Oil change interval for synthetic

[sheulett]

Okay, I know this must have been answered, but when I did a search, I got a TON of posts, and after reading a lot of them, I didn't find an answer for my specific question. So, I apologize in advance if it's been answered already.

I'm switching from dino to synthetic at about 6800 miles. The parts guy told me that I should change the oil out again after the first 1000 miles on synthetic because "a lot of junk will be coming out of the motor". He said that after that, I could go for up to 5000 miles between changes.

Is this correct, or is he trying to sell me another oil change in a month?

Thanks in advance for any info. I learned a lot from the other synthetic oil threads. Given the sheer volume that's been written on this topic in this forum, I bet my answer is out there ... so thanks also for patience with someone who doesn't know squat about oil.

Cheers!
Steve

[troop]

If you do lots of stop/go city driving you may want to stick with 3k miles. If you ride plenty of hwy miles where you have no probs burning off condensation, 5k miles may just be fine. You'll get varying opinions here Troop

[dagumol]

sheulett, that kinda sounds weird to me but i am so anal about keeping a motor clean that i'm seriously considering it now me self!! i switched to synthetic at 5k and have 5900 on marvin now. i may do it since i finally found a dealer here who sells royal purple. another $60 oil change....better ask the wife!!!!!! lol

[Spok]

I went full synth at about 9k on my 1500. I'm of the thinking that oil is cheap and a motor is expensive. I change out my fluids at 2000 to 2500 miles, each change i do notice that the transmission gets smoother again.

[Xlr8n]

To answer your ? on the 1000 mile change after the first synthetic change, it seems like it should be kinda BS to me. The detergents in todays dino oils should be keeping things pretty tidy in the crankcase. However, that being said, I did notice my first batch of synthetic turned pretty dark pretty quick compared to the dino, and all changes since haven't displayed that same color. I personally can't recommend one way or the other, but if you're using a top quality filter like a Pure-One, you really shouldn't have anything to worry about, regardless of color. On the otherhand, oil is cheap compared to the investment at hand, so do what makes you feel most comfortable. Hope this helps.

[NY_Guy]

While synthetic doesn't break down (lose viscosity) as fast as dino and allows for longer oil change intervals, there are those pesky little HLA oil screens that can get clogged if there's any debris in the oil. For that reason, it's probably prudent to change any type of motorcycle oil at intervals of 3,000 miles or 3-4 months, whichever comes first, IMO.

[Sledder]

You still gotta change the oil.

It (synthetic) does indeed offer longer term intervals before oil breakdown in a CAR engine.....these are motorcycles with a wet mesh clutch that uses the SAME oil as the engine oil. The breakdown of the fristion plates in the clutch is STILL happening,that is the nature of the clutch system...it gives itself up over time..which is the #1 reason to change motorcycle oil more often than cars.The very fine clutch fibre stuff is very abrasive and goes thru everything with the oil.
The synthetic is a higher quality oil,but in a BIKE,the oil change intervals still need to be adhered to ,and it has nothing to do with the oil breaking down.

..I guess it depends on if you intend to keep the bike a long time or not....but if not...why are we buying syn oil?

[Frankt07]

i have been using synthetic oils in all my vehicles and go between 3-5K miles.
synthetic can easily go up to 10K miles, but 3-5K is a good safe margin

[Plato]

Okay, in an attempt to avoid all the hairy side issues of these oil threads -I'm just gonna offer a suggestion.

IF you decide to do a quicky 1k oil change to drain the crap the dino oil leaves in your bike -then let the cleanup 1k oil be Rotella-T 5W-40 sythetic. At Wally World this oil can be had in a 4Qt jug for about $15.00, and it will clean out the crap about as well as anything going.

I don't recommend it for long change intervals (over 3k), or for those of us riding in 90F+ summers. But otherwise its a great choice for bike oil.

[vanb]

If changing oil after the first 1000 miles of synthetic puts you mind at ease do it.I change my synthetic every 4000 miles but do alot of hi-way driving.

[NomadNorm]

I am going to change my oil at 6K or once a year with Amsoil 10W-40 and their filter. It may go longer than that with the performance. It is hard to change from old habits and safety margins. But forward we go and look to the real data, make your own opinions.

NomadNorm.

[BigJohn]

Personal experience with Mobile 1 15w50. Changed to M1 at about 11,000 miles. Changed oil at 16,000 with an analysis that shoed that the oild was still good and had no serious deterioration, at all. The friction modifiers were still good to go at 5,000 miles.

I'm now at 21,000 and will be changing again before I put it up for the winter, probably next month.

If you are running a good filter, then the oil going out to the system should be relativley clean and safe. The oil should run between 5K and 10K safely, in a v-twin. I would be hesatant to do this in my old Venture or in the old Z1 because of the higher revs.

Just my opinion. So far, so good.

[AZ rider]

Read your owners manual for the recomended oil change interval, then go read the AMSOIL site.

