The Truth About Mixing Different Engine Oils | The Shop Manual
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
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There are lots of strong opinions about oil, and much of it seems to be based on hearsay. As for whether you can mix different brands of oil or mix a synthetic with a conventional oil or vice versa, Ari gets down to the facts in this episode of The Shop Manual.
Want more info on oils? Ari explores more myths and concerns in this article: rvz.la/3KGccD5
RevZilla stocks all the most popular brands of engine oil:
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And don’t forget a new oil filter:
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Thanks to Progressive for sponsoring this episode of The Shop Manual. Learn more about America’s #1 motorcycle insurer at: rvz.la/44N4X3D
RevZilla stocks all the most popular brands of engine oil: rvz.la/448GGVm
tell your IT guys to have an option on the website to filter between conventional and synthetic oil.
@@Beamerboy95 Please 😉😂
Just stop oil
Do a test on 2 - 4 cycle Inexpensive honda motors. And find out for yourself instead of asking the manufacturers. Of course they're not going to say yes it's okay to mix
As an anecdotal report: I just installed new 300V Motul oil in my bike, replacing the very good Motul 7100. The green 300V oil turned brown immediately from the residual 7100 red colored oil, and the 300V oil shifts very hard into 1st gear, which was not the case with the 7100. I'm going to try flushing the oil out completely and using pure 300V, to see if it helps improve the shifting.
Ultimately, in the worst case scenarios. Any engine oil is better than no engine oil
can attest to this after seizing a drz400 lol
Put the oil in that will keep the thing running long enough to get home.
As long as it's motorcycle oil, yes.
@@lucascarracedo7421 No. Even car engine oil is indeed better than not oil 😁
Only your clutchplates might not like it in long run. But it won't like annihilate your discs in minutes.
@@jothain I digress. it's not about annihilating the clutch plates.
Motorcycle oil has additives especially designed to allow low friction when the clutch plates are disengaged and to actually transmit friction while they are. Car oil will lead to plate slipping and it's really dangerous.
Engine health is the least of the worries. The actual risk is the rider's health.
It's not about car oil is better than no oil. If that's the only alternative, that bike should just stay there. I'm not suggesting to use the bike without oil. Just don't use the bike, regardless of where it is.
So long as you are not running a highly tuned engine at full revs over race distance - oil is oil, it lubricates.
I used to run Mobile One in my R1. Never had a problem over 10 years.
Since you say oil is oil...then vegetable oil should lubricate just as good
@@speedyme200well obviously he means engine oil of the correct viscosity...
I never raced the R1 to be honest, but I wouldn’t have cheaped out on the oil if I were doing that.
@@speedyme200 do you really have to be _that guy?_
I was broke and in college. My scion tc was fed a diet of whatever synthetic oil was on sale; mixing between manufacturers many times. Car ran fine till I traded it in at 160k+ miles.
To this day, I still change my own oil and I still mix different blends based on whatever I have on the shelf. Car takes 6 quarts, buy two 5 quart jugs. Next oil change, buy a single 5 quart jug. Use the last 4 quarts from the first purchase and fill with 2 quarts from the second purchase. Rinse and repeat.
I believe this advice is leaning more on the cautious side. It’s my experience that switching between manufacturers and mixing oils will do no damage. I would recommend sticking in the same viscosity, same certifications, and from a reputable company.
you're not wrong. the single most important thing to remember about oil is to change it at regular intervals as specified in your owners manual. most people don't do that. what brand of oil you use is of very little importance in the long run, but actually changing it is.
I've been using cheaper car motor oil (10w40) in my 85 Yamaha xj700 motorcycle for years with no issues. Plus mixing different brands of 10w40 oils.
Agreed, had a 2001 suburban with 5.3 that I put 397k on original motor/trans. I had mixed all kinds of shit in that truck and it would not die! Had an '04 and an '06 -same motors- that I used synthetic Pennzoil in religiously and they both went out with under 200k
@@ChronicalsofAl I think mixing engine oil might provide your engine with extra nutrients that are missing from one type of oil uses, thus increasing its lifespan just like how human need to eat many different food to get enough nutrients 😂. Sounds unorthodox but damn it was interesting indeed.
I think the biggest difference is if you completely drain the oil and change the filter it should not do any damage. But if you add a different brand and weight of oil because it is low, it would be wise to change it sooner then recommended.
I had an old 3 wheeler that burned a lot of oil. I took it to deer camp one year and noticed it was low miles away from my truck. I topped it off with Mazola. Ran fine, smelled like I was making popcorn!
