Yes I know it's yet another oil thread 
But bear with me.
In other threads about oil and also in the Haynes manual I see that there seems to be a bit of fixed thinking going on (as in RTFM, that's what it says so it must be the absolute truth and wo-be-tied if this rule is broken). Maybe not quite that fixed, but you get my drift?
According to the Book. I should be using API: SF, SG, SH. Interestingly these are all grades that have been superceded by newer specifications, which explains why they are not so easy to find these days in the grades requiered. Some interesting reading here. I was rumaging through my old part used oil bottles and found that Halfords 15/50 motor oil conforms to API SL, which is a higher spec than those above. Is is there a reason why I should not be using something like this?
Or indeed any reason I shouldn't use this? a fully synthetic 20/50 Motor oil (yes they do make a comparable motorcycle oil, which is also fully synthetic. But that's not why I'm asking these questions).
Is there any reason why I should NOT use any oils with a newer API rating. As long as I can get them in the requiered grades?
Is there a reason why I should not use a fully synthetic oil in the Airheads?
I know that Motorcycle oil is slightly different from car engine oil. However, this I believe is because motorcycles generally have wet multi plate clutches and the gearbox incorperated within the engine and relying on the same oil, where the BMW boxers do not. The argument for motorcycles having much tighter tolorences, gears included in the equasion so therefore needing better oils (I'm thinking) no longer stands in the case of the Airheads. This is because car engines are being made with much tighter tolorences too, in order to conform with the ever increasing emissions laws, the demands for better efficientcy and economy. Which to my thinking means that any modern car engine oil must surly be as good or better than these old type SF, SG, SH oils, which where recomended for use in the Airheads way back in the late seventies through to the mid ninties.
Oil has plainly moved on. Does that mean the Airheads and the like have been left behind and we are at the mercy of the oil producers to supply these old oils? Is it not more likely that the modern oils can safely be used in the older bikes of this eara. That the API ratings are improvements on the past ratings rather than something new alltogether?
Val.
But bear with me.In other threads about oil and also in the Haynes manual I see that there seems to be a bit of fixed thinking going on (as in RTFM, that's what it says so it must be the absolute truth and wo-be-tied if this rule is broken). Maybe not quite that fixed, but you get my drift?
According to the Book. I should be using API: SF, SG, SH. Interestingly these are all grades that have been superceded by newer specifications, which explains why they are not so easy to find these days in the grades requiered. Some interesting reading here. I was rumaging through my old part used oil bottles and found that Halfords 15/50 motor oil conforms to API SL, which is a higher spec than those above. Is is there a reason why I should not be using something like this?
Or indeed any reason I shouldn't use this? a fully synthetic 20/50 Motor oil (yes they do make a comparable motorcycle oil, which is also fully synthetic. But that's not why I'm asking these questions).
Is there any reason why I should NOT use any oils with a newer API rating. As long as I can get them in the requiered grades?
Is there a reason why I should not use a fully synthetic oil in the Airheads?
I know that Motorcycle oil is slightly different from car engine oil. However, this I believe is because motorcycles generally have wet multi plate clutches and the gearbox incorperated within the engine and relying on the same oil, where the BMW boxers do not. The argument for motorcycles having much tighter tolorences, gears included in the equasion so therefore needing better oils (I'm thinking) no longer stands in the case of the Airheads. This is because car engines are being made with much tighter tolorences too, in order to conform with the ever increasing emissions laws, the demands for better efficientcy and economy. Which to my thinking means that any modern car engine oil must surly be as good or better than these old type SF, SG, SH oils, which where recomended for use in the Airheads way back in the late seventies through to the mid ninties.
Oil has plainly moved on. Does that mean the Airheads and the like have been left behind and we are at the mercy of the oil producers to supply these old oils? Is it not more likely that the modern oils can safely be used in the older bikes of this eara. That the API ratings are improvements on the past ratings rather than something new alltogether?
Val.
Thanks cookie 
