Follower scar oil tests (2018)

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Jim I've posted your information of the testing on the 356 Registry website. The 356 Porsche engines were designed in the same era as the Norton engine i.e. air cooled and flat follower cams. Similar oil requirements, although not as severe usage as the Norton engines.
Anyway and not to make more work for you, one of the preferred oils for them is this one https://www.penngrade.com/penngrade-1/
Since it's not full synthetic it may not be better than Bel Ray but may be a little cheaper.
Have you tested it?

Thanks, Ray

I have some here to test.
 
Early in my testing I tested the Royal Purple that had been run for 3700 miles in my bike. It tested the same as new.

Simply putting a number on ZDDP is not a very good indication of how the oil is going to work. ZDDP additives are a complex group of several additives which may or may not be of much benefit depending on the other additives in the oil.

ZDDP is sacrificial but only a small amount is used to produce a coating on the rubbing contacts in the motor. We have a pretty large oil capacity in comparison to the engine size, so the ZDDP is not going to be used up very fast in a Norton.

I tested an oil with no ZDDP. AeroShell 20W50.

It failed the moment the load arm was set down with the minimum weight.

I also re-tried the AeroShell after running another oil on the same arbor and follower for part of a cycle. I simply rinsed the bowl and parts with solvent and replaced the VR1 with AeroShell. It became obvious that there was a coating left on the arbor and follower because the Aeroshell was then able to carry some load.


Nice one, I have just found a UK supplier for Royal Purple.

I came across this guy at the Classic bike show last weekend, made me smile.

Follower scar oil tests (2018)
 
Nice one, I have just found a UK supplier for Royal Purple.

I came across this guy at the Classic bike show last weekend, made me smile.
Hi Storm

I found him at the MCN Alexandra Palace, fiasco, I bought a bottle:rolleyes:.

I have the motor out of my MK3 (it had contracted a mild case of fury drain bolt:eek:) new cam required, I have opted for Newmans std grind
(Newmans Billet New Cams Manufactured from EN40B Nitriding Steel) lapped followers, shells, re-bore, and mains timing chain and springs etc:eek:, once it's run in I will give the Active 8 a try at 5% with Silkolene super 4 20/50 semi.

Who's dealing Royal Purple in the UK ?
 
Looks like straight from the bottle, Bel Ray V-twin 10w50 synthetic is still on top as of now?

The Bel Ray is good stuff.

I just tested the Silkolene 20W50 Comp 4. I'm not sure if that is the same oil as Esme is referring to.
It was medium high heat from friction and failed at 180 lbs. It will likely hold up in a stock motor -but it would do it's best in a water cooled OHC motor.
 
The Bel Ray is good stuff.

I just tested the Silkolene 20W50 Comp 4. I'm not sure if that is the same oil as Esme is referring to.
It was medium high heat from friction and failed at 180 lbs. It will likely hold up in a stock motor -but it would do it's best in a water cooled OHC motor.

Hi Jim

Oh well looks like our old Nissan 4x4 will be enjoying the Silkolene :(, While I hunt for a better option! Sure my motor will be in standard trim after the rebuild, I still want to give all those costly new parts a good start in life, in the hope of them surviving to a healthy old age ;).
 
Hi Storm

I found him at the MCN Alexandra Palace, fiasco, I bought a bottle:rolleyes:.

I have the motor out of my MK3 (it had contracted a mild case of fury drain bolt:eek:) new cam required, I have opted for Newmans std grind
(Newmans Billet New Cams Manufactured from EN40B Nitriding Steel) lapped followers, shells, re-bore, and mains timing chain and springs etc:eek:, once it's run in I will give the Active 8 a try at 5% with Silkolene super 4 20/50 semi.

Who's dealing Royal Purple in the UK ?

Hi Esme

I had never heard of Newmans but their website looks ok, although I am not to sure about their recomended valve clearance specs.

What oil was in use for the cam fail?

I got a heavy duty cam chain from Andy the chain man, he has retired and gone to Spain but left the business running with someone else, the chain looks a decent upgrade.

http://www.the-chain-man.co.uk/products.html

The Bel-Ray V twin oil is availiable from here.

https://www.rapid-moto.com/v-twin-syn-eng-oil-10w-50-4l.html

And Royal Purple from here.

https://www.rivalmotorsport.co.uk/royal-purple-hps-20w50-fully-synthetic-performance-engine-oil
 
Indeed. Bel Ray my current favourite.
Hopefully Jim will soon test Bel Ray with reduced Activ8 dosage...

I will give it a spin this weekend. But I'm not to sure there is much to gain because the Bel Ray V-twin synthetic is very low viscous friction as it comes.
It will be interesting to see what happens to the friction at high load though.
 
