Which Oil Yields Least Engine Vibration?

[LoneRanger]

I know. Kind of a broad, if not dubious question. But I have noticed subtle differences between the few oils I've tried. The over square 90 degree twin in my Ducati can generate some vibration for sure, and can become rather buzzy at the higher end of the rpm range. Weirdly, the new gen "DVT" motor in my 2016 is buzzier than the Testastretta 11 degree motor my '13 had. I say weirdly because Ducati boasts the DVT to be "smoother" in all aspects.

The reason I'm seeking to find the oil that smooths out the vibes the most is on account of this business with my eye. The MD has restricted me off vibrational stuff like electric shaving razors, electric toothebrushes, and maintaining my crew cut haircut with a Wahl trimmer, etc. (Been going to a stylist and she is able to scissor cut it almost as short). Whether the avoidance of vibrations will be permanent I don't know, but it's enough to interest me in at least trying to get the engine to behave as smoothly as possible.

I can say with some certainty that the current oil in the sump (see sig) makes the engine vibrate more. This was even the case with the same 15W50 oil (Spectro) in my former '13 Ducati to the point I changed it out early and put in Silkolene 15W50 instead which did run smoother.

In the case of my '16, the dealer recommends the Spectro and put it in at the 600 miles first service. I'm not knocking the oil, it is after all a true blue PAO and Ester blend and I don't know why it makes the engine buzzier but it does.

I have to admit to being attracted to the marketing/label hype of the Shell Advance Ultra 15W50 which lays a claim to making the engine run smooth and with less vibration. Hence my previous post trying to locate same for retail purchase.

I'm just trying to get my head around *why* what amount to Group III oils like Shell Advance and Silkolene, make the engine seem smoother than what a PAO/Ester blend like Spectro does?

 

[Robenstein]

Oil will have almost no effect on the engine vibrations especially at operating temperature. I can seen it quiet noise more than smooth out an engine. If you have excess vibration you may have something out of whack with the engine tune.

I know on my bike, it was vibrating more than others I have ridden. A quick check revealed the throttle bodies were out of synch. Once synched up, it ran smooth as a sewing machine.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: LoneRanger

The reason I'm seeking to find the oil that smooths out the vibes the most is on account of this business with my eye. The MD has restricted me off vibrational stuff like electric shaving razors, electric toothebrushes, and maintaining my crew cut haircut with a Wahl trimmer, etc.


say it again, what eye business prevents you from using a shaver?

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: Robenstein
Oil will have almost no effect on the engine vibrations especially at operating temperature. I can seen it quiet noise more than smooth out an engine. If you have excess vibration you may have something out of whack with the engine tune.


Agreed.

If I had to make a "pie chart" on engine balancing & vibration, the biggest slice to smallest slice would be:
1) Design/configuration (V-twin vs. Inline 6) followed by mechanical static and dynamic balancing of all rotational and reciprocating parts. This is probably 90%
2) Tune. Mismatched cylinders due to variances in fuel & air mixture, ignition timing, and cylinder compression pressures (and combustion pressures) will definitely affect how smooth an engine is, maybe about 10% of the whole package.
3) Oil??? Never considered it. I'll say far less than 1%.
Maybe even less than .1% of any given engine's balance is affected by oil changes.

 

[philipp10]

Realistically the thicker the oil, the more damping I suppose. Or add sawdust....lol

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek


say it again, what eye business prevents you from using a shaver?


Had an eye surgery to repair detached retina. Surgeon seems paranoid about vibration. Whether it is a permanent restriction I don't know, but he doesn't want me putting vibrating stuff against my head. I suspect it relates to the fact that they replaced the vitreous humor in my eye with Silicone Oil, and the vibration thing is just to help ensure no emulsification of the oil occurs before they take it out. It gets taken out next month and replaced with stabilized saline to serve as permanent fill (the eye supposedly maintains the fluid dynamics naturally form then on unless glaucoma sets in).

All sounds like a late life eye thing more common to seniors, but I'm 53 active and exceptional health otherwise. Eye stuff is weird and random.

 

[JoelB]

1 possible solution is to sell it and get a Honda. Vibration issue solved plus it will be a tiny bit more reliable

 

[Olas]

Just a hunch, but, so long as the engine is in a hydrodynamic regime the oil viscosity won't affect vibration. Going thin enough that metal to metal contact occurs will increase vibration.

Some people say M1 is a noisy oil - noise comes from vibration so in theory the quietest idling oil should be the least vibratory?

 

[CT8]

As much as I love motorcycles ,,, The thump when you fall off will be severe for the Retina. I fall of motorcycles and Horses, I know.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: JoelB
1 possible solution is to sell it and get a Honda. Vibration issue solved plus it will be a tiny bit more reliable

This. Combined with the retina repair it is a no brainer. You love your bike but it is not worth losing your vision. My dad had 2 retina repairs on one eye, vision was very poor after the second one.