It should never get above the smoke point, so I don't see why not. 😅
You were very lucky!
Mazola! Lololo
All I do know I properly done on a nice schedule not forgetting your lube oil changes it is your cheapest doings to keep your cars engine lasting a mucho long time also going slow easy avowing stop and go when possible saves trips $$$$$$$ to auto shops yourself headaches some of this tho cannot always be done best each day that varies no matter where when we go travel to or our employment jobs dates shopping or there is always some kind of nut on rugs somewhere I should know my dad was a mucho well advanced aemt medic I was freelance law legal news fire department police photos who has seen what you donot want to be in an acident with drugs donot ask their arms had mucho needle marks on them than a seamstress sewing dresses would have in her pin cushion my school days 1952 1964 was not as bad fires auto crashes yes we had them tho now donot ask
But it was a 3 wheeler, they’ll run on anything.
Ari is a qualified mixologist. Cheers
I just learned he likes to bake cakes
Truth. 💯👍🏻 -Ohio 🇺🇸
Smart is knowing you can mix oils. Wisdom is using a cake analogy so you can get paid to eat cake.
Well, any excuse is good when it comes to cakes.
Cake analogy is for kids not mechanics! What a load of BS.
will it work in cars?
@@gabrielv.4358 Yes. Cars are even less picky since their transmissions use a separate fluid entirely. If possible stick to the same weight oil. If it’s an emergency and you’re just trying to limp the car home or to a shop - any oil is better than no oil.
I have a snowblower that I mix oils in. The manual states 5w-30, but I only had 0w-20 (syn) and 10w-30 oils (convent). It ran fine all winter long and I have done this 15 years in a row (changed it each year). So, as long at there is lubricant in the engine, it will run fine. Perfection is not a mankind thing to worry about. Nothing on earth, in life, is perfect. My poor old 6.2 ltr diesel truck (1983) gets whatever "diesel grade" oil I fine on sale. It has 300,000 miles on it and I have put 200,000 of those miles on it. I try to keep Rotella 15w-40 in it, but if I have 20w-50 or 10w-40, I just top it off it those combinations and brand means nothing. As I learned in the wine industry. One tank of wine goes out to all kinds or brands. Gallo, Sutter Home, Bronco and all the big wineries just put the wine from tank 1 into all the 20 brands they have and charge a different amount for the same wine. BTW, my diesel truck has an oil leak so it is constantly getting "topped off" because fixing the leak is expensive, whereas, oil is cheap comparatively. And yes, 30 years of "oil blending" has not effected the old diesel and 15 years of "oil blending" has not effected the snowblower.
Based. Most oil-related problems are due to incorrect fill amount or extreme age/dirtiness.
But has it affected how your wine tastes?
@@jamessmith9786 After working in the wine industry for 15 years, I no longer drink wine. Why? Have you ever seen what floats on top of the wine in the "cap" during fermentation? If you did, you would switch to tea.... Chopped up snakes, earwigs, rats, mice, and all kinds of crawling bugs... Nope, it does not change the way the wine tastes, it does make you think about the wine.
As a retired mechanic after 45 years of bending wrenches, the knowledge of oil has evolved quite a bit, I grew up when motorcycles used straight weight oils and riders were cleaning their chains with kerosene.
oil in the engine is better than no oil in the engine, most of my past motorcycles the owners manual had recommendations on alternative oil f the need arose.
I personally just say change your oil and filter as recommended and buy one more quart than you need when oil change time comes, if you have a shop do the oil change ask them for an extra quart-liter to take with you.
Going on a trip I bring oil with me, yes it takes up space and adds weight but it pays for itself when you need to add some to your bike. it lives in the right side saddle bag with my tool kit and tire repair kit.
I put my tools on the right side so if I need to pull over to tend to a matter I'm not on the traffic side of the road trying to get to my tools.
Everyone despite their level of mechanics should at least know how to check the fluid levels and tire pressures on their own machines.
You depend on the motorcycle to get you where you want to go it depends on you to keep it maintained and running.
Chain manufacturers (DID , EK) recommend that only kerosene is used to clean their chains
Oil and bikers are always an interesting “mix”. Mixing is fine, been doing it for 45 plus years when needed. Oil standards dictate that they can be mixed.
