Engine oil wanderings

[thony]

OK, there is a long discussion on my RE club about oil change intervals vs riding conditions vs owner manuals vs dealer - technicians - pseudo experts and me. A lot of people stick to what he manual says for their Bullets and Himas. Others follow the dealer's recommendations and a few of us still consider riding conditions play some sort of role on these intervals too. What do you think about this:

- What are the conditions Royal Enfields are meant to be ridden that we can stick to what the manual recommends?
- What if I use my RE to conditions it was not meant to be ridden for (high revving, overloading, extreme heat, etc.), would that be enough to change oil a bit sooner (speaking of mineral to semi synth that is what manual suggest using)?
- What if my RE is modded and I want to take extra warranties by putting full synth oil (like our Himas) and this bike (mine) is used mostly for hard offroading and everyday use in between, would that be enough to change a bit sooner (at the 5000 km and not 10000 like Sam does)?
- How did we come up to the recommendation of using synth oil on our bigger bore engines? Which I do not mind paying for
- What if I want to put full synth on a RE that by manual runs on semi or mineral? Would that be advisable beyond the possibility of leaking? I even heard full synth can cause actual harm (which is weird to think)
- The environmental issue, longer change intervals mean less contamination
- Is there an actual relation between fuel quality and oil degradation?

 

[Dool]

I am using What the Dinosaurs left us! it is readily available and going by the combined Kms of my 2 Bikes and the amount of oil I have bought, I recon they have gone no longer than 2500kms between changes

 

[sam2019]

I used to read up on the oil issue a lot - its been a while though. from what I read full syth is more shear stable than mineral which means it keeps its greasy quality longer, much longer. the only reasons to use mineral oil would be if you drive very little so the time factor plays a role (change oil every 2 years. no matter what), you are in the break in phase and will change after 500km, you are currently short on cash (its a lot cheaper).
Other than that synth is always better. This is what RE says for the 650 (which uses full synth):

In Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, the first engine oil change is recommended after 5000km, then the second change is after 10000km, and after every 10000km the engine oil is changed.

RE allows full synth for the 350 bullet although it normally recommends semi synth (which they call liquid gun)

The most vital part of driving a motorcycle is oil. The engine oil of Royal Enfield classic 350 should be changed every 2500 to 3000 kilometers for conventional oil and every 4000 to 5000 kilometers for semi-synthetic oil, and 7000 to 10000 kilometers if you use fully synthetic oil.

I personally use synthetic only and change every 10.000 - I am not an expert but thats what came out of my research and quite a few "experts" seem to agree.

 

[Dool]

Surely Synthetic Oil is is not Normal, Dinosaurs were Normal
Good Oil is better but the right amount of Dino Oil is better than too little Synth, if I was taking mine to Extremes I might use Synth

 

[sam2019]

Surely Synthetic Oil is is not Normal, Dinosaurs were Normal

The notion that petroleum or crude oil comes from dinosaurs is fiction. Oil formed from the remains of marine plants and animals that lived hundrets of millions of years ago, long before the dinosaurs. The tiny organisms fell to the bottom of the sea.

 

[sam2019]

I suggest you spend the time to read a scientific article about oil and why synth is always better.

Advantages of Synthetic Base Oils

Petroleum-based mineral oils function very well as lubricants in probably 90 percent of industrial applications. They are cost-effective and provide a reasonable service life if used properly but...

www.machinerylubrication.com

 

[Dool]

The notion that petroleum or crude oil comes from dinosaurs is fiction. Oil formed from the remains of marine plants and animals that lived hundrets of millions of years ago, long before the dinosaurs. The tiny organisms fell to the bottom of the sea.

Still Natural ! and probably Greener!! Oils aint Oils was the slogan of the Day when Castrol brainwashed me, I once scored a near full 205 Litre drum of Castrol Oil that wasn't recommended for motorcycles about the only time I ever made a profit from Oil Changes, had a Bike shop at the time.

 

[Dool]

Sump Plug, has anyone determined the size? I'm hoping it is 14x1.5 partly because I ordered some Magnetic ones from Ali

 

[sam2019]

Length (or depth) is 1.5cm

 

[sam2019]

.

 

[Dool]

Cool, I recon thats a 1,5mm thread pitch, and I ordered a Gold one as well!


See it has a wire hole so it can be secured like Airplane stuff


@Sasa

 

[thony]

Already ordered mine =)

 

[sam2019]

Already ordered mine =)

consider that if you use those they wont allow you to drill a hole for a oil temp sensor like the original does.
monitoring the oil temp may be more valuable than having a magnet that may collect some stuff that otherwise will end up in the oil filter.

 

[thony]

Wait, oil plug on mine does not connect anywhere, just the plug. Do you mean the oil filler? I have JPMs oil temp gauge on that one but not sure about the drain plug.

 

[sam2019]

.

 

[Dool]

Already ordered mine =)

What Only 1 !

 

[thony]

.

That will be stripped down on my first fall of the day. Your bike is nice Sam, reminds me an indian guru!

 

[thony]

What Only 1 !

You are right, be selling more to the gangs here.

 

[Dool]

I have yet to determine the Best Place for the Temperature sender, it is at its hottest in the Head, thats where the ECT is taken from.

This is the ECT sender unit at ambient about 20Deg C. I have seen readings on the Software of 130 plus and this it where it comes from, the Sump gets the oil after it has done its rounds and dropped a lot of heat into the Case so it is a reading yes but not a Critical reading.

A Magnetic plug will stop bits being impacted into the screen and is a good indicator of Bearing failure when doing an oil change I bought a Gold one because it will match my new Master Cylinders and Titanium Side Cover Bolts

I have an Idea for a better spot to mount the Temperature sender unit that , comes with these cheap auto style units.
The End cover of the Cam shaft, that cover held on with 1 bolt at the top right hand side of the pic! Part Number 574188/b

 

[sam2019]

Your bike is nice Sam, reminds me an indian guru!

yeah, thanx - sold that in 2020 - almost bought it back this year but a guy in goa beat me to the punch!