Engine oil

[billybovine]

If I'm correctly reading sources here on SL, BRP Care was interested enough in owner questions to clarify the correct amount and proper oil level checking on the 1330 engine. It would be great if they would chime in on this issue of the durability of the XPS semi-synthetic blend and its long term successful lubrication of the engine. Doc found his sheared down to 20 weight in 4K; what has BRP found in longer mileage analysis? If my analysis replicates Doc's I sure as hell am not going to stretch it because I don't have the hard data to be sure that it's OK to do so. That's why I'm also going to have the Mobil 1 4T analyzed. I want my Spyder to last as long as it possibly can or until I'm no longer able to safely ride it.

BRP Care: how about giving us some long term data on this issue!

If you wish to ask questions about BRP's oil may I suggest contacting their XPS Lubricants division through there web site http://xpslubricants.com/. I have found they respond in a couple days, but there is no guarantee you will get the exact answer you wish.

[billybovine]

From what I was reading on Motor Oil Evaluator website, and others, it's the viscosity improvers that shear, not the base oil molecules. Many so-called synthetic oils are actually blends including petroleum based oil and viscosity improvers and are in Group 3 oil classification. I believe the BRP oil is one. Full synthetic oils, which it looks like all the ones mentioned above are, are in Group 4, and have no viscosity improvers in them. They're not needed. So how does shearing affect full synthetic oils? Is it really an issue with Group 4 oils?

BRP engineers must know how their oil changes with time and mileage, and that knowledge surely is factored into the design. The BRP rep at Spyderfest would not discuss anything at all in that regard. His response was on the order of, "Use our oil and change per our specs and you'll be OK. I can't talk about any other oil except what we know works. Ours." It's all close hold information. So if BRP oil will keep a Rotax engine healthy when changed according to their specs, what viscosity oil is really necessary to keep a Rotax running? I'm thinking that one could possibly run straight 20 weight, or maybe even only 10 weight, oil that doesn't doesn't lose viscosity the entire life of the engine and not have a problem. Just because their 10W40 oil shears down to 20 it may not be a problem at all.

If that's the case then we should be able to run a full synthetic far longer than 9300 miles.

It is my understanding that almost all oil described as synthetic is class 3 and not true synthetic class 4. I think all the oils mentioned above as synthetic are class 3. It used to be if you wanted a true synthetic oil the easiest choice was to get Amsoil. They prided themselves in all their promotional material as class 4 true synthetic. Recently I went to their web site and what caught my attention was there was no longer any reference to true synthetic or class 4 oil. It is my guess they have gone to a class 3 oil.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

It is my understanding that almost all oil described as synthetic is class 3 and not true synthetic class 4. I think all the oils mentioned above as synthetic are class 3. It used to be if you wanted a true synthetic oil the easiest choice was to get Amsoil. They prided themselves in all their promotional material as class 4 true synthetic. Recently I went to their web site and what caught my attention was there was no longer any reference to true synthetic or class 4 oil. It is my guess they have gone to a class 3 oil.

After doing some more Googling I think you're mostly correct. Class 3 oils are petroleum base stock but have been refined more exactly than Group 2 and have synthetic modifiers added. Many of them even have a substantial percentage of PAO, polyalphaolefins, the sole base stock of Group 4 oils. Because of this they've been allowed to be labelled synthetic. Rather than focusing on synthetic vs. non-synthetic in the oil discussion we should be focusing on Group 3 vs Group 4. My previous comment needs to be modified such.

Amsoil XL and OE oils are Group 3 but from what I find all the rest are Group 4. But who knows for sure? Oil companies apparently don't like to disclose what percentage of different base stocks are in their products.

I believe all Group 3 oils have viscosity improvers in them, hence the discussion of viscosity breakdown is valid for them as to how much that limits the oil change intervals for Spyder engines. Group 4 oils don't have VI in them, as I understand it at this time, so shearing should not be a problem with them. That means extended change intervals are practical for the Spyder engines.

I just today noticed for the first time the comment about shear stability on the Amsoil 10W40 Motorcycle Oil label. Wonder what the other oils mentioned above have on their labels.