oil Temp

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Jul 28, 2011 | 11:27 PM

#21

iclick

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 11,615

Likes: 50

From: Baton Rouge, LA

Quote:

Originally Posted by nytryder

My concern here in Fl is getting the oil hot enough to cook off water condensation and other impurities. Oil that is too cool will create acids that are harmful to all metal parts of an engine.

All SAE oil has additives to resist acid accumulation. Condensation evaporates at any temperature, but obviously does so faster at higher temps. You should have no trouble with condensation with the temps you're running. I always try to make sure the oil is at least 150° before shutting it down, and it usually is higher than this.

Quote:

I quit wrenching yrs ago but back then engine parts would be heavily pitted from acids. Haven't had the need to take any late model engines apart and at this point have no idea what one might find. It will probably be another month or two before my bike will need an oil change but will pm you the results. I use 20w50 Amsoil. what is your favorite?

Any SAE 20w50 synthetic oil is fine for use in an air-cooled V-Twin engine. Frankly, they're all good, MC-specific and "car" varieties, and IMO the best is whatever is most accessible at the lowest price. I know that didn't answer your question, but although I use one specific brand I don't have a favorite. Amsoil is a good choice if you can get it at a reasonable price.

As for the pitting issue, I haven't heard about this type of problem in years. I talked with a corporate Mobil 1 engineer at one of our local XON plants recently and he said there isn't as much of a problem with acid accumulation as in the past. This is because oil formulations are better and there isn't as much sulfur in the gas as before. Water is a byproduct of combustion and it combines with sulfur to form sulfuric acid, and that's what causes most or all cylinder pitting. GM called it "crankcase dilution" in the old days and had a warning about it in the service manuals, but I don't worry about it as much as I used to. The TBN of any good synthetic oil is sufficient to absorb acids using any reasonable change interval.