imported post
tpwood wrote:
I found out something from a local wing mechanic that runs his own shop, been working on wings for years, he found out by looking at the engines (wing) using a Diesel Oil (Shell Rottela is an oil for diesel) is too good of an oil for the engines and he said it doesn't allow the rings to clean the cylinders off completely causing problems later on. Now this wasn't my quote but his, He recommends using a Motorcycle Oil. He will sell you any kind of oil that you need but he recommend Golden Specter Oil, wich is a blend of dino and synthetic. I got my wing with 74K on it and now have 87K, spent allot of money in different oils, blends, synthetic and dino, and I didn't like the engine noise. Ended up back to my old favorite Castrol 20W50. Engine sounds the best with it. As long as you change it regularly and use a good oil you should be fine. But the prior owner said he only used diesel oil in my wing when he had it, he was a truck driver. I'm wondering if I will have problems later. Interesting statement about diesel oil though. I really trust Rich and I don't think he would tell me that just to get me to by any other type of oil. I have to admit he has seen a multiple amount of wing engines for as long as he has worked on them. He is Honda Certified, he did work at a Honda shop but when it closed down years ago he opened up his own prvate shop.
Tim, your mechanic Rich might be a decent Wing mechanic but he sure doesn't know much about engine oil.. There is no such thing as oil that is too good.. Certain oil's contain additives that are not correct for certain engines & different oil's have additives that can effect engine systems like clutches, or trans shifting, or catalytic convertersbut as far the rings not cleaning the cylinder walls, that is just plain false.
That Rotella T diesel rated engine oil is probably one of the best dino oils available & for him to say otherwise is showing his oil ignorance.
As ar as engine noise goes that 20W50 oil you are using is definitely a quieter running oil than the 15W40 Rotella T, but that has nothing to do with the oil brand, it has to do with the initialviscosity.. That 20W50 is fair amount thicker than the Rotella 15W40 (at least for while).. Problem is; that Castrol 20W50 will shear down to 20W30 or so after a thousand or so miles & the Rotella T will do the same but won't lose as much viscosity per 1000 miles as the Castrol will so at (a guess on my part here) around 2000 miles they will be comparable hot viscosity..
Let us know how quiet that engine is after a 1000-1500 miles or so?
You should be glad the previous owner used a diesel rated engine oil asmost of thosehave excellent engine protection & anti wear additives & even more important a very very good anti-acid package so oil acid related engine damage during winter lay-up is less apt to be a future problem..
There nothing wrong with that Castrol you are using now it just uses a lot of long chain polymers to achieve the 20W50 rating so is more prone to shearing than some other oil's.. It sure won't hurt your Wing & is probably a bit better than the the original Honda spec oil that came in your bike..
Twisty