Where to buy Oil and What Kind???

I can not find 15w-50 anywhere.(execpt for Mobile 1 - which is synthetic).....I have checked every place I could think of that carries oil...AND NO LUCK....

right now I am running some like 10w-40 for motorcycles. It is not synthetic.. so I think it is ok...but I need to change the oil and would like to use the stuff the manual calls for......

what should I do?? is the synthetic ok?? I think the jury is still out...what do you guys think??

Last edited by danman1178 on Sun Jun 17, 2007 9:07 pm; edited 1 time in total

Scooterpartsdirect.com has synthetic for $15 a quart.

http://scooterpartsdirect.com/cat.php?prod_id=1968&cat_id=18

I bought it for $9 a quart at my local suzuki motorcycle dealership.

Last edited by dwnthehatch on Tue May 01, 2007 2:42 am; edited 1 time in total

I buy Repsol 5w50 for 2 reasons.

1. That's what my local shop sells

2. It has a built in funnel in the bottle that fits inside the ridiculously small oil-fill hole with no mess. When you're finished, just put the cap on the tube, and push it back in the bottle, then close the cap.

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Mad Toto Scooter Club
www.madtoto.com

I knew the oil discussion would come up at some point Wink

In my 15 years of hanging out on messageboards (and Usenet Newsgroups) for cars and scooters this is the eternal discussion that has no final resolution (along with “which is the best oil filter”, and “should I use premium or regular gas”). Here is what I would have to say about it. There is no one “right” answer. Everyone here is going to have a different opinion on which oil to use, and those opinions are 99% of the time based on anecdotal data (IE “Brand X is the best because I haven’t had any problem with it”). Whether it is the brand, type (synthetic vs. dino), or weight (15w50 vs 5w50 vs 10w40 vs ETC) what it really comes down to is whether you have tried to make an educated guess as to which oil to use and are comfortable with.

One thing I would point out though, regardless of type or brand, is that you should make sure that the oil is rated for wet clutches. Generally, regular car oil has friction modifiers that make it “slicker” (for better MPG mostly). Unfortunately these modifiers may cause the clutch to slip…I think nearly all oils rated for wet clutches are marked “MA” on the bottle near the API mark.

Personally, I use Mobil 1 MX4T (also called Racing 4T) full synthetic ($8/qt at Walmart). It is marked “MA”. I haven’t had any problems with clutch slippage. Is it the best? Dunno. Just what I feel comfortable with Wink

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-Paul O.

http://madtoto.com

75 Vespa Primavera "Parmakit 130", P200E,

From the argo websight:

Most oils used and recommended today are multi-viscosity. Here’s why: In cold weather oil will get thick and stiff. Starting an engine with thick oil is difficult, even if you have electric start. A 10W-40 designation, for example, means that the oil acts like a 10 weight oil when it’s cold (thus the W for winter) and like a 40 weight oil at operating temperatures. If you started off with a straight 10 weight oil, by the time your engine had warmed up to operating temperatures, your oil would be getting very thin and not lubricating very well.

If you don’t have specific factory information, a general recommendation for scooters and motorcycles would be 10W-40 or 20W-40 for outside temperature up to about 90 degrees F. When outside temperatures get higher, or if you drive long and hard, you should consider 20W-50 oils.

Bajaj Auto recommends 20W-40 oils for their 4 stroke scooter engines, unfortunately, for some reason, this grade is hard to find, so it's OK to use any of the viscosities mentioned above in your Bajaj scooter.

More of this at

http://www.argousa.com/oil%20not%20so%20slippery.htm

a useful study from 1994

http://www.xs11.com/stories/mcnoil94.htm

O.K.- Somebody start a thread about tire pressure.

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no relation

Well I really wanted to try a 15w50 oil...the only one I could find was the Mobile 1 synthetic....I decided to give it a try, as I have found on the internet that a lot of motocycles with wet cluches have used it with no problems.....I have been riding it for about 3 days...and have noticed no slipping - infact I have notices some smother shifting and riding.....I will post in a month or so to see if this is still the case!!

i have a chetak (4-stroke), and have exclusively used amsoil synthetic (designated for motorcycles with wet clutches), and have not had any problems with slippage.....
there's no one who sells it locally (that i've been able to find), so i get it from the manufacturer on the internet....
i think it's about $9 a quart....
is it "the best"?
amsoil seems to think so.....
chose your oil carefully.....
then forget about it, and ride the scooter......

Easy oil change. Add a little tubing to your narrow funnel. I used Yamalube 20w-40 for the last 8100 miles, it's not synthetic. Try your local Yamaha dealer ($5.30).

Am doing my first oil change. The instructions on Bajaj say to fill to the valve adjust cover. http://www.bajajusa.com/Files/Oil%20Change%20Procedure%20Chetak%20&%20Legend.pdf

I noticed some of you fill through the dip stick hole. Just wanted to see which is best. Right now I'm stuck as I don't have a 27mm socket/wrench or a funnel narrow enough to go into the dipstick hole. Off to the auto parts store! Very Happy

Filling thru the dipstick hole takes an awful long time. Just pop the valve adjustment cover off , and dump the oil in there. If you don't have a 27mm socket, then use a standard 13/16 socket, it works just as well.

