AZ Clearance: Valvoline Motorcycle Synthetic $5/qt

[KzMitch]

Whilst perusing my local AutoZone this week, I noticed they had Valvoline Motorcycle Oil on Clearance for $5.00/qt.
http://www.autozone.com/motor-oil-and-tr...omString=search

Specifically, it's Valvoline Synthetic Motorcycle Oil 20W50:
http://www.valvoline.com/products/brands/valvoline/motorcycle-atv-oil/129

Valvoline markets both a conventional AND synthetic motorcycle oil. Conventional comes in a black bottle, synthetic in a silver one.

$5/qt would be an ok price for the dino, but it's an outstanding price for the synth.

Both my store and their website show ONLY 20w50 on clearance.
Other weights were NOT on sale, and conventional was NOT on sale, they were their regular, everyday, gouging price.

My store had them in stock, their website shows some other stores have some, and some don't. YMMV.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I run the 10w30 V1R in my generator; Goodstuff on sale.
A decade ago, M1R4T was a better oil (arguably the best universal sparker-engine oil on the market for around $9 a qt) but it lost its crown after the reformulation to majority "group III" slackwax VISOM basestocks.

 

[Tundragod]

Another weird AZ clearance again. I used Firefox, it shows out of stock at my local stores. I used Chrome, I can only order 4 qts max with multiple refresh and update qty. I also has -$2 discount which brings it down to $3/qts. So, I ordered 4 qts.

I wanted more so I went back to chrome and ordered 2 more qts from the same store as I only need 3.2 qts per oil change. I only change 3qts each time.

Will try to pick it up at the store this afternoon. Hope I get them.

 

[Joe_Power]

Awesome dude! Thanks! Just ordered 10 quarts for store pickup. It also knocked $2 off a quart, for a total of $32.xx for 10 quarts with tax.

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

Don't see much in the way of UOA's for that oil. I see the deal here too, seems you can't go wrong at $3 a qt for a 20w50 syn. I'd be curious how durable it is, I like to run long OCI's, even in my Harley.

 

[Joe_Power]

Went to pick up my order (10 qts), and they only had 7 in stock. They said they'll be getting in more tomorrow. Seems kind of strange - Why would they "get more" of an oil on clearance?? I don't know. I'll swing by tomorrow, and pick it up I guess!

 

[Joe_Power]

Oh yeah, one more thing. What do you guys think about using this oil, in the Hydrogear transmissions, found on ZTR mowers? They are spec'd for 20w-50.
Thanks

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

Would be a great deal IF it existed, which is doesn't (not at my store anyway). Ordered 4 qts for pickup, showed in stock. Went by to get it, no oil. They didn't even know the oil existed. I asked then why did I get the "you're order is ready to be picked up" email if there was no oil, got mumbo jumbo. They said they tried to call me, which they didn't. Nor email.

So I was excited, now irritated. AZ can suck it.

 

[SJohnson]

A 20/50 M/C specific, name brand synthetic oil for $3 a qt......what's not to like. Placed my order, now I just hope they have it in stock.

 

[fdcg27]

Thanks for the heads-up.
I got nine quarts of this stuff at the three buck price.
AZ pricing sometimes makes no sense.
Five bucks a quart on clearance, but also another two bucks off with the MC oil promo, making this synthetic probably the cheapest quart of oil in the store?

 

[fxrider]

picked up 6 qts . good stuff.

 

[GMBoy]

Dang..sold out

 

[ledslinger]

I will likely never run a Valvoline motorcycle oil again in my 1982 V45 Sabre. Just had to dump a fill of Synthetic 10W40 at 600 miles on my 1982 V45 Sabre due to poor shifting. The poor shifting began immediately with the change, and improved instantly with a replacement of Castrol Actevo 10W40 Semi Syn. Probably as much wear to the dogs in the last 600 miles as in the previous 10K miles.

This is the only time I've ever had poor shifting on the bike due to oil. I've owned it since new.

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

Curious, was it the 4T stuff? I ended up finding some of the 20w50 on this deal and will run in my Harley. I wouldn't expect any troubles but who knows. I've always just run an HDEO so far and it shifts awesome. I'm very curious what the 4T feels like on the clutch. Protection wise I have very little worry on the 20w50 syn but fel is a different story sometimes.

 

[ledslinger]

Originally Posted By: MoreCowbellAz
Curious, was it the 4T stuff? I ended up finding some of the 20w50 on this deal and will run in my Harley. I wouldn't expect any troubles but who knows. I've always just run an HDEO so far and it shifts awesome. I'm very curious what the 4T feels like on the clutch. Protection wise I have very little worry on the 20w50 syn but fel is a different story sometimes.


Yes Valvoline 4T Synthetic 10W40. Is there another Valvoline synthetic motorcycle oil?

 

[hank2]

ledslinger,
Good to learn that the Castrol Actevo 10W40 Semi Syn helped you out.

I've got to say that I used that oil for a couple of changes in my Suzuki V-Strom. Had shifting problems on a fairly regular basis. Switched to the Valvoline 4T synthetic
10w40 the other week and had a huge improvement.

I guess that what works for one bike's transmission doesn't necessarily work well for another.

 

[ledslinger]

Weird how it varies with different bikes. I've heard of riders who experience degradation of shift quality as oil ages, presumably due to viscosity loss. I've heard of slipping due to friction modifiers or high moly levels. Why the Valvo syn didn't shift well in my bike I've not a clue. First time that ever happened on a bike I've owned for 33 years.

The only other possible explanation other than my bike not liking the Valvo syn 4T is this:

Poor shifting during early part of fill due to air in clutch hydraulics. Then after this was taken care of I did a couple of piston soaks with Mercury Marine Power Tune that could have contaminated the oil. I doubt a few ounces of whatever is in the cleaner and actually got into the oil would have altered the oil to cause this, but I suppose possible.

A proper test would be to run another fill of the Valvo after the Castrol Actevo. I've got the oil, but am not that brave/curious.