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sprint_st

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This is not an oil thread, honest. Just information. If you have been accustomed to buying Mobil 1 as red or gold cap, I noticed today almost everything has either a red or silver cap. Also, there are two new 10W40's without an ILSAC starburst or Energy Conserving in the API donut. One is marketed for high mileage cars and the other for SUV's and trucks, probably the same oil, different bottles.

 
I've ran the 15w50 tan cap before and I can tell you there is a difference between that and the MX4T 10w40. Of course the MX4T is more $$, but it keeps the trans shifting smoother, longer than the std. car oil.

 
I've ran the 15w50 tan cap before and I can tell you there is a difference between that and the MX4T 10w40. Of course the MX4T is more $$, but it keeps the trans shifting smoother, longer than the std. car oil.
Like I said, don't want to compare anything because that just starts another oil thread. The point I'm making is that tan cap is most likely gone and may be in a silver cap or some other color. Used to be you could just grab a jug of red cap and it was 15w50, all the different kinds were color coded. Yes, 15w50 and 10w40 are different, that is equivalent to saying black and white are different, totally different formulas whether or not they are car or bike oils. Now they are making two automotive 10W40's and MX4T. Maybe they are three totally different oils, maybe they are just one with three bottles. Don't know and don't care. I do know all three satisfy Yamaha warranty requirements (I checked with Yamaha). It just means there are more choices available than just Yamalube 20w40.

 
This is not an oil thread, honest. Just information. If you have been accustomed to buying Mobil 1 as red or gold cap, I noticed today almost everything has either a red or silver cap. Also, there are two new 10W40's without an ILSAC starburst or Energy Conserving in the API donut. One is marketed for high mileage cars and the other for SUV's and trucks, probably the same oil, different bottles.
this happened close to a year ago, and not necessarily in my location, as it was discussed on another m/c website, due to the concerns of the new formulation of the mobil synth. i was lucky enough to snatch up three cases of it from a meijer store that had it sitting in the back room. since i still have some left, not sure what oil i'll use after i'm out.

tic tock, tic tock, wait for it, you know it's coming...

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so, i'm new to the fjr. what oil do you guys suggest?

bwahahahahahahahahah!!!

had to do it.

( :

 
I've ran the 15w50 tan cap before and I can tell you there is a difference between that and the MX4T 10w40. Of course the MX4T is more $$, but it keeps the trans shifting smoother, longer than the std. car oil.
Like I said, don't want to compare anything because that just starts another oil thread. The point I'm making is that tan cap is most likely gone and may be in a silver cap or some other color. Used to be you could just grab a jug of red cap and it was 15w50, all the different kinds were color coded. Yes, 15w50 and 10w40 are different, that is equivalent to saying black and white are different, totally different formulas whether or not they are car or bike oils. Now they are making two automotive 10W40's and MX4T. Maybe they are three totally different oils, maybe they are just one with three bottles. Don't know and don't care. I do know all three satisfy Yamaha warranty requirements (I checked with Yamaha). It just means there are more choices available than just Yamalube 20w40.
Get your feathers down! Just stating there is a difference is all!

 
Get your feathers down! Just stating there is a difference is all!
Feathers aren't ruffled. Just way too easy to start those synthetic versus dino, or bike oil versus car oil threads. IMO, it really doesn't matter anywhere near as much as the amount of discussion would indicate. The original post was primarily targeted to a whole bunch of guys who have been using Mobil 1 products for a long time to say there are some changes out there.

And Dean, I don't recommend any specific oil, that's like playing Russian roulette with an automatic on these forums.

 
IMO, it really doesn't matter anywhere near as much as the amount of discussion would indicate.
Exactly so.... sprint_st is spot on the money here.

It has always amazed me how much energy moto-forums (and email listservs before that) have spent over the years on oil debates. Running a close second behind that is the subject of chain lubes. Fortunately, we are largely spared the latter thanks to the bike having a shaft drive.

I sorta wished I had paid more attention when Mobil One 15-50w changed to a silver cap some time ago, but I suppose in the end, it's really not all that important to me. Historically, whenever they "re-formulate" and make a big, splashy advertisement campaign complete with new bottles, cap-color changes, et. al., the "re-formulation" is little more than a tiny, minuscule change in some additive ("now with 0.0173% more zinc!") or the like. Big whup. I used to be a big, big Mobil One Synthetic proponent, and I still consider it among the best out there, even though I only use it in my FJR nowadays.

I find the topic of engine oils has some similarities to the topic of religion: just use what works for you, and please don't push it on others who may have a different "religious" perspective. ;)

IMO, six words can pretty much sum up the only meaningful result of the endless oil debate:

"Dirty oil = bad. Clean oil = good".

