Engine oil for triples - Silkolene SAE40?

Laverda SF said:
If your going to do more then 2000Km on our old Breganzies in a Season - All the best to yah!

Not saying 2000 kms is insufficient but we do like to pound them and if the oil is black and dirty - It's doing the job ;o)
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Our season starts in August and finishes in July.
 
For what it's worth I use Silkolene Silkolube 20W-50 in the Jota and change it at 1000 miles, never had a problem.  Many years ago I used that green Duckhams stuff which I'm told contributed to my 5th gear failing. Gear was replaced and since then I've used Silkolene.
 
Some oils seem to promote clutch plates sticking together.
Alternatively just fit a set of Red's Kevlar friction plates and no more stuck plates regardless of which oil you use.
I stopped using Repsol oils when living in Spain as I had a few instances of clutch plate adhesion, even after only a week of non-use.
 
hi, fyi mobil 1 is craked from the wax in the refining process , once uesed 7500lts of it to flush the exchangers which feed the reactor which made it. time to go to bed
 
I used to use Silkolene Pro 4 15W-50 that was better than anything other I ever tried in any engine. They recently changed it to "XP"-version and an inquiry was sent to Silkolene does it also have enough ZDDP to be still used.
 
Tippie said:
I used straight 40 Mobil (Delvac 1240) for a decade before the firm released Mobil 1 for bikes and have used that for two decades now in road and race SFs (yes I know most on this forum hate synthetic oil for Laverdas).
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Interesting comment about Mobil 1. I used it in my Zane since new and never had any problems. I'll admit I was quite ignorant about the zinc for the clutch.

I recently knocked 6 Zane cranks apart, and the pins, rollers ect in my own bike were spot on. As with all Zanes the roller cages rub on the inside of the rods due to "sizing" issues, but again I was happy with the Mobil 1, as my cages, even though they had been rubbing, were not scoring and feathering as per the others (no idea what type of oils they had been using).

I have given a lot of thought to using Mobil 1 from now on, putting crank pin issues above clutch issues, but not actually got there yet to have to make a decision.

Regards, Greg
 
Greg, My understanding about the zinc and phosphorus additives is they are for anti wear in high load conditions, Cam lobes, flat tappets, etc. The modern oils include polymer compounds to replace the zinc,etc. because the catalytic converters on modern stuff can't burn off the zinc and it fouls the catalyst. I believe it is the polymer compounds that fuck with the clutch operation.
That said, I have a 95 Triumph Sprint that has run the Mobil1 15/50 since it's first oil change with no issues.But it is my understanding the 15/50 does have higher ZDDP levels than the other Mobil 1 oils. 
 
wdietz186: "Mobil1 15/50". Is this bike specific Mobil 1? At my meeting with Mobil way back then he told me about the bike specific Mobil 1 they had in final testing with an Australian superbike race team, and said not to use car type Mobil 1 due to wet clutch issues.
 
Tippie said:
wdietz186: "Mobil1 15/50". Is this bike specific Mobil 1? At my meeting with Mobil way back then he told me about the bike specific Mobil 1 they had in final testing with an Australian superbike race team, and said not to use car type Mobil 1 due to wet clutch issues.
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When Mobil 1 first came out there were no separate car vs bike versions. I used it a lot in race engines at the time with very good results. The only problem I ever heard with the first version was an engine builder here who used it in a very high boost turbo engine - and had the chrome come off the top rings...
I haven't had such good results with the later bike versions so won't now use it.
I'm with Red in preferring my build engines to be bedded in on straight mineral - usually Spectro 20/50.
After that they can use what they prefer.
For anyone who wants to give nicasil bores a try, use castor base as an assembly lube - and be generous with it.
It's apparently been proven to prevent flaking and damage on new nicasil...
 
The oil I've been using is the car stuff bought at the local Wal-Mart. I read somewhere it is unique in that it has higher ZDDP and fewer if any of the polymer friction modifiers. That same article noted that GM specifies only the 15/50 for the high output Z06 Corvettes. My Triumph has 45k miles on it and doesn't use any oil between changes. Never had any clutch slip or engagement issues. I don't hammer the thing but I do make it work for its living.
 
Well now! After all the silly stuff, we get some sense - thanks Spondonrider et al

Just done an oil change after 1000 miles - oil gone to a dark gold, but not black, same level as when filled so no loss, and magnet in oil produced no metal bits, so looks fine.

I've had this bike from new and always warm before use and only load when clutch cover is warm - the old glove on cheek trick!

Thanks all and quite an interesting thread in the end.

Now, tyre pressures . . . .  30/33 or with modern tyres more?
 
MotoJouni said:
I used to use Silkolene Pro 4 15W-50 that was better than anything other I ever tried in any engine. They recently changed it to "XP"-version and an inquiry was sent to Silkolene does it also have enough ZDDP to be still used.
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Silkolene answered that the new XP-version has 1200-1300 ppm of ZDDP. More than enough for Laverda I think.
 
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