 

[LoneRanger]

Selling's not what I want to hear guys !! But unfortunately the thought has crossed my mind. I totally love the Duc and all the "character" of the high revving 90 deg twin, but if the medical prognosis says that I ought to try to avoid buzzy twins I may need to look at an FJR1300, something else, or God forbid... consider leaving the hobby altogether.

I've avoided asking my surgeon specific questions about the riding hobby's exposure to engine mechanical vibration, as it would relate to going forward in life after a completed recovery. That's probably because part of me doesn't want to hear any answer that's not to my liking. Going to need to clear it up, though.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

It funny you mention oil and noise. I just got a weird one with the new fram I'm trying on the rogue. It appears to be casing a resonance and bad vibration at 2000+/- rpm that was NEVER there before. It is and impedance in the flow circuit. It is also subject to odd flow dynamics and cavitation due to eddies given the reverse flow pattern in the container. Ive seen and heard a video of ADBV "buzzing" on youtube - that was a first! I would think that A diester oil would be you best bet. Not TOO much moly in the formulation or you stick rings and that will case vibes due to cyl to cyl power imbalance. FUCHS may have something.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
It funny you mention oil and noise. I just got a weird one with the new fram I'm trying on the rogue. It appears to be casing a resonance and bad vibration at 2000+/- rpm that was NEVER there before. It is and impedance in the flow circuit. It is also subject to odd flow dynamics and cavitation due to eddies given the reverse flow pattern in the container. Ive seen and heard a video of ADBV "buzzing" on youtube - that was a first! I would think that A diester oil would be you best bet. Not TOO much moly in the formulation or you stick rings and that will case vibes due to cyl to cyl power imbalance. FUCHS may have something.


Interesting you mention Fuchs, because with my '13 it ran smoothest on [Fuchs] Silkolene 15W50. But the Silkolene got noisy rather quickly at the same time the shifting started getting harder which with bikes is usually a red flag that the viscosity is shot and it's time for an oil change. The Silkolene I used at the time (Pro 4) was a Group III using some ester with the ester maybe serving as the add pack carrier.

The Spectro in it now is the Real Deal using PolyAlphaOlefin Group IV and a di-ester blend. Maybe it's in my head but it just seems like it vibrates more than on the factory fill which was Shell Advance Ultra Group III product of unknown viscosity.

This bike is still new with under 4500 miles on it so things like throttle body imbalance or ignition imbalance would seem unlikely. Oil is the only variable that has been changed, even the filter is the same-- Ducati OEM. It's a chain bike and the chain is properly tensioned.

 

[02SE]

As mentioned, I'd check throttle body synchronization. There's also the possibility that the engine is mounted differently in your newer Multistrada, which could produce more inherent vibration. As for a "Honda" being smoother, that depends on which Honda model is being referred to. Also, the last Honda Motorcycle I owned, was the least reliable Motorcycle I have ever owned.

 

[LoneRanger]

Originally Posted By: 02SE
As mentioned, I'd check throttle body synchronization. There's also the possibility that the engine is mounted differently in your newer Multistrada, which could produce more inherent vibration. As for a "Honda" being smoother, that depends on which Honda model is being referred to. Also, the last Honda Motorcycle I owned, was the least reliable Motorcycle I have ever owned.


Interesting. The trellis frame is in fact different on this one than the previous. Just looking at it, they *may* be using the engine for chassis stiffness to some degree vs. the way the old bike was. I know with their Panigale sport bike, they have the engine set as a stressed member of the chassis, but this model still has a trellis frame albeit a different design from the prior gen's frame.

Here she is after a late night at the office, trellis frame in red:

 

[gman2304]

You should discuss this with your Dr. If he told you to avoid vibrational 'tools' around your face, head, eyes etc, then you should be cautious and let him know your concerns about riding your motorcycle, mowing the lawn, using a leaf blower, etc. Hopefully you might only need to avoid vibrations for a short time.

 

[David_g]

The 2015 multi I demo'd had no buzz I was aware of at all. I realize that stuff can vary from bike to bike, but hopefully valve adjust and TB sync can smooth yours out. Also, could a different RPM range be smoother? Sometimes lower sometimes higher can be better.


There are smoother clippers than Wahl. Don't know if they're smooth enough for you to use at the moment. The ones I'm thinking of (Norelco & Conair) have adjustable height rather than attachments, so if you depend on attachments (e.g. for taper), it won't work.

 

[Robenstein]

New doesn't mean much for throttle body balance being off. I have seen then off new off the showroom floor.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

None... be realistic and sell the Duc and buy something with an inline engine. I'd rather ride a Honda AND see, then a Duc and possibly loose vision. Then again, maybe this is all temporary. Just talk to the doc, get a second opinion.