Motor Oil - Fossil or Synthetic

[Tom Gaynor]

Trevor Southwell once took the temperature of every Vincent at the XXXXX Rally in 19YY. Some had come 20 miles, some 200. Armed with the data he went to his local oil man, showed him the listing, asked what he thought was an appropriate vis. The answer was "SAE20 max - but SAE10 would be OK". I use Morris 30 (I have several bikes...) but have lagged the UFM with (domestic) radiator backing foil. This is a foil sheet backed with dibicycletricycletpolyputaketylon, some sort of foam. This is amazingly effective.
Caution: fill it only until "the step" disappears. But it has meant no more yoghurt under the filler cap.

 

[Albervin]

We have XXXX beer here!! Only because Queenslanders can't spell.

 

[Howard]

We have XXXX beer here!! Only because Queenslanders can't spell.

We used to have it here too. We thought the XXXX was to censor the real name P**S. It really isn't right for us warm beer drinkers.

H

 

[DangerDan]

Thanks you guys. I'm going to add oil and see if I can resurrect this Shadow today. With the variety of opinions, it sounds like these engines are pretty much bomb proof.

 

[Big Sid]

On oil temp. In My Vincent's tank during sustained high cruising speeds , 75 to 90 mph returning from Miami , over 1100 miles .
I saw on a Weston photographic temp gauge , it's probe down through the filler cap was 138 f. 50 wt racing oil back in 1956 .
A Vincent has very effective oil tank cooling from the air rushing through the gaps between the fuel tank and the oil tanks surface .
Block off these gaps and the temp jumps . Sid .

 

[vibrac]

Thats true Sid I always made sure I had some foam and some underbonnet silver blanket round the UFM when we raced on Methanol

 

[Big Sid]

A chunk of sponge shoved into the front air gaps blocking off the air immediately drives up the temp . Like shutters in front of a car radiator . I've ridden with 24f shown on my Weston gauge , the air cut my cheeks like an icy knife . That when I learned the trick of blocking off the air flow . A foolish young nut case .
Thought about making up some hinged doors from piano hinge as a permanent fixture . That Weston gauge still works , is in Matt's Shadow now , 60 years later . Sid .

 

[Colin]

20/50 non-synthetic.I use Morris's "V Twin Oil" as recommended for my Godet Egli by Patrick himself. For the Egli Comet I have (up till now) used "Mono" 30 or 40 sae. but that too now runs on 20/50 multi, but generally I'm with vincenttwin, any modern stuff is pretty good. My Citroen 2CV (1987, 602cc air-cooled flat twin car) which goes everywhere flat out all the time, uses, cheap Comma 20/50 non-synthetic, and is currently showing 99139 miles and is running as good as ever. It needs a little top-up every so often. I suspect correct levels, and regular oil changes are as important as the oil itself, but that is just my gut feel. When I was younger and totally broke I ran a beat up Land Rover on any oil that was about, including some one elses drained stuff, crudely filtered through a nylon stocking! (Don't ask!), and that just went on & on & on.......

 

[Colin]

PS If you don't want to use Caster Oil but DO want the smell from your exhaust, just put a "shot" of Castrol R in your tank as upper cylinder lube! Bit expensive though.

 

[vibrac]

PS If you don't want to use Caster Oil but DO want the smell from your exhaust, just put a "shot" of Castrol R in your tank as upper cylinder lube! Bit expensive though.

Why wouldn't you want to use 'R' as your oil anyway? I do. If itsgood enough for the racers its good enough for the road twin
perhaps the above suggestion is the chemical equivalent of putting a Turbo sticker on a non turbo car
NB: I suggest you have a look at the relevant costs nowadays....(And I have no intention in playing the green card as I started using R when the 'experts' were prophesying a new ice age- remember that?)