Castrol Oil 20w-50

[redwing]

Help please.......
The owners manual states 20w-50 oil for our bikes. Is Castor Oil an appropriate oil. It is rated API and some other stuff but I think it is also a high detergent oil. I have a thin sliver of oil at the bottom of the window at idle on center stand...
After 13k my bike finally used some oil..... my first time to add oil.

I regret to make this a post but I did a search and could not get specific enough to find a good answer.
I may have missed the index of Garage ....and my membership has lapsed so I have not access to some of the forum...my fault.

Robert

[celticus]

It should be fine.

Mark

[mogu83]

I'm sure this will bring all the oil 'experts' out of the woodwork.
Topping off with just about any type of oil while 'on the road' is no problem, and with oil in the bottom of the window I think your talking about less than half a quart. I was riding with a guy (Beemer nerd) once that went into a full panic because he needed a little oil (half down the window, 1/4 Quart) and he couldn't find 20-50 synthetic oil.

A point to note is that regular oil and what's labeled as motorcycle (or racing) oil are different. The MC stuff has less moly additives (not an issue to us with dry clutches) and more heavy metals in it (a good thing for our motors. I wouldn't worry about mixing if I HAD to, but for an oil change I'd go with any major brand MC oil.

BTW: You would be hard pressed finding any multi viscosity oil that isn't HD (high detergent).

Naturally IMHO, based on 50+ years of having motor grease under my fingernails.

[jkhomes]

My dealer told me to use Castor Oil. It is either really similar to the dealer brand they use, or that is what they use, not sure which.

I was taught not to mix brands of oil. That might be old school. I think it might have had something to do with additives. I still adhere to that rule, except I top off with Castor Oil without really knowing for sure what my dealer has in there. Your friend might have had a valid point, because I would never mix regular oil with synthetic.

[Mustang Man]

Do you really mean Castor Oil or Castrol brand of oil? Big differance.

I would not mix oils in my Beemer. If in doubt, I would just change it as well as the filter. If you have been using pure systhetic I would stay with that. BMW also offers a blend. If you use regular oil then switch to synthetic, your bike could use a little more oil. Do you notice any smoke? Any leaks?

If in doubt, take it to the dealer for a check up. I believe your bike is too precious to rely on a guess.
Good luck,
MM

[mogu83]

JK - You never asked the dealer what kind of oil is in your engine?
I think the original post was about adding oil while on the road. If I'm on the road a few hundred miles from home, the temp is in tripple digits and I'm down a quart and the only oil around is straight 30 weight, then that's what I'm running till I get home. I guess you could use your cell to order some oil shipped to your location on the side of the road, but I'd rather ride. Also most of the major brands offer a synthetic blend of oil, however they are real rip offs as the ratio of synthetic to dino oil is around 1 (syn) to 9 (dino)..

. I have a thin sliver of oil at the bottom of the window at idle on center stand...

Are you checking the oil with the engine running??

[jkhomes]

LOL, Castrol!

Harry, I did ask. He made it sound like they were using a BMW brand that is Castrol.

I missed the comment about the thin sliver at idle. My owners manual says to get it to operating temperature and then wait 10 minute to look in the glass.

[ammolab]

"I have a thin sliver of oil at the bottom of the window at idle on center stand"...

"At idle"... Does this mean you are checking the oil with the motor running? If so that is
not proper. You need to check the level in the window a few minutes after shutdown.

You may not need to add any oil at all!

[Catchina]

I've asked the dealer and they used 20-50 "dinosaur" oil every 3000 miles...no synthetic until after 20k they say.

[celticus]

As long as you are adding good oil to good oil I don't think there would be a problem in mixing oil brands. If they are both good motorcycle oils they should be fine. Mixing hasn't hurt my bike.

Mark

[Xdot]

LOL! Castor oil comes from these -->

Castrol oil comes from these -->

[redwing]

Good point xdot / mustangman .... my bad and fixed.

Does this mean you are checking the oil with the motor running? If so that is
not proper. You need to check the level in the window a few minutes after shutdown.

You may not need to add any oil at all!

Yes ... at idle... another good point ... the oil is about two thirds down... one third showing after sitting for 20 minutes or so with the motor off.

half down the window, 1/4 Quart

A point to note is that regular oil and what's labeled as motorcycle (or racing) oil are different. The MC stuff has less moly additives (not an issue to us with dry clutches) and more heavy metals in it (a good thing for our motors. I wouldn't worry about mixing if I HAD to, but for an oil change I'd go with any major brand MC oil.

BTW: You would be hard pressed finding any multi viscosity oil that isn't HD (high detergent).

Naturally IMHO, based on 50+ years of having motor grease under my fingernails.

mogu83... the dealers receipt show 20w 50 ...so I should be ok with the Castrol.

Thanks one and all ....good input from all.
IMHO .... We need a garage or maintenance section for general info and "how to" do stuff. I know the forum has lots of how to information but a search often gives so much information to sift through a "garage" might be more direct.

