Author Topic: Opinions on Castrol 10W40 Motorcycle Oil? (Read 34255 times)

mikethejeepguy · « **on:** May 12, 2009, 12:50:56 PM »

I plan to do an long overdue oil change on my CB550 in the next couple of days. I bought the Castrol 4 Stroke 10W40 Motorcycle oil... has anyone used it? Opinions? I also bought some Seafoam, should I run it first in the old oil for a bit before I change it? Or do the oil change, add Seafoam, and ride on?

Mike

MCRider · « **Reply #1 on:** May 12, 2009, 12:52:59 PM »

Ha ha you're kidding right?

The last thing.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #2 on:** May 12, 2009, 12:53:37 PM »

Do a search on "oil" and it will keep you busy until your NEXT oil change.

mikethejeepguy · « **Reply #3 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:01:00 PM »

but but.... Castrol's Website & label claims...

Castrol 4T Motorcycle Oil — Outstanding Protection for 4–stroke Engines

Provides maximum protection against viscosity and thermal breakdown
Provides superior engine wear protection, high–film strength and oil oxidation protection for high revving motorcycle engines
Specialized additive package contains anti–oxidants, detergents, dispersants, and varnish inhibitors that help prevent ring–sticking and build up of harmful engine deposits
Exceeds the performance requirement of North American and foreign motorcycle manufacturers calling for API SG or JASO MA
Available in SAE 10W–40 for most motorcycles and also SAE 20W–50 for larger displacement engines, including V–Twins
Meets API SG and JASO MA2

It all sounds SO good $:-\$ I hang my head in shame and am off to do some searching...

MCRider · « **Reply #4 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:10:48 PM »

Quote from: mikethejeepguy on May 12, 2009, 01:01:00 PM

but but.... Castrol's Website & label claims...

Castrol 4T Motorcycle Oil — Outstanding Protection for 4–stroke Engines

Provides maximum protection against viscosity and thermal breakdown
Provides superior engine wear protection, high–film strength and oil oxidation protection for high revving motorcycle engines
Specialized additive package contains anti–oxidants, detergents, dispersants, and varnish inhibitors that help prevent ring–sticking and build up of harmful engine deposits
Exceeds the performance requirement of North American and foreign motorcycle manufacturers calling for API SG or JASO MA
Available in SAE 10W–40 for most motorcycles and also SAE 20W–50 for larger displacement engines, including V–Twins
Meets API SG and JASO MA2

It all sounds SO good $:-\$ I hang my head in shame and am off to do some searching...

Well we're messing with you as oil threads not only here but on EVERY MC forum, can get very contentious. There have been 3 here lately that just go on and on...

But the most factual issue in my mind is the API S- reading. The Castrol MC oil, as all MC oil should be, is SG which means it does not have the non-friction additives that modern day auto oil has, which is if not good, at least not bad. Higher than API SJ should not be used in a MC. Likely tranny and clutch problems.

Other than that, you're on your own.

speedknot · « **Reply #5 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:19:08 PM »

I gather from cruising these forums that as long as you use the right type of a good quality oil and do your oil changes on a regular basis, you should be ok. Ive never heard anyone say that their engine runs better on Valvoline than on Castrol(conventional oil example).
I did however just switch to Mobil 1 full synthetic in my car and the difference is night and day. It's not psychological either. The engine is quieter and runs smoother. No BS!

mikethejeepguy · « **Reply #6 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:20:15 PM »

lol I just realized NOW the can of worms I've opened

I just figured we haven't had a good heated discussion here for a few days now...

Yup! a "slippery slope" (insert drum roll here).

My family used to distribute Petro Canada oils whose base stock was amazingly pure, to the point it resembled water. Unfortunately I have no idea where to find their stuff anymore as we don't deal with them anymore. We had many independent lab tests done (had to for European standards) and it ranked well above most non-synthetic oil... Maybe I should keep searching...

Any advice on the Seafoam? Is it cool to run it as a permanent addition to the oil?

78CB750CAFE · « **Reply #7 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:21:05 PM »

Who knows the difference between JISO and JASO ratings on oils?
I hear we need JISO for wet clutch, good luck finding any.

MCRider · « **Reply #8 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:24:33 PM »

Quote from: mikethejeepguy on May 12, 2009, 01:20:15 PM

lol I just realized NOW the can of worms I've opened I just figured we haven't had a good heated discussion here for a few days now... Yup! a "slippery slope" (insert drum roll here).

