Engine oil in F3-S - can I use 10W40?

[Sungate]

Hello everyone! I recently changed my GS 2008 to f3 s 2015. The manual says that the engine oil should be 5w40. I have always filled in motul 5w40. Can I replace it with 10w40?

[Mikey]

I do not see any harm in it!! I have been using the 10-40 amsoil metric for a long time. Enjoy

[Gwolf]

You can find the API requirements in the Owner's Manual.

[PW2013STL]

This is what I use as it exceeds all BRP requirements.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shell-Rot...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

This is what I use as it exceeds all BRP requirements.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shell-Rot...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

.... and use it also ( it's a bargain ) .... but the 10/40 will be fine, I don't know what the specs are for the Motul oil ..... so make suree it for Wet clutches ..... Mike

[BajaRon]

When BRP had 10w-40, that is what they recommended. Now they don't have 10w-40 anymore. So, guess what! They recommend what they have! 5w-40! It's more about what they have than what is best. A 10w-40 is a better viscosity for the Spyder than 5w-40 unless you're leaving your Spyder outside in weather well below zero. Otherwise, you're better off with a 10w-40 lubricant.

[Gilly]

BajaRon ... what do you recommend for the older 09's GS's . I know you use Amsoil . Witch Amsoil for the older v-twins ?

[RICZ]

Today's engines are built to very close tolerances. Bearings require a specific oil weight at different temps. The same with the sizing of oil passages. Heavier is not better.

[Cobwebs]

Any grade is better than none But.........If a 0w40 flows quicker at startup than a 5w40 and a 10w40 and a 15w40 and you get my drift...........and most engine wear occurs at cold startup, you do the maths.
Of course no one is going to tear down two engines to measure the difference so it's all down to whats available or herd mentality or price or packaging or marketing or moon phase mostly.
God forbid there's also chemical analysis and repeated oil sampling of multiple weights and brands at specific mileage and age to nail down that perfect combination so you can go to sleep without worrying about that damn acid etching going on in between rides

[BajaRon]

BajaRon ... what do you recommend for the older 09's GS's . I know you use Amsoil . Witch Amsoil for the older v-twins ?

Yes, I use Amsoil MCF 10w-40. It is a true, fully synthetic lubricant and I believe the best fit for the Spyder. The only time the lower number comes into play is at cold start-up. You want a lubricant thin enough to give you good flow when cold, and thick enough to give you good protection. As you can see from the chart provided by Gwolf, a 10w oil will flow very well to temperatures much lower than most Spyders will ever see. The original application for the 998 Rotax was in the Aprilia Tuono. The recommended lubricant for that application is 20w-50. When they put the same engine in the Spyder, BRP recommended 10w-40. I assume because most crotch rocket motors spend a fair amount of time near redline. BRP probably expected Spyder riders to be a bit less aggressive.

Some Spyder owners in very hot climates run 20w-50 with good results. Even a 20w oil will flow quite nicely at the temps most Spyder see cold. However, if you're leaving your Spyder out in sub-zero temps for long periods, you might be better with a 5w.

Remember that the larger the spread between the low and high numbers. The less stable the oil is. Getting a wider spread, when not necessary, gives you an oil that will break down more quickly. This is doubly true for a blended oil which is typically 10% synthetic and 90% standard mineral oil. The oil currently recommended for both the 998 and the 1330 tends to shear down to 20w around 5,000 miles. This is why the recommended service interval on the 998 is 4,500 miles. Right about the time the oil starts to go away. It is a mystery as to why BRP now recommends a 9,300 mile service interval on the 1330. It is our experience that both the 998 and the 1330 shear and wear the oil at about the same rate. This means you're running your 1330 for around 4,000 miles on a 20w lubricant.

Most Spyders never see the really cold starts that a 5w oil is designed for. Not to mention, a true, fully synthetic lubricant will do better at both ends of the scale than a blended or additive type synthetic. If anything, Spyders tend more to run in the upper area of the temp scale. And the upper number of the oil is where the engine spends nearly its entire running life. While it is true that most wear occurs at start-up (assuming that the oil is the correct viscosity at operating temperature). A true synthetic lubricant stays on and continues to coat parts between starts better than other lubricants. And will flow better than a similar viscosity lubricant when cold.

BRP has drastically reduced their lubricant lineup over the years. The relatively few lubricants that they offer have to cover everything from a snowmobile that typically sits outside in very cold weather, to our Spyders. The snowmobile MUST have a very thin start-up lubricant. Whereas our Spyders will do OK with it. It isn't necessarily ideal or a best fit.

[BajaRon]

Any grade is better than none But.........If a 0w40 flows quicker at startup than a 5w40 and a 10w40 and a 15w40 and you get my drift...........and most engine wear occurs at cold startup, you do the maths.
Of course no one is going to tear down two engines to measure the difference so it's all down to whats available or herd mentality or price or packaging or marketing or moon phase mostly.
God forbid there's also chemical analysis and repeated oil sampling of multiple weights and brands at specific mileage and age to nail down that perfect combination so you can go to sleep without worrying about that damn acid etching going on in between rides

Again, it all depends on the lubricant. If you're changing your oil at regular intervals, acid is usually not going to be a problem. Better oils will do a better job in all areas. I let my Spyder sit for well over 2 years. It had about 3,500 miles on the last oil change before I parked it. Had to replace the battery, etc. And was concerned about the oil for the exact reason you sight. Amsoil is supposed to be extremely good at acid prevention.

I ran that same oil for about 500 miles when I got my Spyder running again and had the oil tested. Came back with flying colors. I always have my oil tested so I've got a pretty good track record to compare to. No evidence of acid, no additional metals, and they said I could have run that oil for several thousand more miles, no problem. Now granted, most people are never going to do this to their ride. It's just nice to know that the product lives up to the claims.