1982 Suzuki GS1100G Oil Change

[GalDemSuga]

Folks

Do you recommend either Shell T5 15W-40 Synthetic or T4 15W-40? I've put 150 miles on the bike since the restoration and I used Valvoline 10W-40 motorcycle oil which I intended to change once I put some miles on her.

[Brendan W]

Either of those are good oils. At the frequency we change, synthetic is not needed, semi syn or dino are just as good.
I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to drop the Valvoline until it's due. It's good and not cheap.
At change time I use any 15W40 diesel light truck oil that is available.
This article, although a bit old, gives some interesting insights.

https://www.vfrworld.com/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

[GalDemSuga]

Either of those are good oils. At the frequency we change, synthetic is not needed, semi syn or dino are just as good.
I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to drop the Valvoline until it's due. It's good and not cheap.
At change time I use any 15W40 diesel light truck oil that is available.
This article, although a bit old, gives some interesting insights.
https://www.vfrworld.com/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm

Yeah the Valvoline wasn't cheap. I need her to run until the day they bury me I want only the best for her. Thanks for the advice

[Guest]

Folks

Do you recommend either Shell T5 15W-40 Synthetic or T4 15W-40? I've put 150 miles on the bike since the restoration and I used Valvoline 10W-40 motorcycle oil which I intended to change once I put some miles on her.

Look at the T6 is full synthetic, that is what I use. T5 is a synthetic blend. T4 is just regular base heavy duty oil. Your are in Texas and it gets hot, the synthetic has much better thermo and shearing properties than the other two.

[Steve]

At the frequency we change, synthetic is not needed, semi syn or dino are just as good.

True, but it also depends on your "change frequency".

I run the T4 synthetic and extend my change intervals a bit.
Not enough to get anyone's knickers in a twist, but a bit beyond Suzuki's recommendation.

.

[Grimly]

Humph. That wasn't much of an oil thread.
Where's the vigour?

[GalDemSuga]

Humph. That wasn't much of an oil thread.
Where's the vigour?

I will read up on the T6 15W-40. Its 2000 degrees in TX.

[Guest]

Humph. That wasn't much of an oil thread.
Where's the vigour?

Is there supposed to be more venom and vitriol?

[Grimly]

Is there supposed to be more venom and vitriol?

There used to be arguments and fisticuffs over oil.
Not the same nowadays.

[Brendan W]

Oh alright then.
My 2T/Dino oil mix is better than yours and never use syn because it causes porosity in castings near the redline and 20w50 is the same as oversize rings.
Anything costing more than 50 cent a liter is pure marketing BS
Better?

[bwringer]

Mmmmm, still missing that combative flavor.

What we need to really get this kettle boiling is some pervert using store brand oil.




We once long ago, and I am not making this up, heard from a guy who was happily working his way through several dusty cases of ancient 10W-30 no-name oil he found on clearance at some local odd lots dollar store.

The only thing we could figure was that perhaps the stuff was so cheap that it was missing the usual friction modifier additives that ruin wet clutches.

He was happy, his motorcycle was happy, and he's probably still out there somewhere with a couple of cases left.

[Brendan W]

Mmmmm, still missing that combative flavor.

What we need to really get this kettle boiling is some pervert using store brand oil.

.

Been sitting on the bench these last months. Give me a break...

[xkaes]

I never ride in the cold (OK, there was that surprise hail storm in Arizona in 1979), so I've always used Shell & Chevron 20w50 and change is every 1,000 miles. The bike doesn't need much oil and I bought a lot a long time ago by the case -- about 50? a quart -- so it's pretty cheap.

I've never had a problem in 40+ years except when I didn't get the oil filter gasket in place correctly -- and had a small leak. Of course, it managed to grease the rear tire, so the rear end started to side out when I was getting on a highway ramp. Fortunately I was going slow -- and was able to stop before accelerating to highway speed.

It wasn't the oil's fault, of course.

[Nessism]

I never ride in the cold (OK, there was that surprise hail storm in Arizona in 1979), so I've always used Shell & Chevron 20w50 and change is every 1,000 miles. The bike doesn't need much oil and I bought a lot a long time ago by the case -- about 50? a quart -- so it's pretty cheap.

I've never had a problem in 40+ years except when I didn't get the oil filter gasket in place correctly -- and had a small leak. Of course, it managed to grease the rear tire, so the rear end started to side out when I was getting on a highway ramp. Fortunately I was going slow -- and was able to stop before accelerating to highway speed.

It wasn't the oil's fault, of course.

In the interest of creating contempt for other people's opinion...in mine I'd say that you are harming the environment and planet by changing the oil at a ridiculous 1000 mile interval. You can safely use the oil 3x longer. Get with the program man!!!

And a little oil on the rear tire will teach you to explore the outer limits of traction. Kenny Roberts was famous for mentoring his students on his ranch dirt track where the norm was to hang the rear end out sideways thus "steering with the rear end" so to speak. Mind you I'm not advocating pinching your oil filter O-ring and creating oil leaks, but there is a silver lining behind every dark cloud.

[xkaes]

Thanks for the tips. The roads are oily or wet or both -- and slippery enough -- for me "as is". No sense in me adding any extra grease. Not to mention gravelly -- I've spent a lot of time on dirt roads, and those are the only places I've ever "bit the dust", fortunately with no damage to me or the bike.

As to oil, I always recycle it -- the little I use -- so it doesn't go to waste. Much of it will end up in the slippery street when they repave it.