Petro Tech 2000 Oil additive

I just called Megacycle Camshafts yesterday for some questions about their hardening process, in relation to using a nitride vs tungsten disulphide low friction coating on the cam lobes. They pleaded with me not to do it, saying the surface finish on their cam lobes is precision ground to the optimal roughness to just allow a thin film of oil to spread outwards from the "scratches" to keep the lobe surface lubricated at the speeds and loads associated with motorcycle camshafts, and their hard coating is already lower friction than steel on steel. They said the only way I could get an improvement would be to have the tappets micropolished before coating them, and I have no way to find out what hardening process was originally used on the tappets. The techs recommended Motul 20/50 motorcycle oil, no additives, and no surface treatments.

I was very surprised, but the 2 people I talked to both knew what Laverdas were, and discussed how the lubrication needs for a Laverda twin were different from the optimum for a Laverda triple. They said that there's a lot of Laverdas "coming out of the woodwork" at the moment. Not sure how to interpret that.

Ken
 
Marty,

I use TSL (Tri Star Lube) it's an oil based enhancer it makes the engine much smoother all so gear changing.
There is no PTFE in it so no worries for the clutch.

Rob
 
I have always wondered, if all these oil additives are so wonderful, why does not a single manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, industrial engines............ etc. Recommend using any of them? In fact if you look in the owners manual for pretty much anything is will generally tell you not to use oil additives.

Also, in MOTO GP the bikes are running 10W-40 or 15W-50 synthetic oils. With no Slick 50 or any other additives.
 
The oils the Moto GP guys are using are a different animal compared to the stuff we can buy. As an example a friend of mine was the tuner for Castrol Honda in 2001 when the team was based in Stephanskirchen Germany (now where the BMW Superbike team is based).  He got a special oil that Honda had flown in from their factory in Japan and found it gave a 3 HP increase on the dyno. Dyno runs done on the same day with the same atmospheric conditions and no tweaks other than just changing the oil. Lord knows what they've come up with since then.

Tom
 
Why Oil-Industry does not recommend it? easy...: if they would, they could not use much cheaper additives and sell them higher.

I have used Slick50 in all my bikes with different results, but never with ANY related issue. Smoother shifting, cooler running of the engine, less consumption and less mechanical noise on the engine. That said, it can NOT heal an engine with a serious issue! it should NOT be used on engines that have not yet been run in! give the engine at least 5.000 Km, best 10.000 to first size as much as it should normally and then use slick50, SX6000 or what ever similar product.

Tests of local magazines have shown up to 5% more HP after a treatment (on a Harley Sportster and an old Honda if I remember well).

New engines though have already reduced friction, you won't notice much from treating them. but our old bangers do benefit from the treatment.
 
Not much in the way of internal friction with a Laverda to start with (unless you have one of Franks special cam bearing jobs) , they are all roller bearings.


  Keith
 
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