Robert

[websterize]

… We need a garage or maintenance section for general info and "how to" do stuff. …

May I suggest the comprehensive DIY/Tech Library at the MOA forum — there's much in there I aspire to do. You need to be a member to see the photos, but it's well worth the cost.

[deilenberger]

Good point xdot / mustangman .... my bad and fixed.

Does this mean you are checking the oil with the motor running? If so that is
not proper. You need to check the level in the window a few minutes after shutdown.

You may not need to add any oil at all!

Yes ... at idle... another good point ... the oil is about two thirds down... one third showing after sitting for 20 minutes or so with the motor off.

I believe you're misunderstanding what was said.. and even then it was wrong.

Check the oil the SAME WAY under the SAME CONDITIONS. For me - what's worked for about 6 decades now is to check oil level with a COLD engine, before starting the engine.

On the hexhead it's SO simple to do. Before you start the bike - with it on the centerstand on level ground, after it sitting overnight - look at the window. Is there oil? ANY oil? If so - you're good to go. When it reaches the bottom of the window under these conditions then worry about adding a bit.

You want to do the oil check in a repeatable manner, under repeatable conditions. Cold in the AM before starting the engine means the oil trapped in the oil cooler, and the oil dribbling off the engine parts has all reached the sump. That is when you want to check the oil.

The BS about warming the engine up, chanting some obscure old-wives-tale-song, waiting 10.25 minutes, then standing on your head to check the oil is exactly that - BS.

half down the window, 1/4 Quart

A point to note is that regular oil and what's labeled as motorcycle (or racing) oil are different. The MC stuff has less moly additives (not an issue to us with dry clutches) and more heavy metals in it (a good thing for our motors. I wouldn't worry about mixing if I HAD to, but for an oil change I'd go with any major brand MC oil.

BTW: You would be hard pressed finding any multi viscosity oil that isn't HD (high detergent).

Naturally IMHO, based on 50+ years of having motor grease under my fingernails.

mogu83... the dealers receipt show 20w 50 ...so I should be ok with the Castrol.

Thanks one and all ....good input from all.
IMHO .... We need a garage or maintenance section for general info and "how to" do stuff. I know the forum has lots of how to information but a search often gives so much information to sift through a "garage" might be more direct.

Robert

There is a how-to section in the BMW-MOA hexhead tech subforum. It has lots of good info available, and since I was the one who created that subforum (and edited most of the submissions) I can't see reinventing the wheel here.. but mebbe I'm biased. It's worth the membership IMHO just for that one subforum.

[nylife]

here is a good opinion about Oil, even though the article itself is about magnetic plugs, but opinion offered on OIL is there

http://www.webbikeworld.com/t2/magnetic ... er-magnet/

[roger l]

What type of Castrol 20W-50 oil are you using? The 4T?

Roger L

[redwing]

There is a how-to section in the BMW-MOA hexhead tech subforum. It has lots of good info available, and since I was the one who created that subforum (and edited most of the submissions) I can't see reinventing the wheel here.. but mebbe I'm biased. It's worth the membership IMHO just for that one subforum.

I agree Don E. ...it's all there in the BMW-MOA forum as you stated. And because the information is there ...no reason to add it to this forum. Thanks for bring the maintenance section to my attention. I bookmarked it.

Thanks nylife.... the reasoning I got was to pick a quality oil and use it....good advice. I have heard of magnetic drain plugs but not filters...it's a good idea.

and

What type of Castrol 20W-50 oil are you using? The 4T?

Roger L

What does the 4T mean and where should I look for this info? The Castrol is Walmart GTX oil ...just heavy weight car oil.

I also went to a locale dealer and got a quart of Honda 20w-50...but I only need a couple of three table spoons ....but now I have oil and a little more experience.

Robert

[roger l]

The 4T is Castrol's motorcycle oil. I did not think that the Castrol GTX was made in 20W-50 but I did a search and I found that it was made in 20W-50. Since the BMW R1200 motor has a dry clutch and the transmission has its own oil we would not need special motorcycle oil. Car oil should work fine in the R1200 motor.

Roger L

[neener]

Since we are on the subject of oil, does any one know the part number for the hiflo oil filter for the 2007 r1200r?
I can get the oil- castrol 4t motorcycle 20w50 in town but not a filter.

[mogu83]

Since the BMW R1200 motor has a dry clutch and the transmission has its own oil we would not need special motorcycle oil. Car oil should work fine in the R1200 motor.
Roger L

Take the time to look up the specs on regular oil and "motorcycle" oil (any brand) on the net and you will see that they are quite different, their's a reason that the major manufactures make "motorcycle" oil, and why it costs more. And yes the R1200R motor would run fine on the cheapest oil you could find and that wouldn't be a problem for someone that was only going to keep the bike a few years.