hey, i have a 95 ex500 with about 4,000 miles on it. when i bought the bike, i was told that 20w-50 was used in the bike, (its the golden spectra stuff). i went to one of the shops here, and the guy said that 20w-50 is to thick, and i should put in 10w-40. im located in long island new york. the bike is basically stored for the winter season. should i start using 10w-40?what do you guys think and suggest? thanks!
what oil weight do you use in a 500ex?
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
OIL
With 100% synthetics you can use 10-40 in NY year round. If you were in the desert and over 100 Degrees then you should use 20-50. With synthetic it isnt really rated the same as API oils because it is not crude it is purely synthetic and the sheer srtength doesn't break down as easily, and it doesn't evaporate like crude oil does...interesting reading when it's cold icey and snowy outside...
With 100% synthetics you can use 10-40 in NY year round. If you were in the desert and over 100 Degrees then you should use 20-50. With synthetic it isnt really rated the same as API oils because it is not crude it is purely synthetic and the sheer srtength doesn't break down as easily, and it doesn't evaporate like crude oil does...interesting reading when it's cold icey and snowy outside...
so i should convert to 10-40 or i shouldnt bother? the 20-50 i was using was synthetic. also, while on the topic one other thing. i changed oils b4 i stored the bike for the winter, now for spring and summer, is the oil i put in there b4 winter ok to leave in there for now? or should i change it? thanks.
FILTER
Technically....HA...Your oil filter is only ther to trap any dust or contamanents...so that your oil is free to lube without carrying this jusk around scratching up surfaces adn filling up places where oil should be flowing. In the summer when you pour a glass of iced water or tea you get condensation on the outside of the glass. When you fill your gastank have you notoced that it is cold afterwards?//anyway in the winter riding a bike or starting a bike is a good thing except people ususlly don't run them long enough to get all the condensation out...fron getting it warmed up but not hot enough to steam the water out of it. Now for your answer...just run the oil and filter till it is time to change it andthen just change it over to 10-40. Since the filter is what traps the "stuff" when it comes to changing the oil again I only change the filter...I only replace the oil every other time in most of my vehicles. Don't forgetthat Synthetic doesn't break down like crude oil use to do years ago...and when you change the filter you are actually replenishing oil because you have to make up for the losss of what was in the new filter....now that's not to say that if my oil starts getting dark on me tha tI won't just change my filter again...KEEP a LOGBOOK, and you will see a pattern of events...keep your oil and filter till it's time to change it and then go 10-40.
Technically....HA...Your oil filter is only ther to trap any dust or contamanents...so that your oil is free to lube without carrying this jusk around scratching up surfaces adn filling up places where oil should be flowing. In the summer when you pour a glass of iced water or tea you get condensation on the outside of the glass. When you fill your gastank have you notoced that it is cold afterwards?//anyway in the winter riding a bike or starting a bike is a good thing except people ususlly don't run them long enough to get all the condensation out...fron getting it warmed up but not hot enough to steam the water out of it. Now for your answer...just run the oil and filter till it is time to change it andthen just change it over to 10-40. Since the filter is what traps the "stuff" when it comes to changing the oil again I only change the filter...I only replace the oil every other time in most of my vehicles. Don't forgetthat Synthetic doesn't break down like crude oil use to do years ago...and when you change the filter you are actually replenishing oil because you have to make up for the losss of what was in the new filter....now that's not to say that if my oil starts getting dark on me tha tI won't just change my filter again...KEEP a LOGBOOK, and you will see a pattern of events...keep your oil and filter till it's time to change it and then go 10-40.
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395 Posts
Just took the plunge and switched to synthetic, 10w40. With about 100 miles on this oil change, I swear the RPM's have dropped a tad. I'm pushing about 5k at 65mph. This is on an '88 with 30k miles.
Well hello happy fellow Long Islander, I use 20w50 in my ex500 and it runs just fine. I went to Fun Wheels in Medford and the guys there race bikes all the time and they have their own track. They told me to use the 20w50 since my bike had more than 9000 miles. They said it would be better for the motor especially since summer is coming up and it's gonna get really hot. Really it's up to you though, if you feel comfortable running 10w40 then use that. But 20w50 will not hurt your bike at all and in fact will be better for your motor in the long run. I've been running for the last month on the stuff and it feels just the same as 10w40. Happy riding maybe i'll see ya on the road some time. I was beginning to think I was the only Long Islander with a 500! :wink:92 z28 said:hey, i have a 95 ex500 with about 4,000 miles on it. when i bought the bike, i was told that 20w-50 was used in the bike, (its the golden spectra stuff). i went to one of the shops here, and the guy said that 20w-50 is to thick, and i should put in 10w-40. im located in long island new york. the bike is basically stored for the winter season. should i start using 10w-40?what do you guys think and suggest? thanks!
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8,245 Posts
Oil weight really depends on the surface tempature in your area. If you live up north 10W-40 should be fine. I run 20W-50 in the summer in texas because its gets dang hot. Good protection from the heavier weight, but if you don't need it then it hurts performance.
I've used 20w-50 in my '94 EX500 since I bought it last September. It now has almost 30K miles (I added 8K of that). Along with a filter change, I tried Redline all-synth - same weight - last month, and the bike's mptor got NOISY as all hell. I could really hear those valves then! It was pretty unnerving. I asked around and other people had the same problem, but they never thought it might be the synth. One guy changed back to dino oil as an experiment, and the noisy valvetrain was gone. Hmmm...
I had already done the same, and let the $40 worth of synth oil go down the proverbial drain by switching back to dino. No more crazy noise. The general consensus was that the synth was lubing just fine regardless, but we couldn't figure out why the noise increased in our bikes so much (the experiment guy has an SV650).
