Topic: Castrol R anyone??

[immortal]

Castrol R anyone?

Growing up in the UK in the 1980's we tore around on our "Fizzies" RD50MX is what I had, RD125LC, RD250LC etc etc.

Great times although we were young and a bit stupid but along with those memories was "Castrol R".....the smell was addictive and it made our bikes run real nice. We used to just pour a capful or two into a full tank of gas.

Nearly 30 years later, now living in California and building my Pegasus bike a 1976 CB750F...I thought to myself I have to run some Castrol R in this bike to see how it performs so I set out to find some.

I found a place here in the states, I guess they still make it. These days its called Castrol R40 and comes in a green plastic 1 liter jug. In the old days it was a white/green and red metal can if I remember rightly. The price here in the states...was about $100 per liter from one rip off merchant and it was hard to find. He wanted you have to order 1 gallon..it worked out around $400 which is insane,  anyway one can will last a couple of years it seems like.

Undeterred I called my brother in London because I remembered that I may have some in my garage from the 1980's.  Sure enough I had some but it had dried rock solid in the can. The next plan is go on Ebay UK and I find it, ship it to my brother and he shipped it out to me. 2 liters...enough for a few years I would say. You can order it from the UK and ship it here to the states but it was just cheaper having my brother do it.

I started with one cap per tank of gas but I could not smell much of anything.  Long story short my CB750F takes about 4 or 5 plastic tea spoons and the difference in how my bike runs is amazing!  The bike performs so much better, very smooth and crisp PLUS it has the Isle man racing bike smell. It is going to be really difficult to convince me not to use it, it is amazing stuff!

Talking of Isle of Man I heard of an expat that would sit down in front of his big screen TV every year and get a few bears and pour Castrol R in his wife's Diffuser. He would be watching Isle man in his recliner with wofts of Castrol R like he was right there at the races!

Seriously though I know my fellow Britts may well remember or even use Castrol R today. Just curious on feedback, I'm thinking its hard to imagine not using it the difference is very noticeable and very significant....any thoughts?

[Bodi]

Years ago we used Castrol R30 in speedway engines, I believe it was pretty much pure castor oil. I love the smell. Current castrol R oils are supposedly synthetic but they sure smell like castor oil. They will supposedly mix with gasoline though, the old stuff refused to.

[dave500]

?
http://www.suzukiownersclub.co.uk/showthread.php/54876-Castrol-R-Motor-Oil-That-Sweet-Smell


http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/petrol_oil_castrol.htm

[immortal]

Dave500,

Thats great!

I guess there are a few people using Castrol R in room defusers. ...lol

They say they dont recomend it for modern machines but our old Hondas are definately not modern machines
and your bike will run real nice with it is what I have found.  The modern Castrol R is Castrol R40.

[dave500]

do what you want but i advise anyone else not to dump castor oil into your four stroke fuel tank at any ratio,,especially if you just want to smell like roger decoster?

if you run a two stroke just use any modern two stroke oil like super tt or tts.

[becken]

I used Castrol R premixed at 20:1 in a 125 Yamaha 2-stroke twin that I road raced in the 70s. The "common knowledge" of the time was that you did not mix up any more than you would use that day and you shook the can for at least 5 minutes before pouring the fuel mixture into the tank. And yes, it definitely did build up deposits inside the engine. I personally wouldn't add it to gasoline on any engine I was unwilling to do a top end removal and cleaning occasionally, but the smell of 30 to 40 2-strokes on the starting grid is absolutely addictive.

[immortal]

So it seems the bike runs better and smoother with  a sweet addictive smell but it must sludge up the motor over time.

Looks like I have been talked out of using it and I didn't think that would happen. Well at least I can get a good price for it here in the states and get my money back..

[Deltarider]

A spoonful added and you can read your spark plugs a lot better.

[Brandedone88]

I understand the nostalgia, but wouldn't marvel mystery oil or seafoam in your gasoline do the same thing?   With the 10% ethanol gasoline that we are forced to use here in the states, useing a fuel additive like that is a good thing every 3 or 4 tankfuls.  If they force 15% ethanol then we will be using that stuff on every tankful!

[BobbyR]

In WW1 they pumped castor oil into the fuel to help lubricate the motor since it does not mix with gasoline and they needed the extra lubrication.

Castor oil is a laxative which gave the pilots the runs constantly. I would not ride any distance with anyone with that stuff in their gastank. 

[immortal]

I have some Marvel Mystery Oil that I used from time to time in the Diesel tank of a pressure washer water heater.

Can you use that in the same way as Castrol R? and can you notice improved performance, smoother running?
crisp feel to the engine response?  The interesting thing about Castrol R to me is the noticeable improvement in engine performance, to me it is very noticeable. It was 30 years ago and it is as noticeable in my freshly rebuilt 811cc CB750F.

Another question I have is, I do "not disbelieve" what some say about crudding up your engine but you have to wonder why so many racers used it for so many years and the sheer longevity of years its been sold....I think it was available in the 1960's. That's 50 years, not bad when you consider all those Slick 50 type products that have come and gone over the years.

If it is so bad why do people use it over so many decades? Why use it in performance engines?

I think I would like some more information on the Marvels Mystery Oil and as far as the Sea Foam goes, I have only heard good things about it!

I think im going to do a little experiment to see if the new "Castrol R 40" mixes with gasoline??

Thanks for all the great responses!

[seanbarney41]

so what am I missing here? was Castrol R intended as a top end lubricant or a two stroke oil?...I really can't think of any possible advantage to adding two stroke oil to a four stroke's fuel supply...all that's gonna do is clog up carbs, combustion chambers and exhaust systems...two strokes gotta have oil in the fuel or they don't live very long...

[CoachDoc]

so what am I missing here? was Castrol R intended as a top end lubricant or a two stroke oil?...I really can't think of any possible advantage to adding two stroke oil to a four stroke's fuel supply...all that's gonna do is clog up carbs, combustion chambers and exhaust systems...two strokes gotta have oil in the fuel or they don't live very long...

I've been adding a little (2 oz.per tankful) marine 2 stroke oil to the gas in my bikes for some time now, and I am not alone I'm sure. Plugs are totally unaffected, and I believe the top end and cylinder walls will benefit in the long run from the additional lubrication. No discernible change in performance by the way. The idea is not new, and since the advent of the lack of availabity of "pure gasoline", I believe there are more guys than ever doing the same.

[Retro Rocket]

I remember the smell of the Castrol R from the speedway bikes, they were  4 stroke Weslake engines , if my memory serves me well...

[mcpuffett]

Hi Immortal me and my mates used to do the same thing back in the early 80's on our Suzuki x7's and Gt's Lc's etc one cap full in the tank then wait for the smell  , cheers Mick.

[Brandedone88]

That is the downside the oil residue in the exhaust.  You shouldn't be putting two stroke oil a four stroke motorcycle anyways.   It will foul the plugs like you wouldn't believe.  But with an air cool engine, wouldn't a minute amount of an oil like marvel mystery oil help?  Ethanol burns hotter then regular gasoline.  Not to mention dryer?    Which when combined with a standard air cooled engine like what we have on a SOHC Bike, wouldn't there be piston seizures?  I am not talking about 10% ethanol.  Talking about 15% or 20%?