My family used to distribute Petro Canada oils whose base stock was amazingly pure, to the point it resembled water. Unfortunately I have no idea where to find their stuff anymore as we don't deal with them anymore. We had many independent lab tests done (had to for European standards) and it ranked well above most non-synthetic oil... Maybe I should keep searching...

Any advice on the Seafoam? Is it cool to run it as a permanent addition to the oil?

Coincidentally, I'm having a discussion on anther thread about this. I use it all the time, I swear by it, it really works, blah, blah, it makes tight things loose, loose things, tight and makes exhaust smell better...and I'm man enough to admit it may all be placebo.

I SWEAR!

mikethejeepguy · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:35:35 PM »

lol you may be right... but as long as you FEEL good about it... it MUST be good!

So, so far I gather that as long as it is API-SG that I should be ok

andy8190 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:42:49 PM »

hey MCRider where did you get that word placebo hahaha

i will be up in the oakville area at the beginning of next month mike

MCRider · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:50:01 PM »

Quote from: mikethejeepguy on May 12, 2009, 01:35:35 PM

lol you may be right... but as long as you FEEL good about it... it MUST be good!

So, so far I gather that as long as it is API-SG that I should be ok

Yup

Any API that is SJ or less, to be specific. Anyhting greater than SJ, that is SH or higher is the friction additive auto oil. My Yamaha lube says this right on the label. in fewer words.

MCRider · « **Reply #12 on:** May 12, 2009, 01:50:41 PM »

Quote from: andy8190 on May 12, 2009, 01:42:49 PM

hey MCRider where did you get that word placebo hahaha

i will be up in the oakville area at the beginning of next month mike

Uh...I read it somewhere...

bryanj · « **Reply #13 on:** May 12, 2009, 10:49:29 PM »

Exactly what we used back in the day when it was a new bike !!!!!

martino1972 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:02:23 PM »

Quote from: Bob Wessner on May 12, 2009, 12:53:37 PM

Do a search on "oil" and it will keep you busy until your NEXT oil change.

markjenn · « **Reply #15 on:** May 13, 2009, 01:23:15 AM »

I'm not keen on any of the aftermarket oil additives, but I'm especially not keen on Seafoam in oil. As a fuel treatment, maybe.

And doesn't any additive that supposedly works great both added to fuel AND oil sound a little like a "good for what ails you" snake oil to you? How can something work equally well when burned in a combustion chamber AND diluted in motor oil? Wouldn't the mechanisms, and therefore the formulation, be entirely different for something to be effective in these two wildly different environments?

- Mark

Jim F · « **Reply #16 on:** May 13, 2009, 05:26:36 AM »

I have always used Gold Spectro Semi-synthetic 10-40
I use to use this in some race bikes and never had an oil related problem

but at almost $8.00 bucks a quart its a little pricey
but cheaper than rebuilding an engine because of using cheap oil

just my opinion

Big-Jim

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #17 on:** May 13, 2009, 07:33:12 AM »

Ok oil is not oil but there is no "best" oil. I used to run regular valvoline 10-40 in my bike years ago. It worked ok. Never had issues. From there, I moved to rotella t and that worked better. Then I went rotella synth and that has been awesome.
I will not say what brand you should use but I will say that synth is better than regular oil. It has greater longevity. It flows better cold. Has greater lube qualities. it goes on. The one "bad" thing is if your engine has sludge in it, the synth will clean it off and that sludge gets into the clutch and mucks it up and can also plug oil lines. Now that does not mean synth is bad. It means your previous oil was bad. Synth will keep your engine cleaner. As for seals leaking, I have yet to see that on ANY vehicle I own as a result of using synth. In most cases it is caused by the cleaning of old oil that was keeping the seal from leaking.

As for the seafoam, it is NOT a permanent oil thing. You add it right before changing. Run for a bit and then change. It cleans up your engine.

mikethejeepguy · « **Reply #18 on:** May 13, 2009, 08:14:47 AM »

Awesome.... thanks! I was thinking that makin Seafoam a permanent addition is likely not a good idea. I too am sceptical when it comes to additives. I was thinking that IF Seafoam is as good as people say it is and DOES clean out varnish and carbon deposits that the only place the gunk will settle is the oil filter. I plan to maybe do a few more frequent changes in a row (lets say every 500 miles) to flush out the motor. I have no idea of the maintenance schedule of the PO...

