Oil question

irish rwd

For a long time ive been running my 2 stroker on Castrol motorcycle specific oil, but is there any difference between that and Castrol garden specific oil? Just a sales gimmick?

Hotblack Desiato

If you want your motorcycle to run like a lawnmower then put lawnmower oil in it. I mean, you can't possibly be serious?

irish rwd

ninja900 wrote: »

If you want your motorcycle to run like a lawnmower then put lawnmower oil in it. I mean, you can't possibly be serious?

I am deadly serious, different oils are designed for 2 stroke mixing (i use 32/1), some say designed for motorcycles, some say designed for scooters, some say designed for machinery, i want to know the difference (if any) between them. Are some thicker than others? Designed for extra protection?

I see it as a perfectly reasonable question, unless you missed something?

Hotblack Desiato

Does your lawnmower run at 8000rpm and deliver 100bhp/litre? Thought not. Not being smart here (much, :pac: ) but if you are running a more highly tuned engine at higher RPM it stands to reason that it places greater demands on its oil and the proper oil for that engine will be more expensive. 2-strokes need lots of TLC generally and need to be run on the right oil if they're going to last any length of time.

irish rwd

ninja900 wrote: »

Does your lawnmower run at 8000rpm and deliver 100bhp/litre? Thought not. Not being smart here (much, :pac: ) but if you are running a more highly tuned engine at higher RPM it stands to reason that it places greater demands on its oil and the proper oil for that engine will be more expensive. 2-strokes need lots of TLC generally and need to be run on the right oil if they're going to last any length of time.

All the oils i looked at are fully syntethic, all are the same price give or take.

My bike would use about 300ml of oil every hour, whats would be the difference is i used Castrol 2T motorcycle, or Castrol 2T machinery, or Castrol 2T scooter?? All are 2 stroke and all run at high rpm all the time

Can you explain the differences to me? Or do you know?

My diesel car uses the recommended duckhams 10w40 and runs at 1700rpm at 100kph, and my 80's petrol car uses the same recommended 10w40 and runs at 4000 at 100kph as it has a 4spd box. No issues with either

Hotblack Desiato

You can't compare a 4-stroke car to a 4-stroke bike, never mind a 2-stroke bike.

copeyhagen

just to throw a spanner in the works i ran my zxr400 on 10w40 car oil for nearly a eyar with no issues, apart from the very rare time i found it difficult to select neutral while bike was staionary

Del2005

irish rwd wrote: »

All the oils i looked at are fully syntethic, all are the same price give or take.

My bike would use about 300ml of oil every hour, whats would be the difference is i used Castrol 2T motorcycle, or Castrol 2T machinery, or Castrol 2T scooter?? All are 2 stroke and all run at high rpm all the time

Can you explain the differences to me? Or do you know?

The only way you'll know is to use it. How much is a rebore and rings for your bike? As that's more than likely what you'll need if the other oils aren't up to the job.

The biggest differences between a bike, scooter and lawn mower will be the size of the moving parts and the forces/stresses that they can apply to the oil. Each oil will more than likely have different ratings, I think it's called shear stres but not sure

irish rwd wrote: »

My diesel car uses the recommended duckhams 10w40 and runs at 1700rpm at 100kph, and my 80's petrol car uses the same recommended 10w40 and runs at 4000 at 100kph as it has a 4spd box. No issues with either

How old are your cars? Look at modern cars and their oil requirements, it's no longer good enough for most engines to get 10w40 you need to make sure it's API is OK for the engine.

BlackWizard

I looked into this two years ago and generally came to the conclusion that normal car oil is perfectly fine once you check the SAE ratings. I think it's SAE. Been a while since I checked it.

If you choose the wrong car/garden oil, yeah you will increase wear and tear. Literally tearing sidewalls and wearing wet clutches.

irish rwd

ninja900 wrote: »

You can't compare a 4-stroke car to a 4-stroke bike, never mind a 2-stroke bike.

But you still never answered my question, i think i will wait for other members to contribute.

Del2005 wrote: »

The only way you'll know is to use it. How much is a rebore and rings for your bike? As that's more than likely what you'll need if the other oils aren't up to the job.

The biggest differences between a bike, scooter and lawn mower will be the size of the moving parts and the forces/stresses that they can apply to the oil. Each oil will more than likely have different ratings, I think it's called shear stres but not sure



How old are your cars? Look at modern cars and their oil requirements, it's no longer good enough for most engines to get 10w40 you need to make sure it's API is OK for the engine.

The last top end rebuilt cost me 80euro, and was only replaced as it was the original piston.
One car is 1984 and the other is 1997, most modern cars need very thin oil like 5w30

Del2005

irish rwd wrote: »

The last top end rebuilt cost me 80euro, and was only replaced as it was the original piston.
One car is 1984 and the other is 1997, most modern cars need very thin oil like 5w30

If it's only €80 for a rebuild no harm in trying them out. You may have to do it more often though.

Kinda prove my point cars from that vintage will generally run with any kind of oil. Modern cars, especially diesels, are very sensitive to the quality of oil of oil used. Not all oils are equal any more.

serious3

modern car oils are not suitable for most modern bikes because of the friction reducers in them, it affects the wet clutch. if you wanna risk chainsaw or mower oil in a 2stroke bike then be my guest, i won't try to persuade you as you've obviosly made your mind up:D

CJhaughey

Bike oils are different, they are designed for water cooled two stroke engines, not air cooled which all two stroke machinery for garden use is.
The same goes for outboard oils they are designed for cool running watercooled two strokes which are relatively slow revving compared to bike engines and also run at a fairly constant speed.
JASO FC is the highest spec oil for two stroke motorcycles,You won't find this on any oil designed for garden machinery.
Bikes will run on the older grades of oil but the ultimate longevity of your engine and performance will suffer in the long run.
Exhaust ports will suffer build up as well as the piston crown with mineral oils especially and this can lead to scoring.
It all depends on your pocket, if you feel that you want to chance running shyte oil then by all means do so to save a few euro, but the long term cost of a rebuild is likely to be far more than the money you save on oil.
Good oil isn't that dear in the scheme of things.

irish rwd

CJhaughey wrote: »

Bike oils are different, they are designed for water cooled two stroke engines, not air cooled which all two stroke machinery for garden use is.
The same goes for outboard oils they are designed for cool running watercooled two strokes which are relatively slow revving compared to bike engines and also run at a fairly constant speed.
JASO FC is the highest spec oil for two stroke motorcycles,You won't find this on any oil designed for garden machinery.
Bikes will run on the older grades of oil but the ultimate longevity of your engine and performance will suffer in the long run.
Exhaust ports will suffer build up as well as the piston crown with mineral oils especially and this can lead to scoring.
It all depends on your pocket, if you feel that you want to chance running shyte oil then by all means do so to save a few euro, but the long term cost of a rebuild is likely to be far more than the money you save on oil.
Good oil isn't that dear in the scheme of things.

You seem to know your stuff, thanks for the info.
I have no intention of changing oils, i dont know if this came across at the start.

i just wanted to know were all 2 stroke oils the same, and it seems that they certinly are not