The International CBX Owners Association

cbxtacy wrote:I didn't know that. If they did that about the same time they came out with motorcycle specific oils, then I never had cam wear problems because when they came out with motorcycle specific oils I started using them only. Kayeboo still prefers baby oil, says it doesn't leave stains on the sheets.

And Mobil Delvac 15/40 is formulated for big diesel rigs that don't have catalytic converters. Would it still have the zinc additive in it?

This is from Mobil website.

Question:
Presence of Zinc in Engine Oils
Does Mobil Delvac have zinc in the oil? A lot of racers are using Shell to break in their cams in HP engines due to the zinc in the oil. It works the best. I think most oils for non-gas cars have zinc in the oil to help something?
-- Jeff Paquette, Raymond, NH

Answer:
All engine oils have an additive called ZDDP (Zinc DialkylDithioPhosphate) for wear protection. In general, heavy duty engine oils (truck oils like Mobil Delvac) have a higher level of ZDDP. Automotive engine oils generally have a lower level of ZDDP to protect catalytic systems. For details on phosphorous levels in Mobil 1 motor oils, see a related question and its answer.

I think the term "motorcycle oil" came in the day when they started to add friction modifiers to car oils. Which make the motorcycle wet clutches to slip. Bingo, we leave the modifiers out of "motorcycle" oils, print a bike picture to the bottle label, double the price and cash in.

Thank you for the welcome. As for the oil, its a known fact that car oil has friction modifer in it and makes clutches tend to slip. Some people will use stiffer clutch springs to overcome the problem. Some people are not agressive riders and will never see clutch slippage. Motorcycle oil doesn't have friction modifer in it, so you will not have that problem. Just my 2cents.

From the AMSOIL website....about motorcycle oils........

The JASO-MA rating specifies that no friction modifiers are used. Note that the JASO-MB motorcycle does have friction modifiers, but is designed for motorcycles that specify the JASO-MB specification.

AMSOIL Synthetic Super Heavy Weight Racing Oil is also formulated with a complete Japan Automobile Standards Association (JASO) MB additive system. AMSOIL Synthetic Super Heavy Weight Racing Oil may be used in motorcycles requiring JASO MB oils. Such engines include vintage and classic motorcycles, often equipped with air-cooled engines, and specifying straight grade SAE 60 oils.

So it appears that there are motorcycle specific oils that have friction modifiers in them.

Cheers, Tom

So seeing as how my CBX's don't have the hot oil problems (big oil coolers) and there's a Mobil 1 Delvac Synthetic oil formulated for big diesel rigs, and it's readily available at truckstops (I am/was a truck driver), would it be okay for use in my CBX's? It would really be more convenient that any other oil for me especially when I'm on the road on an X. And it's priced reasonable as far as synthetics go. One drawback is it only comes in gallon containers though at truck stops. I sure learned a lot today, thank you Tom, Trapshooter, Juha, EMS, Larry, Mike, Terry, and Devon for starting another blasted oil thread.

Delvac 1 synthetic is 5W-40 and maybe too thin for bike use. Feedback from riders who have tried it hasn't been so favorable.

The good stuff is MX 15W-40, many have reported Super 1400 15W-40 works great too.

This "Delvac on a bike" discussion is a never-ending topic here on local bike forums (well surprise!). To this day, no-one has been able to prove why Delvac wouldn't work on a bike application.

Air cooled engine's need to run a 20w50 oil.

A 5-40 oil is not "thinner" than a straight weight 40 or a 15-40. It just has the property of flowing better at low temperatures.
As long as you DO NOT run your air cooled engine in the winter months, you would be fine with a straight weight 50, instead of a 20W50. Actually, I run a straigh weight 60 in my 71 FLH with the sidecar rig. It is usually parked from end of October to early May.
One last thing to friction modfiers: There are a lot of motorcycles where the motor oil never sees the clutch, e.g. BMWs , Harleys and Ducatis. Still, it is recommended to use mc specific motor oil and not automotive oil.

and there are motorcycles where the engine oil never sees the gearbox either (my wife's beemer R1200R). Two things I noticed using lighter oils with my first CBX 25 years ago-I could feel a difference in the gearbox and if ridden hard (and hot) the oil would seep out the head gasket. Back then I used Mobil 1 15/50 but it was not always available. Then I would use their 10/40.

Some synthetics make seal materials shrink or swell. This can cause leaks when synthetics are used NOT the thinner or slicker properties.
We go through extensive swelling and ageing tests with all seal materials in our hydraulic products when a new oil is released and approved for use.
Quite frankly, it is not something anybody that deals professionally with hydraulic fluids and products is taking lightly. Only the end-users think they can pour any oil in any hydraulic circuit, because they have always done it.

