Oil / Louver Test Results. SURPRISING!

[red2003]

Whodda thunk it??? OK, here was the test procedure and test results. The same 10 mile stretch of road each test, same speed, as close to same throttle position as possible. Head temp was taken with infrared heat gun, same location immediately after pulling into the shop. Oil temp taken through filler hole with candy thermometer, case temp taken at same location on bottom of engine. Initial test was with the Valvoline 10w40 4 stroke ATV oil I have been running since new. Head temp = 250. Case = 175. Oil = 165. I was VERY surprised at how low the temps were. For an air cooled engine, that's pretty cool. Which means these engines have some HP left to be gained, but that's another topic. OK, next test was to remove the louvers in front of the head on each side of the gas tank. Head temp = 235. Case temp 172. Oil temp = 162. They are staying OFF until it cools down in the Fall. Next test was to drop the oil and replace with Mobil 1 15w50 car oil. Got back to the shop and as feared, the car oil foamed. Not like a bubble bath or anything, but more then I would have liked to have seen. Didn't take temps, cause it was dropped right back out. Last test was a $12.00 bottle of Royal Purple Full Synthetic 20w50 Motorcycle oil. This stuff is supposed to be the cats a$$ for high revving bikes. Results: head temp 260 (louvers still OFF). Case temp = 200. Oil temp = 190. 8O 8O 8O .

I think the Royal Purple is good oil, don't get me wrong, but maybe not for these engines. I think the heavier weight is the culpret. A heavier weight oil might move harder and somehow build up heat?? Maybe a heavier weight can't transfer heat as quickly?? I gotta brush up on my liquid thero-dynamics. Pauli, any insight?? In any event it's gonna get dropped back out in a few minutes :( . I am headed into town to find a motorcycle synthetic in a #w40 weight. I'll update once I find what I am looking for. Generally speaking, I WOULD NOT recommend you run a car oil in your bike, and I WOULD NOT recommend you stray away from the recommended oil weight for these bikes.

[red2003]

Just got back from town with the bike, Royal Purple still in there. I ordered some Mobil 1 MXT4 Fully Synthetic 10w40 Four Stroke motorcycle oil. Wont be here until Tuesday. I'm still confused. I temped the engine again when I got back from town. It's the same 10 mile stretch. Head 265, case 175, oil 165. Maybe the engine needs a few miles to get used to the different oil?? Maybe these air cooled engines are just inconsistant in terms of temperatures?? The Royal Purple will be in there for a few more days, so I guess we'll see. I'll keep you all updated.

[AZ200cc]

Royal Purple makes a great car oil..But so far it looks like good ol Valvoline is hanging in there. If anyone ever buys the bike off of You,
You can tell them with confidence it has always had new oil in it ha ha

[Ferrit]

All of my bikes during the last 10 years have run either Castrol Synth or Rotella synthetic after breakin with zero oil related problems.

[ob1]

When you settle in on the oil testing, try 1in header wrap on the exhaust header, and repeat the temperature tests. wrap the header to past the carb, higher fuel temps equal leaner mixtures and less power.

The single most effective way to reduce engine temperatures is to keep heat that has left the engine from re-entering. Let the cooling fins do what they are designed for!

[red2003]

No doubt header wrap would help. I'm still very surprised the temps are as low as they are for an air cooled engine. These China engines are pretty amazing.

[IronFist]

Thanks Red. I'm removing the louvers today.
Looking forward to the next test with synth.
All HAIL RED!!!!! :D
N2r.

[fatboy250]

Red,
Good post! What were you're ambient temps during each test? Could explain the varied results with the same oil.

Jason

[red2003]

All tests were done this morning. Temp was a constant 65 degrees, low humidity.

[fatboy250]

Well I don't know then. Anybody else?

Jason

[ambassador]

Still running Mobil-1 20w-50 full synthetic for 4-Strokes... Used Rotella 15-40 for my break-in... Bike runs great...
Interesting to know about the engine temps, as a Chef I use infer. temp gauges all the time and I gotta hold them there awhile to get a correct reading, NO doubt in my mind that Red did this so the temps are pretty low, Cool!!! More mods...

[NewEnglandTrails]

Ive been running rotella 15-40 since one of my earlier posts asking about the best oil to use in these.. bikes..

I noticed no mention of that, other than Ambassador's comment about using it as a break in oil.. Should I be considering a different type of oil after break in?

NET

[red2003]

I put about 50 miles on the bike yesterday on 3 different trips. Royal Purple 20w50 still in there. Temp is holding a consistant head temp = 235, oil temp = 160 - 165. For whatever reason, the motor is now OK with the Royal Purple oil. I intentionally ran slow and easy on one trip, hard and fast / full throttle on another and it made no difference on engine temps what so ever.

[katoranger]

Ive been running rotella 15-40 since one of my earlier posts asking about the best oil to use in these.. bikes..

