quicker they break down and less they protect your engine. Synthetics are perfect for Air cooled engines as they stand up to heat better. Both do the job, synthetics will do it longer under any conditions. Synthetics give you an added measure of protection, they have a higher film strength (viscosity)than standard oils. You can use either, just change it more often when using regular oil.
Scott.

 

and here's a facet of this topic no one has mentioned, at least this time around.
Certain synthetics contain additives such as Teflon, or other similar substances which have been known to cause clutch slippage.
I run Pennzoil 10/40 in both my quads & have no problem. I do change oil every 12 to 15 hours running time.I understand Honda uses a somewhat smaller crank case, so more frequent would be wiser .

The AZ HARD PACKER, calmiller@kachina.net


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[This message has been edited by hot_shoe_cv (edited 09-13-1999).]

 

<<I don't know where people come up with these myths. Pour some synthetic oil on a piece of metal and come back in a week and see if it is still there. It will be. >>

The properties of synthetic oil make it such that it "slips away" from the porosities in metal. Petroleum oils have larger molecules, thus the petroleum oil has a tendency to "stay put" better.

Try this test -- since it is more realistic. take that piece of metal. Pour synthetic oil over one section, petroleum over another. Allow it to sit for a week UPRIGHT (so the oil slides off). After a week, rub a piece of aluminum over the metal -- the aluminum will leave more "scrapings" behind in the area of the synthetic oil.

This is what it's doing in your enigine -- except the rockers and cam are stronger than that aluminum -- so it takes them longer to wear.

Call any cam builder (Megacycle 415-472-3195 or Web 909-369-5144) ask them about synthetic oils. These are not companies who are trying to sell you oil -- they'll tell you what damage synthetics do to cam and followers on these small engines.

Hey, I agree I've seen many stock engines run quite awhile on Synthetics. Some people have great luck with the stuff. But I've seen enough damage from synthetics to steer away from it in my four-strokes.




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Pam F. TRX 250R's 88 & 89 TRX 350X And a Bunch 'O Other Stuff!

 

I lost a upper rod berring in my 83' Honda big red while pulling doubble traillers full of gravel when building a trail for a hikeing group ( be nice to them they let us ride ).. I had about 5 miles of up hill's to get up while floored in low range 3rd gear..only going about 10 mph, the engine got so hot it cooked the Valvoline 30WT in the cases to a nice goo and the oil in the cam was fried on and had to be scraped off. The rod broke at the piston pin from viscosity breakdown and major galling. I have sinced used AMSOIL 20/50 with no problms, although I let it warm up to pump oil to the cam before hammering on it My friend uses $0.77 Havoline in his XR200R with no problems since he donest over heat it like i do mine Froget the OIL, clean the air filter.. way more important.. Joe

 

Synthetic vs. petroleum!

Lots of good points appear in postings on this thread.

I would make one distinction: all synthetic oils, and likewise all petroleum-based oils, are NOT created equal! Therefore, generalizing about one or the other compromises meaningful discussion. No generic synthetic nor generic "natural" lubricant exists; separate (but unequal) oils should be discussed specifically, e.g., "Pollutmore Oil's 20W-50 Owl-lard Blend."

I'll try not making the same error myself in this next comment. The main cause of clutch slipping is GLAZING of the fiber surfaces from excessive heat. Seldom does the higher lubricity of a lubricant alone cause excess clutch slippage. Each individual case should be examined separately to determine whether a lubricant or additive is compatible with a given machine and its wet clutches.

Now, cam wear? As a victim of "lobitis," the dread disease involving cam lobe erosion, I asked my aftermarket cam provider, WebCam, who sells no oil, the synthetic vs. "real" question. WebCam confirms Pam's statement, recommending petroleum-based oil instead of synthetic lubricants as a general rule, based upon their observations and experience with cam wear. Their "in general" theory: since synthetics flow more easily, and since ATV's usually have high-and-dry, easily-draining overhead cam locations, and since ATV's often sit for long periods without running and consequent lubrication flow (unlike cars driven daily), the cam and associated components (e.g., rockers) suffer dryer, higher-friction starts with synthetic than with natural lubricants, causing earlier wear.

Whether you agree or disagree, in the matter of lubricant choice, as in may others, each rider must decide for himself--if you have confidence in the joy-juice in your crankcase, and if it meets the manufacturer's standards (usually API service codes), ride on in good health.

What would I use if I could afford it? Probably, Castrol "R" (not plain old Castrol), a blend I think of two "natural" lubricants, petroleum and castor oil.

Because of its proven lubrication capability? Not entirely. This oil's unique exotic odor brings back fond racetrack memories with every whiff. Hey! Wonder if this stuff works as after-shave?

Tree Farmer

 

Just got to get my two cents in. I run 15w50 mobil 1 in my Grizzly. I run it in exteme heat and never have I had the oil light come on in 1300 miles. I also ran this oil in my 87 moto 4 350 for 11 years and never a problem.

Steve
98 Grizzly

 

Well, I might as well throw my hat into ring, I,ve ran Mobil 1 in every car,truck,lawn mower and four wheeler I,ve had for the last 15 years with no problems what so ever. On some of this engines when I removed the valve covers(to replace the gaskets)the engine was so clean you could just wipe the oil residue out of the covers and eat out of them!!!I also run Amsoil oil filters and K&N or Amsoil air filters.I,ve ran this oil in overhead cam cars with over 150,000 miles on them with no adverse effects, so why would you expect to see an overhead cam atv engine have more excessive top end wear than an overhead cam car????? The only differance I could possibly see is that the atv may or may not be driven as much as an overhead cam car!!!