Yeah, some guys can’t run their dirtbike on the same oil for five minutes it seems. And there’s always this guy that swears his KTM will blow up if he doesn’t use Motorex cuz ”the manual says so”😂
@@HeyAddieImTojoand it will blow up but it’s because it’s a ktm in the first place.
I have been riding longer that Ari and Zach have been alive and these two men have done more for motorcycling than anyone else.
Different oils being able to mix without negative side effects isn't just industry practice, it's Federal law. It doesn't apply to specialty race oils, but any oil intended for over-the-road use that is API certified is required by law not to have any additives that could react with those in a different oil to create harmful substances like acids or toxins. This is so that if someone is driving down the highway and needs to stop at a gas station to top off their oil, they don't have to go from store to store searching for the specific oil they use, but can simply put in any oil that is the correct viscosity for their engine. Yes, mixing different oils will change the properties a bit so you might not get that claimed 20,000 miles between oil changes from your high performance synthetic if you add conventional to it, but it won't do anything that will harm your engine or produce harmful emissions, by law.
If you mix oils you will have low concentration of the needed additives so don't do it.
@@markmiller8903 Not sure what you mean since every modern oil has additives. If you mix conventional with synthetic you won't get all of the benefits of synthetic oil, like resistance to oil breakdown and better cold weather flow, but it won't hurt anything. The Total Base Number (TBN), detergents, dispersants, and friction modifiers in each oil should be appropriate for each volume of oil added, so as long as you change the oil at the shorter of the recommended intervals there shouldn't be a problem there. While each brand of oil does have a proprietary additive package formulation, there aren't that many different types of anti-wear additives that a manufacturer could put in (like compounds of boron, molybdenum, or zinc), so while the specific ratios of additives you end up with will be different than what each oil initially had, unless you're adding an API SA rated oil that has no additive package it shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't recommend mixing 5 different quarts from 5 different brands, but as long as they are all of the appropriate viscosity with the correct API rating there really shouldn't be a problem doing so.
I played back that punch at 0.25x and it looks like he really caught your cheek and nose! 😮
Thanks for taking one for the team.
👊
Had an oil leak on my supermoto, kx450 so it only took 1 quart when full. She got everything from t4 to mobil 1 racing 4t, whatever was available. Bike has been bulletproof.
Brilliant work Ari; super interesting subject that I've been curious and interested in for a while now. I've been guilty of mixing oil brands (same viscosity though) before, to get my commuter bikes back out on the road. Especially after the supply chain woes that covid caused. For me, it was all about survival. I shop at Revzilla like people shop on Amazon, so I do consider myself a channel "supporter!!" 😂Love you guys. Ride safe everyone. 😎🔥
I am 1 oil change and 2 quarts away from filling my Escalade with four or five different oils. I have Royal Purple, Liqui Moly, Motul, and Redline left over. Close to the 8 QT needed. I think I may send to an oil lab and see what they say after I run it. Also would like to see the additive package combination. Bet it runs like a dream.
I top mine off with water, that’s ok right ? 😊
Thank you for being mindful of the environment. The birds will be singing just for you today. 🎶🐦🎶🐦🎶🐦
Water is super slippy 😂
10 w40 ( car oil ) in my bandit people said clutch will slip. 46 000 miles still waiting for it to slip.
10w40 car oil isnt resource conserving so its fine in bikes.
As long as it ain't synthetic your good
Done it for years, works fine. Used the cheapest oil i can find for years, works fine.
Like they say the cheap oil now is still better than the oil from 30 years ago
I love to look at the comment section on this... and i will stoke the fire a bit! Once i was in a spot of bother, and run my R 1200 Gs (Hexhead) on premix, it was at 7/8% and run for a couple of Ks to the nearest filling station and then i just added normal petrol! And you know what? Absolutely nothing happened!
I use up any leftover mixed gas I have in my car or bike, I pour it in when im half full to dilute it, I've been doing it for years. It doesnt hurt a thing if diluted, if you run nothing but 32-1 you may run a touch lean but it wont hurt the motor, that's all my lawn mower ever gets and it's quite old and still going strong.
I always end up mixing up too much gas for the saws or dirt bike and have mixed gas to spare lol.
Thanks a lot. I always mix synthetic and mineral to avoid opening an additional expensive bottle for just a small portion
Why not just buy another large container and keep it until the next change? Cold, stagnant oil in a sealed bottle isn’t going to degrade in one year. That’s what I do, buy in bulk when it’s on sale and then use what I need when I need it.
oil doesn't get contaminated by opening the container... (brake fluids do, w/ one exception, the silicon based one )
@@TheCubicnz good suggestion but not an option in my country. All bottles here are 1L or 1 Quart.
will it work with car engines?
