Recommended Oil

[twocool]

I got into the habit of cutting oil filters open). The truth is, ALL of the filters currently available for the Suzuki engines are basically one notch above JUNK.........The quality of filter media varies greatly in spin-on oil filters; the media used for internal filters is just about universally inferior.

The truth???......Really??.....so even the OEM filters are junk??......Can I ask how and on what basis did you come to this conclusion and what benchmark you use to judge filter performance??.......Or is it just a personal opinion??

BTW...has anyone on here actually suffered a serious engine problem as a direct result of the oil grade/make and make of filter used???

I gotta agree with you...I mean...what would you do to make a better filter?   It has to have holes big enough to pass oil freely, but holes small enough to catch the crud....so there is a compromise right there.    They just use "paper"......Plenty of older engines on motorcycles, volkswagen bug, and airplanes run with no filter at all!!!   just a fine mesh screen....

I would say a filter is better than that...but nothing is going to be prefect....

Would the general public "buy into" like, $150 oil filters??  I don't think so....so it is a compromise of pretty good filtering at a price the market will bare...

Cookie

[bill14224]

I got into the habit of cutting oil filters open). The truth is, ALL of the filters currently available for the Suzuki engines are basically one notch above JUNK.........The quality of filter media varies greatly in spin-on oil filters; the media used for internal filters is just about universally inferior.

The truth???......Really??.....so even the OEM filters are junk??......Can I ask how and on what basis did you come to this conclusion and what benchmark you use to judge filter performance??.......Or is it just a personal opinion??

BTW...has anyone on here actually suffered a serious engine problem as a direct result of the oil grade/make and make of filter used???

I had the same reaction.  I don't suspect the filters we use are junk at all.  I suspect they are adequate so there's no need to improve upon them.  I don't have any research to back it up but neither does he.  I usually use an OEM filter but sometimes a Fram or Purolator.  I can tell you I've never had a problem with any OEM or any major brand of filter for any vehicle I've ever owned.  I read about crappy spin-on filters many years ago.  Some of them didn't have paper elements but were stuffed with cotton that quickly plugs-up then the oil by-passes the filter.  From that point on you effectively have no oil filter.  The article said look for filters with pleated paper elements, whatever style they may be.  The article also recommended Purolator because they're made like the better filters but they're not expensive.

I use 15W-40 diesel truck oil because it works very well in this engine and gearbox and it's not expensive.  Things that work well and are cheap go a long way with me.  I agree with the consensus here that you can't go wrong if you stay away from friction modifiers and change your oil on time.  The oil chart Jack posted shows you can use almost any weight of oil in this bike if it's under 86 degrees F.  I doubt many of us ride when it's minus ten!

As for shear, wet clutch motorcycles tear oil molecules apart more quickly than cars.  Synthetic oil resists this destruction better than conventional oils but even synthetics lose almost half their viscosity in the first 1,000 miles in a bike, so if you really want the most protection available today at all times you would need to use synthetic oil and change it about once a month.  Do I do that?  Hell, no!  Whether it's "motorcycle oil" or not is immaterial.  The best stuff you can get is the right type of Amsoil.  Amsoil out-tests everything.

[speedysst]

What about G-Oil?  I dont see it in other than 5w-30 but I wonder if this stuff would work.  I like to support companies that support my racing (Team Dyson Racing, #16 & #20 in the ALMS)

[bill14224]

Mister----Not to be a smartass myself, but I was just wondering why many Japanese car and small truck makers specifically require the use of plain old ordinary 10-30 or 10-40 motor oils in their manual transmissions if shear is such a problem? We're talking about some pretty hefty pressures involved  in gears pushing around a few thousand pounds of car and cargo for 30 to 60 thousands miles between changes. I've heard tales of some standard Hondas and Toyotas getting upward of 400,000 miles on the original transmissions.

If a guy can get 170,000 miles---and counting---out of 10-40 walmart oil ( changing it every 2000 miles ), just how bad can it be?-----How many of you out there are planning on putting anywhere close to that many miles on any bike anyway?

The oil in car gearboxes is not exposed to combustion waste so there is no build-up of sulfuric acid in the oil.  That's the main reason it lasts so long in that application.

[Dr.McNinja]

I got into the habit of cutting oil filters open). The truth is, ALL of the filters currently available for the Suzuki engines are basically one notch above JUNK.........The quality of filter media varies greatly in spin-on oil filters; the media used for internal filters is just about universally inferior.

