| Author | Message | ||
     Ptown |
This must be a hollow ridden subject, but just a answer for someone lazy to search for himself. My brother bought a 2 nd hand xb9s 2003 model and would like to switch over the synthetic engine oil. The bike has got 5000 miles on the clock. Can he change over now or should he put some more miles on? tks | ||
| Indy_bueller |
I changed over at 1000 miles. The bike now has almost 9000 on it, no ill effects. I'd say you can go for it. | ||
| Fullpower |
it is ok to change your oil now, or at any time, irrespective of lubricant brand. oil is GOOD, clean oil is BETTER. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
Now is fine. Actually anytime is most likely ok, most guys do it after the 1000 mile change when the bike is broken in. No worries at 5K. Mobil One 15w50 is popular for the engine, and many report smoother shifting with 75W95 gear oil in the primary chain case. Make sure you do not overfill the later. As a matter of fact, ordering the Shop manual and parts list is a very good idea, as these unique bikes do have some procedures you might not know about. Daves, at one of our sponsors, Appleton HD has them, and all the parts you might need, normally in stock and at a 10% discount. Welcome to the club. I have a 2003 XB 9S myself, and I think it might just be the best value in a motorcycle today. | ||
| Bomber |
0 (zero) miles is fine for synth +1 on the manuals, and +1,000 on the tip on Daves! | ||
| Oz666 |
I called the Mobil1 tech line and was told that Mobil1 GL WILL attack yellow metals. I am on my 3rd stator & now running M1 15W-50 in engine and primary. YMMV   Oz | ||
| Blake |
To whom did you speak at Mobil-1 and what is the telephone number you called? | ||
| Oz666 |
In retrospect, I wish I had written down his name. He definitely did not want to hear that chemical analysis published on the web has confirmed that there is a very small difference between M1 15W-50 and M1 "V-Twin" 20W-50, he maintained that they were very different. Further, he said that Mobil 1® Extended Performance was superior to Mobil 1 because M1EP contains "50 percent more SuperSyn than Mobil 1", the party line. He declined to elaborate on exactly what "SuperSyn" is, based on the information he gave, it could be chicken poop (although, in all fairness it would be Mobil's proprietary chicken poop.) He did say, as I recall, that GL4 lubricants (M1 75W-90, actually claims GL5 for use where GL4 lubricants are specified) contain twice as many sulphites (or sulphates or sulphur based compounds) as GL2 lubricants and "will attack yellow metals, and should not be used in applications where they will contact yellow metals". I tried to tell him that there is a LARGE group of people with a great interest in M1 oils and lubes with many questions that would best be answered by a M1 petro engineer or tech on this site, but he seemed uncaring. And I was being very nice. Perhaps you will have better luck, I called (within the last 2~3 weeks): Exxon Mobil Corporation 3225 Gallows Road Fairfax, VA 22037 1-800-Mobil25 (662-4525) Oz | ||
| Oz666 |
Hey, maybe if everyone from BadWeB called Mobil... Oz | ||
| Bomber |
dunno bout others, but I'm a lil reticant to call a joint on Gallows Road, myself | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Why's that Bomber? They're waiting for your call, just hanging around, & you can be sure they won't hang up on you, or you could just swing on by for a chat, they'd never tell you to shut your trap, shall I stop now? oh ok & I was just getting warmed up too.... | ||
| Voltage_vector |
good one grumpy...but you can stop now!  | ||
| Blublak |
The name isn't one to worry about.. Fairfax INOVA Hospital is a stone throw away from the Mobil campus. As for the name, this may come as a shock, but the road used to run from a courthouse (area) to .. you guessed it.. a Gallows. Over the years, it just got longer, then paved. Of course, traffic on it can be a bit of a pain, but it's still a decent way to get from Tysons Corner to Annandale(area) without hittin' the slab. Hmmm.. Been to their HQ once.. (Mobil) and I must say, at the time (about ten years ago) they really took their security seriously. I doubt any of that has changed. Ok, I'm done prattling on about Gallows Road and Exxon Mobils HQ there. | ||
| Bomber |
I've spent a fair amount of time in that neck of hte woods -- grumpy, if the question si should you stop, the answer is always "probobly" ;-} | ||
| Daves |
OK, I give up, what is "yellow metal" and is this good or bad that Mobil 1 will attack it? | ||
| Dark_vapor |
Must be brass alloys | ||
| Oz666 |
Dave, Hi! It's my opinion that when I was told "yellow metals", it meant copper and copper alloys such as brass and bronze. N.B., this ONLY APPLIES to the gear lube. Oz If they meant GOLD or neodymium, I want those nearly empty bottle OUT OF MY GARAGE!!! | ||
| Daves |
so are you saying it is bad for the stator? | ||
| Oz666 |
I could not get a straight answer from Mobil, but I just installed my third one. The first two failed pretty much the same way. I am not going to use it in my Buell anymore. It would be much better if Mobil weighed in and gave a DEFINITE answer instead of vague C.M.A. dodges, but I would bet their lawyers won't let `em. YMMV Oz | ||
| Oz666 |
BTW, this would also mean it should not be used in transmissions with brass or bronze bushings, slides, syncro rings, blockers, dogs, etc. But I don't know that for sure, either. Oz | ||
| Oz666 |
Blake, I did not mean for this to turn into a technical discussion (suitable for the KV), sorry. AND, have YOU have any further response? Oz | ||
| Blake |
I've received three different responses from two different sources at the Mobil-1 tech center. One was a complete ignoramus. He thought that 75W-90 gear lube was higher viscosity than 20W-50 engine oil; he didn't know that gear lube and crankcase/engine oil use two completely different scales for viscosity grade. Unbelievable. He wouldn't and likely couldn't provide a definitive answer to any of my basic technical questions. The best I got was to not use the Mobil-1 in transmissions that use copper alloy gears. The concensus at Mobil-1 seems to be that we should run their 10W40 synthetic motorcycle engine oil in our Buell transmissions. | ||
| Jimidan |
Blake sez: "The best I got was to not use the Mobil-1 in transmissions that use copper alloy gears." Hmmm, what does it do to the bronze cam bearings? jimidan | ||
| Oz666 |
Jimi, I would STRONGLY suggest that you NOT use Mobil1 fully synthetic gear lube in your engine. (Where it could come into contact with bronze cam bearing.) Blake, Thanx, and I am not at all surprised. Oz |
