Hi, can anyone tell me if I can use a modern OW 40 oil in place of the OE 40 oil for BSa m20
email (option): cdpeach@hotmail.com
Firstly, I would point out that I'm not a 'Luddite' and am open to improvements where they are warranted...
I have always used SAE 40 engine oil for my M20s and other BSA heavyweight singles with a change to SAE 50 if the weather is very warm in the summer and I have a longer run planned...
In the gearbox I use the same grade, as the BSA box is designed to run on engine oil...In the primary drive I am currently changing to ATF as I have a Triumph clutch fitted but I think any lighter weight 'straight' oil would work...
Using these grades I have successfully completed hundreds of thousands of miles on various BSA singles over a 50 year period....
Synthetics are not generally suitable for the primary drive due to the use of friction modifyers that affect the operation of the clutch...They may be suitable for the engine and box but even if they are I don't think the cost increase over standard oil grades could be justified as there are no wear/lubrication issues within realistic time spans when using the standard oils....
Synthetics are primarily designed for modern engines which differ in many ways from the M20 so I certainly wouldn't assume any benefit and would consider the possibility of detrimental issues....With these questions I usually contact the customer services department of the oil company to find out what they recommend....
Personally, I wouldn't consider it as I've done very high mileages with no lubrication related problems using standard oils so for me there is no imperative to change....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Wasn’t expecting that, fantastic, very helpful thank you. Will stick with the classic stuff then!
Cheers Chris
email (option): cdpeach@hotmail.com
I.m also not thinking about modern oil on my bike..
But when you do it if your engine is not opened and cleaned and oil tank is not cleaned...be aware that modern oil have also a cleaning function..so all the black stuff inside will be cleaned wich result in some often change oil in the beginning..
Cheers
What is important is not what goes in but how long it has been in there
I am using 20W50 which wet sumps
The strait 30 also wet sumps but not as bad
and strait 40 or 50 ( I am in Australia )does not wet sump at all.
Ow50 will be fine while running but tend to leak everywhere when sitting in your shed and I could bet London to a brick & on that you will find all of it in your sump after 24 hours sitting unused .
There is zero actual advantage to be gained from using expensive synthetic oils in any BSA
On the unit engines that have oil seals I run 3 different oils that are 3 different colours purely for the benefit of working out where the oil is leaking from.
You can not change the engine oil often enough so cheaper standard oils chainged every time to go for a ride will be a lot better in the long run than expensive oils sitting in there for 5 years ( or longer )
['You can not change the engine oil often enough so cheaper standard oils chainged every time to go for a ride will be a lot better in the long run than expensive oils sitting in there for 5 years ( or longer )']
Yes, I change my engine oil at the 2000 mile intervals originally specified and more frequently when running in...(100, 250, 500 and 1000 miles)..I also do the gearbox oil frequently...
All oils in the UK are produced to British Standards so there aren't really any 'bad' oils...The price differences mainly come from how much the basic refined oil has been manipulated by the addition of various additives...And marketing of course, just take a look at how much Harley Davidson charge for selling oil in a Harley tin!!:laughing: ...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
Does anyone have an experience using thixotropic lubricant in the gearbox to reduce "parking puddle"(thickens when stopped, becomes liquid when stirred up during operation). I read this in an article about the BSA's gearbox by Neale Gentner
email (option): Tomasz-laciak@wp.pl
I didn't check and the topic has been discussed many times, sorry
email (option): Tomasz-laciak@wp.pl
I used to use 20W but it had become difficult to find anymore so switched to ATF years ago. It works fine. ATF oil viscosity wise is equivalent to 5 or 10 weight motor oil.
5W - 20 and 0W -16 motor oil is readily available but appears to only be available as a fully synthetic oil and it costs more than ATF so have not tried it.
A link to that article would be good if you remember how to find it .
There are hundreds of semi fluid greases that melt at low temperatures.
Link Life chain lube is one we would be all familiar with .
Considering that the kickstart drives through the mainshaft which is in the bottom of gearbox and just how hard it is to kick start a wet sumped engines I doubt that this would be a viable solution to a problem that does not exist except in ones ones own mind and then is easy fixed .
I never see the sense in trying to make old bikes that were not oil tight to start with become oil tight after 50+ years of service .
['I never see the sense in trying to make old bikes that were not oil tight to start with become oil tight after 50+ years of service ...']
Not too sure about that...They leaked because leather, tin shields, bits of felt and a lack of seals and O rings determined that they would, not because it was the best way or that they wanted them that way...
I recently added a viton 'O' ring to the speedo drive housing on my Goldie which had an irritating minor leak...It's now gone. A sealed bearing in the M20 gearbox, for example, seems an obvious choice when the inherent leak in the original set up can rapidly cause damage if the oil level drops too far. It can do that very quickly in my experience...And I'm not going back to using Red Hermetite!:laughing: ...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
And after time they leak around the oil scrols because the hole has enlarged and the scrol is no longer able to pump the oil back
They leaked oil from new and period publications were not afraid to state that
So you can modify the decompressor , put sealed bearings in the gearbox ( oil will still leak out the breather )replace the cork tube replace the pushrod cork but it will still leak from the kick start and from the gear change and from the clutch push rod because the corks are not constrained so that can be compresses like a gland
spend forever knocking the bolt holes in a tin primary flush with the surface again replace the felt behind the sliding plate ever 12 months but if you use it it will leak oil because that was not considered a problem back in the 1940's, 50's, 60's ( and in the UK 70's & 80's )and none of the sealing systems are oil tight .
The breather will blow a lot of oil mist out onto the chain, in fact that was a design feature
Now If i was doing a bike that was leak free when new then that is a different matter