oil recommendations

In the 80s when Golden Spectro was one of the only synthetic motorcycle oils, lots of users claimed it reduced gear noise. Being a cheap SOB, I never tried it! :)
 
Phil Tarman said:
I didn't think it was unrealistic with synthetic oils, but it's good to have that confirmed by your experience and oil analyses.
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I wouldn't hesitate to extend my OCI to 10K on Traveller with a good synthetic oil. The only reason that I change more frequently is because the oil shears and the gearbox gets a bit clunky. Regarding the shear, I think that the conventional oils resist the shear better than the syns due to the random molecule size.

Mike
 
Mike,

Can you share your oil reports? If you have already loaded them on BITOG a link would be sufficient. I don't think i have seen an oil analysis report on an NT yet. I did them on a couple previous cars.
 
artemedes said:
Mike,

Can you share your oil reports? If you have already loaded them on BITOG a link would be sufficient. I don't think i have seen an oil analysis report on an NT yet. I did them on a couple previous cars.
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I'll see if I can find 'em in my files and post them. I didn't post them to BITOG.

MIke
 
I use Rotella T6 Synthetic with a K&N Oil Filter. In the rear end I use Royal Purple Gear Oil. The bike does not use any oil and shifts great. I like the K&N filters because you can remove them with a 17mm box wrench.
 
Reading this thread I now wonder if I am being far too cautious changing my oil & filter at 4,000 mile intervals with Castrol semi-synth oil and Hi-Flo filter.

Also changing the final drive oil at 8,000 mile intervals.

Is this OTT? FWIW I hardly ever do less than 100 miles every time the motor is turned on. For short stuff I hop in the car.
 
It does not hurt anything but the wallet to change your oil at 4,000 miles but based on how you ride your NT every 8,000 is probably ok as well.

If your are not aware of Bob is the oil guy website it has good information on oils that is relatively easy to understand.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/
 
I also use a 4000 mile change interval on the engine. I figure the little guy is cranking out almost 5000rpm most of the time so compared to the bigger bikes I've had the NT is almost doing double duty. I follow manufacturers recs on the final drive. Pretty amazed that some of the guys have such high mileage using longer intervals....just goes to show how much oil has improved over the years.
 
Daboo said:
I figure the manufacturer's engineers knew what they were doing when they determined the oil capacity for each engine and the oil change interval.
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The 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter recommended oil change interval is 20,000 miles or annually. :eek1: The only M-B approved oil is a special version (M-B 229.51) of Mobil 1. It takes 3.3 gallons, or 12.5L if you prefer metric, of it...$$$$$ :mw1: I asked the Sprinter Service Manager about those OCI numbers and he suggests 10K but for warranty purposes you're good at 20K. And to think I remember being nervous at pushing 3,000 mile OCIs...at least back then 5 quarts of oil and a filter was all of $10...:rolleyes1:
 
My personal rule-of-thumb for oils.

Use the recommended oil.
But shorten the change intervals.
Because the recommended change intervals are for ideal conditions (under which no one actually operates their vehicle) and the manufacture only cares about the vehicle lasting the length of the warranty.

Just my .02

--ET
 
I suspect the limiting factor now is more the filters than the "oil". A synthetic like Mobil One will easily do 20K plus...but the filter is another matter. Big diesels, with multiple oil filters, allow for changing the oil filter(s) without changing the oil as often...
 
RedLdr1 said:
... :eek1: The only M-B approved oil is a special version (M-B 229.51) of Mobil 1. It takes 3.3 gallons, or 12.5L if you prefer metric, of it...$$$$$ ...:rolleyes1:
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2008 Sprinter V-6: Oil Change is 13 qts of Mobil 1 5W-40 ESP Formula M (MB 229.51) (hard to find, expensive, brewed by blind elves in the Black Forest), But ... NAPA usually has a Mobil 1 sale in Fall, $5.99 / qt. This year sale ends 30 Sep.
 
The calsci site is why I use a Purolater filter on my FJR. And the longer PL14610 fits just fine under my canyon cages. If only it weren't that babysh!t brownish yellow color . . .

Yes, I could paint it but it will only be on the bike at the most six months.
 
JohnC said:
Yes, I could paint it but it will only be on the bike at the most six months.
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Put one of the slip over finned covers over it. They hide most of the filter and drop your oil temps 15-20 degrees. I used one all the time when I was commuting around Atlanta...
 
RedLdr1 said:
The 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter recommended oil change interval is 20,000 miles or annually. :eek1: The only M-B approved oil is a special version (M-B 229.51) of Mobil 1. It takes 3.3 gallons, or 12.5L if you prefer metric, of it...$$$$$ :mw1: I asked the Sprinter Service Manager about those OCI numbers and he suggests 10K but for warranty purposes you're good at 20K. And to think I remember being nervous at pushing 3,000 mile OCIs...at least back then 5 quarts of oil and a filter was all of $10...:rolleyes1:
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My eye started to twitch reading about a Sprinter. I bought one and that was the worst vehicle purchase I have ever made. I bought a 2004 Sprinter for $10k, dumped $14k in repairs into it and sold it for $7k. That was the happiest day of my life(wedding day and birth of my son excluded)
 
Regarding the energy savings claim for T6. They post this next to the claim. As you point out its not technically an Energy Conserving oil.

*Compared with Shell Rotella? T Triple Protection? SAE 15W-40 engine oil.
 
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