Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > oil .. filter ...oil & filter change

[Walenut]

That’s a very good article and I shall tuck it away for further reference, a couple of points that it makes are very interesting. Could we be looking in the wrong direction for cam wear, could this be a result of impurities getting into the oil due to a poor air filter set up? This would defiantly explain (according to the article) why we should be using thicker oil, but why doesn’t wear show up to the same extent any where else? The article also raises the point that more viscose oil will offer greater pressure between two surfaces and thus, I think, offer better protection, but I also understand that there is a point at which that protection is lost, the hydrodynamic wedge collapses. So it’s a balance between the two so I suppose that takes us back to the start and end of the article:
“Here's the bottom line when it comes to motor oils: you really cant go wrong by following the recommendations given in your owner's manual. Your motorcycle's maker has dyno-tested its engine with a crankcase full of the specified oil, or one with the same American Petroleum Institute (API) rating. You can be sure that particular oil will do the job” and “Keep in mind that your motorcycle was extensively tested with its cavities full of the lubricants specified by its maker. Motorcycle manufacturers dont test their models on oil specially compounded to keep engines, clutches, and transmissions happy, they instead do the sensible thing and design hardware compatible with the oils they know you'll be able to find. Its the smart thing to do, and it works right up to the point where you ignore their advice”

Which is fine for a standard bike but my handbook states 15w50 Shell Advace Ultra 4 and its imposible to get hold of ??????????

[ducv2]

Workshop manual gives a variety of oil viscosities for different ambient operating temperatures, so maybe everyone is right

[Walenut]

Could be, or perhaps it’s just poorly adjusted valves and a bad batch of rockers?

[keith_mann1959]

Valve gear is the harshest environment in the engine for oil, problems with marginal lubrication will show up first here.

There seems to be an assumption that thicker oil (50)offers better protection than 40.

A mineral oil of 40 or 50 weight will have a film strength of about 5/600 PSI.

A proper synthetic either 40 or 50 will have a film strength of approx 3000 psi and better "cling" which is good for rarely used bikes.

A good synthetic will have much better flow at very cold temperatures.

By the by, just heard from John Hackets that my bike (748)did not need any rockers at its 2 year service.
It runs on Motul 300 V @1500 mile changes or Amsoil @3000 miles changes. These are both ester based oils with a 3000 psi film strength!

[Walenut]

Just found this

http://www.xs11.com/stories/mcnoil94.htm

[Walenut]

I’m still looking at oils, very sad I know but I’m stuck in the house baby sitting!

After reading a lot of the information on the board especially the information put up by Shazam I found a couple of other articles, and particularly the article written by MCN (Motorcycle Consumer News) and the one below.

I would say that I have now come to the same conclusion that a motorcycle specific oil in a Ducati is not needed because mainly we don’t have to worry about wet clutch slippage, but motorcycle oils have a harder time because of lubricating the gear box don’t they? Well they probably do but most of the people on here are talking about 3000 mile oil and filter changes or less, so if we are all using a good quality fully synthetic I would think that non of use have to worry about that either.

So as far as I’m concerned that only leaves one issue for a Ducati and that is the one about oil starvation on start up to the rockers and the debate about viscosities, as all other issues are covered in the articles below. (It was particularly interesting to read why some motorcycle oils are priced higher!) but I digress, so after reading the specifics and claims from various manufactures I came to the Esso site and read up on the new Mobil 1 Super Syn ™ and found out an interesting claim that there 15w/50 actually flow similarly to a 5W/30 at start up in cold temperatures, so is this the answer to our problems a 15W/50 that will flow well when cold? This oil was designed for American drag racing that required maximum protection for short periods from start up. Worth a read, I think personally it sounds ideal for a Ducati and I’ll give it a go if it is obtainable.

http://www.yft.org/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

http://www.xs11.com/stories/mcnoil94.htm

http://www.imperialoil.com/Canada-En...ersynStory.asp

[Walenut]

Did I say 3000 mile oil changes?

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/s...l1.html#metals

[Walenut]

Well it is obtainable £36 from Halfords which makes it £4 cheaper than the 10W/40 Shell Advanced from Ducati dealers and about the same price as Rockoil 15W/50 specifically for motorcycles.

Right found an oil I think I’m happy with, Tires then!

[NateR]

.. and when you have the tyres figured SP let me know too