Kawasaki ZRX1200 Various UOA's

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Oils are labeled at top of each column, scroll down for UOA's.

L to R:

Valvoline 10w40 ATV Dino oil
Castrol 20w50 4T Dino
Rotella T5 15w40 SynBlend
Mobil 1 15w50 Syn
Delo 400 LE 15w40 Dino
Rotella T6 5w40 Syn

This ZRX1200 has ZZR1200 cams, higher compression pistons, ZZR Keihin CVK40 carbs and ZX11 ECU w/+4 advanced ignition rotor. Output is now around 150 hp compared to stock of around 112 hp. This bike gives the oil a great workout and it is quite torquey as well.

Few thoughts...

Rotella T6 was in for over 5000 miles, and I did a valve check and adjustment with shims midstream with that oil change interval. Still, not the best OCI for wear numbers IMO.

Valvoline 10w40 ATV Dino was most recent oil sample, at only 1,400 miles in the engine. Not too impressed with the zinc and phosphorus content, but wear numbers are alright.

As a note, I put in new pistons (higher compression) in January of this year and ran a 30 wt ND for the first 100 miles after the piston install. Then did a drain and fill with a new filter when I put the Valvoline in there.

I would say the best oil I ran to this point was the Rotella T5 15w40 Syn Blend. Stayed in grade, wear numbers are relatively low for the miles, good flashpoint.

Nickel is from the Nikasil plated bores. As Blackstone says, for having just put pistons in the wear numbers are good after using the Valvoline for 1400 miles after an initial 100 mile break in with ND 30 wt.

With that said, the Valvoline 10W-40 ATV oil was drained and refilled with Mystic JT8 15W50 and a fresh filter two weekends ago. I will run that and report back later this summer. Once I have done an analysis with this oil will be able to compare with the Rotella T5 15w40 that did a good job for me. Will probably stick with whichever one seems to look the best.

What I have concluded and I'm open for good discussion on this, is for the most part wear numbers are developed in the first portion of an oil change and tend to stabilize. Despite wanting to see higher zinc and phosphorus numbers in a number of the oils, protection looks to be good so I am not as concerned moving forward as I have been. Interestingly the two oils earlier on when I started testing had the highest zinc and phosphorus but also increased wear numbers in a number of categories.


 
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Thanks for sharing! I have a ZRX also, but the engine is stock except for a Ted's advancer.
 
Nothing wrong with the stock ZRX! It is a smooth, quiet and powerful bike. I like the personality of the moddded bike even more now that I've done all the work to it. Just as easy to ride as a stocker but a LOT more oomph.

For what it's worth, the Ted's is a +2°, even though it says +4. Ted used the premise that stock is 2° of static advance, Ted's takes it to +4 static advance, which is only a net of +2 degrees. It has been compared to the ones offered by ELS on eBay and verified to be that way. ELS makes a true +4 deg advancer and increase in throttle response from +2 to +4 is really worth doing in my opinion.
 
My memories of my 2004 ZRX inspired me to pick up an FZ09. I'm interested to see the results of the Mystik 15w50 in the Rex as I use it in both my H-D and FZ. Also use M1 15w50 in the H-D but saw results of quick shearing in shared sumps. Great info!!!
 
In 4,090 miles with Mobil 1 15w50 the oil sheared down to a low 40wt. Yeah, would expect the oil to hold better viscosity, however it worked fine and shifting stayed smooth and didn't get notchy. Rotella T5 15w40 syn blend went 3,700 miles and sheared down to a really low 40wt, however was still in grade. From what I understand, most shearing occurs early on.

Yes, looking forward to seeing how the Mystic 15w50 does as well! Only 100 miles in the engine so far. Weather is finally warming for the better in Colorado, miles will start adding up faster now. Figure I will do a sample around 3000 miles and see where it is, then use that info to decide whether to run it longer. I like the analysis to see what add pack the oil has as much as anything. It's fascinating how different combinations are used. And helps to justify or not justify claims about Zinc and Phosphorus in my estimation.
 
Hard to go past the Rotella T5 15W40 for good wear numbers and holding it's viscosity.

I expected a better showing from the Delo 15W40, bigger viscosity drop for less distance.

Thanks for testing and sharing.
 
The Delo 15w40 sample had a smidgen more fuel in it which doesn't take much to drop viscosity. Not sure where it came from, every other sample has been basically fuel free. Such is the life of internal combustion, eh?

Mystic JT8 15w50 syn blend in the bike now, about 210 miles in the past week and shifting is good so that's a good start.
 
