Topic: Anyone Used/Using Valvoline Motorcycle Oil?

[Justin]

If so, what viscosity grade?
How did it work for you?
Would you recommend it or something else?

[Sam Green Racing]

Justin,

A mate of mine used it in the Sixties/Seventies in a drag bike. I think it was a multigrade racing oil.
As far as I know he had no problems with it, and the bike was the fastest unsupercharged bike outside the USA.

Regards Sam Green.

[Justin]

http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products/product_detail.asp?product=76

[Sam Green Racing]

Justin,

The guys in the States will be able to tell you, but I would assume it is ok.
Most Motorcycle oils differ from motor oils in that anti friction addatives in motor may cause clutch slip in a bike.

[heffay]

i use valvoline in the truck and belray in the bike.  actually, i use whatever is not generic in the truck and belray in the bike. 
74 jeep j20
73 cb350f

[cb350twin]

On my 73 cb350 twin my dad always used castrol 10w40. I,m  not sure if it was just normal auto oil or motorcycle oil.  It worked fine now on my last oil change i couldnt find any castrol motorcyle oil. So I used valoine motorcyle  oil 10w40.  Sometimes theres false neutrals very rare it was with both oils.  But  it seemed every once in a while  it will miss a gear. It may be cuz i,m not giveing it a full click. But with castrol it didnt happen as much  all in all though the oil (valoine) seems to hold up well though.

[heffay]

one last thing... you can mix your brands but don't mix your viscosity

kinda like you can pick your friends
and you can pick your nose
but you can't pick your friends nose

[Justin]

one last thing... you can mix your brands but don't mix your viscosity

Why?

[derekd]

 Ive been running there 10/40 for 1000 miles this season with out any problems.Not thet i would believe there should have been any in that kind of mileage.I thought it was worth trying its locally availible.Guess i wont really know for a couple years huh?

                                                                           Derek
                                                                           cb350four

[Chris Liston]

I've been using standard auto 10w40 in the bike since I got it.  I switch to Honda 10w40 last year and it made my shifter much more clunkier than with that auto oil.  I'm going back to auto oil on my next change. 

[Uncle Ernie]

I use Valvoline Racing Oil. I used to use Castrol, but I think it produces more "ash". I have no idea what I'm doing though, either. Maybe ash is a good thing (?). This is the kind of thing the Bemer guys relly sink their teeth into  .   I suspect that any good oil is OK to use. I've heard pros and cons on regular vs synthetic vs car type vs motorcycle specific oils.  I know they're different kinds of engines, but EVERONE who knows anything about Indians says to use Valvoline Racing Oil.
For some reason, mixing viscosities yourself is not the same as buying it. 10-30, for example, is basically 10 weight oil with additives that makes it thicken up when it gets hot, but it's not actually 30 weight oil.  Single viscosity oil is more "pure", if you will, and will withstand heat and shear better. For some reason, mixing viscosities yourself gunks up the engine. I work with some mechanics who often cluck their tongues when they look under some valve covers because of that.
There has been a fairly regular brouhaha about putting car oil in motorcycles because the theory is that car oils today are too slick and will cause clutch slippage in MCs.  Well, if you've been using car oil and it works- keep using it. If your clutch slips, try MC specific oil.  My 2 cents.

[Justin]

Why do they recommend Valvoline Racing Oil? Which one (VR1, Synthetic, Conventional)?

Mixing viscosities doesn't "gunk" up your engine. Additive clash has been discussed in the past and almost totally ruled out now (with the exception of extreme mixes). You'll simply achieve a blend with a new viscosity.

I take it you are referring to sulfated ash? Don't worry about it! Lab tests in a controlled environment may be able to detect noticeably higher levels of valve and combustion chamber deposits with usage of an oil with higher additive levels, but its effects in service are negligible

SAE single-grade oils are the hot ticket for extreme racing usage, but I don't see the need otherwise. Pumpability and overall flow at startup (regardless of how hot it is!) are highly reduced given these oils relatively high viscous nature, in turn causing high rates of overall wear. Multi-grade oils for street usage are much more ideal.

Automotive oils in recent years have done two things that make their usage in motorcycles a less than ideal proposition:

1. Additive packages, mostly the usage of ZDDP, has been highly reduced to aid in emissions and exhaust system component life. While this is ok for modern cars, high valvetrain loading and shear rates present in wet-clutch motorcycle engines demand an oil that can properly cope with such operating conditions. Heck, even Japanese automotive manufacturers are complaining about the lack of appropriate protection regarding timing chains!

2. GF-4 oils have been furthered modified from previous generations to ensure even higher levels of fuel efficiency. The commonly described "friction modifiers" can play havoc with a wet clutch setup.

[MPH2]

lol i thought you were asking a question or answering it

[Justin]

lol i thought you were asking a question or answering it

I'm just looking to see if anyone here has ran the Valvoline stuff in their SOHC4...I might know one or two things about engine oils in general, but I don't know much yet regarding what these bikes like/don't like.

[Trevor from Warragul]

I use Valvoline XLD in all my bikes (that's the brand name here in Australia).  It's cheap enough to guarantee that I replace it in every bike once a year.  The mechanic who most recently did the shims on my CBX 1000 was in awe of the condition of the cams - he said they looked virtually brand new - this on a bike that's done around 120,000 kilometres.

[MikeDeB]

Honda GN4 10w40 in both single cammers and Castrol Syntec 20w50 in both Ducs.  Valvoline for the car.   

[Uncle Ernie]

Why Valvoline Racing? No idea. Sometimes something starts out as a grain of sand and ends up a beach. However, this is for a flat head side-valve engine. I have a feeling that chunks of dead dinosaur would do just as well  The other stuff are things various mechanics have told me from their observations.  Some people I respect seem picky about their oil, and some just tell me to make sure it's topped off with whatever (barring racing, as you said).  Some people think synthetics are too thin for some applications. I've gone nuts listening to too many people.

[gkw120649]

I've been using for two years and it seems to work fine.  10W40 last year.  20W50 this year.

Greg in Chicago.

[Justin]

I've been using for two years and it seems to work fine.  10W40 last year.  20W50 this year.

Greg in Chicago.

Did you notice any difference between the two viscosity grades?

[gkw120649]

I'm changing the oil tonight and I'll send you a reply after I take it for a spin.

Greg in Chicago.

[markpeddle]

Tell me once again what will happen if I have 10-40 in the bike and drop some 10-30 in for a quick fix. I'm afraid of the answer.....gulp!

[SteveD CB500F]

Any oil is better than not enough oil.

[bryanj]

Short term get you home and do an oil change you will be ok repeatedly mix and match i have seen oils turn to jelly but that is normally if you mix straight grads and multi grades in a diesel