AmsOil in Bikes......

Anyone using Amsoil in there Bikes? If so tell me if you like the
stuff.

 

I used it once. It was OK, but not any better than Mobil 1 and at the
time, early 80s, it cost a lot more than Mobil 1. I think the price is
now more comparable. Any synthetic is better than any conventional oil,
regardless of brand. However, when I used synthetic in my Voyager, it
caused a slight clutch shudder at the point of engagement. The clutch
never slipped, it just didn't engage as smoothly. I switched back to
regular oil and the problem largely disappeared.


Matt

 

If he's like most Amsoil nuts, until someone raves about how great
Amsoil is? He's likely already a "dealer" for Amsoil.


Matt

 

Wet clutches sometimes don't like synthetics, but that doesn't change
the fact that as an oil, synthetic is better than conventional.

Matt

 

Why?

 

Sorry, that's just not so -- synth oil comes in the same grades as
polyolefin, high-oleic base, etc. Early versions of Mobile 1 and other
synth oils lacked sufficient seal swell, which caused leaks. Ancient
history.

As for clutch slipping, most Amsoil motor oils and all Amsoil
motorcycle-specific oils are fine for wet clutches -- just
avoid oils with friction modifiers, whether synth or dino oil.

On an automobile, where there is adequate space, you can install
a bypass/full-flow filter system which filters out much smaller
particles than full-flow filters alone. This allows for greatly
extended drain intervals and vitiates the cost argument against
synth oils.

The only reasons I can think of not to use synth oil are: break-in,
and if your engine consumes oil (valve quides or rings, etc.).

 

Yes, just ask any Amsoil salesperson.

My understanding is that almost all oil filters have a bypass valve in
case the filter becomes blocked...

Riddle me this, why can't you use it for break-in? And before you say
it is because that the lower friction means the rings won't seat
properly, think about your wet clutch comment above.


Matt

 

A bypass filter removes much finer particles -- it filters a small
fraction of the oil, and is used in conjunction with a full-flow
filter. When a full-flow filter's bypass valve opens, it isn't
filtering at all. Thanks for playing.

Synth oil w/o friction modifiers works fine w/wet clutches. QED.

 

Bull. Wet clutches depend on a fairly narrow range of lubricity in the
oil. If the oil provides less friction, then there is a good chance
that the clutch will have trouble. If the oil doesn't provide less
friction than conventional oil, then it is also fine for break-in. You
can't say that it has less friction in one case and not in the other.
Nice try.

Let me guess, you sell Amsoil. The traits are all there.


Matt

 

Nope, ad hominems don't advance your argument. I don't
sell Amway, Amsoil, or any of that stuff.

 

but you still haven't answered a number of questions:

1. A quandry was presented to you: how can synthetic oil be just fine
for wet clutches but no good for breaking in engines? It was claimed
that the properties that make an oil no good for breaking in an engine
(too good a lubricant) will also make it problematic for wet clutches
after you (Mr. Sierchio) claimed that synthetics aren't good for
breaking in engines.

2. So far, your claims about the qualities of synthetic oils don't make
any case for Amsoil rather than some other synthetic. So, why should
this thread be about AmsOil instead of Castrol Syntec or Mobil1?

3. Why should we even bother with this thread? Is it just going to go
over the same ground as a large number of previous synthetic oil/AmsOil
threads that we've seen here before?

I only really care about the answer to #3. What am I going to read here
that I won't be able to read by doinng a search of this group's archives
under 'AmsOil' or 'synthetic oil'?

 

It simply works in wet clutches, without excessive slip.

The main reason for not using synth during break-in is
the short life of break-in oil. It used to be that
aircooled engines were broken in with non-detergent
mineral oil, then detergent oil was used. There are
a lot of protocols that are artifacts of ancient
practice that no longer make sense.

Oh, I seem to have Motul synthetic in my bike, so I'm not
particular. Mobil-1, Silkolene, Redline, pick your favorite.

I thought the assertions were made about synth oils in general.

 

You should find out what ad hominem means before you use it!

Matt

 

I never said it caused my wet clutch to slip. I said it caused it to
shudder during engagement.


Matt

 

I do not wish to argue that synthetic oil is not suitable for wet
clutches, because many people use it without trouble, but some people
here would disagree with this statement, as a result of their own
experience.

I wasn't sure, and with 'AmsOil' in the title, it is not unreasonable to
believe that the subject of the discussion is a particular synthetic oil.

and my favorite question, #3? Is this a general discussion on the
properties of synthetic oils WRT bikes, or is there a more specific
issue buried in here somewhere?