Zongshen RX3: The Official Oil Thread

[Abe - Kansas Rider]

Hi Forum
Brand new to the RX3 club.
I am a newbie to "techy" and diy maintenance of bikes. Wanted to learn so RX3 with the CSC and support groups like this one here, seemed like the perfect combo for joining up with you guys.

Time for the first oil change will be coming up soon. Been reading up this and the other forums. I must admit i am getting confused with WHICH oil to use.

My local walmart has the Valvoline 10-40W mineral oil with picture of a motorbike on it though the guy there could not confirm if it is SG/Friction inhibitor FREE.

Saw the following where it is recommended to use Rotella T range from Shell. Primarily marketed as a diesel oil, for the break in period.http://www.rx3adventure.com/rx3_oil_change.html

Would appreciate if you guys can tell me;
1) which brand to pick up from my local walmart / samsclub and
2) should i go with CSC recommendations of 200 miles and then the 500 (or was it 1000) mile mark for the break-in oil changes with mineral oil and then switch to synthetic oil (and if yes, which brand name i.e. with no Friction inhibitors)
or go with the 50/100 mile and then 200 mile mark change and then the 1000 mile mark change.

There is LOT of information on oil change and i find myself getting a little confused. But then i am newbie to maintaining my own bike so that is to be expected

Thanks in advance folks and Happy Holidays

[SpudRider]

I'm pretty sure any 10W/40 motor oil does not contain friction inhibitors. Examine the bottle. If the following symbol is absent, the oil will work fine with your motorcycle's clutch.



People just beginning to do their own motorcycle maintenance always have questions regarding motor oil. Unfortunately, these questions usually lead to arguments on other forums, since many people have strong, entrenched opinions regarding this topic. However, we have a friendly group here, and we don't tolerate such arguments.

Choose any quality motor oil of the correct weight, either conventional or synthetic, and your engine will be well protected, as long as you change the oil regularly. Changing the oil regularly is more important than choosing a particular brand of motor oil. Of course, avoid any motor oil which has friction inhibitors, and bears the symbol shown above. Follow the CSC recommendations for oil changes during the break-in period, and you can't go wrong.

My personal preference is 15W/40 motor oil, but everyone should choose whatever motor oil he likes. If you are interested in learning more about motor oil, you might enjoy reading the following articles.

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Oils1.html
http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html

[SpudRider]

The following video describes why friction inhibitors are bad for your motorcycle's clutch.

[Abe - Kansas Rider]

SpudRider

[detours]

Excuse me ... I'd like to start an argument here

Not really ... but I'll add if your oil has a JASO-MA or JASO-MA2 rating on the bottle, it is absolutely safe for the RX3. I would bet that the Valvoline oil you found at walmart has a JASO rating on the back.

Some motorcycle oils say 'Racing 4T'. They have additives for high performance under heat and harsh conditions and are a good choice.

Many diesel oils don't have a JASO rating, but are also safe for our clutches. Many riders here like Rotella T and Rotella T6 diesel oil that you can get at walmart.

[SpudRider]

[SpudRider]

The first CalSci article I recommended refers to the JASO-MA standard. Here are some quotes.

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Oils1.html

JASO certified Oil

"Another institute that certifies oils is called the Japanese Automotive Standards Organization, JASO. One wonders why this Japanese organization has an English name. . . In any case, they have two classifications for motorcycles, "MA" and "MB." MA is the one you want. MB is like the API SL category, it's got all those nasty friction reducing chemicals that may scare your clutch into misbehaving. Again, there is an official JASO seal if the oil has been independently tested. The seal is a rectangle; in the upper quarter of the rectangle will be a serial number, and the lower three quarters will just have the letters MA. If the oil manufacturer did their own testing, instead you'll see just words like "Meets or exceeds JASO MA standards."

Some manufacturers recommend JASO-MA certified oil. AMSOil and Golden Spectro are JASO-MA certified. Some people consider this important. Interestingly, although Honda recommends a JASO-MA oil, Honda oil is not JASO-MA certified. Mostly JASO-MA is pretty much equivalent to SH. In fact, the JASO spec is mostly a reaction to the decrease in zinc-phosphates in SJ and SL oils, and the added molybdenum disulfide in energy conserving oils. Personally, I don't care about JASO standards - they're really not on my radar."

