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Keeping your oil clean is important to the life of your vehicle. This is because it not only lubricates but also cleans and cools the moving parts. The oil transfers heat from the block to the oil pan as well as holding any dirt it picks up in suspension. The oil also gets thicker as it is used because the lighter molecules or more volatile parts of the oil get hot and turn into vapor. This combination causes the oil to transfer less heat and lubricate less.
This is where synthetic oils really start to have a benefit to the engine. Because synthetic oils don't have any variation in molecular size or volatility they don't vaporize off or get thicker. This allows the oil to lubricate better at low temperatures and as the oil gets dirtier. The synthetic oils also have fewer problems with viscosity break down at higher temperatures because of their stability.
Oil must serve as a cleaning function, carrying away dirt or other debris which damages bearings or other parts which operate in tight tolerances. Debris is removed through the engine oil filter or the transmission filter.
Oil uses detergent additives to combat combustion by-products. Burning gasoline (or diesel fuel) produces acids, moisture, soda, ash and other contaminants. The detergent fights these by-products, inhibiting their buildup as sludge, varnishes, etc.
Oil is a tremendous coolant. In the engine, the oil cools the underside of the pistons, valve springs, camshaft, rods, crankshaft and bearings. The oil picks up the heat from the combustion of fuel, as well as friction, and takes it away (no matter how good the oil may be, there is always friction). The volume of the oil in the crankcase helps transfer the heat, but where a car/truck is used in high temperature climates, for hauling trailers or heavy loads, an engine oil cooler is sometimes recommended. By using 100% Synthetic Oil the engine will remain COOL even in the harshest conditions. Synthetic will cause the average engine to operate 30 degrees to 50 degrees cooler than normal!
Regardless of what type of oil you use, you should change it and the filter regularly, using a good quality oil filter. This is the least expensive long term maintenance you can do for your motorcycle.
Changing your oil on a regular basis can do more than just about anything else to help keep your vehicle running longer. Regardless of what you may have heard, your oil should be changed at intervals of no more than three thousand to six thousand miles.
One of the most common misconceptions is simply the question of what is severe and non-severe driving. To answer that question is simple, if you do mostly "around town" driving, which is severe, why? Because used for short trips your oil never has the chance to burn off collected condensation, fuel residue, and other contaminants, in addition this type of driving allows the oil viscosity to break down much faster. In short if this is the majority of your driving you should have your oil changed at every three thousand miles.
If the type of driving you do is mainly highway and long mileage drives at higher speeds, this is considered lighter duty and you can then stretch your oil change interval to six thousand miles.
Regular oil changes will help prevent:
1. Ring sticking and gumming
2. Excess engine deposits
3. Oil pump clogging
4. High emmision levels
5. Viscosity break-down
6. Oil oxidation (thickining)
7. Oil filter failure
Mike
P.S. Mr AMSOIL a.k.a. Tom Says Buy AMSOIL!!!