| Author | Message | ||
     Electraglider_1997 |
I was down in Kansas City, Missouri and stopped at a Walmart and saw they had 5 quart containers of full syn Mobil 1 15W50 for 24.95. Bought two. Haven't seen 5 quart bottles of 15W50 in Omaha area for a few years so I couldn't pass up the deal. $5/qt is a pretty good deal. It was close to the Harley manufacturing plant, just south of there a few miles. | ||
| Redtail |
Bike oil or car oil? | ||
| Trojan |
Just because it says Mobil 1 on the tin does not necessarily mean it is Mobil 1 V-Twin, which is the correct oil for H-D/Buell use and a totally different oil to the standard Mobil 1 car oil. We can't even buy Mobil 1 V-Twin here in the UK any longer sadly, but Torco Synthetic is as good. | ||
| Buewulf |
"does not necessarily mean it is Mobil 1 V-Twin" It isn't Mobil 1 V-Twin. But it will work fine in the engine. | ||
| Trojan |
if it isn't the Mobil 1 V-Twin variant then why bother with Mobil at all? You may as well just put any old cheap supermarket 5/50 car oil in there and ignore the service instructions altogether? The reason you have specific oil for air cooled engines such as Mobil 1 V-Twin, Torco V-Series, Amsoil, H-D oil etc is that they have very different properties to 'normal' car oil designed for higher revving water cooled engines. Air cooled motors run much hotter and at lower revs, as well as usually having a smaller oil capacity, so the additives used are different and extremely important. It is not just a marketing ploy to get you to buy H-D oil. If H-D/Buell wanted you to use car oil they would recommend it  By the way, it should be a 20/50 oil anyway  | ||
| Arcticktm |
Its 15W50, not 5W50. I will go out on a limb and say your engine will have a hard time telling the difference between the 15W and 20W when cold. And 15W50 is not a "normal" car oil. It does not have the "energy conserving II" additives that you will find in mainstream types (0W20, 5W30, 10W40, etc). No one in this post is saying to use a regular car oil, though with our clutch/trans being separate, even this is less of an issue than with other bikes with combines engine /trans oil. Higher revving water cooled engines? the Buell motor revs to about what many car motors rev to. Higher temps, sure, and that is why many of us like a synthetic oil, regardless of brand. If I alway followed all service instructions, I would be torquing my oil drain bolts until the threads stripped out. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Trojan, I've asked the Mobil 1 guys at Sturgis, South Dakota at least three separate times, different years of course, whether their 15W50 was a good choice for my motorcycles and each time they have replied that it is. I've used it in all my bikes for years and it has treated me very well and usually for a much more reasonable price. It is diesel rated just like Buell recommends. You can pay the extra if you want for the V-Twin variant but I'll stay with the less expensive Mobil 1 15W50 and not lose a second of sleep over it. | ||
| Arcticktm |
Thanks Electra. I've used it for over a decade in all my bikes as a "one size fits all" oil, but have not been able to find it the past year or 2 (at least in the better priced 5 qt jug). I'll check again based on your report. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Arcticktm, I was pleasantly surprised to find the 5 quart bottle while I was in Kansas City. Haven't seen it up here in Omaha for a few years, darn it. Apparently it is available and at a pretty decent price. | ||
| Buewulf |
Walmart.com has a Site-to-Store option for online orders. I don't know if certain states / stores have restrictions on that, but mine doesn't when I looked it up just now. So you can order it online and pick it up at your local Walmart with no shipping charges if the policy applies everywhere. It is the same price online. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mobil-1-15W-50-5-Quart/2 0713647 | ||
| Buellhusker |
I use the Mobil 15/50 in all of my bikes for the past 10 years or so and have not had any problems. My BMW K1200 LT has over 100,000 miles on it and my 09 Uly has over 47,000 miles on it. I have ridden the Uly in 104 F temp as fast as it would go for several hours out in western Kansas and it is still running and uses less than 6 oz of oil between changes and I change at 6 to 7 K miles. I last found it at the Wal-Mart store in Norfolk, NE and I purchased all (3 cases) they had in stock last fall. | ||
| Tipsymcstagger |
Likewise. I used to use the gold capped Mobil 1 15W-50 "Extended Performance" but since that hasn't been available for some time, I simply use "regular" Mobil 1 15W-50. Poor lubrication isn't even on the radar of my concerns. Tipsy | ||
| Rdkingryder |
I started using the Walmart 20-50wt oil since a poster here stated he's gone 100K on the stuff. Maybe I'm being penny wise, pound foolish? | ||
| Griffmeister |
For those that demand V-Twin oil, Advance Auto has the Mobil 1 20w-50 V-Twin oil on sale until October 2 for $9. At that price it's a little easier to swallow. | ||
| Arcticktm |
Walmart is showing the Mobil 1 15W50 out of stock on line all week. Instead, I found the Valvoline motorcycle 20W50 synthetic for $35 for 6 quarts. that's <$1 more per quart, and motorcycle specific, for those that care. $2.94 for shipping to home (did not offer to store for me), plus tax. I'll give this a try instead of spending $9-$10 for the Mobil 1 or Castrol versions at the autoparts stores. | ||
| Teeps |
Arcticktm Posted on Friday, September 20, 2013 Walmart is showing the Mobil 1 15W50 out of stock on line all week. Instead, I found the Valvoline motorcycle 20W50 synthetic But is this new find for wet clutch moto engines? | ||
| Buewulf |
Yes, the Valvoline 4T was designed for wet clutch applications. | ||
| Teeps |
I suppose it's ok, it will make the parts slippery enough. But I wonder how it will hold up to the oven like temperatures Buell XBs subject their oil to? | ||
| Buewulf |
Teeps, I would expect it to hold up just as well as any other synthetic 50 grade oil. Valvoline is a reputable company. | ||
| Pontlee77 |
Here in Spain i pay around 30$ for a 4 liter bottle of Castrol 15-50 specific for bikes, it's semi synthetic, and it works great for me. |
