who has a good recomendation for oil grade and type

[giusto]

Hello,

I am sure there are many opinions regarding oil grade and type...but I'm relatively new here so thanks for understanding.

I have a 2001 Jackal and am in the process of putting on a new "outsider" from harpers. I just got the bike in January and was looking for recommendations for oil grade and type.

I live in NW Lower Michigan and we generally can expect frost until about the first of June and daytime temps from 50's to 90's.

10-40? 20-50? others?  who has a favorite refining company...and why?

Thanks

Giusto

[rocker59]

Read the recommendation in the owners manual.

No owners manual?

The old-school dino oil for old-school Guzzis is Castrol 20w-50.

Me?  I'd go to Autozone and buy Mobil-1 V-Twin 20w50 and never look back.  It's made for the harsh service of an air-cooled V-twin motorcycle and has lots of ZDDP (zinc) to keep your lifters and cam happy.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Look for SG on the bottle.

[oldbike54]

Gi , you have no idea what a can of worms this is  :D  I own an '01 Jackal , 120 K miles , always had 20W50 dino Valvoline , that is what the previous owner used for the first 100 K miles , see no reason to change . Of course , the next post will will call me stupid and recommend something completely different  ::) ;D

  Dusty

[ken farr]

Gi , you have no idea what a can of worms this is  :D  I own an '01 Jackal , 120 K miles , always had 20W50 dino Valvoline , that is what the previous owner used for the first 100 K miles , see no reason to change . Of course , the next post will will call me stupid and recommend something completely different  ::) ;D

  Dusty

.....my,my,my, that is soooo stooopid, I totally recommend something else.......



 ;D


( oh boy, an oil thread     ;-T)

kjf

[giusto]

I had an idea it might lead to interesting replies and opinions.

But we all know ....."no question is stupid"..."we know what we know, we know what we don't know....but we don't know what we don't know"

Thanks for stepping into the fray.

giusto

[rocker59]

I had an idea it might lead to interesting replies and opinions.

But we all know ....."no question is stupid"..."we know what we know, we know what we don't know....but we don't know what we don't know"

Thanks for stepping into the fray.

giusto

If you don't get colorful enough answers on this thread, use our search function for "oil" and you will be thoroughly amused.

[oldbike54]

 We are doing pretty good , 4 answers , not one mention of Yak fat , or cod liver . Oops , ... well anyway  ;D

  Dusty

[LowRyter]

 :pop

[Arizona Wayne]

Depends what ambient temps you actually ride in.  If it's 80F or lower, run dino 10W-40.  If it's 85F or higher, run 20W-50 dino oil, brand of your choice.  Listen to your starter/battery when it turns over.  ;)

I've used Wal-Mart dino oil for all my different brand MCs/scooters for 30 years with no issues.  ;D

[rodekyll]

Who has a recommendation?


















































everyone

[Doppelgaenger]

I've run Rotella T 15w-40 in bikes before. It's diesel engine oil and supposed to be good for motorcycle engines, especially bikes with wet clutches, which is real Guzzi content right there...

I stick to the "warmly recommended" 10w-60 for the Breva though. Motul and Liquimoly have been my poison of choice for synthetic oil.

Once you go synthetic it all costs about the same, around $10-$12 per quart. Oh and don't buy oil at Cycle Gear unless you like being bent over and taken for a ride, their prices are insane unless you absolutely can't find it anywhere else.

[Kev m]

My Jackal only lasted about 40k  miles on M1-Vtwin oil...












... Until it was destroyed, rear ended by a car. COINCIDENCE? :-[

[oldbike54]

 "Wet clutch" ???

  Dusty

[menzies]

Read the recommendation in the owners manual.

No owners manual?

The old-school dino oil for old-school Guzzis is Castrol 20w-50.

Me?  I'd go to Autozone and buy Mobil-1 V-Twin 20w50 and never look back.  It's made for the harsh service of an air-cooled V-twin motorcycle and has lots of ZDDP (zinc) to keep your lifters and cam happy.

What Rocker said, Mobile 1 V Twin 20w50.

[lucian]

Last time I did a search with the word oil in it I smoked my hard drive.

[Lannis]

Hello,

I am sure there are many opinions regarding oil grade and type...but I'm relatively new here so thanks for understanding.

I have a 2001 Jackal and am in the process of putting on a new "outsider" from harpers. I just got the bike in January and was looking for recommendations for oil grade and type.

I live in NW Lower Michigan and we generally can expect frost until about the first of June and daytime temps from 50's to 90's.

10-40? 20-50? others?  who has a favorite refining company...and why?

Thanks

Giusto

Just a quick question in return ....

Why would you not use the type of oil recommended by the manufacturer (Guzzi) in the owner's manual or service manual?   