Jim,
Did the Morris 20/50 V Twin oil ever arrive?
Martyn.

Yes and I tested it yesterday. It failed at 222 lbs with medium/high heat from friction.

It's tough oil but it may not be the best in extremely hot conditions.
I will get it posted this weekend. Jim
 
Hi Esme

I had never heard of Newmans but their website looks ok, although I am not to sure about their recomended valve clearance specs.

................

As far as I know, Newman cams are who produced the PW3 for Hemmings and White. And I also understood they are AN's supplier!

Unless someone else knows different?
 
Yes and I tested it yesterday. It failed at 222 lbs with medium/high heat from friction.

It's tough oil but it may not be the best in extremely hot conditions.
I will get it posted this weekend. Jim

My PW3 failed using Morris's straight 40. It was a popular choice for racing Norton twins in the '70s!
 
Castrol_Power_1_4T_20W50_Power_Release_Motorcycle_Oil
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

213 lbs load
1.21 heat from high pressure shear
3.78 heat from viscous friction

I would call this oil suitable for a Norton with mild tuning

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MPT_20W60_Motorcycle_with_STP
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

196 lbs load, reduced about 20 lbs. from test without STP
.95 heat from high pressure shear
.01 heat from friction

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Comma_Classic_20W50
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

190 lbs load
3.97 heat from high pressure shear
3.93 heat from viscous friction

I would not recommend this for a Norton

__________________________________________________________
Penngrade_1_20W50_Partial_Synthetic
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

152 lbs load
4.98 heat from high pressure shear
5.233 heat from viscous friction

Not recommended for a Norton
__________________________________________________________
Rock_Oil_Synthesis_10W50
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

196 lbs. Load
4.23 heat from high pressure shear
6.61 heat from viscous friction

Sufficient load capacity but high heat. Good for cool climates or water cooling.

__________________________________________________________ Duckhams_Q_Classic_20W50
Follower scar oil tests (2018)
117 lbs. load
No data for heat from high pressure shear
3.93 heat from viscous friction

Not suitable for a Norton

__________________________________________________________
Total_Elf_Moto_4_Race_10W60
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

228 lbs load
4.48 heat from high pressure shear
1.93 heat from viscous friction

Suitable for Nortons with mild tuning.

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Morris_Oils_20w50_V-Twin_conventional
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

222 lbs load
4.73 heat from high pressure shear
4.98 heat from viscous friction

Sufficient load capacity but high heat generated would limit this to cooler climates in a Norton.

__________________________________________________________
Fuchs_Silkolene_20W50_Comp_4
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

180 lbs load
5.74 heat from high pressure shear
4.25 heat from Viscous friction

Medium load capacity along with med/high heat would not make it a good choice for a Norton.

__________________________________________________________
Fuchs_Titan_Race_Pro_S_20W60
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

125 Lbs load
No data for heat from high pressure shear
2.14 heat from viscous friction

Load capacity is not high enough for a Norton

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Miller_Oils_Classic_Sport_High_Performance_20W50
Follower scar oil tests (2018)

128 lbs load
No data for heat from high pressure shear
0 heat from friction

Great low friction oil -too bad it's load capacity is too low to be recommended for a Norton

__________________________________________________________ Driven_BR_15W50_conventional_break_in_oil
Follower scar oil tests (2018)
163 lbs. load
5.99 heat from high pressure shear
3.95 heat from viscous friction

I would not use this in my bike.
 
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Wow, busy day eh Jim?!

Again, some popular brands have been ‘busted’ it seems.

Still nothing to top the Bel Ray.

The Fuchs has med to high heat Jim, would this lead it to break down / lose viscosity in a high temp environment?

The reason I ask is that I stopped using Fuchs / Silkoline for this very reason, it lost oil pressure so badly I thought I had serious engine trouble, until a change of oil restored oil pressure.
 
The Bel Ray EXP 20/50 gets my vote for general duty standard engine use. Cheap enough to change often , fairly low friction and lots of load strength.
The Egli might get treated to some Bel Ray synthetic VTwin 10-60.
I see Bel Ray also has semi-synthetic VTwin 20/50 and Mineral V Twin 20/50.

Glen
 
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Wow, busy day eh Jim?!

Again, some popular brands have been ‘busted’ it seems.

Still nothing to top the Bel Ray.

The Fuchs has med to high heat Jim, would this lead it to break down / lose viscosity in a high temp environment?

The reason I ask is that I stopped using Fuchs / Silkoline for this very reason, it lost oil pressure so badly I thought I had serious engine trouble, until a change of oil restored oil pressure.

The oil tests have been piling up. Getting them analyzed and posted has been the holdup.

Yes, the higher friction does lead to hot oil and loss of viscosity. And of course loss of viscosity means lower load capacity in a real engine.
 
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