ATV recommendation

[BC]

I have a 2000 Honda Foreman 450S ATV (not the electric shift model)which has a shared crankcase and transmission as far as oil is concerned.
I want to be able to go to Wally World and buy regular dino oil for it. What is your best recommendation.
I've looked over their oils and I think Chevron Delo 15W-40 is probably the best choice, but I want more knowledgeable opinions.
Thanks

 

[Bror Jace]

BC, these machines are not especially oil sensitive so you'd be fine with Delo 400 ... or probably any other 10W30 or thicker oil.

Pennzoil Long Life 15W40 would also be a good choice ... but I don't know if the dose of molybdenum (180ppm) might affect the feel of the shifts.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Justin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bror Jace:
BC, these machines are not especially oil sensitive so you'd be fine with Delo 400 ... or probably any other 10W30 or thicker oil.

Pennzoil Long Life 15W40 would also be a good choice ... but I don't know if the dose of molybdenum (180ppm) might affect the feel of the shifts.

--- Bror Jace

---

Uhh, I'd have to disagree. "These machines" as you say can beat the crap out of an oil. Our Honda fourwheeler is a little farm helper...

1. Air cooled with low, low speed off-roading = Very Hot operating temperatures.
2. Pulling big loads + Need To Get Someone Down the Road = Lots of time at really high revs with hot operating temperatures.

If you start using inferior oil, you'll pay for it. That's even more so on the Honda CB400F. It's revs like crazy...doesn't even make power till 6000r.p.m.s!

And forget about 10w-30 unless you live in a really, really cold climate. I use 15w-40, and that is as light as I want to go in these vehicles .

[ April 01, 2003, 10:33 PM: Message edited by: Justin ]

 

[Justin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BC:
I have a 2000 Honda Foreman 450S ATV (not the electric shift model)which has a shared crankcase and transmission as far as oil is concerned.
I want to be able to go to Wally World and buy regular dino oil for it. What is your best recommendation.
I've looked over their oils and I think Chevron Delo 15W-40 is probably the best choice, but I want more knowledgeable opinions.
Thanks

---

I use Delo 400 15w-40 in my Honda fourwheeler as well (also use it in cars, trucks, boats, and a '76 Honda CB400F motorcycle).

Works great and you can get it at a good price. $6.17/gallon here I believe.

 

[msparks]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BC:
I want to be able to go to Wally World and buy regular dino oil for it. What is your best recommendation.
I've looked over their oils and I think Chevron Delo 15W-40 is probably the best choice, but I want more knowledgeable opinions.
Thanks

---

I would concur with your choice. It's what I'm using in my 02 Triumph right now, at least for the next 500 miles. Then I'll be going with a synthetic.

If you do alot of idling, or slow speed riding. I would think about using a synthetic. Also if you want better low temp protection,(It does get cold in West By-God!)

You can get amsoil drop shipped to you door, so you don't even have to go looking for it. Recommended oil drain is 2 times what you would do with a conventional oil. You should see a 20-50 degree temp drop during high temp operation(long idling, slow speed, and any heavy pulling).

 

[msparks]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Justin:
1. Air cooled with low, low speed off-roading = Very Hot operating temperatures.
2. Pulling big loads + Need To Get Someone Down the Road = Lots of time at really high revs with hot operating temperatures.

If you start using inferior oil, you'll pay for it.

---

My sentiments exactly, that's why I'll recommend a synthetic over ANY conventional oil any day!!!

 

[Lightman]

I have an '03 Prairie 650 atv, and have definitely noticed smoother running and easier steering since I switched to the Amsoil 0w-40 4Stroke/Atv oil. Also using the superduty motorcycle filter from amsoil... I am not a dealer and dont work for them, just think its a great oil for the application.

 

[Bror Jace]

Justin, I have stated numerous times in the past that air-cooled engines can run very, VERY hot and that they will break down an oil quickly.

I found out how quickly STP oil treatment will break down because I used it in an ATC200E ... and by the end of the first day riding, it had the consistency of water.

Having said that, most of these engines are very tolerant of abuse ... and that means using a thin 5W30 or 10W30 and almost NEVER changing the oil.

Do a little looking through the other threads in this sub-section and you'll see the testimonials. They mirror my own experiences punishing these machines mercilessly as a kid without a single lubrication-related failure.

I stand by my recommendations. I use 15W40 in just about all my air-cooled equipment. Most of those, however, would be fine with a 10W30 ... synthetic or dino.