I noticed no mention of that, other than Ambassador's comment about using it as a break in oil.. Should I be considering a different type of oil after break in?

NET

The rotella is a good oil and reasonably priced and you can use it for as long as you wish. Alot of us are using it for breakin before going full synthetic or to a more expensive motorcycle oil. I plan to use a full synthetic in mine after the first 1000 miles. I also plan to dump the louvers. They vibrate alot and the noise is irritating.


Allen

[TheOtherRide]

Great work, Red! Surprising that the louvers would make that much difference. Was there any wind when you were testing? What altitude are you at?

LOL, I don't have any (useful) input on the heavier weight oil running hotter, although I do like your theory.

A follow-up test when it's 100 degrees F would be interesting...

At any rate, I'll stick with the Rotella. Have to think about the louvers, though. :wink:

[red2003]

65 degrees, very little, if any, wind. I temped the bike when I got home the night before. Air temp was 90 and very humid. No difference in engine temps at all. Very surprising. Looking at the design of the louvers, I am not at all surprised they make the engine run hotter. They definately restrict the flow of air flow over the head, and an air cooled engine's cooling capacity is directly porportional to the amount of air you can move over the cooling fins. I say ditch 'em. Just one more poor design on these bikes. I plan to run them this Fall when the air is cooler, but they are OFF for the Summer. I also pulled my skid plate a couple weeks ago, for the same reason. I was going to keep it and just drill it full of holes, but it's dead weight and I wont be rock crawling with the bike any time soon anyway.

[liverchip]

Can someone post a photo of the louvers in question?

[ob1]

I think he is referring to the gas tank shrouds.

[TheOtherRide]

I think he means the actual louver-looking metal pieces in front of the engine which are slanted to direct the air flow?

On the right edge of this photo:
http://www.chinariders.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=4667

And just to the right of the decal with stars on the front of the tank shroud:
http://www.chinariders.net/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=4463

Or am I confused, too? :? Louver or leave 'er?

[ob1]

I think it was Mr Louver in the kitchen with the turkey baster...

[liverchip]

Ahh, I see them....Mine is louver-less.

[TheOtherRide]

Ahhh, love is blind. But louvers are blinds? Really, I'm done...LOL, ob1, that's one of my favorite games. Er, Clue, I mean, not the turkey baster thing...

Anyhoo, back to the subject! I just looked at my bike and the louvers are plastic with a spring setup so I can take them off in 2 seconds or less, leaving the metal loop that the shroud connects to. Plastic should have more of an insulating effect than a dispersion effect, right? Nothing gained in that respect, so maybe I will take 'em off--at least they made it easy for me to choose!

[liverchip]

Hmmm so much for the pun-less post. ;}

[katoranger]

My louvers will be gone before the next ride. Mine are also spring loaded.

Allen

[red2003]

Yup they are plastic, spring loaded and obviously made for quick removal. They mount between the tank shrouds and the frame in front of the engine as Pauli has shown and stated. In a water cooled dirtbike, these serve the purpose of letting air through but not rocks since they mount in front of the radiators. My bet is what ever china dude copied the tank design just copied the louvers too not even knowing what they were there for 8O .

[red2003]

I found this article while searching for something else. I think switching back to a 10w40 weight Full Synthetic Motorcycle oil is my best bet!

http://www.motocrossactionmag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=69820AD0A90B4FFE84AC01963CFC34D5

[red2003]

Well now I don't know what to think???

http://search.isp.netscape.com/nsisp/boomframe.jsp?query=motorcycle+oil+weight&page=1&offset=0&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3Dd 98bd39f93cea108%26clickedItemRank%3D1%26userQuery% 3Dmotorcycle%2Boil%2Bweight%26clickedItemURN%3Dhtt p%253A%252F%252Fwww.xs11.com%252Fstories%252Fmcnoi l94.htm%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DNSISPTop%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.xs11.com%2Fstories%2Fm cnoil94.htm

[driller]

After reading both articles, the first article sounded like a statement from one of the motorcycle oil makers, I did find the scientific results very surprising.

The only thing they left out was the clutch wear factor, and the friction reducers found in car oil and what differences those make.

I will probably use Mobil 1 in my bikes after break in.

Then again what do I know?

Have fun, ride safe 8)

[knothead]

After reading both articles, the first article sounded like a statement from one of the motorcycle oil makers, I did find the scientific results very surprising.

The only thing they left out was the clutch wear factor, and the friction reducers found in car oil and what differences those make.

I will probably use Mobil 1 in my bikes after break in.

Then again what do I know?

Have fun, ride safe 8)


The friction modifiers will cause your clutch to slip, sooner or later. Best to stay away from any oil with them in it.

[katoranger]

My louvers have been in the parts box since I read this post. Less rattle without them. I am running valvoline mc 10w40 right now.

Allen