I normally run Rotella dino 15-40 and 3k changes . I just did a Mobil 1 automotive 15-50 and I'm liking the shift feel. I have a 96 GPZ1100 which is same engine family with a JE 1109 kit. Isn't 2 degree advance recommended with high compression ?
 
Eddy21, same as the ZRX forum?

Yes, +2 is for use with high compression... 12.0:1 or 12.5:1 that is. I am running ZZR1200 pistons and base gasket delete set up, which runs 11.0:1. I haven't had any issues running a +4 ELS ZX11 advancer (along with ZX11 ECU) and regular gas at 7,200' elevation. I would not go higher than 11.0-1 CR with a +4, based on talking with KWICK on the ZRX forum. But +4 works for my situation.

Yeah, 15w50 Mobil 1 was a good oil for me overall. I took the sample you see in the report, then ran it another 1,000 miles (approx 5,000 miles total) before running the T5 15w40 SynBlend.

Because so many guys run the Rotella 15w40 dino with great results, I am working through other oils to see how they hold up and also to see the additive packages. I am seeeing that Zinc/Phosphorus alone don't really determine how well the oil protects. It's the additives working together in concert AND in my opinion the quality of the base stock the oil is made with.
 
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in time you will find (or not) that you cannot go enough miles on any of the synth or synth blends to make up the cost difference over srt.

delo was behind srt in my testing
as was almost all of the other hdeos
only a version (not made any more) of supertech beat it
 
Good info. When shift quality starts going south, even if the oil isn't used up protection-wise, it's time for an oil change IMO. However, I would contend if shift quality stays higher longer with a Syn Blend the cost is offset or comes out ahead. Rotella T5 15w40 sync blend had very good shift quality when I drained it, and the fact it stayed in grade backs that up. The ZRX calls for a 5000 mile OCI, I went that long with T6 5w40 and had a crummy analysis along with poor shifting at the end. M1 15w50 sheared down to a 40 wt, (but still was a 40wt) and I left it in another 1000 miles after the analysis. I feel 40 wt is the threshold for good shifting, and the M1 backed that up too with a longer OCI.

With my air cooled 1980 Yamaha XS1100 shift quality starts going down around 2500 miles. Yamaha, 37 years ago, called for a 2500 mile OCI as well, so they were on to something.
 
Originally Posted By: Bonz
Eddy21, same as the ZRX forum?

Yes, +2 is for use with high compression... 12.0:1 or 12.5:1 that is. I am running ZZR1200 pistons and base gasket delete set up, which runs 11.0:1. I haven't had any issues running a +4 ELS ZX11 advancer (along with ZX11 ECU) and regular gas at 7,200' elevation. I would not go higher than 11.0-1 CR with a +4, based on talking with KWICK on the ZRX forum. But +4 works for my situation.

Yeah, 15w50 Mobil 1 was a good oil for me overall. I took the sample you see in the report, then ran it another 1,000 miles (approx 5,000 miles total) before running the T5 15w40 SynBlend.

Because so many guys run the Rotella 15w40 dino with great results, I am working through other oils to see how they hold up and also to see the additive packages. I am seeeing that Zinc/Phosphorus alone don't really determine how well the oil protects. It's the additives working together in concert AND in my opinion the quality of the base stock the oil is made with.


Yes . Should we invite Kwick in to the discussion
 
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KWICK doesn't care about oil analysis. He just loves his Redline 20W50, living in Arizona where it doesn't get below 70°.
smile.gif
. Now that his name is typed, it'll show up on his internet alert and "he'll be along shortly". LOL.
 
Follow up: About 4600 miles since early this year when I put in higher compression pistons, as stated in the opening post of this thread. The past 3,200 miles have been running Mystic JT8 15w50. I really like the oil composition and the wear numbers aren’t really out of the ordinary from what I’m used to either.

However, if you read the comments section of the analysis, when I drained the oil to take the sample, a portion of an oil control ring came out with the magnetic drain plug... I was so bummed...

I had noticed increased oil consumption (from no previous consumption in over 55,000 miles, including after the higher compression pistons being added) in the previous couple hundred miles, therefore did the oil change and sample.

Going to get the engine taken apart here over my Christmas break from teaching.

Anyway, thought the most interesting part would be the oil composition itself and I wouldn’t hesitate to run it again.

 
Hopefully it didn't smear the cylinder wall up . Boz I went to your jetting specs ,except needle position . 42 pilots just did not make sense and never seen a jet kit call for larger pilots in recent memory . Seems to pull harder down low now .
 
You are running CVK40’s now, awesome! Yeah, I run 38 pilots in my set up.
 
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