Lannis

[dilligaf]

The cheapest place you can fine Castrol GTX 20W50.  Ask the experts at WalMart, the one with the mop and broom.  Just don't ask for detergent oil, they will send you to house wares. One of these days I'm going to put one of them outsider things on my MG's-one of these days.

 :o Lannis the guy appears to be serious and is new.  How about a break.  Quit making fun of the new guy.  :BEER:
Matt

[mtiberio]

I don't know, but it is hard to beat the selection and price at walmart for oil...

[Lannis]

 :o Lannis the guy appears to be serious and is new.  How about a break.  Quit making fun of the new guy.  :BEER:
Matt

Au contraire .... it's the best and most reasonable response on this thread, and will probably continue to be.   So that the new guy won't be confused or be made fun of, let me ask YOU, the grizzled veteran ...  Why (in your opinion) would the owner of a 2001 Jackal NOT use the grade and weight of oil recommended by the maker?

Lannis   

[Cam3512]

I've run Rotella T 15w-40 in bikes before. It's diesel engine oil and supposed to be good for motorcycle engines, especially bikes with wet clutches, which is real Guzzi content right there...

So let's try to give the new guy some correct Guzzi content....

[Kev m]

So let's try to give the new guy some correct Guzzi content....

Which leads to the question.

Does he follow the owner's manual/service manual:

Crankcase sump 3 «Agip 4T SUPER RACING SAE 20W50»

or the 2006 Service Bulletin which conceivably superseded the OM and SM (as it specifically listed models that were out of production for a number of years before it was issued):

1100 SERIES California - Mechanical Tappets
Engine oil: RACING 4T 10W-60 or as an alternative 20W-50

Personally I chose to go with 20/50, which is what most responses said.

We can argue whether it needs to be motorcycle specific oil, or synthetic, or specifically AGIP.

But now he has all the info he could want (and probably more than he wanted).

 ;-T

[Lannis]

Who, in your opinion recommended a grade/weight that wasn't recommended by the manufacturer?

Well, since 4 different types of oil have been recommended on just this one short thread, I'd suggest that 3 of them are probably not the manufacturers recommendation.

And if this thread goes like most, there will soon be 10 different oils recommended, and most of them will not be what's in the manual.


Lannis

[Lannis]

Personally I chose to go with 20/50, which is what most responses said.

We can argue whether it needs to be motorcycle specific oil, or synthetic, or specifically AGIP.

But now he has all the info he could want (and probably more than he wanted).

 ;-T

Yes.   But not all responses said.

And my Guzzi manuals always name AGIP, but then say "Or any other quality brand meeting the same specifications ...." which seems a pretty broad target but does not include 15W40 or 10W40 ....

Lannis

[Kev m]

Yes.   But not all responses said.

And my Guzzi manuals always name AGIP, but then say "Or any other quality brand meeting the same specifications ...." which seems a pretty broad target but does not include 15W40 or 10W40 ....

Lannis

But presumably he has or can get a manual, and he DID ask for

10-40? 20-50? others?  who has a favorite refining company...and why?

So I see nothing wrong with the other answers.

Just saying...

and as my post pointed out with the TSB the answer isn't black and white.

[dilligaf]

Au contraire .... it's the best and most reasonable response on this thread, and will probably continue to be.   So that the new guy won't be confused or be made fun of, let me ask YOU, the grizzled veteran ...  Why (in your opinion) would the owner of a 2001 Jackal NOT use the grade and weight of oil recommended by the maker?

Lannis   

O Boy, this is pile on Lannis day. My turn.  ~; Lannis, You are kidding right.  ::( Why would you follow the owners manual when you have wild guzzi. Owners manuals are for sissies.  :wife:  I run GTX 20W50 in all my motorcycles except the Ducati. :BEER:
Matt

[Buckturgidson]

Dear God not again, is this some kind of sick joke?

[oldbike54]

O Boy, this is pile on Lannis day. My turn.  ~; Lannis, You are kidding right.  ::( Why would you follow the owners manual when you have wild guzzi. Owners manuals are for sissies.  :wife:  I run GTX 20W50 in all my motorcycles except the Ducati. :BEER:
Matt

 So... what do you run in the Duc ? ~;

  Dusty

[atavar]

Oh come on guys..  if you feel like answering please do, I am sure the Op will appreciate your answers.  If you don't feel like answering or are in some way offended by the question the answer is simple, move on to another thread.  How does it negatively affect you if fng asks about oil?

Having said that..

[dilligaf]

So... what do you run in the Duc ? ~;

  Dusty

I don't know.  It's something I got for free at the last place I worked.  Worked great in outboard motors so ..... and free.  ;D   :BEER:
Matt