You definitely don't want to get JASO-MB motor oil; it has the friction modifiers which will negatively affect the wet clutch in your motorcycle. If your motor oil is rated SH, or higher, it meets the JASO-MA standard.

[Abe - Kansas Rider]

Hi again Spud

"My personal preference is 15W/40 motor oil". Do you mind sharing what Brand name you get.

The following article you provided says NOT to use 10-40W
http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html
(10w-40 oils should not be used in a motorcycle that runs the engine oil through the transmission - Para 1)

Whereas CSC tutorial says to use 10-40W.

So is the RX3 not running the engine oil through the transmission.

Thanks for your help. As mentioned earlier, if i can just know the Brand and Type to pick up from the local walmart etc, it would make things easier for me.

[Abe - Kansas Rider]

i think i need to go back to college and get a Phd in Oil grading...

[Danimal]

Of course the Roxers oil runs through the transmission.
Just buy Rotella T synthetic in the blue jug and forget about what oil to use.
Available everywhere. Great price. Great oil

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Abe - Kansas Rider

Hi again Spud

"My personal preference is 15W/40 motor oil". Do you mind sharing what Brand name you get...

I use Mobil Delvac 1300 motor oil, because Mobile offers a $5/gallon rebate every year, and I get this oil for $8/gallon. However, Shell Rotella T, and Chevron Delo are also excellent, 15W/40 motor oils.

Originally Posted by Abe - Kansas Rider

...The following article you provided says NOT to use 10-40W
http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html
(10w-40 oils should not be used in a motorcycle that runs the engine oil through the transmission - Para 1)

Whereas CSC tutorial says to use 10-40W...

Yes, I read that. This caveat only applies to non-synthetic motor oils. The author is saying the 4X spread in viscosity from 10W to 40W requires a larger amount of VIIs (viscosity index improvers.) Synthetic oils typically don't employ many VIIs. The VIIs are fragile, and are sheared by the motorcycle's transmission. Also, the inclusion of more VIIs reduces the amount of base oil. That is one reason why the author recommends 15W/40 motor oil, which only has a 2.5X spread in viscosity, and uses a smaller volume of VIIs. Here is a quote from the first article.

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Oils1.html

An oil sold as 10w-40 is no thicker than 10 weight oil under Winter (10w) conditions, meaning below freezing. The 40 means it is no thinner than 40 weight oil at 212° Fahrenheit. So, the first number tells us the performance of the oil at or below the temperature of freezing water, and the second number tells us the performance at the temperature of boiling water. The chemicals added to the oil to accomplish this are called Viscosity Index Improvers (VIIs).

To make a 10w-40 oil, the manufacturer would start out with a 10 weight oil as the base stock. All by itself, this oil would thin out so much at normal operating temperatures that the oil film would be useless. So, they add these very special very long molecules, the VIIs. The VII molecules are as much as 1000 times as long as an oil molecule. The VII molecules curl up in a little ball at room temperature, but as the temperature gets higher they uncurl and stretch out, like a cat sleeping in the sunlight. The more stretched out the molecule is, the more it impedes the normal flow of the oil, thus raising the effective viscosity. Now, this sounds just a little too good to be true. Well, there are two catches: first, these molecules are not lubricants, so the more of them that you add the less oil you have sitting around lubricating things. Secondly, these VII molecules can be broken into pieces by various pressures and forces, like being squeezed through the transmission gears in a motorcycle or the hydraulic valves in a diesel engine. Every time a VII molecule gets broken, the oil loses some of its high temperature viscosity. Synthetic oils made from pure PAOs and/or Diesters typically have very few VIIs, so these oils are far less subject to viscosity breakdown due to shearing of the VII package. As a result, synthetics are far more stable in a motorcycle engine.

