ZDDP and Pennzoil

[scabber]

The more I read the dumber I get. the mobile 1 I used was for cars not motorcycles. Big Differance in the formula, wish I had known that before. the car formula has friction modifers not found in mobile 1 v twin motorcycle. This is reason for clutch slipping. Found This in old thread started by larrybart march 23 2004.what lube are you running. worth the read. IM sticking with motorcycle oil from now on. live and learn .

[rikroc]

Has anyone compared the Pennzoil and Valvoline motorcycle oil specs? Can't find any numbers online... Valvoline boasts "Superior wet-clutch protection" which would seem to indicate increased levels of ZDDP...

[xsleo]

I was a wally world and was checking on oil. They nolonger sell the 20w50 Pennzoil car oil. They still have the Pennzoil 15w40 deisel oil.
They have there store brand 20w50 car oil. I dont know how good it is. I have read on other threads that it works ok as long as you change it regular.
I Still have enough of the 15w40 and the 20w50 for a coulpe more oil changes.
I guess when it runs out I'll decide what to do then.

[cjrenick]

Just wondering if anybody has tried Valvoline VR1? They had it at the auto parts store today when I went in to get my oil. It had a sticker on it saying it had high levels of Zinc.

[rikroc]

Switched from 15w/40 Castrol Diesel to the Valvoline 20w/50 Motorcycle oil... Big difference! With Castrol, after a few miles, shifting was difficult... Smooth as silk now...

[grinder]

Came across this info. Note where Pennzoil came out in the final rankings. Tests were done by Amsoil though, so take it as you will.






www.amsoil.com/lit/g2156.pdf

[pamcopete]

grinder,

Excellent report. Very believable. I think you have finally put an end to the "Oil Wars" that crop up here once in awhile.

Please start a new thread for this and I will sticky it.

[mistermoe]

Well the report is interesting... but the evaluation for wet clutches like ours is meager:

Wet-Clutch Compatibility (JASO T 904:2006, ISO 24254:2007 limited review)

It has been noted that motorcycle oils must be multi-functional, meeting the needs of both the engine and transmission. An additional concern is in those applications in which the clutch is immersed in the oil occupying the transmission. As the clutch is a frictional device and oils are by design used to minimize friction, concern arises over the impact the oil may have on the operation of the clutch. How an oil performs in a wet-clutch application is, in part, a function of its additive system. An oil should be free of additives such as friction modifiers that can dramatically alter the dynamic and static frictional properties of the clutch and result in clutch plate slippage.

Wet-clutch compatibility is determined using JASO T 904:2006 test methodology, which is a subsection of JASO T 903:2006. Identical test methodology is also found in ISO standard 24254:2007. These procedures determine the frictional characteristics of an oil and allow comparison against a standard. That standard has four categories: JASO MB, MA, MA1, MA2 and ISO L-EMB, L-EMA, L-EMA1 and L-EMA2. Oils falling into the MB (L-EMB) category offer minimal wetclutch performance, while MA2 (L-EMA2) fluids offer the best performance to help prevent clutch plate slippage.

The scope of this paper did not allow for the evaluation of all oils in this area. As such, results of the oils tested were not included within the overall product summary. Testing revealed the AMSOIL motorcycle oils meet the highest rating of JASO MA2 (L-EMA2), offering superior wet-clutch performance. Motul and Royal Purple meet the JASO MA specification, the minimum standard specified by most motorcycle manufacturers. Although both Maxima and Torco claim to meet the JASO MA specification, testing shows Maxima only qualifies as a JASO MB oil, while Torco does not qualify for a JASO category at all.

So... where does this leave us?