Just do it - but do a proper oil & filter change this week as soon as you can.
He says any oil is better than none!!! [/quote]
Yeah right ! I've only just found out that I'm supposed to check the oil level in a bike - this is going to be a very steep learning curve for me. Am going out shortly to find a 24 Shell garage to see if they have the right oil.
Hello Ruth, I think the letters AFAIK refer to the standard of the oil, if you look on the back of the can you will see a line of letters and numbers, just been out to the garage and looked at a can of bike oil and the numbers/letters are API SG-CCMIC G5. but dont worry about that as Rockhopper says go to your nearest halfords on the way and get a bottle on the way. BTW how low is the level?
Originally posted by rockhopper What time are you setting off in the morning? Is there a Halfords on your route that might be open? Any of the lads going past your house who could drop a pint or two of the right stuff in for you?
[Edited on 27-5-2006 by rockhopper]
Halfords was my first thought but I don't think it will be open till 10 am and I'm meeting at 10. I'm going up to check the times on their door now, because it's just up the road. Otherwise, it'll be an 8 mile drive to the nearest 24 hour shell garage that I know of. Good job I've not been drinking - because I'm supposed to be riding tomorrow - eh?
As suspected Halfords doesn't open till 10 am but 24 hour Shell garage had the right stuff and it's only 2 miles from my house (forgot about that one) and sure enough there's a picture of a motor bike on the bottle (and I rang Ali to check it was the right stuff). I think maybe even a rudimentary knowledge of these things would be a big plus for me so I'm definitely going to try to be less hopeless - Dr AK I'll be wanting more detail about where to put the sawdust.
Thanks for the help guys. Should be all sorted and it's going to be warm and sunny tomorrow. Hoorah!
OK, I used to work at Total in sales and marketing for the lubes sides.
If I had a wet clutch I would not put Quartz 7000 in it. Right viscosity (ie: 10w/40) but the spec is way to high for a bike with a wet clutch.
The oil contains Friction Modifiers which are great for a modern car engine and fuel economy, but, play hell with wet clutches. Bike oil compared to modern car oil is quite low spec. Modern car oil is very high spec' and has lots of additives to assist with fuel economy and extended drain intervals .... bikes work on a completly different technology.
Bike oil has to lubricate the engine PLUS gearbox PLUS clutch in a wet system.
If possible get the correct bike oil .... any major oil company 10w/40 will be fine, just make sure it is intended for a bike. Shell, Total, Castrol, Silkolene, Q8 would all be OK and will mix fine with what you have in now. All major brands will be miscible in service.
All that said, the main reason for oil related failure is lack of lubrication rather than the wrong oil. If you assume your bike holds around 4 ltr of oil you would be OK (ish) topping up with 1 or 2ltr max of car type oil.
And by the way, AFAIK has nothing at all to do with oil spec's. The ones that you will see quoted are ACEA and API.
Hi Ruth,dont forget you need to check the oil level while the bike is upright,NOT on the sidestand.Add the oil a little at a time,then stand the bike up and check the level through the little window in the crankcase. Overfilling can cause more harm than good.