Hi folks. New to this forum and have some questions on motorcycle oils. I've revently purchased a 1999 Kawasaki Nomad 1500 which only has about 6000 miles on it. It has been sitting idle since 2002. I've had the carb pulled and cleaned at the dealer but I'm having a slight problem with some knocking in the top end. I used the Mobil 1 Red cap on my last bike until I heard they changed their formulation and added friction modifiers. There seem to be some dispute as to whether or not the new 'Gold' cap has replaced the 'Red' cap. Some say 'yes' and on another forum, a member spoke to a "technition' at Mobil and was told that they have added Moly to the Gold Cap formulation and would be bad for our wet clutch. Some are doubtful because this point of view is coming from a Mobil Person. would appreciate any views out there.
Oils again
- Thread starter Gerry
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The new Mobil 1 15W-50 has moly but so does Mobil 1 motorcycle specific oil MX4T and V-Twin but all three oils only have a small amount. To get rid of the knock in the Vulcan you will have to get louder pipes so you can't hear it, they are one noisy motor. I have an 03 Vulcan Mean Streak and I use Mobil 1 T&SUV 5W-40 and I am happy with the oil.
The new Mobil MX4T is superb. Only oil I know of that will outperform it is AMSOIL MCV.
gerry, bought a new Nomad in 2000, from a family dealership. Upon starting the bike outside shop you could hear the tap-tap of the cam action. Salesmans dad walks by bike and says sounds like a bad lifter. I was crestfallen this new bought and paid for bike sounded like and old car with lifter problems. Since that bike I have owned 2 Nomads, 1 mean streak and have 2 1600 classics in the barn now. They all tap-tap but are good motors. Like Hans says get loud pipes if the tap-tap bothers you as it does not go away. Have run 15w40 diesel oil and 5w40 SYN Shell Rotella and the tap-tap is always chattering away. Just this particular engines way of saying lets RIDE.
I'm using the M1 15W-50 EP in my Suzuki V-Strom with no clutch slippage. If the M1 motorcycle oils weren't such a PITA to find, then I might use those. Lately it seems like they've been getting more difficult to find not easier. As others have said I don't understand why Mobil makes it so difficult to buy their motorcycle oil.
Thanks for the info Guys - Fastbear, I needed that vote of confidence. Love my new bike, paid much for it, but was worried with the knocking
Hi Gerry. I used to work as a Service Manager at a local motorcycle dealer & we used to have alot of VN1500's come in with strange pinging or ticking noises. After dealing with the dealer & many unhappy customers....we found that the motors were building up an unusually high amount of carbon in the cylinder head & on the piston crown. This noise first starts as a pinging, progresses to a ticking, & then to a rather disturbing knocking sound. I would highly recommend using Kawasakis own brand of de-carbonizer or something similar.....at very regular intervals.
Good luck!
Uneasy Rider, understand about carbon build up problems and pinging. I think the motor sound we are discussing is the cam clearance clatter on a new or clean compression chamber, typical of the Vulcan 1500/1600 engines. We have owned six of these guys and still have three. One 1500 and two 1600's. All bikes were purchases new and all have made and continue to make the large Vulcan clatter, most noticeable at idle. Oil brand or viscosity seems to matter not and I know longer am concerned about the sound. Also, we are at about 4800 ft. altitude and these engines run 85 pump octane gas without octane ping. Wife also has a Vulcan 800 (her third 800) and they all were quiet motors with no tap-tap or pinging sounds. Like we said when the motors are talking its ride time- good bikes espicially for the money.
Sorry, just figured out how to edit
[ May 23, 2005, 11:30 PM: Message edited by: Gerry ]
[ May 23, 2005, 11:30 PM: Message edited by: Gerry ]
Actually Fastbear, the knocking is more prevailant when the motor is under load, i.e., accelerating or climbing a steep incline with the wife aboard. Once I get up to speed, it smoothens out. I'm presently using a Lucas additive to the gas which is suppose to lubricate the top end as well as get rid of carbon build up. I guess it will take a few tanks to work but I believe there has been some improvement.
[ May 23, 2005, 11:31 PM: Message edited by: Gerry ]
[ May 23, 2005, 11:31 PM: Message edited by: Gerry ]
gerry, what you are describing sounds like our typical Vulcan motor. Ours sound the same, we have gotten used to the motors sounds up to and past 100 mph. One 1600 is set up with a custom aluminum dog box for a 26 lb., Corgi. The bike makes a 220 mile trip every week during the reasonable warm months. Keep the oil clean, ride it and enjoy. By the way, the $2.07 ST7317 Oil Filter at Walley World works great.
Gerry,
Seafoam is also a good adative to clean the fuel system and get rid of some carbon, I too am using Lucas UCL haven't decided yet how good it is. My Vulcan pings on the crappy stuff(91 octane) they pass of as gas here in California and when it gets warm the ping gets worse, it's not to high compession but to big of a combustion chamber that causes the problem with ping. The ping sounds like marbles flying around in the combustion chamber, when you hear that just back of the throttle a little or down shift to a lower gear, if you find something that elimenates the ping let me know.
Seafoam is also a good adative to clean the fuel system and get rid of some carbon, I too am using Lucas UCL haven't decided yet how good it is. My Vulcan pings on the crappy stuff(91 octane) they pass of as gas here in California and when it gets warm the ping gets worse, it's not to high compession but to big of a combustion chamber that causes the problem with ping. The ping sounds like marbles flying around in the combustion chamber, when you hear that just back of the throttle a little or down shift to a lower gear, if you find something that elimenates the ping let me know.
If it has adjustable valves. Like my vulcan 800 the probably just need to be adjusted.
hans, you can usually get the ping out of them by playing with the tps.
wileyE,
By tps do you mean the throttle position sensor?
By tps do you mean the throttle position sensor?
yep, make sure it's adjusted in spec with an accurate volt meter and the battery good and charged.
If it's in spec you can adjust it so the idle position voltage is slightly higher. Never worked on your exact model but most kawasaki's (and others) work on a range of aprox 0-1v at idle to 4-5v at wfo, engine off.
The ignition advance is mostly mapped to rpm of the motor but gets input from the tps. A open throttle position at a low rpm raises compression which increase flame speed. This is where they usually ping, and the map will be slighty retarded in this condition. As the engine rpm catches up with the throttle position the mapping will allow more advance because compression is lowered, flame speed is lowered, mixure needs to be lit off sooner (advanced timing). Hope that makes sense?
Sometimes you can fool the map by making the tps signal look like the throttle is open a little further than it really is, the timing is slightly retarded and hopefully the ping goes away. Sometimes it's not enough as the ping is related to a lean fuel mixure as a result of emission compliance.
If it's in spec you can adjust it so the idle position voltage is slightly higher. Never worked on your exact model but most kawasaki's (and others) work on a range of aprox 0-1v at idle to 4-5v at wfo, engine off.
The ignition advance is mostly mapped to rpm of the motor but gets input from the tps. A open throttle position at a low rpm raises compression which increase flame speed. This is where they usually ping, and the map will be slighty retarded in this condition. As the engine rpm catches up with the throttle position the mapping will allow more advance because compression is lowered, flame speed is lowered, mixure needs to be lit off sooner (advanced timing). Hope that makes sense?
Sometimes you can fool the map by making the tps signal look like the throttle is open a little further than it really is, the timing is slightly retarded and hopefully the ping goes away. Sometimes it's not enough as the ping is related to a lean fuel mixure as a result of emission compliance.
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