As long as the oil in your engine is reasonably clean, it's hard to go wrong with most of today's modern oils. Select the proper viscosity and just use whatever gives you a woody. :D

 
Warchild, may I borrow your words, and paste the following in my New Owner FAQ Thread;

the topic of engine oils has some similarities to the topic of religion: just use what works for you, and please don't push it on others who may have a different "religious" perspective.
IMO, six words can pretty much sum up the only meaningful result of the endless oil debate:

"Dirty oil = bad. Clean oil = good".

As long as the oil in your engine is reasonably clean, it's hard to go wrong with most of today's modern oils. Select the proper viscosity and just use whatever gives you a woody.
 
I've ran the 15w50 tan cap before and I can tell you there is a difference between that and the MX4T 10w40. Of course the MX4T is more $$, but it keeps the trans shifting smoother, longer than the std. car oil.
Like I said, don't want to compare anything because that just starts another oil thread. The point I'm making is that tan cap is most likely gone and may be in a silver cap or some other color. Used to be you could just grab a jug of red cap and it was 15w50, all the different kinds were color coded. Yes, 15w50 and 10w40 are different, that is equivalent to saying black and white are different, totally different formulas whether or not they are car or bike oils. Now they are making two automotive 10W40's and MX4T. Maybe they are three totally different oils, maybe they are just one with three bottles. Don't know and don't care. I do know all three satisfy Yamaha warranty requirements (I checked with Yamaha). It just means there are more choices available than just Yamalube 20w40.
I will add this bit of information:

When doing a little research on which oil I would use with the FJR, I was at a loss as to whether or not the Mobil1 "motorcycle" specific oils had friction modifiers (most often molybdenum) in them. I know that all of the Mobil1 car oils below the 50wt. classes do have molyb in them. Since the FJR is a wet clutch I really wanted an oil without a friction modifier. Autozone didn't know for sure whether or not the 20-50 VTwinn oil had molyb in in it. The MXT4 actually states that it is free of friction modifiers if you check the Mobil web site. Mobil told the AutoZone rep that no Mobil1 oil designed for motorcycle application, have friction modifiers. So, that answers my question about the VTwinn 20-50. What I'm really curious about is the 15-50 Mobil1. It costs half what the VTwinn stuff does and I've used it successfully in my 2000 dry clutch Buell. Anyone have an answer on the 15-50?

 
I will add this bit of information:When doing a little research on which oil I would use with the FJR, I was at a loss as to whether or not the Mobil1 "motorcycle" specific oils had friction modifiers (most often molybdenum) in them. I know that all of the Mobil1 car oils below the 50wt. classes do have molyb in them. Since the FJR is a wet clutch I really wanted an oil without a friction modifier. Autozone didn't know for sure whether or not the 20-50 VTwinn oil had molyb in in it. The MXT4 actually states that it is free of friction modifiers if you check the Mobil web site. Mobil told the AutoZone rep that no Mobil1 oil designed for motorcycle application, have friction modifiers. So, that answers my question about the VTwinn 20-50. What I'm really curious about is the 15-50 Mobil1. It costs half what the VTwinn stuff does and I've used it successfully in my 2000 dry clutch Buell. Anyone have an answer on the 15-50?
This is not debatable, it is fact, if you don't believe me call any major oil company's customer support who have people who answer technical questions - virtually ALL motor oils contain friction modifiers to some extent or other. I really don't want to trigger an oil thread.

Wet clutch motorcycle riders have been using Mobile 1 red and gold cap oils made for cars for many years with absolutely NO clutch problems. If the oil doesn't have an ILSAC starburst or doesn't say Energy Conserving in the API Donut, AND it says Mobil 1, you should not have any clutch problems caused by oil. IMO, far too many people take this subject to extremes.

 
Wet clutch motorcycle riders have been using Mobile 1 red and gold cap oils made for cars for many years with absolutely NO clutch problems. If the oil doesn't have an ILSAC starburst or doesn't say Energy Conserving in the API Donut, AND it says Mobil 1, you should not have any clutch problems caused by oil. IMO, far too many people take this subject to extremes.
+1 Been running either M1 15-50 or 10-40, both old cap and new cap, since Frank had 1000 miles, now have 30K and a sweeter clutch doesn't exist.

 
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I do know all three satisfy Yamaha warranty requirements (I checked with Yamaha).
do you have a P.O.C. for that confirmation? it might help a lot of folks whose local dealers are trying push their branded snake oils.
If for some reason I get distracted and don't come back with a reply to this, somebody PM me, but I wrote the date, time and name down on my YES contract. Let me emphasize that I asked the guy point blank, would 10W40 void my warranty. Yes he did dance a bit, but the answer was no. I fully understand why he danced. There is for instance a 20W40 oil made for natural gas engines. Not sure who made it, maybe Amsoil, but when I checked into it, I was told that the additive package contained 'something' which I don't recall, gettin' older guys, that wasn't the greatest for motorcycles. So maybe someone makes a 10W40 that is chock full of molybdenum disulfide. That might void a warranty issue for something, but, while clubbing this dead horse to death, a main line Mobil 1 10W40 will not void your warranty.