[relli]

Originally Posted by NY_Guy

While synthetic doesn't break down (lose viscosity) as fast as dino and allows for longer oil change intervals, there are those pesky little HLA oil screens that can get clogged if there's any debris in the oil. For that reason, it's probably prudent to change any type of motorcycle oil at intervals of 3,000 miles or 3-4 months, whichever comes first, IMO.

agreed

[Sledder]

V-twins have some of the highest piston speeds out thre per rpm because of the long stroke.Everytime the crank makes one revolution the piston travels a LONG way up....and a LONG way down....and it has to sometimes twice as far in a revolution as a short stroke engine.

Some v-twins turning 4000 rpms have a higher piston speed than a in line 4 cyl turning much higher rpm. But,it doesn't have to do with breakdown anyway in a bike...it is the fine microscopic clutch stuff going thru the valve train,crank bearings,etc.Change it often and never mind oil salesmen and car people.

my opinion ,i guess.

[RichLockyer]

With some of the results we've been seeing on the UOA reports from reputable quality synthetics, I am completely sworn off of non-synthetics for ANY application, and even with synthetics, I still stick to the factory recommended intervals on the cages, and will likely stick with 3k on the bike.

[Plato]

Originally Posted by RichLockyer

With some of the results we've been seeing on the UOA reports from reputable quality synthetics, I am completely sworn off of non-synthetics for ANY application, and even with synthetics, I still stick to the factory recommended intervals on the cages, and will likely stick with 3k on the bike.

Now just think about all the folks following the factory change interval using dino oil (even if it is labeled motorcycle dino). It says alot about the build quality of these bikes that they seem to be able to take it in stride like the proverbial Timex

Nevertheless, I'm still a change it before 3k using synthetic or at least Rotellat-T

BTW, Rich are you the one who was gonna pony up the bucks to do an OA on Amsoil before and after 3k ? I'm thinking of doing the same with Mobil-1 15W-50 ES, as I've got an unopened 5qt jug for my next change and could send in a fresh sample to see just what it tests as before use.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by Plato

BTW, Rich are you the one who was gonna pony up the bucks to do an OA on Amsoil before and after 3k ? I'm thinking of doing the same with Mobil-1 15W-50 ES, as I've got an unopened 5qt jug for my next change and could send in a fresh sample to see just what it tests as before use.

Ya... I still need to get off my butt and send in the two V-Twin samples. I have both virgin and 2000 miles used. This is the first 2500 on the bike, but it'll be interesting to see where iron comes in with the magnetic drain plug.

I'm currently running Amsoil MCV 20w50, and have about 700 miles left to go before it's got 2k on it. I spilled a bit filling the bike, so I HOPE I have enough left for them to run a sample.

Next oil after Amsoil... I'm up in the air, but I am half tempted to give Kawachem (Motul) a try and see how it does. I was going to go straight to 15w50 and stay there until I saw how cheap the Kawachem was.

[jimboy61]

What Sledder and Ny_Guy said, read that. Then again, i work for the DC metro transit agency, and work with some of the best mechanics money can buy. And most of these guys are bikers. Besides my own 30 yrs of experience with cars, dirt bikes, atvs and any machinery you can imagine that runs on oil. First of all, mechanics and manufacturers will talk to you like a doctor. They are going to tell you the absolute minimum. Sure you can push it probably as far as twice the recommended time frames and still be safe. Its brainwashing, most people never will, and thats because of the brands themselves, they want you to buy more oil, their objective isnt to make you save money, its to make you spend it. Thats what they do. Oil gets dirty, thats what oil does, it picks up particles and deposits them in the filter, microscopic particles will circulate and make the oil appear dirty, that doesnt mean the oil is bad, it just means its doing its job. Do you throw out the dishwater after the first dish? No, you dont. And you dont panis when oil gets dirty. That 1000 mile dino to synth crap is BS. But given whats been said about highway VS stop and go...i believe that, have read that, and change mine accordingly.

[RichLockyer]

Originally Posted by jimboy61

Sure you can push it probably as far as twice the recommended time frames and still be safe. Its brainwashing, most people never will, and thats because of the brands themselves, they want you to buy more oil, their objective isnt to make you save money, its to make you spend it. Thats what they do. Oil gets dirty, thats what oil does, it picks up particles and deposits them in the filter, microscopic particles will circulate and make the oil appear dirty, that doesnt mean the oil is bad, it just means its doing its job. Do you throw out the dishwater after the first dish? No, you dont. And you dont panis when oil gets dirty. That 1000 mile dino to synth crap is BS. But given whats been said about highway VS stop and go...i believe that, have read that, and change mine accordingly.

For cages, I'm with you to a degree. I've seen very solid UOA on synthetic oils that have seen 15-20k.

On bikes, take a look at the viscosity numbers on these results.... only the M1 15w50 remained in grade after only 2000 miles in a Vulcan:

http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...lla-5w40-1.jpg
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...lla-5w40-2.jpg
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockye...ella-15w40.pdf
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockyer/oil/m1-15w50.jpg
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockyer/oil/m1-15w50.pdf
http://personal.linkline.com/rlockyer/oil/m1-vtwin.pdf