I run diesel oil in my bike. Makes my bike happy!

[Psomniferum]

In my owner's manual and on the maintenance-plate on my bike it calls for 15w-40 oil. I went from store to store, AutoZone, O'Reilly's, NAPA. NOBODY had 15w-40 bike oil! Pep Boys had an empty slot for some SUPER expensive Harley Davidson oil, but they were always sold out.

Finally, I went online to see what the story was. From what I read, people use multi-purpose industrial oil, DIESEL OIL. These people rode Harleys, they rode CBR600s, they rode Suzuki 750s. While a few brands were tossed around, the name I saw mentioned the most was Shell Rotella. That's supposed to be topline stuff!

So I bought a gallon of it. I emptied my bike, filled her up with some 15w-40 (I was using 10w-40 at the time, after a short period of using 5w-30 because that's what the Honda Groms used and my engine LOOKED like a Grom engine, so the parts guy talked me into it, lasted less than a day, my bike was NOT happy!) fired her up and she purred like a kitten! I NEVER heard her run that smooth before, like a well-oiled sewing machine! Everything was quieter and she SEEMED to be running cooler to boot.

If you read the back label, the Rotella IS JASO -APPROVED! It's approved for use in Japanese bikes with wet-clutches. I read that decent diesel oil is easier yo get ahold of compared to bike oil, so a lot of the Chinese bikes will run on diesel oil (technically it's industrial oil.)

[Mudflap]

I'll bet the majority of people on this forum use the same oil.

[Psomniferum]

I'll bet the majority of people on this forum use the same oil.
I'm SO glad you wrote that! That reinforces it for me because I am brand new to bikes. Thanx for your input :-)

[Psomniferum]

I bought a tube of Lucas Zync Engine Treatment. It's for breaking in new engines. The tube is for a CAR engine. Would anyone know how much I should use on a 150cc single-cylinder?

I remember when we break in a new car engine we use dinosaur blood as opposed to synthetic. Are you supposed to use conventional oil when breaking-in a bike engine as well?

[franque]

Use conventional, I wouldn't waste my money on anything Lucas.

[duck9191]

I use T6 15w-40, not much more and you get synthetic but it can be hard to find. Nothing wrong with T4 either.

[Megadan]

Ditto on the 15w-40 T6. I also ran T4 for years in my Goldwing and a few other bikes.

Rotella can be called many things, industrial, diesel, etc. The basic term for it is just a universal motor oil. Most modern automotive oils have a lot of modifiers and other additives to increase fuel economy and reduce emissions. Rotella, not so much. Being listed as industrial it doesn't follow the same zinc standards for catalytic converters, thus having a ZDDP concentration of 1300+ppm which is good for flat tappet lifters and followers, and can be allowed a formulation that is more friendly to bronze and brass components like the bushing in the cam on the cg motors.

[wheelbender6]

I have been using Rotella in our motor scooters for years. Welcome to the party, pal.

[Psomniferum]

Thank you for that input, Megadan. This is the type of info. I need being brand new to bikes. I'm just glad I FINALLY figured out what oil the engine makers were asking for. It's stuff like this that is going to cause my 2nd engine to last MUCH longer than the 1st!

When I bought the X22, Venom Motorsports informed me they had put a special mix in to break the new engine in and I do my 1st oil change at about 400 miles. They told me to use a full synthetic, however. I guess bike engines only require 400 miles to break-in?

I read somewhere that crate engines like the 150 I bought have junk for oil. So I need to change it for good stuff before I even fire it up!

When I took high school automotive, they taught us to use a heavy conventional oil with a zync-additive to break-in new or rebuilt engines.

[RedCrowRides]

I run and swear by Rotella T4 15-40 ,it's perfect for these older design Chinese motors that work hard.

[Megadan]

Thank you for that input, Megadan. This is the type of info. I need being brand new to bikes. I'm just glad I FINALLY figured out what oil the engine makers were asking for. It's stuff like this that is going to cause my 2nd engine to last MUCH longer than the 1st!

When I bought the X22, Venom Motorsports informed me they had put a special mix in to break the new engine in and I do my 1st oil change at about 400 miles. They told me to use a full synthetic, however. I guess bike engines only require 400 miles to break-in?

I read somewhere that crate engines like the 150 I bought have junk for oil. So I need to change it for good stuff before I even fire it up!

When I took high school automotive, they taught us to use a heavy conventional oil with a zync-additive to break-in new or rebuilt engines.

Most break in additives are just a high ZDDP concentrate. ZDDP acts mainly as a shear force modifier to reduce or prevent wear in areas of high boundry layer pressure such as those of a flat tappet cam follower or shell bearings. Basically, any older engine design valvetrain like the ones found in these motors. It helps slow or reduce excessive wear while the various surfaces wear into one another by acting as a cushion between the two at the "hot spots." That being said, a higher level of zinc like that found in Rotella T4 and T6 is also still suggested to run even after a break in to prevent excessive wear. Many modern engine designs have been changed to get around the need for higher zinc levels due to changes in API standards. Changes in both rocker designs and shell bearing materials as well as surface treatments. That is why they don't have the same issues and can run modern oils.

As far as break in time. Most of these small air cooled engines will have been broken in enough by 300-500 miles that the change to a synthetic will be of no issue.

[kenvb]

im probably the eldest China owner on here at 66. i have been using 15-40 since the 80s on my Gold Wings. have bought new Gio 250s that came with thin mazola corn oil ,they ran ok but rattled.. so i put the 15-40 in and they quieted right down.sold em to friends in 09 who still ride em today

[humanbeing]

... thin mazola corn oil ,they ran ok but rattled.. so i put the 15-40 in and they quieted right down.sold em to friends in 09 who still ride em today
Those "classical" thin factory oil are hydraulic fluid (机械油) that prevents rusting ONLY. Chinese dealer won't run that shit >30 mins...
btw. Maize oil is a foreign concept in China. SW China where the bike made IS rapeseed oil https://youtu.be/xDP9t65PVsY

[kenvb]

my neighbor bought a new chinese quad last fall from a dealer in Edmonton who didnt change the chit oil it came with. she walked over to me after running it around there yard and said the motor is rattling, I went over and checked the oil. was like water. we pushed it over to myplace where I drained the chit and put 15-40 in it. nice and quiet after that, i called the dealer and politely told him to Never send these bikes out with factory oil. he no speakie engrish good,so not sure he understood?