Halford's classic oil?

[Bobby Boy]

Just got my GSA and I,m about to change the oil, I,ve read the various oil threads and I,m still none the wiser!

I have deduced that 20/50 full mineral or semi synthetic oil seems to be the way to go.

Halford's sell a 20/50 mineral oil rated API, that they market for old classic cars.

Is this ok to use? I read a posting by someone that said he used basic Duckhams mineral oil and his bike had never run better!

 

[stevekamano]

20/50

Just got my GSA and I,m about to change the oil, I,ve read the various oil threads and I,m still none the wiser!

I have deduced that 20/50 full mineral or semi synthetic oil seems to be the way to go.

Halford's sell a 20/50 mineral oil rated API, that they market for old classic cars.

Is this ok to use? I read a posting by someone that said he used basic Duckhams mineral oil and his bike had never run better!

yes thats right duckhams 20 /50 runs like a dream

 

[Bananaman]

It's been discussed before, but here is a link with some info
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123602

 

[Greg Masters]

It'd probably run like a dream if you put cocoa in it!

The test is not how well it runs, but how long it runs well!

Why use the SE rated Halfords Classic oils when much better and more suitable products are available?

Greg

 

[cookie]

SE (if that is what it is) is out of spec for the 1150 anyway.

SF is the minimum quoted by bmw. i would happily use anything listed by the manufacturer.

 

[wessie]

yes thats right duckhams 20 /50 runs like a dream

My local http://www.motor-world.co.uk/ stocks it, although it's not listed on the website

 

[Bobby Boy]

The Halfords brand is rated as API, which is specified in the user's hand book.

I never mentioned SE rated? but is that the same as API?

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Bobby boy

I use the Halfords classic 20/50 in my 1200GS-A and 1100GS with no problems. and no oil usage. The mechanic at my BMW dealer reckons it`s as good as anything else for the boxer engine as the tolerances aren`t the closest!

The main reason is I`m a bit old school on oil and change the oil at 3000 so putting expensive semi or full synthetic is a waste of money because synthetic oil is designed for long life.

 

[Greg Masters]

The Halfords brand is rated as API, which is specified in the user's hand book.

I never mentioned SE rated? but is that the same as API?

API is the American Petroleum Institute - the body which set the standards for motor oil.

SE is one of those standards - and an obselete one at that.

Read this document from the API - also read your bike's handbook - then decide which oil to use.

Greg

 

[Greg Masters]

.....

 

[cookie]

API is the American Petroleum Institute - the body which set the standards for motor oil.

SE is one of those standards - and an obselete one at that.

Read this document from the API - also read your bike's handbook - then decide which oil to use.

Greg

confusingly, that document contradicts bmw's own oil info

 

[cbritton]

I would use a more modern oil in an 1150. SE is an old standard and is for vehicles with little filtration.

Over time it will probably gum things up as it will contain little or no detergent.

Cheers, Colin.

 

[Colban]

Just got my GSA and I,m about to change the oil, I,ve read the various oil threads and I,m still none the wiser!

I have deduced that 20/50 full mineral or semi synthetic oil seems to be the way to go.

Halford's sell a 20/50 mineral oil rated API, that they market for old classic cars.

Is this ok to use? I read a posting by someone that said he used basic Duckhams mineral oil and his bike had never run better!

There seems to be a lot of people who use very cheap oil in their bikes.
To my mind its false economy bearing in mind what an engine rebuild would cost.
As long as you use a decent SAE 15 (or 20)/50 with an API rating of at least SF/SG (i think they are up to SK now),Mineral or Semi Synth you should be OK.I looked at that Halfords stuff,but as others have said,it's not suitable.

 

[FatAl]

Have you a Harley Davidson dealer near you? they do an own brand mineral and also a synthetic 20/50, not sure of the price though. Also the small independent Harley dealers usually sell good quality american brands of 20/50 oil such as Rev Tech. I think these oils will be higher spec than the Halfords classic oil and the Duckhams. If the HD stuff is good enough for huge air cooled Harleys it's got to be good enough for BMW twins.

Rock Oil also market a good quality high spec semi synthetic 20/50, and a synthetic fortified (whatever that means) mineral oil. I've used Rock Oil in my BMWs and Harleys for several years without problem.

 

[Bobby Boy]

Thank you for all the feedback..I think I will look into this a little further.

The post about the lack of detergent got me thinking! how relevant a point is this?

I didn't think there would be so many differing opinions about a simple thing like what oil to use

 

[Sergeant Pluck]

I didn't think there would be so many differing opinions about a simple thing like what oil to use

Well it's like the old saying "opinions are like arseholes - everyone has one", except it turns out that statistically there are actually more opinions about oil than there are arseholes to have them - if you know what I mean

 

[falcoron]

oye olly!

Just got my GSA and I,m about to change the oil, I,ve read the various oil threads and I,m still none the wiser!

I have deduced that 20/50 full mineral or semi synthetic oil seems to be the way to go.

Halford's sell a 20/50 mineral oil rated API, that they market for old classic cars.

Is this ok to use? I read a posting by someone that said he used basic Duckhams mineral oil and his bike had never run better!

bought my gs with new 14 40 semi in it and it rattled like a rattly thing from rattlyville.
changed to halfords classic (which is Duchams 20/50) and the bike is quieter, selects gears much better and runs so much smoother its like a jap!
just put it in!

 

[Bobby Boy]

I have! I,ve done 320 miles with it in and it does seem quiet, it just takes a little longer to warm up.

 

[Ali-bear]

I eventually found some lovely 15W50 API SL in a local car parts shop five litres for fifteen quid or thereabouts (I forget). Proper job.

Oil threads - perfectly legitimate for new boxer owners as the oddball engine has a rather unusual taste for the stuff.

 

[littleredrooster]

bought my gs with new 14 40 semi in it and it rattled like a rattly thing from rattlyville.
changed to halfords classic (which is Duchams 20/50) and the bike is quieter, selects gears much better and runs so much smoother its like a jap!
just put it in!

How can it "select gears much better" when the gearbox oil is separate from the engine oil??????

Duckhams 20W/50 is not the correct spec for an 1150. Read the threads on the subject!