10w-30 oil increases its viscosity at high temperatures by a factor of three, which requires a significant amount of these VII molecules. 10w-40 oil increases its high temperature viscosity by a factor of four, which requires even more even longer molecules. 20w-50, which sounds a lot like 10w-40, only increases its high temperature viscosity by a factor of two and a half, so it requires fewer of these molecules than even 10w-30. 15w-40 also increases its high temperature viscosity by about two and a half, so this oil is also substantially more stable than 10w-40. Most passenger car oils today use inexpensive VII molecules that break apart relatively easily. Conversely, most diesel engine oil VIIs are chosen from more expensive chemicals that are more shear stable, since an oil change in a large diesel is expected to last for 15,000 to 150,000 miles.

The author also mentions that the VIIs in a good, commercial, 15W/40 motor oil are manufactured from more expensive chemicals that are more shear resistant.

I think it's important to note the author really recommends 5W/40, synthetic, diesel motor oils. However, since I typically ride 15,000 miles a year, and regularly change my motor oil, I really like the economy of using the Mobil Delvac 1300 for $8/gallon.

Originally Posted by Abe - Kansas Rider

...So is the RX3 not running the engine oil through the transmission.

Thanks for your help. As mentioned earlier, if i can just know the Brand and Type to pick up from the local walmart etc, it would make things easier for me.

Yes, the Zongshen RX3 has a wet clutch, and does run motor oil through the transmission.

The second CalSci article recommends 5W/40, synthetic motor oils, and 15W/40, conventional motor oils.

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html

Executive summary

"The commercial grade oils (diesel motor oils) are clearly superior to the mass market oils. For the best protection in your bike or car, use Shell Rotella Synthetic...

For the best petroleum oil you can buy, get Shell Rotella T, Mobil Delvac 1300, or Chevron Delo 400..."

Since I ride a lot miles, and change my engine oil frequently, I use the Mobil Delvac 1300 motor oil. I wait for the rebate, and stock up on this motor oil for a price of $8/gallon.

Over the last decade or so, motor oils have improved tremendously in quality. That is why so many automobiles are now routinely passing 100,000 miles on the odometer.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Abe - Kansas Rider

i think i need to go back to college and get a Phd in Oil grading...

No, you don't. Just use any quality motor oil, without friction inhibitors, and change it frequently.

As far as a specific recommendation, I personally follow the guidelines in the CalSci articles to which I referred. If you ride a lot of miles, and change the engine oil frequently, choose one of the commerical, 15W/40, diesel motor oils.

Shell Rotell T
Chevron Delo
Mobil Delvac 1300

All of these motor oils are available at Wal-Mart.

If you ride fewer miles, and don't mind paying the extra price, buy Shell Rotella T6, or one of the other, recommended, synthetic, 5W/40, 10W/40, 10W/50, or 15W/50 motor oils.

Shell Rotella-T, Synthetic 5W-40 (blue container, not white) at Wal-Mart.
Mobil Delvac-1 5W-40 (grey container, not black)
Mobil-1 SUV 5W-40
AMSOil AMF 10W-40 synthetic motorcycle oil
Golden Spectro Supreme
Motul 5100 Ester

http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Consumables.html

[Danimal]

But Spuddy. I ride a whole lot of miles and still prefer Rotella T synthetic.
Especially when capacity is under 2 quarts. Them molykules be shearing heavily in our motor.

[keithmaine]

Just bought 2 gal.Mobil Delvac 1300 for $18.00

[detours]

There's lots of opinions on oil. But any of the oils recommended here are safe for your RX3 and worth a try. If you don't like one, drain it and try another.

Personally, I'm a big fan of synthetic 10w-40 Racing 4T motorcycle oil.

• AMSoil
• Mobil1
• Castrol

Even my wife noticed the difference between the Castrol and the AMSoil I put in her bike last time ... quieter, smoother shifting, better mpg. But it costs more, so there's that.

I've tried Rotella T and T6 in my Vstrom, but they seemed to gum up the shifting and I didn't like it. I drained them each early and then switched to Mobil1 4T. Much better. AMSoil was even smoother