Thanks Ari. I learned something today as well. Who knew if you mixing different cake mixes you might won't get the desired result.
If you have multiple boxes of cake mix, you probably don't ride a motorcycle..... 😏
When I first learned that "syn blends" were just mostly dino oil with 1/4 synthetic. They charged almost as much as a pure synthetic.
I started 50 years ago to do the same thing for way cheaper.
1qt Moblil 1, 3 gts of good 15-40 or whatever.
Nowadays , you can find synthetic oils for much cheaper and run pure syn.
so the video i watched before is right. semi synthetic is not a 50/50 mix of conventional and synthetic
I run Amsoil 5w30 in my diesel truck. Towards the end of the oil change period it may need a top off. At that time I use 5w40 mobil1 truck diesel oil. Oil change sample taken with no negative issues.
My reckoning is the cake has went flat and a small amount thicker oil will bring the old oil back up to viscosity.
My dad used to change oil in his beater Isuzu truck with what ever oil was left in the garage. It was a $800 truck back in the day. Well over 200,000 miles on the engine. We drove it for years. Never once did it have the same brand or same viscosity
Had to do this the first time I took my bike from fl to pa and back. Immediately changed the oil as soon as I got home.
I mixed 0w20 and 10w40 with 3:2 ratio, pull them in my supercub 110's engine. Well it runs so good so far.
But I feel it's better to change it again after 5k km. (originally I changed every 10k km)
This vid is 3 months old as I type this comment.
I've been running a JASO Rated oil in all my wet clutch Japanese Bikes. Absolutely no ill effects whatsoever.
One brand and weight keeps my overhead to a minimum. And the best part is I can find this oil virtually Everywhere in the Continental US 😬👍.
Now don't get your panties in a wad folks,, its
Shell Rotella T6
5w/40 synthetic.
Love ❤️ it!
Cheers 🍻, G. In beautiful Boulder City Nv. USA 🇺🇸
Aloha for Sharing your Advices
Does th 5 weight make the engine noisy?
@@jamesringler987 ,, nope..
will it work on car engines?
@@gabrielv.4358,,
most definitely 💯 🙌.
I run it in every engine I have. Its relatively inexpensive (about $26 gal) @ Wal-Mart,, great quality imho,, and you can literally find it everywhere (in the States).
I live in Ghana, and there doesn't seem to be a steady supply of any one brand of oil. I use the same viscosity and haven't had any problems with my four bikes.
i have to mix different oil from time to time and compare the mix to conventional, the mix last shorter before it gets dirty/worsen performance, the mix is like emergency type of stuff to use and is better than no oil at all, since i found out about this i always kept extra oil in my garage since.
Id love to see a shop Manuel on alternator repair/replacement. I dont have a motorcycle yet but the electronics is the only part i havent fully learned about from UA-cam.
Partzilla with John Tally.
I've mixed oils for 60 years. Both 2 stroke and 4 stroke oils. Never had an issue.
I mixed them all the time. My dodge Dakota lasted for 330 thousand miles
Dude!! I was changing my oil just a couple days ago and I was thinking this that exact video!
Your channel and ryan at fortnine are ultimately what got me into motorcycles. Gonna be getting a honda xr650L in a few weeks
Congrats!... But, that is gonna be a rough introduction. Very tall, very high center of gravity, poor road manners. Buy it used by all means, there's high chances you'll swap your first bike for something else in a couple years. Most folks find it much easier to learn on something light, especially offroad, and move to a big beast once the skills are established. But either way, big move, so good luck and hope to see you out there!
That's a tall bike for a beginner. If you want to actually use it on dirt, it'll scare you. Nab a 250 for dirt use and you'll find that it shouldn't be any larger. For anybody but a professional rider, a 250 on dirt has more power than your tires have traction. Your experience with that 250 will prepare you for a 650 much sooner than if you just started on the 650 (if you even still want one). Just sort by price lowest because you'll probably ruin your first bike and the first one doesn't matter. You'll be enjoying your time on two wheels on literally anything. Keep the shiny side up and watch DanDanTheFireman before riding in traffic. Don't forget to enjoy this crazy little hobby we love so much.
I know the guy above me is just trying to be helpful, but your mileage may vary. I raced an XR650L in a hare scramble when I was 17 and finished fairly well. It is a tall, heavy bike, but they are bulletproof and great all around bikes. Have fun!
