Has anyone used Castrol syntec 20w-50 in their bike? I'm wondering if it will cause clutch slippage.
Anyone use Castrol 20w-50
- Thread starter brian12
- Start date
Originally Posted By: blakegeo
I use Castrol GTX 20-50 in a Kawasaki Vulcan 750--shared sump--no slippage. Don't know about syntec
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The shifting (is) was fine--no evidence of slippage. I have performed 2 oil changes on this bike w/ Castrol GTX 20-50.
The bike is liquid cooled. I just changed the oil to GTX 15-40, a diesel oil, and drove it about 2 miles this morning--seems to shift normally, also. Some friends thought 20-50 was better suited for the hotter running air cooled bike, but Clymer's maintenance manual includes 20-50 as an acceptable oil, along w/10-40. I haven't heard of anyone having trouble with 15-40 or 20-50 conmventional oils in shared sump bikes. I wouldn't use any energy conserving oils-and no thinner than 10-40--and I wonder about some of those if they are automobile (not bike) oils
I use it in my KLR650, works great.
If it causes slippage, your clutch was on its way out anyway. The 13-year-old clutch in my Virago was unaffected by Syntec. It also worked well in my 94 Ninja.
i have used gtx 20w50 in the past,in my 04 flh,without issues.
I used Castrol GTX 10w40 winter, 20W50 summer in an old KZ650. Original clutch still working fine with 160,000 plus miles. However even though oil was changed religeously since new every 2000 miles, by 160,000 it was full of sludge. I'm not talking a thin layer, I'm talking I went to drain oil that last time and 8 oz of 90wt sludge oozed out, the rest of the 3.5qt was permenantly caked in the engine with the previous. Castrol does not like a worn engine. Maybe no oil would, but this was an exceptionally bad example.
Originally Posted By: RonH
I used Castrol GTX 10w40 winter, 20W50 summer in an old KZ650. Original clutch still working fine with 160,000 plus miles. However even though oil was changed religiously since new every 2000 miles, by 160,000 it was full of sludge. I'm not talking a thin layer, I'm talking I went to drain oil that last time and 8 oz of 90wt sludge oozed out, the rest of the 3.5qt was permenantly caked in the engine with the previous. Castrol does not like a worn engine. Maybe no oil would, but this was an exceptionally bad example.
Originally Posted By: fuel tanker man
Originally Posted By: RonH
I used Castrol GTX 10w40 winter, 20W50 summer in an old KZ650. Original clutch still working fine with 160,000 plus miles. However even though oil was changed religiously since new every 2000 miles, by 160,000 it was full of sludge. I'm not talking a thin layer, I'm talking I went to drain oil that last time and 8 oz of 90wt sludge oozed out, the rest of the 3.5qt was permenantly caked in the engine with the previous. Castrol does not like a worn engine. Maybe no oil would, but this was an exceptionally bad example.
My bike mechanics (3 different locations) all use GTX 20-50. They have been using it since the 1970s so I'm not sure that is a good recommendation. Many GTX formula changes have happened and I'm not convinced they are all good.
If you look in the owners manual your modern motor is most likely spec'd for xxW-40 weight oil due to bearing clearances and internal temperature buildup. Change your oil frequently.
If for some reason your oil temperatures exceed 265F (Full throttle run on dyno? Stuck in traffic in Yuma, AZ when it is 115F outside? Track racing on a super hot day?) you should consider a 50 weight oil. Or if you ride a Shovelhead Harley. But then you should be using crude oil anyway.
Originally Posted By: djlinux64
If you look in the owners manual your modern motor is most likely spec'd for xxW-40 weight oil due to bearing clearances and internal temperature buildup. Change your oil frequently.
If for some reason your oil temperatures exceed 265F (Full throttle run on dyno? Stuck in traffic in Yuma, AZ when it is 115F outside? Track racing on a super hot day?) you should consider a 50 weight oil. Or if you ride a Shovelhead Harley. But then you should be using crude oil anyway.