The truth???......Really??.....so even the OEM filters are junk??......Can I ask how and on what basis did you come to this conclusion and what benchmark you use to judge filter performance??.......Or is it just a personal opinion??

BTW...has anyone on here actually suffered a serious engine problem as a direct result of the oil grade/make and make of filter used???

I had the same reaction.  I don't suspect the filters we use are junk at all.  I suspect they are adequate so there's no need to improve upon them.  I don't have any research to back it up but neither does he.  I usually use an OEM filter but sometimes a Fram or Purolator.  I can tell you I've never had a problem with any OEM or any major brand of filter for any vehicle I've ever owned.  I read about crappy spin-on filters many years ago.  Some of them didn't have paper elements but were stuffed with cotton that quickly plugs-up then the oil by-passes the filter.  From that point on you effectively have no oil filter.  The article said look for filters with pleated paper elements, whatever style they may be.  The article also recommended Purolator because they're made like the better filters but they're not expensive.

I use 15W-40 diesel truck oil because it works very well in this engine and gearbox and it's not expensive.  Things that work well and are cheap go a long way with me.  I agree with the consensus here that you can't go wrong if you stay away from friction modifiers and change your oil on time.  The oil chart Jack posted shows you can use almost any weight of oil in this bike if it's under 86 degrees F.  I doubt many of us ride when it's minus ten!

As for shear, wet clutch motorcycles tear oil molecules apart more quickly than cars.  Synthetic oil resists this destruction better than conventional oils but even synthetics lose almost half their viscosity in the first 1,000 miles in a bike, so if you really want the most protection available today at all times you would need to use synthetic oil and change it about once a month.  Do I do that?  Hell, no!  Whether it's "motorcycle oil" or not is immaterial.  The best stuff you can get is the right type of Amsoil.  Amsoil out-tests everything.

The question is, what's the difference between the canister types and the exposed type? The one I'm ordering is the one where you can see the filter, and the one that autozone didn't have was a canister. What's the difference/benefit?

[twinrat]

why don't you just use OEM filter they are just $15  here in NZ and we are light years from any where.

[Dr.McNinja]

why don't you just use OEM filter they are just $15  here in NZ and we are light years from any where.

I may be excessive, but any bike that is so dependent on quality oil shouldn't be skimped upon. I never buy OEM if I can avoid it. Generally aftermarket is 100% better. I will only ever go to OEM when there are no aftermarket parts available.

But as I said, I'd rather spend a few extra bucks on quality oil made to be in a crankcase and a filter from a reputable company (I've never had a OEM filter that was decent) than pay for it in engine repairs down the road. Since the GS500 is cooled by an air-cooled oil cooler I don't want to make a poor choice on oil OR a filter. Contaminants could cause reduced cooling efficiency. Reduced cooling efficiency in a location that regularly is hotter than 105 degrees in summer could be a potentially expensive mistake.


It's probably snake oil, but it definitely makes me sleep better at night. Plus the K&N filter was only 7 bucks (the purolator was 5 bucks) and the gallon of Motul 5100 was only 10 dollars more than the car oil you guys were recommending. Overall I paid 12 bucks more for better quality stuff. No skin off my back.

[sledge]

and a filter from a reputable company (I've never had a OEM filter that was decent)

Again...more dubious claims about filters 

What exactly are you basing this judgement on?? Running it in your engine for a few k-miles under uncontolled conditions, then pulling it out and looking at it??? This can hardly be called empirical evidence when the ISO lists 17 seperate standards and numerous test criteria relating to oil filters. Dunno how many SAE and JIS standards apply to oil filters but you can bet its going to be a similar figure 

http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_tc_browse.htm?commid=49880

Do you stop and ask yourself how many of these aftermarket filters actually meet these standards or is it just the fancy names on the box that matters?? 

