Not an Oil Thread!

piranha-bro2

piranha-bro2

Hero member
Location
Melbourne
Quick question. I’m running Mobil 1 V-twin 20/50. I’d like to top up before a 300km ride back to Melbourne on Saturday. Very little chance of finding that oil anywhere near where I am. Should I look for an alternative fully synth of any viscosity I can find or add some 20/50 mineral oil?
I don’t want to hear discussions about zinc, ‘you-can-only-use-straight-mineral-oil‘, the clutch will slip, fully synthetic oil is bad for old Laverdas and the like.
Just an answer from someone who might know a bit about oils. Thanks in advance.
Q
 
How many km has it taken to get down to what level? You can calculate oil consumption. Even if it is on the bottom mark, 300km should go fine unless you are trying to lose your licence.
 
Before the engine rebuild my 3c would use a bit less than half a litre on the 4-day Snowy Runs. I carried half a litre with me in a suitable Plastic container and very importantly either a flat pack funnel or this oddball now long gone weirdly perfectly shaped econcentric tiny funnel. Cutting up soft drink bottles is painful After the rebuild, it has zero consumption.
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Ballards Orange Silicone Foldable Funnel at MXstore

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That foldable funnel is also available in most Supermarkets for under €2,00 or equivilant Pesos in the baking or household goods section.
 
Any good quality synthetic should do.
Preferably as close too/similar grade as you have in your motor now.
Mineral oil would be a second choice.
Castor oil is unlikely to be available unless you’re somewhere very unusual.

Change it when you get home. Simples.
 
Certainly topping up oil to safe levels is 10000000 times better than running low. And using the same viscosity of different manufacturer is no problem at all. Different viscosity top up ONLY in emergency situations.
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Quick question. I’m running Mobil 1 V-twin 20/50. I’d like to top up before a 300km ride back to Melbourne on Saturday. Very little chance of finding that oil anywhere near where I am. Should I look for an alternative fully synth of any viscosity I can find or add some 20/50 mineral oil?
I don’t want to hear discussions about zinc, ‘you-can-only-use-straight-mineral-oil‘, the clutch will slip, fully synthetic oil is bad for old Laverdas and the like.
Just an answer from someone who might know a bit about oils. Thanks in advance.
Q
Click to expand...
Sh..t Q, put any 20/50w in it and it will be good to go. Remember it's a Laverda, not a Ducrapi !
 
piranha-bro2 said:
Quick question. I’m running Mobil 1 V-twin 20/50. I’d like to top up before a 300km ride back to Melbourne on Saturday. Very little chance of finding that oil anywhere near where I am. Should I look for an alternative fully synth of any viscosity I can find or add some 20/50 mineral oil?
I don’t want to hear discussions about zinc, ‘you-can-only-use-straight-mineral-oil‘, the clutch will slip, fully synthetic oil is bad for old Laverdas and the like.
Just an answer from someone who might know a bit about oils. Thanks in advance.
Q
Click to expand...
Hello there, never use synthetic oil !!! ore your clutch will start slipping. Your Laverda is designed for a Mineral Multigrade oil like 20W40. See also the notes in the Green Laverda repair manual of Tim Parker. If you use Synthetic oil, not only do you need to replace the oil, but also clean each and every clutchplate. Believe me, I know from experience :)
 
There ya go , eh.
For the record I’ve used Mobil 1 in my motors for as long as I can remember. Never had a slipping clutch. This motor produces close to double the hp and torque of a std SF. NEVER. had clutch slip My brother has used it in his road SF and his 12-season SF racer. Same story.
Read my original post. I don’t need shock-horror stories about the dire consequences of using synthetic oil.
 
Quentin,
Did you use synthetic oil after the engine(s) were rebuilt? My blue 750 has only had synthetic oil since it was built up in '86 and no clutch slip issues. Friend has a 3CL that he rebuilt in '92 and only uses synthetic oil, no clutch slip.
My 71 SF doesn't like synthetic, big time clutch slip after I tried that. Went back to mineral 20W50 and all is good.
I wonder why some Laverda engines work with synthetic oil while others don't.:unsure:
 
But but what about the Roller. You know the rest. There is also the oil Leaks, that's another. My bet anything can happen to individual bikes and even groups of bikes with any change. I have used full Sinthic in the past, Penrite 10 10ths with no ill effects after doing the run-in on Mineral and probably will again. Just to be logical, so you do the first 1000 or so ks after a full rebuild on Mineral to set the rings and then switch to Sinthic and that's fine, No clutch issues. But if you switch an old engine the clutch doesn't like it. WHY. and yet some have had it happen. At some point, I will fit that Canister oil filter and switch to full synthetic and do oil changes at probably 7 or 8000ks.
 
Gerald, my previous mostly SFCd SF ran mineral for years and then switched to Mobil 1. No hint of clutch issues. The SFQ was run in briefly on mineral (twice, after melting a piston I had a new left cylinder) and then to Mobil 1 V-twin. Again no problems. Maybe an old 750 with soft clutch and plates nearing replacement time with have issues. Not sure about kevlar plates. Mine were NOS factory plates I’d had for 25 years or more. Phil Tod clutch springs.
Anyways, to get to the chase if my oil is on the lower mark when I check again on dead level ground I’ll just cruise the 300k home.
 
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