use 20W-50W oil ONLY! - Ducati.ms

08hyper · Dec 17th, 2009, 10:43 pm

Hello Ladies & Gents, I just wanted to let the Forum members here know that they should use a 20W-50 motor oil only, even though the manual says you can use a 10W-40 motor oil, as some of you know, my 102HP "MOTOR OF DEATH" died, I lost my crankcase ball bearings, and the rod bearings looked like they had 100,000 miles on them!

after a close examination, by some mechanics & crankshaft specialists, it may have come down to the incorrect weight oil, I have used the 10W-40 oil since new, & I now have about 12,000 mi.

After talking to some race shops here & in Europe, I found that they ALL use the 20W-50 oil, for some reason the air-cooled Ducatis are especially hard on the oil & needs the heavier oils to help absorb the "pounding" the bottom end takes. The top-end was in great shape, so go figure.

I have ALWAYS used top quality motorcycle specific synthetic motor oils & change it every 2500mi. this time it did not make the difference.

So this is what I learned...........
1. If you do track-days use 20-50
2. if you just ride hard use 20-50
3. if its over 80 degrees use 20-50
4. if you have more HP than stock use 20-50
5. if your bike is stock, and you ride like a Grandma, and its a winter snow storm you can get away with a 10-40

So this in NOT a I use this oil brand or that oil brand, I don't care what oil you use, just use a good 20W-50 motorcycle oil, change it often, and hopefully you don't go through what I'm going through, lesson over.

Aloha Alex

PedroHM · Dec 17th, 2009, 10:54 pm

surely it depends on where you live and the temperatures you expect to hit. I was already recommended 20-50 i think by my shop.

hooptygoo · Dec 17th, 2009, 10:58 pm

Huh.

How about 15w-50? (full synthetic)

I don't even know the the numbers mean

...turns to google

hyperdookie · Dec 17th, 2009, 11:08 pm

And they didn't tell you that and fill it with 20-50 when they built it why??? Alex, I'm not buying it. The first thing I thought when I heard your motor cooked was, they fucked up.Didn't you have a problem with the valves when you first got it back too? I don't think the oil was the cause of your failure. I'm pretty sure there are guys out there with a lot more HP running 10-40.Best of luck with round two.Please understand I'm not trying to be a dick with this post, you seem like a hell of a nice guy.

Kamperkitjay · Dec 17th, 2009, 11:09 pm

The W stands for winter!! not weight!! a 15 or 20w50 is basically a 50 weight oil with the 15 or 20 or?? added in which will circulate better at lower temps... If you live in a very hot climate you could just run straight 50 weight... I could go on!!

AXE · Dec 17th, 2009, 11:17 pm

I always use 50W in my rigs, especially when your hammering on them. I am using 10W - 50 in the Hyper. It's the second number that counts most, the first number is a cold start number.

Here is an explanation, I have seen better ones.

This is either a single number (e.g., 30 weight) or a pair of numbers separated by the letter W (e.g., 10W30.) The latter type is much more commonly used these days, and are the only type that most automobile manufacturers specify in operators manuals. The first number in the designation (10W) is the apparent viscosity of the oil when it is cold; the W stands for `winter'. The second number (30) is the viscosity of the oil when hot. There is a trick here; the oil doesn't actually get thicker (turn from 10 weight to 30 weight) as it gets hotter. What is actually happening is that when the oil is cold, it has the viscosity of a cold 10 weight oil. as it gets hotter, it doesn't get thin as fast as a 10W oil would; by the time it is up to temperature, it has the viscosity of a hot 30 weight oil.

Note that these numbers actually specify ranges of viscosities; not all 10W oils have exactly the same viscosity when cold, and not all 30 weight oils have the same viscosity when hot. Also the behavior of multi-grade oils is caused by additives, and it has been reported that some 10W40 oils do not retain their multi-grade characteristics well over time. But 10W30, 15W40, and 20W50 oils work fine.

Out!

08hyper · Dec 17th, 2009, 11:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hooptygoo

Huh.

How about 15w-50? (full synthetic)

I don't even know the the numbers mean

...turns to google

15W-50 is close enough, its the 50 thats important. Aloha Alex

hyperdookie · Dec 17th, 2009, 11:31 pm

Thick oil robs horsepower. I'm runnin' straight 3w.

08hyper · Dec 17th, 2009, 11:40 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hyperdookie

And they didn't tell you that and fill it with 20-50 when they built it why??? Alex, I'm not buying it. The first thing I thought when I heard your motor cooked was, they fucked up.Didn't you have a problem with the valves when you first got it back too? I don't think the oil was the cause of your failure. I'm pretty sure there are guys out there with a lot more HP running 10-40.Best of luck with round two.Please understand I'm not trying to be a dick with this post, you seem like a hell of a nice guy.

No the shop did not fuckup, the bottom end has never been opened till now.
On my valve issue ,it was the aftermarket valve collets that proved too tight,
that gave a false bottomed out feeling, until it actually seated.

I know that there are a lot of guys out there that are running the 10w40 motor oil, heck, I'm one of them! I always believed that a good quality lighter weight oil would make more power & still protect the motor, but in this case I was wrong, and all the race shops that I have spoken with that know this motor say to use the 20w50 motor oil, and I AM a hell of a nice guy,

thanks Aloha Alex

hyperdookie · Dec 17th, 2009, 11:48 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by 08hyper

No the shop did not fuckup, the bottom end has never been opened till now.
On my valve issue ,it was the aftermarket valve collets that proved too tight,
that gave a false bottomed out feeling, until it actually seated.

I know that there are a lot of guys out there that are running the 10w40 motor oil, heck, I'm one of them! I always believed that a good quality lighter weight oil would make more power & still protect the motor, but in this case I was wrong, and all the race shops that I have spoken with that know this motor say to use the 20w50 motor oil, and I AM a hell of a nice guy,

thanks Aloha Alex

That's good to hear.By the way, I've always been a fan of heavier oils especially on an air cooled motor. It never ceases to amaze me how thin hot engine oil is when draining it. Like frickin water.Maybe I'll heed your warning.