ET: Engine (Twin) Engine Oil

[fogrider]

Re VR1, when I bought a Triumph T150, the owners club advised against "ordinary" oils as that triple engine was hard on oil. I fitted an oil pressure guage - with a "regular" 20/50, the pressure dropped from start up 80+ PSI to around 40. With the VR1 it settled to and stayed around 65. A top class 20/50.
What do I put in my Vin ? - Shell Advance VSX 10/40. It's motorbike specific for geartrains in the sump so gets some harsh treatment. I believe 20/50 is too heavy for the Vin, VSX flows easier , my opinion of course but my VFR750 has done 87,000 miles on VSX and the engine is perfect ( unlike its owner who has'nt lasted as well ! ).
Bob Dunn did some engine work on my first twin and said use Millers straight 40. It was like treacle. I swapped to VSX and the bike was transformed, liberated . VR1 is excellent, the best 20/50, but VSX is my preference in the Vin. Quicker circulation , less drag and good wear protection.

 

[vibrac]

Viscosity is all about running time PCV diddn't say 15 miles before the engine is warm for nothing if you are going to just toddle down to the pub then use thin oil. We did not realise that the warm up time at Goodwood was so short or we would have brought a picnic stove.
A race of more than ten minutes means the oil flows like water however stiff it is at the start

 

[bmetcalf]

Richard Lobb told me that he would have his oil level very low for late season races at Shannonville, Ontario to account for little warmup time. In the same vein, I had 10w40 diesel oil in my Rap at Shadow Lake in October 2019 in Ontario and it was very stiff below 40F for starting. I resolved to have 5w30 in the next time, but Covid interfered. Doesn't @clevtrev advocate thinner oil?

 

[vibrac]

In all our racing we just ensure the oil covers the 'step' for a small amount We did increase a little more for the 1/2 hour Goodwood . It not as if any escapes the engine or drips into the catch tank

 

[LoneStar]

Rollie Free was a strong advocate of using the thinnest possible oil for racing - but of course longevity isn't a big factor there.

Anyone who has kicked over a Vincent with straight SAE 50 oil on a chilly morning will see the virtue of multigrade - its whole point is to flow better at low temperatures, while retaining viscosity once the engine reaches operating temperature.

 

[Bogage]

Brad Penn 20/50 for me and my twin

 

[highbury731]

Re VR1, when I bought a Triumph T150, the owners club advised against "ordinary" oils as that triple engine was hard on oil. I fitted an oil pressure guage - with a "regular" 20/50, the pressure dropped from start up 80+ PSI to around 40. With the VR1 it settled to and stayed around 65. A top class 20/50.
What do I put in my Vin ? - Shell Advance VSX 10/40. It's motorbike specific for geartrains in the sump so gets some harsh treatment. I believe 20/50 is too heavy for the Vin, VSX flows easier , my opinion of course but my VFR750 has done 87,000 miles on VSX and the engine is perfect ( unlike its owner who has'nt lasted as well ! ).
Bob Dunn did some engine work on my first twin and said use Millers straight 40. It was like treacle. I swapped to VSX and the bike was transformed, liberated . VR1 is excellent, the best 20/50, but VSX is my preference in the Vin. Quicker circulation , less drag and good wear protection.

I looked on line for Shell VSX 10w40, and learned that it has been discontinued, replaced by AX7.
I see that it is high detergent. I have been using Morris 20w50 Classic oil in a machine of *another make* which has shell big end bearings. I fitted a paper oil filter, and think that a high detergent oil would be better, with the filter cleaning up any crud. So which oil?

 

[fogrider]

VSX discontinued- I was'nt aware of that - a shame , luckily, I still have another fill 4litre on the shelf.
AX7 ? I wonder how that matches up with the VSX ?. What have they taken out or reduced to lift profits ? As long as its' still modern motorbike specific, ie. for geartrains in the sump, I expect I'll be buying it.
I do acknowledge comments above re ambient temperatures and use - I don't race and I doubt if the 'B' will be ridden much above 80mph, which 'aint big revs , and, living in Yorkshire is'nt exactly sun baked desert heat (yet !).

 

[Jonathan Lambley]

The old oil question.....
On the advice of Glyn Johnson, who has built a few Vincents in his time, I use Rock Oil TRM 20W60 in my B Rapide. I was told not to use any other synthetic oil as this was developed by Rock Oil for racing v-twins.
It is very expensive but Rock Oil themselves say it is spot on for the Rapide.
Having said all that, the most important thing is to change your oil regularly, the make of oil is probably secondary but that is just my opinion and I have no qualifications or expertice on engine oils.
Jon Lambley
East Mids Section

 

[davidd]

but that is just my opinion and I have no qualifications or expertice on engine oils.

Join the crowd!

I don't think that zinc is the best measure of performance for the oil additive package. I know GM reported major problems with running too much zinc in the additive packages. Not to worry, as many oils work incredibly well with lower amounts of zinc because they have well-engineered packages.

The advice for air-cooled engines is to run thicker oils than water-cooled engines. This means to me that I have to watch the second number and make sure that at 212 F the piston does not stick. That generally requires 50w. The first number is reflecting pressures that occur at 104 F. I have historically run 15 or 20. The Valvoline 20w50w appears the best to me for an air-cooled engine that is run hard in warm temperatures.

It is all just a good guess. Oil designed for air-cooled V-Twins is probably fine.

David