Texaco Havoline 20W-50 (API SL) in an air-cooled Kawasaki four...

[richard612]

Lab: Schaeffer's Specialized Lubricants

Engine: 739cc air/oil-cooled four-stroke four-cylinder motorcycle engine with combined transmission and wet clutch.

Miles on engine: 27,154

Miles on oil sample: 3000

Miles on oil filter: 3000

Oil: Texaco Havoline 20W-50 (Current API SL formulation).

Make-up oil added: Approx 5% of total crankcase volume.

Operating conditions: 65F to 100F, mixed high and low speed/RPM, no short trips, moderate idle time

Engine condition/tune: Good overall. Mild knock at startup. Factory jetting, pilot screws 3 turns out (overrich idle). Modified exhaust and airbox, stock air filter element.

Results from previous 3k mile analysis of Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 are in "()"

Results from previous 3k mile analysis of Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40 are in "[]"

Copper: 1ppm [2ppm] (2ppm)
Iron: 12ppm [10ppm] (16ppm)
Chromium: 0ppm [0ppm] (0ppm)
Aluminum: 4ppm [3ppm] (6ppm)
Lead: 0ppm [1ppm] (1ppm)
Moly: 3ppm [3ppm] (71ppm)
Phosphorus: 832ppm [976ppm] (1769ppm)
Zinc: 1005ppm [972ppm] (1852ppm)
Magnesium: 48ppm [220ppm] (757ppm)
Calcium: 2339ppm [2950ppm] (4071ppm)

Anti-freeze: 0% [0%] (0%)
Fuel Dilution: none [none] (none)
H2O: 0% [0%] (0%)
Silicon: 3ppm [2ppm] (3ppm)
Viscosity: 15.34cSt@100C [13.94cSt@100C] (13.67cSt@100C)
Mfr viscosity spec: 19.0cSt@100C [14.6cSt@100C] (15.5cSt@100C)

Oxidation: 1% [0%] (9%)
Nitration: 0% [0%] (2%)
TBN: Not tested.
Soot: Not tested.

 

[userfriendly]

It looks like the two dino oils got a little chopped up in the 3,000 mile test.
Likely just the VI improvers and not the base oil.
Notice that the zink did not get used up, in fact most of the add pac is still present in all of the oils.
It appears from the low wear numbers that you are unloading the transmission before shifting.
Easy on the equipment.
I think that the 5W40 could have gone at least double the 3,000 miles, but so might have an SAE 40 or 50 dino without much viscosity change.

[ September 14, 2003, 03:55 AM: Message edited by: userfriendly ]

 

[klingon20]

I use delvac 1300 in a honda929 sportbike, this oil will hold up to the high rpms and redlining of most if not all 4 stoke engines.
Glad to see that the addative pkg holds up well.

 

[userfriendly]

The reason that I mentioned the zink and additive package being un-used and intact, is because I don't think that zink plays a big role in motorcycles, and TBN a small role in gasoline powered vehicles. (especialy ones that do not burn a lot of fuel.)
The up-take of zink (and TBN depleation) is very small even with the engine and transmission sharing the same lubricant.

I like the coating affect some additives have on transmission gears that reduce gear and shifter traction, instead of additives like ZDDP that are a last resort gear saver that only comes into play when and if the gears see metal to metal contact at high loads.
Straight cut transmission gears do not have very high sliding velocities and therefore do not need active EP protection.