Mixing oils is fine if
*1- the engine oil grade is same for 2 oils mixed*
*2- even if the oil grade is different by slight its fine eg 10w30 to 10w40 is fine*
*3- its fine to have a mineral oil and synthetic mix too*
*Problem is when u go too wide in scale or in type where u r putting a 20w50 or something in a car which likes 5w30 or something, this will be a problem long term*
*But even that is better than running low or having no oil*
Ari, you are a walking and talking shop manual bro.
Thank you for existing!
Summs it up perfect; any oil is better than none/not enough (with the asterisk saying that may not be true if you use olive oil, lamp oil, whale oil, ect) but that it is best case scenario when its all the same thing going into your crankcase.
Im pretty sure you can add cooking oils to low engine oil and it wont destroy the engine that fast. It will, after a little time. But in case of emergency, ya any oil is better then *not enough* oil. Im saying mixed with low oil already in the car.
@@skie6282 There's a few channels that have done the cooking oil thing, I don't recall it ending well. It's something I would do to get myself out of a life or death situation, but I'd rather take a walk and find something suitable for an engine.
IIRC my old Norton Commando used 9 different lubricants, and the primary chain and clutch was bathed in a 20W ND conventional oil bath. Even back then it was tough to find the 'right' primary oi so most folks substituted. Clutch slippage was a common issue and you quickly learned which oils NOT to use in your primary case.
What is most important of all is DON'T run out of oil (or even excessively low). That is guaranteed to do damage. If you must mix oils the ASAP do a full oil change (with filter) and pay more attention to your oil level dummy! In a car or truck I always have extra oil/ATF/coolant on hand of my preferred type. More than a few times I've needed to use that stash when there were no sources for my fave nearby or even any sources of any kind at all.
Okay... there is so much to unpack here... Ari is correct, use only motorcycle oil in your motorcycle. If your bike is that low on oil (a liter/quart or more) than you have other problems... unless it's a Harley. Harleys always drip/leak oil, and the engine oil is never shared with the clutch, so it's okay to add regular oil. But bikes that share oil with the engine, transmission, and clutch should never add "any oil". The chemical make-up of the oil is critical. You may not "annihilate" the clutch, but the wrong oil will coat the clutch plates and it will never operate correctly until you completely drain/flush the engine and replace the clutch plates. Remember, Ari pointed out there's always half a liter of oil at the bottom of the engine after you drain it. That will continue to cause problems when engaging/disengaging. If your engine is half to one liter low, you can ride it to Walmart and get some more. If your engine is that low, park it... any store that carries car oil will also carry motorcycle oil as well. Doesn't all of this go back to TCLOCS before you ride?🙂
A series of videos on road side repairs could be cool too!
Past me didn't know that automotive oil was any different than MC oil. I ran a Yamaha on automotive oil for over 20k miles (with periodic oil changes). Bike ran fine. Bike still runs fine, but I know better now, and it gets MC oil.
Thanks TSM.
It's most important with wet clutches.
They are not that different, usually slightly larger amount of foaming suppressors.
I mixed them from time to time, without any problem.
the punch in the face was a great surprise! Enjoyed the info, and the humor.
Good to see you Ari! Have good day man!
There is an additive that can "drain" the last few mils of oil down the drain hole, which then you can add up your favorite in a pinch. That additive isn't new or old, so you can do it yourself when changing oil at your garage.
Just pour the recommended amount into your tank with engine running for 5min, then drain the rest of it. It ain't perfect, but just one of many solutions if you prefer.
What is this additive called? I'm dying to do this--my fresh oil always turns very dark seconds after starting the engine. Considering doing a few changes in a row, but an additive would be MUCH cheaper.
@@TravisTerrell ah yeah now that you are asking, it's just engine flush (or oil system cleaner, watever). There are types for pouring directly into gas tanks or via oil port. I used the former one for years now.
Purchase online and pour the recommended amount into your tank (may vary per tank's volume) or the oil port (also vary per bike's oil volume, 1.1L or 1.5L requires 50-80ml of that additive). Then run the engine for 5-10min (check the manual) and drain the oil as usual.
Not 'till the last drop, though, but changing with new oil would be much better. If your bike has maintenance at any dealer, you may have seen one of those additive being used. Cars, too.
