View Full Version : 5W40 instead of 10W40?
I know there will be a post on this somewhere so please excuse me... I'm on my phone and the search feature is rubbish!
I went and bought some oil from Halfords this morning, knowing to get 10w-40 and when I got home I for some reason picked up 5w-40... My question is, is it alright to use this? Or better to take it back and get the right stuff?
Cheers!
Biker Biggles
05-02-11, 11:45 AM
Take it back and get the right stuff.Make sure what you get is motorcycle oil and not car oil and its the right viscosity.
MattCollins
05-02-11, 04:43 PM
Providing that it is a motorcycle oil, I'd have no issue with it. That 5W cold rating doesn't make the oil somehow thinner or the wrong grade. It's still a 40W that'll just flow a bit quicker cold meaning oil to the journals and cams faster. Very clever people spend a lot of time attempting to improve oils in this way.
Biker Biggles
05-02-11, 05:26 PM
I could be wrong but I didnt think Halfords did anything but their standard semi synthetic motorbike oil,hence my assumption that the OP has bought something else.There again I havnt bought oil from them for a couple of years
Took it back to Halfords and they had none... eBay it is!
timwilky
05-02-11, 08:04 PM
Halford's full synth is a 5W/40. Overkill to put a full synth in a SV. But it wouldn't do any harm.
hardhat_harry
05-02-11, 11:23 PM
I put full synth in my track SV and its never suffered from it.
Tbh I dont believe their is a difference between bike and car oil anymore.
Most oils these days have the same additives in.
The bike only stuff had an additive to prevent clutch drag but this is in the car stuff too now.
johnnyrod
07-02-11, 04:02 PM
I don't think the film strength of 5W/40 is up to the pounding a twin can give the crank. I wouldn't do it.
Tbh I dont believe their is a difference between bike and car oil anymore.
Most oils these days have the same additives in.
The bike only stuff had an additive to prevent clutch drag but this is in the car stuff too now.
Ive read that car oils have addatives that are not suitable for the wet clutches found on most motorcyles and may cause clutch slippage.
hardhat_harry
08-02-11, 08:53 PM
All I can tell u what my Bike and Car Mechanic friend said and he has been in the game over 20 years I'd rather trust him.
minitwin49
08-02-11, 09:12 PM
Tbh I dont believe their is a difference between bike and car oil anymore.
Not true, Car oils have 'extra slip' additives, Motorcycles cannot use oils that contain these - the wet clutch wouldn't work!
As to what oils contain what additives, the only way of telling is by the API/ACEA ratings.
Just something I learnt from my Castrol talk back in my apprenticeship.
Not true, Car oils have 'extra slip' additives, Motorcycles cannot use oils that contain these - the wet clutch wouldn't work!
As to what oils contain what additives, the only way of telling is by the API/ACEA ratings.
Just something I learnt from my Castrol talk back in my apprenticeship.
not all car oils, only "energy conserving" car oils that are generally a viscosity of 30 or less warm so car 10W40 or 5w-40 or 0w-40 are ok, but not 10w30, 5w-20, 0w-20, etc
and as far as "won't work" is extreme I know for a FACT they will work as I have used energy conserving in my SV without any harm in a pinch to top off and stayed in till next regular scheduled oil change.
your better of with a full crank case containing some car oil than you are running low on motorcycle specific oil
the statement is better worded, energy conserving car oils "might" make wet clutches slip
minitwin49
09-02-11, 06:15 PM
and as far as "won't work" is extreme I know for a FACT they will work as I have used energy conserving in my SV without any harm in a pinch to top off and stayed in till next regular scheduled oil change.
the statement is better worded, energy conserving car oils "might" make wet clutches slip
I have used it as a top up for about 300ml and it was fine, but if used as a full drain it does cause this, I have ridden a wet clutch motorcycle that had this oil put in when the customer serviced it, the clutch slipped badly and new plates were required.
Well if it's anything... I have always used just a 10w-40 from Halfords to top mine up! As bad as it sounds I didn't actually know there was a difference. I though 10w-40 was 10w-40 whether that be a car or a bike...
Never experienced a problem though
Now I know... Ops!
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