Seafoam may be snake oil

I don't know... lord knows I've done a lot of reading up on it before I put it in the motor last night. What convinced me is a post on the Lexus forum where a guy shows the tops of his pistons before and after use... and I gotta say it seems to have made a difference... I will steal his images

Here is a link that convinced me:

http://clublexus.com/forums/es300-and-es330-forum/185227-how-to-seafoam.html

Lexus motor after 90,000 miles

An image after used it for 6 months (claiming).

Another thing I found out that Castrol does not own their own refineries, and therefore naturally must purchase base stock from other manufacturers. Coincidentall, Petro Canada has been one of their major and almost exclusive suppliers. And I have to vouch that their base stock is one of the cleanest, if not THE cleanest (unbiased opinion since we don't deal with them anymore). Castrol though might blend base stocks from several suppliers in their manufacturing process.

Here is some useless info on Petro Canada oil that made me a believer (in case it is raining out and you have nothing better to do):

Conventional solvent refining renders most base stock 70 - 80% pure. Petro Canada has a patented process that they call Hydrotrating that refines crude oil to 99.9% purity. Which they claim eventually transpires into less deposits in the motor and what they claim to be the same cleaning potential and characteristics of synthetics (verbal claim from one of their lab rats). It's too bad that their products are so hard to find. Even here in Canada. If you want a more scientific explanation check out this link. I don't mean to be plugging their products in any way, just posting what I remember about this topic

This is what the base stock does look like (I've seen it) before they put in additives and stabilizers that ultimately discolor it.

Here is a PDF http://www.birdfuels.com/Patented%20HT%20Purity%20Process.pdf
And a web page: http://lubricants.petro-canada.ca/en/innovation/238.aspx

Now that said... I have no idea where to get it anymore

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #19 on:** May 13, 2009, 08:33:18 AM »

Seafoam is not snake oil. It actually does a very good job. It is a cleaner though. So you can use it in your oil right before you change it. Many also use it in their gas to keep things clean and it sure does help.

MCRider · « **Reply #20 on:** May 13, 2009, 08:46:41 AM »

Quote from: vinmans brew on May 13, 2009, 08:33:18 AM

Seafoam is not snake oil. It actually does a very good job. It is a cleaner though. So you can use it in your oil right before you change it. Many also use it in their gas to keep things clean and it sure does help.

Thank you, as I've said in prior posts and threads, I SWEAR by it.

But nowhere on the product label does it say to use right before an oil change. It just says to use it every 2000 to 5000 miles.

Still I'd agree that if it works "instantly" as the label says, changing it out shortly after using it would seem the elegant thing to do.

I had an F150 PU years ago that would smoke so bad on start up I was embarrased to start it when neighbors were around. A mechanic told me to get this degunkifier stuff from the auto parts store. had quite the same consistency of SeaFoam. Almost 1/2 gallon. Instructions were to use it all, (I know!) let the engine idle for 20 minutes, remove and fresh oil. No more smoking. The idea was the rocker area was so gunked up oil would not return to the sump, laid upstairs and ran down the guides into the combustion chambers.

Anyway, after the treatment, no more smoke. I SWEAR!

Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er · « **Reply #21 on:** May 13, 2009, 09:26:42 AM »

I've been using regular old Castrol GTX 20W50 and I'm happy.

As far as that Lexus BS goes, I'd say homie had a bad cylinder. Other piston looks fairly clean. Tell we why someone would rebuild an expensive engine then tear it down again to take a picture?! Plus I'd like to think he cleaned things up before putting it back together. Homie must be selling something and thinks everyone's a fool.

Duke McDukiedook · « **Reply #22 on:** May 13, 2009, 09:40:03 AM »

Homie don't play dat.

The man will not keep Homie and his Seafoam down...

manjisann · « **Reply #23 on:** May 13, 2009, 10:52:48 AM »

My understanding is Seafoam in oil is not meant to be ran as a consistent additive. It is rather put in, ran for 10 or 20 mins and then the oil change is done. It is meant to help loosen any crud and allow it to come out during the change. I like Seafoam, but have not used it a ton. I put in my bikes and cars every so often to help clean out the crapola that builds in the engine. I don't have any empiracle data, just experience.

HTH,

Brandon

Inigo Montoya · « **Reply #24 on:** May 13, 2009, 05:03:20 PM »

As I said, it is not meant to be used as an additive. It is a cleaner. You can add it to the fuel, oil or directly into the carbs.

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Author Topic: Opinions on Castrol 10W40 Motorcycle Oil? (Read 34255 times)

speedknot