I use Valvoline 4T motorcycle oil 10/40 . I found it at Advance auto supply. Walmart also carries Castrol 4T in 20/50.

this may be a stupid question. first time changing oil, but do i use motorcycle oil or just car oil? i want to use synthetic because i know the hazards of build up with natural oil. but i can't find any synthetic motorcycle oil in shops, only on the internet.

	itsagas wrote:
	Easy oil change. Add a little tubing to your narrow funnel. I used Yamalube 20w-40 for the last 8100 miles, it's not synthetic. Try your local Yamaha dealer ($5.30).

Snazzy

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Lift the head light assly.

the mysterious PWR/NORM buttons...

Ryan,

Any auto store will have an adequate oil for your scoot. AutoZone, O'reilly, etc. You'll find synthetic oil and standard auto oils. Synth oil will cost $7 a quart and up and non-synth will be much cheaper. I won't get into the debate as to whether synth will run cooler, I've heard documented stories that prove both sides are wrong...right Shocked

Standard auto oil is what I use. Pick your brand of 10/40 or 20/50. I run 10/40 all year. I cut the line below from your Bajaj manual. You will find the oil 'rating' on the back of the container in a circle. Just make sure it's rated SG & MA then you are good to go.

Recommended oil: In summer : 15W50 API SG + JASO MA or Superior In winter : 5W30 API SG + JASO MA or Superior

Paz

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FistsOfCurry: It ain't a rally, it's a PILGRIMAGE Mr. Green

100% synthetic Amsoil for wet clutches. Get it at your motorcycle shop for 10 bucks a quart.

_________________

Have scooter. Will travel.

Also the AMSOIL!! Wink

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02 LEGEND, HRA Pipe K&N air filter,trics mod & only Amsoil.

Did my first oil change and I found this post about oils - great post. After draining, cleaning the filter, etc, I simply poured a quart in the valve top with a funnel. When I check the level it looks high to me, but it was high on the dipstick when I got it from the shop, too. I was in the garage with a slight slope with the nose facing "uphill" both times, so will check it later on a level surface, but a quart is a quart is a quart, right??

Also - Great info, especially about synthetics and the wet clutch. Might be fun to do a poll about oils - I might set that up later - I do know oil is almost as touchy as the big three (Religion, Politics and Love Life), though, so maybe not, hehe.

PS - Did I actually use "high on the dipstick" above?? Laughing

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Jamie B.
2003 Bajaj Chetak - Black

OK . . . so I bought, on accident, the Mobile 1 V Twin 20W-50 - I think its all the Autozone near my house carries. *edit* using the 10w40

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/PDS/NAUSENPVLMOMobil1_Motorcycle_Oils.asp

Also - If you want to go down the synthetic path, do u wait until after break-in, or go synthetic the whole time.

My current plan is to use standard oil w/ changes at 100 miles (done), 200 miles (this weekend) and then at 350 miles. And then at 500 go w/ one of the two Mobile 1 products and follow normal schedules from that point forward.

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Jamie B.
2003 Bajaj Chetak - Black

My commute goes by a Harley dealership, so I whip in for some Harley branded synthetic 20W-50 ($10) whenever it's time for a change. Thanks to an above post, I'll now be looking for 5W-30 when winter rolls around -- it takes half my commute before the scoot to get warm enough to shift normally in winter on the 20W-50. I use synthetic because the former owner ran synthetic, and I understand that switching back to regular oil creates a gunky residue that's not desireable. Otherwise I'd run regular -- the oil is so black and dirty-looking when I change it that I don't trust trying to run longer between oil changes even though the viscosity hasn't broken down noticably.

SC

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'02 Chetak (90mpg - poor man's hybrid?)

Oh yeah, and did I mention that I get a good laugh parking my scooter on a Harley lot... ? Smile

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'02 Chetak (90mpg - poor man's hybrid?)

Sounds good. I am going to shoot for the Mobile1 Racint 4T, 10w40 all year round, I think, and change again at 2K miles. Pretty dirty looking now at 9XX miles, ready to change it anytime around 1K.

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Jamie B.
2003 Bajaj Chetak - Black

I thought my manual recommended 15/50? Closest I can get to that is Castrol 20w50w dino oil here for around $4 a quart. I doubt the motor can tell the missing 5w and Castrol is a reputable brand. Oh, and guess what Auto Parts store I get it at? Laughing

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I scoot, therefore I am.

I Use Yamalube 15-50... During the summer...which lasts from May-Sept... it's Africa hot here where I
live so I also throw 10% Lucas Oil into the mix...
I have 287,000 miles on my GMC Suburban... my engine purrs like a kitten...
I attribute the longevity of my engine to clean living and to the Lucas...
Available at your local Wal-Mart or auto parts stores.

Does anyone else use it?

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Happy Trails,

Cowboydoug

I moved to Utah for fly fishing and the big haired girls...
-the fly fishing has been very good to me...

"I thought my manual recommended 15/50?"

The Chetak Tech Notes for Oil Change say 15W50 Summer and 5W30 Winter.
The Chetak Owner's Manual says the same.
The Chetak Service Notes say 20W40 all year.
The Legend Service Manual says 20W40, too.

All the same engine and same company Smile

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Jamie B.
2003 Bajaj Chetak - Black

I go with 10/40 in the summer and 5/30 in the winter.

Lucas oil is a fantastic product that I highly recommend.

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Have scooter. Will travel.