swooshdave Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I haven't seen an oil thread in a while. In an effort to stir the pot here I go. I was at Walmart today and I decided to check out the Mobil 1 selection. Exhibit A: IMG_2265 by swooshdave, on Flickr 5 quarts of automotive grade 15W-50. It says it has extra zinc which is more important for older engines. $22 Exhibit B: IMG_2266 by swooshdave, on Flickr 1 qt of Mobil 1 4 stroke "racing" oil. $10 Exhibit C: IMG_2267 by swooshdave, on Flickr 1 qt of Mobil 1 V-twin oil. Good if your oil is shared with the clutch and tranny. Neither apply with the V11. $10 Considering the auto oil is a fraction the cost of the motorcycle oil it's tempting. Fully synthetic, added zinc and about the right weight. Most of you are too old to know what a /r/roast me is but I'm ready for your worst. Go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docc Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Even a red winged horse will do this if you don't know when to look away . . . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scud Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Swoosh - I've thinking about that too. I run cheap organic car oil in my K75s, which has a dry clutch. A big-block V11 engine is basically like a slice off a 1960s Ford or Chevy V-8 engine. A V11 engine has no need for all the wet-clutch friction modifiers that are in most motorcycle-specific oils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 I still don't know how they can sell the 5qt jugs so cheap. If you buy them one qt at a time it's at least $6/ea. 15W-50 is pretty close to 10W-60 that the later bikes "require" and I can't remember what the early V11s spec'd. There's an oil thread on WG but I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot... horse drainer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docc Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Yer horse-drainer is safe here . . . just let us know when to avert our eyes! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docc Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Seriously? Notice how the 20-50 has a "C" rating. ("C" = Probably, actually and truly, higher "anti-wear" [Zn/P] additives with no concern for catalytic converters.) Early V11 were spec'd "SG", but good luck finding that these days. "Exceeds SG" does not mean SG. Some of the "C" rated diesel engine oils might. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scud Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I still don't know how they can sell the 5qt jugs so cheap. If you buy them one qt at a time it's at least $6/ea. For many high-volume products, the packaging is a significant part of the cost. Five quart bottles cost more to make than one 5-quart jug. I get my truck oil changed at a local shop, who buys oil by the barrel and passes their cost on without markup. My truck takes 14 quarts (3.5 gallons) of diesel oil - and it would cost me more to buy the oil in jugs than to pay them parts and labor to change it. Now, I'm not gonna put diesel-oil in my V11. But I am curious if a car oil might actually be better for the V11 - since there is no wet-clutch to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky Phil Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I have run Mobil1 0W-40 in pretty much everything I own ( 4 bikes and 3 cars) including the V11 for over 10 years. I buy iy in 20 litre drums. Works well. The Guzzi has virtually zero blowby and the throttle bodies and filter box are oil free and has adequate zink levels. These days 20W-50 oil is too heavy. Oil technology has moved on in the last 20 years. Ciao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 Seriously? Notice how the 20-50 has a "C" rating. ("C" = Probably, actually and truly, higher "anti-wear" [Zn/P] additives with no concern for catalytic converters.) Early V11 were spec'd "SG", but good luck finding that these days. "Exceeds SG" does not mean SG. Some of the "C" rated diesel engine oils might. The Mobil 1 V twin ^^^^^^is rated SG . Actually, Valvoline dino motorcycle oil is SG, too. I run it in the Monza. I get Motul 10-60 on Amazon for the Mighty Scura and AeroLario for around 11 a liter. That said, my gut feeling is that the Mobil 1 15-50 is probably ok, but I'll stick with an SG rated oil. It's cheap compared to bourbon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 It's cheap compared to bourbon. Now that is worth quoting!! Thanks Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czakky Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 I've run Mobil "V-Twin" 20w50 for the last 30k+ miles in my v11. Starts easy and my oil consumption has never increased(1/2q every 3k). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 So do the ratings on the 15W-50 scare anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czakky Posted July 30, 2017 Share Posted July 30, 2017 No friction modifiers (can't remember why?) and extra zinc you should be ok. Just change it every 3k-4k and you're good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuzziMoto Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 The term "extra zinc" can be mis-leading. The first one meets SN, SM, SL, and those three rating limit the amount of zinc. SG allows more zinc. That does not mean an SG oil HAS more zinc, only that it is allowed to have more zinc. I would have no problem running the Mobil 1 car oil in a Guzzi. But I don't. I try to stick with SG oils. Not because I know it will blow up with anything else, but because I can and that is the oil the V11 motor was built to run. OIls have changed, but the V11 lump is the same primitive lump it always was. If I only had that Mobil 1 car oil, I would run that. But I have oils that are more like the oils that motor was built to run, so I run those. I save the Mobil 1 for the smart car (but 0w-30). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshdave Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 I think why oil is so contentious is that there are slight differences between the formulations. It would be pretty hard to destroy a motor given you use the correct weight and change it as proscribed. It's when you don't change it frequently enough that you can cause real problems. There are always edge cases to by scenario and we love to live on those edge cases but the reality is we don't. If significantly cheaper car oil (full synthetic!) makes me change the oil more frequently then that's all the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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