Take it for what it's worth...
I had already done the same, and let the $40 worth of synth oil go down the proverbial drain by switching back to dino. No more crazy noise. The general consensus was that the synth was lubing just fine regardless, but we couldn't figure out why the noise increased in our bikes so much (the experiment guy has an SV650).
Take it for what it's worth...
OIL
Synthetic doesn't break down as fast, doesn't evaporate, and doesn't burn off like crude (dino) oil does. Runing 20-50 in NY is okay but like Freakinout said because the viscosity is just a little heavier it will take a little performance away. 10-40 would be the oil of my personal choice in NY. There isn't much difference in hte two. the MOST important thing in your engine considering oil is the filtration...you should personally set down behind your computer and find out which filter traps the most and is the very best. and change it on a very regular basis...and your oil changed every other time. your filter traps all the junk, so it isn't breaking down the oil, but the filter gets used up or partially full. changing it and adding (topping off your oil is the VERY best thing hat you can do to prolong yor motor life. changing thoil everytime you change the filter...we don't use crude oil anymore...think about it and read about it...get onto some websites...I would not lead a fellow Forum down the wrong path when it comes to keeping a bike on the road!
Synthetic doesn't break down as fast, doesn't evaporate, and doesn't burn off like crude (dino) oil does. Runing 20-50 in NY is okay but like Freakinout said because the viscosity is just a little heavier it will take a little performance away. 10-40 would be the oil of my personal choice in NY. There isn't much difference in hte two. the MOST important thing in your engine considering oil is the filtration...you should personally set down behind your computer and find out which filter traps the most and is the very best. and change it on a very regular basis...and your oil changed every other time. your filter traps all the junk, so it isn't breaking down the oil, but the filter gets used up or partially full. changing it and adding (topping off your oil is the VERY best thing hat you can do to prolong yor motor life. changing thoil everytime you change the filter...we don't use crude oil anymore...think about it and read about it...get onto some websites...I would not lead a fellow Forum down the wrong path when it comes to keeping a bike on the road!
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395 Posts
Re: LOGBOOK
I think for the next oil change I'll go with the 20w50. Temps around here are already in the low 90's.
I hope so. Right now I'm averaging about 53mpg. Most of my riding is highway, including the 60 mile r/t to work.ZX-2R said:YOu should also see an increase in mileage!
I think for the next oil change I'll go with the 20w50. Temps around here are already in the low 90's.
Well synth is used by thousands of bikers, and exclusively by MotoGP, I think(?), so obviously there can't be anything too wrong with it. But it does seem to make some motors noisier, and I couldn't stand it. A noisy motor is a problem motor to me, lol, but I dont think that was the case here. I even noticed a diff in the performance of the bike, in the week that I left the synth in there, but it wasn't enough to warrant living with the noise. Not for me, at least. And there are many people who don't detect an increase in valvetrain noise after switching to synth.
I use 20w-50 in mine as it has 30K miles, and it's always hot as all hell down here. My MOM recommends it, and 10w-40 as well.
I use 20w-50 in mine as it has 30K miles, and it's always hot as all hell down here. My MOM recommends it, and 10w-40 as well.
I HEAR YOU
Back in the late 60's if you didin't hear noise from a Chevy engine valve tappets/lifters then you had a problem. Anymore you don't have that. The thing about synthetics is that they're not all the same. They are used in aircraft because of the extreme temperatures and RPM's. Dinosaur oil just would wreak havoc in todays aircraft engines...and race cars. Give it another go, but this time use a 20-50 of another brand. I'M NOT an AMSOIL dealer, but I believe in the oil. IT still lives in the aviation world...IF you can't find it, then try another brand...seriously it is superior to crude...
Back in the late 60's if you didin't hear noise from a Chevy engine valve tappets/lifters then you had a problem. Anymore you don't have that. The thing about synthetics is that they're not all the same. They are used in aircraft because of the extreme temperatures and RPM's. Dinosaur oil just would wreak havoc in todays aircraft engines...and race cars. Give it another go, but this time use a 20-50 of another brand. I'M NOT an AMSOIL dealer, but I believe in the oil. IT still lives in the aviation world...IF you can't find it, then try another brand...seriously it is superior to crude...
Joined
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8,245 Posts
Re: I HEAR YOU
I don't use AMSOIL, but I've seen it used, some of the best stuff made.ZX-2R said:Back in the late 60's if you didin't hear noise from a Chevy engine valve tappets/lifters then you had a problem. Anymore you don't have that. The thing about synthetics is that they're not all the same. They are used in aircraft because of the extreme temperatures and RPM's. Dinosaur oil just would wreak havoc in todays aircraft engines...and race cars. Give it another go, but this time use a 20-50 of another brand. I'M NOT an AMSOIL dealer, but I believe in the oil. IT still lives in the aviation world...IF you can't find it, then try another brand...seriously it is superior to crude...
AMSOIL
About 4 years ago, maybe 5 now, I took my own oils that I bought into an amsoil demonstration where they put liquid nitrogen into a pail once they have put their oils into different beakers. I put a variety of oils, INCLUDING amsoil (one of my own) not one of theirs, andI was really impressed that they were telling the truth about the oils. I USE AMSOIL...
About 4 years ago, maybe 5 now, I took my own oils that I bought into an amsoil demonstration where they put liquid nitrogen into a pail once they have put their oils into different beakers. I put a variety of oils, INCLUDING amsoil (one of my own) not one of theirs, andI was really impressed that they were telling the truth about the oils. I USE AMSOIL...
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