Oil viscosity question...

[Rayvin]

I'll get the 'idiot of the day award' for this, but I had a senior moment (actually a senior half day) on Sunday when I changed my oil. I used 10w-30 Mobil 1 instead of 10w-40 (not energy conserving, of course). Should I drain it and do it with the correct spec oil, or can I get away with this gaffe? Up in Wisconsin right now and it isn't getting overly hot, but will be back in Florida by the end of next month...

 

[Jackson]

Run the 10W30 till you get back to Florida. Then change it. It shouldn't hurt up north.

 

[kmrmike]

If I made the error I'd run it till the next oil change...It"s lubrication

 

[atomsplitter]

As long as it was motorcycle specific it's OK. The tranny uses the same oil so it will wear the oil out before the motor does (i.e. oil shear stress).

 

[HeR3tic]

10W40 vs 10W30 wont make a bit of difference given that at some point in the viscosity changes curve the 10W40 will thicken to a 30 weight. I wouldnt worry a lick about it.

 

[Rayvin]

Hey, I appreciate all the replies. Gonna run it until I get back to Fort Myers, then swap it out. BTW, atomsplitter--I bought and read your book a couple of months ago--very enjoyable read, nice work. As a long time rider (over 40 years), I found myself nodding knowingly at many of your MC predicaments. I get to Amazon and write a review soon.

 

[UNCLE JESSE]

No doubt the oil will be okay but is it made for a wet clutch if not you could start having slippage just wondering.

 

[HellFire]

I prefer thinner oil, but they are right on with the 4T requirement ... get it out of there right away if it's not for wet clutch applications. Mobil 1 automotive oil is the WRONG stuff.

 

[Rayvin]

I prefer thinner oil, but they are right on with the 4T requirement ... get it out of there right away if it's not for wet clutch applications. Mobil 1 automotive oil is the WRONG stuff.

The oil I just changed out was the 5w stuff you recommended in one of the oil threads. Wanted to put heavier in there to see if it smoothed out the shifting at all. Seems about the same to me. It's the auto mobil 1 (without the additives that give it the 'energy conserving' label on the back), and I've run that in all of my recent bikes (Magna, Royal Star, Goldwings, VMax) without any clutch slippage at all. It used to be the red cap, but they changed the cap colors a few years back, so I just look for the absence of the 'energy conserving' and it's all good.

 

[atomsplitter]

Hey, I appreciate all the replies. Gonna run it until I get back to Fort Myers, then swap it out. BTW, atomsplitter--I bought and read your book a couple of months ago--very enjoyable read, nice work. As a long time rider (over 40 years), I found myself nodding knowingly at many of your MC predicaments. I get to Amazon and write a review soon.

Thank YOU!! I have some more stuff brewing for another tome to incompetence (maybe a little longer than the first one).

Let me know when you have the review in (I appreciate the feedback).