Fluid recommendations for 1985 LeMans, 1996 1100 Sport carb & 1997 1100i Sport

[MedicAndy]

I would like to get info about the type of oils, grease, and additives that are being used from guys who own, or have owned any of the bikes that I have listed below. I tried to get this info also from my local (none Guzzi) bike shops, but they just look for me to tell them what my bikes need!

I know that I am asking for a lot of info here, but I have also searched the web to get the answers, but there are a lot of people out there thinking differently about almost everything that I'm trying to learn here, which is also true about the usage of additives, and on which model bikes and for what one should, or should not use them.

I have four MG bikes:

- 1985 LeMans IV with 5.2k miles
- 1996 1100 Sport Carb with 21.2k miles
- 1997 1100 Sport EFI with 7.2k miles
- 1997 1100 Sport EFI with 26.1 miles

I purchased all four bikes within the last eight month, but I only know the service history of the 85 LeMans & the 1997 1100 Sporti 7.2k mile bikes. I just purchased the other two bikes without knowing much about them.

- I do know that the 21.2k mile bike used Mobil 1 20W50 Synthetic engine oil
- I do know that the 7.2k and the 5.2k mile bike both used 20W50 none synthetic Castrol engine oil
- I don't know anything about the 26.1k mile bike

- I also don't know anything about which other oils or grease were used for the gear box (transmission), drive-shaft, or within the final
  drive gear box.

I would like to use one type of engine oil, gear-box oil, drive-shaft oil (or grease), and oil for the final drive gear box on all of my Guzzi bikes, if that is possible.

I'm from NC, and I usually only ride my bikes when the temps are between 50F and 100F, so I'm not sure if I should change the engine oil viscosity between the winter and summer month? I do both city and backroad riding, but very little (if any) highway riding. I'm sure that this does not matters, but I only use 93 octane ethanol free gas on all of my bikes.

I made a mistake one time on my 1997 Yamaha XT500 by using Mobil 1 synthetic oil, which almost froze my clutch plates up, so I'm not so sure about using a synthetic oil on the Guzzi's?

Most of my bikes can sometimes remain in the stable for a month or two without ever being started up, so I am also wondering about oil additives that could bond to the interior metal gears in order to keep them from drying up, which would then, after sitting for longer times, prevent dry metal on metal from grinding against each other during startup, which would be a good thing.

I also don't know "if" synthetic oils are the answer, should I then also use additives to keep an oil protected layer of the internal metal components during weeks or month of not starting the bikes up?

So, I know that I am asking for a lot of info here, but which oils / grease should I use on my bikes? I have searched the web to get the answers, but there are a lot of people out there thinking differently about almost everything that I'm trying to learn, which is also true about the usage of additives, and on which model bikes and for what one should, or should not use them.

So:

- Is there a preferred engine oil (and maybe adding a metal coating additive) that I could use within all of my bikes year around?
- Which gear-box (transmission) oil (and maybe adding a metal coating additive) that would work on all of the gear boxes?
- Which grease should I use for the drive-shaft?
- Which grease, and possible additive, should I use within the final drive gear box?

I'm planning on changing all fluids every 1k - 1.5k miles, and the oil filter every 3k miles, or once a year if I don't ride the bikes much. Please let me know if this fluid change schedule is acceptable.

Thanks for taking the time for reading and replying to this lengthy message!

Andy

[rocker59]

Mobil-1 V-Twin 20w50.  (lots of ZDDP)

Failing that, the gray cap Mobil-1 15w50. (lots of ZDDP, though not as much as V-Twin).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_dithiophosphate

Failing those two, diesel truck synthetic 15w50 or 20w50.

Most of the automotive oils have very low levels of the ZDDP.  The ZDDP is good for solid lifter engines like our older Guzzis.

[Arizona Wayne]

You are going to get different opinions on this.  I have yet to put synthetic oil in any motor of my cars/trucks,MCs, scooters and have no regrets.  All my vehicles are happy with dino oil.  I used to have a `87 Le Mans IV that was run up to it's top speed of 139 mph many times in the 25K miles I owned it and I never even had to adjust it's valves!   It did have titanium valves tho.  I changed the oil every 3K miles and the filter every 9K miles.   I have a `81 CX100 (Le Mans II) with over 100K miles on which I changed the dino oil very 3K and the filter every 9-10K miles and never had a motor wear issue.  Hardly ever adjusted it's tappets either.  When new it said to put 10W-50 dino oil in it.  Since I couldn't get that in the US I put dino 10W-40 oil in it for winter and 20W-50 for summer, riding it year round in norCal.

If you change your oil as often as you plan I don't see any reason you need to use syn. oil.  Even dino(petroleum) oil doesn't get dirty until at least 3,500 miles of use usually.  If you plan on running your Guzzis @ high revs(5K+) a lot if you change it every 1K miles I can't see you worrying about your motor wear. 

[wrbix]

I like air as coolant.

[rocker59]

You are going to get different opinions on this.  I have yet to put synthetic oil in any motor of my cars/trucks,MCs, scooters and have no regrets.   

Good for you. 

The Sport 1100 owners manual recommends Mobil-1 synthetic.

The Sport 1100 should also be getting premium fuel, but you probably wouldn't do that, either...

[Tom]

Yeah....but what he does for his bikes seem to work. 

[Tom]

Oh......goody....an oil thread..........

[rocker59]

Yeah....but what he does for his bikes seem to work. 

Yes.  I'm sure.  I'm also sure none of them are a LeMans 1000 or Sport 1100...

[Tom]

Like all opinions posted on the forum.  Read and decide.

[Arizona Wayne]

I have 2 Piaggio MP3 maxi-scooters that RECOMMEND using syn. 10w-60 oil.  They are water cooled and the 250 runs 6k-7k rpm most the time, so I change it's oil every 2k miles and filter every 6k.  The 400 runs between 4,500-5,500K rpm most the time so I change it's oil every 3k and the filter every 6k.  So far no regrets. 

I suppose if I had a newer rig that had a lot more hp I might run syn. oil.   My LM IV had 61 dyno hp and it never missed a beat on dino oil.   

[rocker59]

Like all opinions posted on the forum.  Read and decide.

The Mobil-1 recommendation is not an opinion.  You should know that, since you have a stack of Sport 1100 and Daytona owners manuals to reference.

[Tom]

"Recommended"  I don't see "have to use"  AGIP is out and sometimes Mobil 1 is not readily available in the "recommended" wts.  The supply line out here is not the best.  I look at other oils that fit the alphabet requirement.