4 minutes, no bs. but confirms a suspicion i had but never pursued cause "uniformity is simplicity"
I put 15 40 in My lawnmower runs great once i put 100 percent Lucas oil stabilizer in it it ran great mixed a little 15 40 with my 5 20 in my 10 Hyundai accent 4 cylinder 180,000 Miles on it the horse power is amazing change my oil every 6 weeks
The dilemma I have is mixing different viscosity of the same brand oil. I run 5W-40 but have another motorcycle that takes 10W-50. Sometimes I have two quarts of 5W-40 left and wonder if adding that extra 1.5 quarts of 10W-50 would be detrimental to the oil. I've done it in the summer when temperatures are hotter and I've had a track day, but have kept the oil change interval very low just in case.
Don't do that. Different brands/types of the same viscosity is ok, mixing different viscosities creates a third unknown viscosity that may not be able to do it's job and cause excessive premature engine wear.
Personally I would rather find a 5W-50 oil and run it for both bikes. they have better flow characteristics when cold, and can withstand abuse when hot.
Usually, manufacturers will have an oil grade chart or recommendation in your owners' manual if you don't have a very specific viscosity for your bike. for the most part, taking one step up or low does not really hurt your bike's engine, provided you can put that oil in its working temperature.
the issue is that most 5W-50 oils are not specifically "designed and formulated" as motorcycle oils, so your best bet is use one viscosity level on both your bikes. I've seen riders using 5W-40 oils on bikes that need 10W-50 and they run fine. Unless one of your bike has a Ducati plaque on it, again, refer to your owners' manual for the recommended oil viscosity.
I would just buy the 10w-50 on sale and plenty of it. On the internets yamalube seems pretty cheap, and motul is always a nice oil to get that makes 10w-50. I would rather run a 20w-50 in the summer then a 5w-40+10w-50 mix, especially on a race track where bikes are used hard.
Hola Cubano! I would have thought mixing the same brand's different viscosities would be better, as long as you don't go under or over the manual spec. I've mixed 10W-50/40 and 15W-50 to create "12.5W-50" and "12.5W-45" from mixing different bottles of Motul 7100 I had and it was alright. I usually do thicker oil in the summer.
Dang, now I want cake!🤣 Always enjoy your videos Ari. Thanks for all that you do for the motorcycle community.
Always peeps fighting over brands… I just reply clean oil is better than dirty oil
I generally run the oil the manufacturer suggests. I figure if that’s the oil they tested the engine with and they trust it enough to recommend it, then it’s good enough for me.
This is why my whole stable gets the best T6 that Rotella has to offer
Yup! 75k on T6 with zero issues. Engine purs like a kitten since day one. DL650 suzuki here. Will never pay for the overprices motul stuff.
Done this forever, it's fine 👌👍
I run a blend of canola and extra virgin olive oil. Works great and the fries taste yummy.
You missed the point by using different grades.
You should have used REULAR olive oil and Extra Virgin olive oil.
Just saying 😊 .
PBS has been funded by viewers like you. THANK YOU !
I run ATF in my 5 speed manual truck trans. I also run it in my KX500's gear box. After countless hours and miles, it hasnt been a problem in either.
some said mixing 10% with cooking / frying oil also makes it better.
Was just thinking about this so thank you Ari! Well spoken as always
Love your content. So down to earth… thanks Rockstar!
Great job Mate although it’s funny how things have changed. I remember as a kid many many moons ago oils never came in plastic bottles but instead you’d got fill up at the servo check your oil and you could get oil from glass bottles the servo provided and refilled daily. Here in Australia back then you also never had the variety in grades or oil companies we see today neither. Anyway love your work. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Back in the day I can buy oil in bulk from oil drums at the oil store too. still to this day I think. I can just mention the volume I need and the shop clerk will fill it for me, then I pay it. No questions asked.
speaking of mixed oil, I find one interesting brand from Down Under who formulated oil for both cars and bikes, and I find it fascinating in this era of oils being very specialized: Penrite. Not only they marketed as both, but the good thing is that the oil is actually good stuff!
@@sx4mania35 I’ve actually used Penrite oil quite a bit with my Commodore Ute before I got rid of it and just so you know back in the day for me was about 50 years ago and the most popular oil where I lived was Castrol. Living in the bush we never saw Penrite
@@sx4mania35 you can buy Penrite oil here today still in 20 litre or 21 quart drums which is handy when you use 6.5 litres or 6.8 quarts every 5000kms or 3100miles at oil change time. 😉😉😉 Bloody V6 Chev motors
@@davegoldspink5354 That's nice to
hear. I've seen several old holdens here in my hometown, and if they haven't restored, they are either just sit in a shed or an empty parking ground, or ran poorly. seen one with the V8 but not running.