That's why I try to stick with oil's I've used and are familiar with. I just tried Castrol GPS Synthetic based 20/50 and I'm happy with the results. After 800+ hard miles and one day idling around in a parking lot where it got really hot (Motorcycle Safety Foundation-Experienced Rider Course) it feels like Mobil 1. One way I tell is how difficult it is to get into neutral at a stop.

Shell Rotella in my CBX. Just thought I'd throw my wrench in the works!

3 in 1...full synth of course

Tom Neimeyer wrote:When you state "this is fact" are you talking about SG, SH, SJ or SL grade oils? Is it all automotive motor oils? Or is it just oils with friction modifiers (PTFEs)? Does it apply to all synthetics as well as dino based oils?

Was there such a thing as 'motorcycle oil' in 1979 when Honda designed these engines? What did the engineers recommend for lubrication? Pretty sure it was 'automotive oil'

Having been around the block several times, I know there are a lot of people who believe that automotive oils should not be used in motorcycles, because they feel it makes the clutch slip or not enough ZDDP to keep the gears safe. I also know a lot of motorcyclists that use automotive oils and they do not have clutch problems. I bet they too think their "not having a problem" is a fact

The Wikipedia article on motorcycle oils seems to agree with you - Maybe you wrote it? ;)

"Can Automotive Engine Oil Be Used?

Motorcycle oil is relatively expensive compared to automotive engine oil so it's been a long standing question if regular automotive engine oil can be used. The companies that make motorcycle specific engine oils state that their products contains special additives and formulated specifically for a motorcycle. However they never offer any independent test results to substantiate their claims.

Many have actually been using automotive engine oil in their motorcycles for years. The key thing to watch out for is to make sure that if you have a wet clutch to make sure the oil is not labeled "energy conserving" (low friction) as they could cause clutch slippage (generally any oil rated 10W-40 or heavier is not, and any that is "energy conserving" should be labeled as part of the API)."

I rode motorcycles all through the '60's and '70's using only the dreaded 'automotive oils' . . . . but then I'd never heard of 'motorcycle oil' so maybe I can be forgiven? I guess I tend to agree that it's probably not a big thing either way so long as you're using 20W-50 oil . . . . and that's all I buy

I seriously doubt that a CBX was designed with any sort of 'motorcycle oil' in mind . . . . was it? - Neither was it designed for high tech friction modified oils

Don

Don #6141 wrote:

Tom Neimeyer wrote:When you state "this is fact" are you talking about SG, SH, SJ or SL grade oils? Is it all automotive motor oils? Or is it just oils with friction modifiers (PTFEs)? Does it apply to all synthetics as well as dino based oils?

Was there such a thing as 'motorcycle oil' in 1979 when Honda designed these engines? What did the engineers recommend for lubrication? Pretty sure it was 'automotive oil'

Having been around the block several times, I know there are a lot of people who believe that automotive oils should not be used in motorcycles, because they feel it makes the clutch slip or not enough ZDDP to keep the gears safe. I also know a lot of motorcyclists that use automotive oils and they do not have clutch problems. I bet they too think their "not having a problem" is a fact

The Wikipedia article on motorcycle oils seems to agree with you - Maybe you wrote it? ;)

"Can Automotive Engine Oil Be Used?

Motorcycle oil is relatively expensive compared to automotive engine oil so it's been a long standing question if regular automotive engine oil can be used. The companies that make motorcycle specific engine oils state that their products contains special additives and formulated specifically for a motorcycle. However they never offer any independent test results to substantiate their claims.

Many have actually been using automotive engine oil in their motorcycles for years. The key thing to watch out for is to make sure that if you have a wet clutch to make sure the oil is not labeled "energy conserving" (low friction) as they could cause clutch slippage (generally any oil rated 10W-40 or heavier is not, and any that is "energy conserving" should be labeled as part of the API)."

I rode motorcycles all through the '60's and '70's using only the dreaded 'automotive oils' . . . . but then I'd never heard of 'motorcycle oil' so maybe I can be forgiven? I guess I tend to agree that it's probably not a big thing either way so long as you're using 20W-50 oil . . . . and that's all I buy

I seriously doubt that a CBX was designed with any sort of 'motorcycle oil' in mind . . . . was it? - Neither was it designed for high tech friction modified oils

Don

After the gas crunch is when thay came out with fricton modifer.
Here is some info your looking for. Check this out. https://www.amsoil.com/products/streetb ... Paper.aspx

Yes there was motorcycle specific motor oil in the 60s/70s. I used Torco M/C specific engine oil in my 1970 CB 750-4.