Oil Change guide and Oil type

Rotella is 15/40 grade and we should no be running oil long enough to chew it up to matter before renewed again. Single grade for the climate of each ride is the best way to go even with synthetics. W on label don't mean Weight, it means Winter grade that don't thicken up as much as non W grade when cold, but still thickens up of course. Keep rpm out of lugging zone much as ya can, change about 2000 mile range and don't start up unless you get it full temp to lay down the ZAPP nano thin layer that gets wiped off on each new start and drive off combustion moisture. Much as friction & heat gets all the attention there is a chemical corrosion aspect that weakens microscopic metal layer to begin the pitting and rubbing off of metal by the size of particles regular oil filter pass through like air through widow screen.

Andover Nortons recommendations
Engine
Straight 40 HD Oil

Primary
Either a Monograde Oil, or (better) ATF Oil.

Gearbox
EP90 Gearbox Oil


http://www.andover-norton.co.uk/SI%20Oil.htm

You guys (and girl) got it all wrong, I use Milk because it available at any store, turns to butter which lubricates everything well & at the end of every ride it has the added benefit of giving me something to put on the toast that I cook by wiring it to my header pipes!

As you know, I'm not a mechanic... but Carl Donelson at Donelson Cycles in St. Louis is (Original Norton Dealer) -Now Triumph, Ducati, etc.

I asked him about the oils in this thread and he explained that he thinks that using a synthetic is a mistake. He said that he only uses monograde SAE50 (winter) SAE40 (Summer) Morris Golden Film in his classic Nortons. (He has several.) He also said that is the only oil his service Dept puts in the Nortons they work on.

Just my two cents worth.

Also, my word of advice... don't over fill. My Commando like the Oil tank dip stick to indicate the level as "Low".

Johnnymac said:

I asked him about the oils in this thread and he explained that he thinks that using a synthetic is a mistake. He said that he only uses monograde SAE50 (winter) SAE40 (Summer) Morris Golden Film in his classic Nortons. (He has several.) He also said that is the only oil his service Dept puts in the Nortons they work on.

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"SAE50 (winter) SAE40 (Summer)" Did you mean the other way around? He didn't happen to explain why he didn't like synthetics for Nortons?

rpatton said:

Johnnymac said:

I asked him about the oils in this thread and he explained that he thinks that using a synthetic is a mistake. He said that he only uses monograde SAE50 (winter) SAE40 (Summer) Morris Golden Film in his classic Nortons. (He has several.) He also said that is the only oil his service Dept puts in the Nortons they work on.

Click to expand...

"SAE50 (winter) SAE40 (Summer)" Did you mean the other way around? He didn't happen to explain why he didn't like synthetics for Nortons?

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Yep, I switched em.

He said that is because it works better. I will ask him next time in in there to clarify.

Since this is an oil post I am sure I am doing it all wrong and using the wrong oil but I am comfortable with that. My theory is oil, even at today's prices, is cheap and the best oil is fresh and clean oil. I can afford to keep very clean oil in my Norton and I do. I use Castrol 20/50 in the engine and ATF(Automatic Trans Fluid) in the Primary. Why? Because I always have and I can get it at Wal-Mart when I buy lunch meat and dog food. I change the oil excessively (about every 500 to 800 miles) I have to estimate mileage because the speedo drive box broke a few years ago and I was so disgusted with it I just refused to replace it with another bad one. I change oil about four times to one filter. The drill I follow is to start the bike and get it a little warm. Pull the sump plug and drain that, then pull the oil tank drain and empty that. I follow that up with a little nut and bolt tightening ritual and a cable check. Fun Norton stuff.

oil threads are cool I'm sure the poor guy is totally confused now. I am not qualified to venture an opinion on this, but didn't Alan Goldwater do a really comprehensive oil test a while back and publish the results on the INOAlist? I seem to remember that Red Line far out performed the rest, but I don't recall what other brands were included.

hobot said:

W on label don't mean Weight, it means Winter grade that don't thicken up as much as non W grade when cold, but still thickens up of course.

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The W stands for the viscosity measured at 32F. For a 20w50, it has the viscosity of a 20 weight oil at 32F and the viscosity that a 50 weight would have at 212F. I don't think they've ever come up with an oil that don't thicken up when cold. They have come up with an oil that doesn't, to a certain extent, thin out when hot. There's a difference. It's that a 20w50 oil never has viscosity above 20w throughout the temperature range.

I was just pointing out technical slang mis use of using "weight" instead of "grade" for viscosity and that the W means Winter to denote some effort-additives put in the single grade oils of past era to minimize winter thickening. I was really surprised-pleased to hardly find any ferric dust on Trixie's sump magnet nor any wear but better burnishing on valves and cam lobes/lifter with I re-ringed her this spring after like 8000 miles full scope usage - sticking with plain ole 15/40 Rotella. I saw more in Peel regularly using last decade's Mobil 1 synthetic after tedious expensive expert machining-fitting of barrel and new pistons with cryogenic tempering and Ti-oxide dry friction treatment. I changed Peel's oil about every 1000 miles but only only twice renewed Trixie's as just top off lazy and ain't even changed her oil filter after couple blow ups. There is scuttlebutt the new Mobil One ain't as good as past. I've also discovered the hi end coal-tar-petroleum oils like Castrol and Valvoline multi grades coagulate and settle out a snot like layer after half decade sitting to be used. Main thing seems keep em spun up for oil surfing and change as often as able and willing. On Trixie I almost never start up unless to full heat up to get the thin ZAPP layer formed that is wiped off on each start up. I live in a slight conflict of preservation operation, to keep engine spun up over 2000 rpm on THE Gravel and not go too fast to control-dodge-stop for routine crisis, means staying in lower gears which I know for sure is eating up sleeve bushes for faster clutch wobble vs about lugging in 4th at 30 mph which eats engine parts. There is some polymer chemistry that tangles up the strings when heated so become thicker with heat, till sheared apart so much they can't tangle up no more and thins out too much with heat.