Penrite is sold here in either 1 litre bottle or a 5 litre jug because most of the cars that used it here have 5+ L capacity. does not hurt that a lot of bikes uses around 1 litre on oil changes (most bikes sold here are under 250 ccs so their crankcase sizes are rather small)
@@sx4mania35 where are you?
I have two bikes right now. According to the manuals, one bike wants 10-40, the other 10-30. Guess what they both get? Whichever 10-40 or 10-30 JASO synthetic is on sale. Never had an engine issue of any kind.
KTM owners this doesn't apply to you it can't as all of your oil is always under the bike 😅( probably jinxed my Aprilia by saying that)
Lol ;)
Back in the day, $20 bought oil and filter for a Saturday Morning Bike Oil change. Now you can barely buy a quart of the slippery stuff....
.... and back in the day we used dinosaur oil and paper filters.
I can't believe that this is still an issue to some. I remember when the synthetic oils weren't received by the skeptics. Excellent video,as elementary as it is. I guess there are those that still have to be spoon fed.
'barn mechanic' is a super addictive hobby :)
I use good synthetic motorcycle oil, but I've always topped off with whatever I could find on the road - synthetic or otherwise - as long as it is motorcycle oil. I have even had to use different viscocities, as long as they were in the correct range for the bike, though I know doing this creates an all new viscosity somewhere in between, which I assume would still be in the range required for the bike.
Many thanks. Your explanation makes intuitive sense.
Can you make a video on the O2 sensor in motorcycle. My Yamaha FZ showed O2 sensor error code and the service centre just erased the code and gave the bike back. The reason they said was water accumulation due to rain.
Each oil has additive packages to protect the engine. Better additive package will be better protection during high loads/stress. But its always better to replace old oil with clean oil. But it needs to meet the specs or above those specs. Motorcycle oil needs a specific friction modifier for the wet clutch. So avoid any non motorcycle oils :D
I prefer avocado oil.... it has a really high smoke point 🤠
You keep it up Ari Henning!
This was a fantastic video. No big deal if you mix(as long as it’s the same viscosity and motorcycle rated) but you get better performance by using the same oil.
I have old bikes,like '92,'95 and '95. A motul like they say,the best(wich I don't believ) cost 3 time like normal oils for cars! So I was buying Castrol edge for cars and mixed with around 150-200grams of automatic gear oil that remains from my car! It runs perfect,changing gears smooth!
Castrol Edge is the good stuff. I happen to also to try Castrol Magnatec on my SX4 Scorpio daily rider, and it runs perfectly fine. no clutch slips, burn in, or any of those suspect of using car oil on motorcycles. In fact with the exception of the wallet-drilling Motuls and Ipones, this pretty much make many of the cheap moto oils sold in my area obsolete.
the rule of thumb is as long as you're not using the thinner, Eco-conserving oils for your bike, you should be fine. From my experience, the absolute minimum for the viscosity level is 5W-40. You can get away with the 5W-30 but make sure that your clutch is in perfect condition and that oil has ACEA A3/B4 certification on it.
or, just be easy and use something like Amsoil.
"A motul like they say,the best(wich I don't believ) " - quality, but ordinary oils from ordinary blender. Nothing special about them. Got their asses kicked in Germany few years ago and removed "Full sythetic" off the labels.
@@AudriusN I avoid their 3xxx and 5xxx series like a plague because they are not worth the price. With that kind of money I can buy something like Liqui Moly's Leitchlauf (the old gray bottle one), Street, Fuchs Silikolene 4T, or Ravenol TSI(with the exception of LM Street, they are all passenger car motor oils that happens to work like magic on bikes), which are vastly superior and have longer drain intervals (both can reach up to 7000-8000 km every drain).
Bought 160k miles BMW , no idea what previous owners put in it, toped it up with cheap ebay 5w30 drives daily 15 months on car engine still smooth
on a related note, I'm SO tired of the synthetic vs conventional oil debate...
Which is better?
lmao@@jtec99 Now you're just being cruel !
Don't forget to drive your Motorcycle before the oil change. I drain the oil with its temperature at least 70°C so I come close to the volume which my manual says for engine rebuild.
Why can’t you mix viscosity? Theoretically mixing a 20-50 with a 5-30 would make 10-40;? Of course there’s no reason to do that as everyone makes a 10-40, but for the sake of the question, so again, I ask why.?