As I've said before, so much of what we talk about on this site is overkill. These engines, using almost any brand/type of oil but changing it once each year, will outlast most of the other components of the machine.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Justin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bror Jace:
Justin, I have stated numerous times in the past that air-cooled engines can run very, VERY hot and that they will break down an oil quickly.

I found out how quickly STP oil treatment will break down because I used it in an ATC200E ... and by the end of the first day riding, it had the consistency of water.

Having said that, most of these engines are very tolerant of abuse ... and that means using a thin 5W30 or 10W30 and almost NEVER changing the oil.

Do a little looking through the other threads in this sub-section and you'll see the testimonials. They mirror my own experiences punishing these machines mercilessly as a kid without a single lubrication-related failure.

I stand by my recommendations. I use 15W40 in just about all my air-cooled equipment. Most of those, however, would be fine with a 10W30 ... synthetic or dino.

As I've said before, so much of what we talk about on this site is overkill. These engines, using almost any brand/type of oil but changing it once each year, will outlast most of the other components of the machine.

--- Bror Jace

---

Your right Bror...personally, I wouldn't want to use less than a good fleet 15w-40, but even if you used 10w-30, your engine would still last a very long time.

And I also agree that this site is overkill...but isn't it fun (although try explaning to your better half why you spend hours online talking about oil!)?!?

 

[msparks]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Justin:
I use Delo 400 15w-40 in my Honda fourwheeler as well (also use it in cars, trucks, boats, and a '76 Honda CB400F motorcycle).

Works great and you can get it at a good price. $6.17/gallon here I believe.

---

See my post on "killed Delo in 1500 miles"

Which was added after my post above. Good Luck

 

[Justin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by msparks:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Justin:
I use Delo 400 15w-40 in my Honda fourwheeler as well (also use it in cars, trucks, boats, and a '76 Honda CB400F motorcycle).

Works great and you can get it at a good price. $6.17/gallon here I believe.

---

See my post on "killed Delo in 1500 miles"

Which was added after my post above. Good Luck

---

If you "killed Delo" in 1500 miles, then you killed Delo in 1500 miles...

...I've always had good experiences with dino HDMO's, be it Rotella, Delo, or Delvac. I change the bikes oil out every 2,000 miles and never have had a problem...and I've used all three.

 

[Bror Jace]

Justin: "I also agree that this site is overkill ... but isn't it fun?"

You're asking a guy who has well over a thousand posts here?

msparks, I seriously doubt you "killed" 15W40 Delo400 in 1,500 miles ... as in seriously broke down its VII (to a 30 weight or less). I still believe your shifting difficulty was due to an additive/application mismatch. Those can often take hundreds of miles to manifest themselves.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Bror Jace]

I'm in the middle of changing the oil in our 1983 Honda ATC 200E "Big Red."

Going in is Schaeffer synthetic blend 15W40.

Draining out the slightly over 1 year old Mobil 1 15W50 and some brand of dino oil blend.

That's it, my backyard blending days are OVER!

--- Bror Jace

 

[Hirev]

Any one checked out the new Valvoline ATV 4 stroke oil SAE 10w 40? JASO MA. Local place has it on sale for 2.69 a QT. They are saying 2.89 will be the reg. price. Is it a semi - synthetic? Anyone know what group semi - synthetic are in? Thank for the replies

 

[Bror Jace]

Hirev, I've seen the stuff at AutoZone.

I don't mean to be a nattering naybob of negativism, but until I see a VOA which shows this oil to be something REALLY different, I'm gonna assume it's just a typical 10W40 ... in a specially labeled bottle. Sorry.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Hirev]

Thanks, What woud be you take on using Delo 400 15w 40 or Delvac 1300 super. It is a wet clutch. My atv is a 2000 Big Bear air cooled but it does have a fan/oil cooler. I like to change the oil often so I'am looking for cheaper oils that will work. Opinions are welcome Thanks again.

 

[Bror Jace]

Those would be good first choices. But, if you get difficult shifting, dump it ASAP and try something else.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Hirev]

Got any idea why some oils cause that? I have ran into that in the past myself. Is it more of a certain additive? Thanks again.

 

[satterfi]

Moly can improve shifting.

Reportedly, it can cause clutch slipping.

IMO it's all over blown and was started by SAE tech paper 961217 'Study on 4-Stroke Oils for Motorcycles'. I haven't read the paper but someone who did said this, "And while the tech report did not see any problems, per se, the writers did note some changes in the performance of centrifugal clutches".