 
I will add this bit of information:When doing a little research on which oil I would use with the FJR, I was at a loss as to whether or not the Mobil1 "motorcycle" specific oils had friction modifiers (most often molybdenum) in them. I know that all of the Mobil1 car oils below the 50wt. classes do have molyb in them. Since the FJR is a wet clutch I really wanted an oil without a friction modifier. Autozone didn't know for sure whether or not the 20-50 VTwinn oil had molyb in in it. The MXT4 actually states that it is free of friction modifiers if you check the Mobil web site. Mobil told the AutoZone rep that no Mobil1 oil designed for motorcycle application, have friction modifiers. So, that answers my question about the VTwinn 20-50. What I'm really curious about is the 15-50 Mobil1. It costs half what the VTwinn stuff does and I've used it successfully in my 2000 dry clutch Buell. Anyone have an answer on the 15-50?
This is not debatable, it is fact, if you don't believe me call any major oil company's customer support who have people who answer technical questions - virtually ALL motor oils contain friction modifiers to some extent or other. I really don't want to trigger an oil thread.

Wet clutch motorcycle riders have been using Mobile 1 red and gold cap oils made for cars for many years with absolutely NO clutch problems. If the oil doesn't have an ILSAC starburst or doesn't say Energy Conserving in the API Donut, AND it says Mobil 1, you should not have any clutch problems caused by oil. IMO, far too many people take this subject to extremes.
"...not debatable", where does your infallibility eminate from? My post accurately reported exactly what the Mobil1 rep stated when we had them on the phone at AutoZone. And your suggestion to call a customer support helpdesk is exactly what my post said we were doing when we were told that Mobil1 motorcycle specific oils do not contain molybdenum as do the Mobil1 automotive oils. Perhaps your infallibility is interferring with you reading comprehension.

 
Sprint is correct in what he said. All oils have "friction modifiers" of one sort of another. It really isn't debatable if you know anything at all about oils. It just depends on what YOU are calling a friction modifier and what the person at Mobil calls a friction modifier.....etc..... The antiwear additive ZDP, which is in virtually all oils and is a desireable thing to have in sufficient quantities to prevent wear can be considered a friction modifier in some situations. Moly is NOT the only friction modifier to be worried about. In fact, I would worry very little about a small amount of Moly in the oil with a wet clutch.

These days, the real concern over "friction modifiers" are the specific additives put in the automotive oils to meet the ILSAC requirements for "fuel economy enhancing" oils. Those are what started all the problems with wet clutches. Once again, Sprint's advice is well spoken....if the oil is not an ILSAC rated oil for fuel efficiency...i.e..it does NOT have the ILSAC starburst symbol...then it is likely fine for wet clutches as it does not contain excess amounts of friction modifiers added to get the 2-3 % fuel economy improvement needed to meet the ILSAC requirements.

Seriously.....the help desk at Mobil contacted from the Autozone counter is hardly the definitive word in what oil does what and what works where and how..... You could do much better in 5 minutes with google on the internet.

If you look at the cans/bottles you will see that many of the Mobil 1 products, especially the ones mentioned for motorcycle use and the extended service Mobil 1 oils, are NOT ILSAC rated oils and do NOT contain the starburst symbol so they are fine for motorcycle use with wet clutches.

 
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This is not debatable, it is fact, if you don't believe me call any major oil company's customer support who have people who answer technical questions
"...not debatable", where does your infallibility eminate from? My post accurately reported exactly what the Mobil1 rep stated when we had them on the phone at AutoZone. And your suggestion to call a customer support helpdesk is exactly what my post said we were doing when we were told that Mobil1 motorcycle specific oils do not contain molybdenum as do the Mobil1 automotive oils. Perhaps your infallibility is interferring with you reading comprehension.
You may equate "not debatable" with infallibility if you like. It is absolutely true one can debate whether or not the sun comes up in the east. What made my statement "not debatable" was that any contrary position would be totally contrary to the facts. Whose facts? Not mine, but the oil companies who I recommended that any doubters contact. That fact was not something I pulled out of my hind quarters, it came from several petroleum engineers which many major oil companies have available on customer service lines. When I have a question, I go to the source for an answer which I suggest that you do as well.

As for the warranty issue, on February 20, 2007 at 10:40am est, I called (714) 761-7632 which is the number given on my YES contract for questions pertaining to the contract. I was transferred to their technical staff representative named Kobe. He didn't give me his last name but the only other Kobe I know of on the west coast plays for the Lakers. The gist of the conversation was use good oil and change it at recommended intervals. Specifically he said "No" when I asked him if I used 10w40 rather than than 20w40, would it void the warranty. Quite frankly, the Yamaha folks sounded quite reasonable. It seamed like they were a big enough company with a solid product so they didn't need to avoid problem issues.

 
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