I’ve learned that my bikes tend to consume oil on Touring trips. I now carry my oil in small quantities with me for top off.
Well, my brother filled up his KLR with a mixture of nearly-empty bottles a few days a go. It initially went foamy and beige in the site glass. That was enough of a concern to drain it back out and go buy a fresh bottle. It came out black, having gone in gold a few hours before.
It hasn't skipped a beat since but I doubt he'll be do it again.
I'm guessing that moisture got in bottles. I've experienced a milkshake in a bike after it was brought out of winter storage. Running it at idle till up to temperature vented the moisture my mechanic has experienced it with many of his customers bikes. He has changed my mind about changing oil before winter storage to changing first thing in the spring. I've owned many Harleys that I've riden over 50k before selling with no issues.
@@JohnCunningham-sy5ug That sounds a bit like brake pads on mountain bikes. You don't change them once a year, you change them once a winter. In the dry they last for years, but when there's wet grit flying into them, they disappear in a couple of months.
Harley owners manuals state that if you dont have the recommended oil then temporarily engine oil rated for diesel engines is acceptable.
Not aside from the Pan America, HD engines oil is seperate from the transmission and clutch..
That being said HDs Syn3 oil can be used in all of their models in all applications, engine, trans and primary where the clutch lives.
As a owner of many crappy beater Hondas. I've been mixing different weight oil and different brand for 20+ years. Never ran into any issue.
Speaking of cake. We like to run Mrs. Butterworths in our lawn mowers. If it’s good for pancakes, it must be good for engines! Disclaimer-we do not run Mrs. Butterworths in our bikes.
Mixed 3/4 honda 10w30 commercial oil with 1/4 Valviline conventional 5w30 changing the oil. Put in a subaru lawn mower. Runs like a banshee!
Same deal as a Long Island Iced Tea! Thanks for researching and eliminating anxieties we’ve all had.
Since you can find blends on the shelf, I'm not sure why this is even a question.
The punch just made me laugh, thanks for your manual videos, I like them a lot 🤟🏼
You should've asked the engine manufacturers about the oil, not the oil manufacturers.
@RevZilla tell your IT guys to have an option on the website to filter between conventional and synthetic oil.
Motor oil is no cakemix!
You can definitely mix motoroils without loosing quality as long as the specs are the same. Oil brands don't matter really.
I asked a friend this question. He is a PhD Chemist. He said to not change oil brands, when you change your oil. Once in a while is ok, but when you change brands the detergents in each oil brand is different. It will harm your engine seals.
I would not run my bike on a mix of oils , but if i need to top it off on the road i won't hesitate to grab any brand as long as it has the same viscosity as my oil . then change it out once i am home
works at a shop~
nothing beats CLEan FREquent oil changes for FREe.
There is one problem, and that is mixing vegetable based oil like old fashioned Castrol R with mineral oil that will cause an emulsion.
Some oils are better than others. But I can't tell you which. The W part is a cold temp flow so putting a 20(lol) W into a 0W and try to drive at below 0 C, then you might kill you engine due to cavitation and gel formation.
I use Shell full Synthetic 5-30wt. And add 1 Can LIQI MOLI from Germany for extra Protection in Thailand heat in my twin cam 1.8liter Hyundai Elantra! And change every 10,000 kilometers. I have always used full Synthetic and ZERO weight is too thin for hot thailand
Good Fan Of Your Works.....Brother....Thanx
I have a blend I invented gives me 15 - 20 extra miles per gallon and runs great
I ran 10w30,10w40,20w50 in my 1999 750cc Magna V4 chain drive 113522 miles yes I changed my oil once a Year
Currently on a long off-roading trip and saw that I was a little low on oil. KTM specifies 10W-60 or 10W-50. Closest I could find was 20W-50. Hoping that isn't too bad.
You good, the first number is winter weight
If 20w50 is JASO, no issue especially at higher temps. If not JASO could glaze the clutch discs.
Same issue here, same solution...don't feel this video really addressed the most common question and just told us "don't do it"
For the record we use the weight convention "10w30" etc for in a time of war. Our military gets priority on the motor oil, it will all be treated equally- that is to say all 10w30 synthetic or conventional will go in the same 55 gallon barrels.
So what happens with mixing viscosities? I assume it meets in the middle/averages out as it mixes.
Gotta be the deal .
my 2wheels and 4wheels are mix brands oil until now it works good rather than long time change oil and no oil