One thing is for sure.......If OEM filters support Suzukis warranty when the bike is new it suggests that they are more than adequate for the application 

Here we go.....JIS D1611

http://www.webstore.jsa.or.jp/webstore/Com/FlowControl.jsp?lang=en&bunsyoId=JIS+D+1611-1%3A2003&dantaiCd=JIS&status=1&pageNo=0

I would rather buy a `Yangbangchang` filter made in a little factory somewhere in the land of the rising sun that meets this standard than a `Branded` filter that carries no claims about meeting any recognised standards whatsoever 

[mister]

Mister----Not to be a smartass myself, but I was just wondering why many Japanese car and small truck makers specifically require the use of plain old ordinary 10-30 or 10-40 motor oils in their manual transmissions if shear is such a problem? We're talking about some pretty hefty pressures involved  in gears pushing around a few thousand pounds of car and cargo for 30 to 60 thousands miles between changes. I've heard tales of some standard Hondas and Toyotas getting upward of 400,000 miles on the original transmissions.

If a guy can get 170,000 miles---and counting---out of 10-40 walmart oil ( changing it every 2000 miles ), just how bad can it be?-----How many of you out there are planning on putting anywhere close to that many miles on any bike anyway?

Regularly changing the oil is what's important - as long as the bike does not suffer between oil changes - not so much the brand. If I was getting the same results on Motul 1000 as I do on Motul 300v I would not be using the 300v. As my bike was bought brand new, I use what will maintain the worthless warranty Just In Case.  But now that it is out of warranty and I have Experienced the difference of 300v to a Lesser Oil, I will stick to 300v.


Michael

So, there isn't a single shop in town that has my oil filter (in purolator OR K&N) and the only motorcycle supplier (cyclegear) doesn't have Motul 5100. They can't keep it in stock because it goes so fast. I was reading about 300v, which they had in stock, but even the 10w-40 had "friction modifiers" in it (see: here), which is fairly off putting. I can pick up 300v here pretty cheap though, the cyclegear did have that in stock. Either way I'm going to have to order my oil filter, so I'll probably just order the oil with it.

If you don't want to risk the 300v, then don't. If 5100 seems like the thing for you to get, then try it and see if you like it - obviously if they cannot get enough of it other people are liking too, right?

300v is Not cheap - Anywhere I know of down here. Is their 300v this 300v "300V 4T FACTORYLINE 10W40"? Factoryline is the MC oil.

Friction Modifiers? I question Amazon's description. I think Amazon screwed up. The Factoryline is made specifically for motorbikes with wet clutches. Any doubts about Motul oil and friction modifiers in 300v try this email motulken@aol.com Ken will probably tell you, the oils were the same years ago UNTIL they started adding Friction Modifiers to the Car version. So if you have a wet clutch bike (and the GS500 is one) then use the Bike oils - for 300v that is Factoryline. But don't take my word, email him and see (he might even have something to say about filters ).

Michael

[slipperymongoose]

I use castrol gps 10w40 it's the first oil I saw in the shop that was 10w40. Seems to work right now I've got an OEM filter and I've got another 3 hiflo brand filters for my next 15000 kms.

[sotomoto]

i use TORCO T4R 10w40 oil and very very pleased i am. Previous oil motul 5100 15w50.To be fair, I believe it will work just fine with motul 5100 10w40...

It seems that 10w40 is  what engine and gear box want...i use suzuki filter and change oil every 5000km.

[BaltimoreGS]

Mister----Not to be a smartass myself, but I was just wondering why many Japanese car and small truck makers specifically require the use of plain old ordinary 10-30 or 10-40 motor oils in their manual transmissions if shear is such a problem? We're talking about some pretty hefty pressures involved  in gears pushing around a few thousand pounds of car and cargo for 30 to 60 thousands miles between changes. I've heard tales of some standard Hondas and Toyotas getting upward of 400,000 miles on the original transmissions.

I haven't run into a Toyota manual trans that takes anything besides 75w-90 GL-5 gear oil.  My old '95 currently has 190k miles on the original trans and clutch   

As for the annual oil debate: Use whatever oil gives you peace of mind, the fact that you change it regularly is what really counts!!

-Jessie

[elvis]

Where do you find the Shell Rotella stuff? I think I've looked for it but haven't seen it.

I used to use Mobil1 Racing oil at $10 a quart or more, and recently switched to Valvoline 10w40 conventional motorcycle oil for $5/quart. Haven't noticed a difference.

[gsJack]

Rotella T is available around here at any Walmart and at almost all auto parts stores like Autozone, etc.  If you are in another part of country they might have one of the other brands of heavy duty truck/diesel oils.  There's a long list of them at the bottom of this post about mc oils:

http://www.vfrworld.com/tex_vfr/tech/oil.htm