Anybody using oil additives?

dlearl said:

Alex, are you certain what you drained out of your rear end isn't a "break-in" forumula? One of the reasons that 600 mile check is so important.

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The oil that drained from the rear wheel drive of both my 2003 and 2004 GS Adventure contained molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) additive as far as I'm concerned. No doubt in my mind unless another additive makes oil that black and I mean pitch black. I'm used to seeing it because that is what my hypoid gear oil looks like coming out of the transmission and rear drive of my R100 GS that I mix DC M Gear Guard in with.

At the upcoming show, I will ask BMW what the story is.

As for lubricants, I use what is recommended...period. Why second guess those that know unless there is an issue as there is with airhead transmissions...ones without the circlip...the reason I use an additive.

As for engine oils, I use motorcycle specific oils, but non-synthetic. Being an EC oil isn't an issue since we run a dry clutch, but there are other "ingredients" in MC specific oils that do make a difference over the long haul. I will use a synthetic if going on a long tour if I don't want to have to do an oil change enroute.

NOTE: Although I don't use MolySlip products, they state:

Molyslip Manual Transmission Supplement can be used with any mineral oil (traditional motor oil), synthetic oil or synthetic/mineral blends. For best results, add Molyslip Manual Transmission Supplement at each oil change, however you don't need to change the oil before adding. Just don't overfill.

Molyslip Manual Transmission Supplement should NOT be used in transmissions using a wet clutch system (found on many motorcycles), in automatic transmissions, in manual transmissions using a glycol based fluid or on limited slip differentials.

There is a good read on this oil thing @ the advrider website refering to using diesel rated oils in our bikes. But one of the things I remember reading is that the EC labeled oils contain less lead and phosphorus, which the EPA has regulated. Diesel oils on the other hand are not regulated down on these 2 key ingredients. But this whole oil thing really is rather amusing...most BMW riders average less than 10,000 miles a year....4 oil changes tops. If you spend $2.00 a quart more for recommended oil , that's $ 32.00 tops for the year...not enough to make me loose sleep over whether I'm properly taking care of my bike. And there must be something to using factory recommended products....new BMW cars come with full synthetic in their motors, yet the bikes don't...must be a reason and I am sure cost isn't one of them. And the cars come with a 15,000 mile oil change interval. Hop over to the www.advrider.com site and look up the read I was talking about...folks with alot more knowledge about this stuff submitted some pretty interesting reads.

I use MOBIL 1 15w/50 in the engine and MOBIL 1 75w/90 in the tranny and final drive.

Been using MOBIL 1 in the tranny / final drive since the initial 600 mi. service, and started using MOBIL 1 in the engine at 1200 miles.

I'm now at 15,000+ miles, and my RT doesn't use any oil between changes.

For the most part, additives = snake oil.

I've used this over 15 years

I have used Metalon in my GSXR's racing (over 5000 km's), Moto Guzzi's, VW Diesel (over 750,000 km's), and my BMW's and currently in my '97 RT that has over 150,000 km's. Have never had "gooee" valve covers, and never blown a motor. It dosn't matter the weight of the oil or the temp's that you ride / drive in Metalon seems to help my engines run better. It seems a little more money than other products but you use less so the bottle really lasts longer. I have a friend that has Slick 50 as a racing sponsor but likes the Metalon much better.

I don't have any affiliation to this product.....I just use it and like it's performance.

http://metalontech.com/metalonm.ihtml

Hope this helps out...

Oils

I inherated a 1962 studabaker from my wifes grandpa, this car had ATF in EVERYTHING - we drove that car forever with no leaks, or engine problems,
ATF is a wonderful lubricant and does not turn black...matthew

I've been using MOBIL 1 15w/50 in my '03 RT since the 3000 mile mark.

Been using MOBIL 1 75w/90 in the tranny / final drive since 1200 miles.

Bike runs great and doesn't use any appreciable amount of oil between oil / filter changes.

BTW: No need to use any oil additives, if you change your oil / filter on a routine schedule.

Hello; Way . . . way back when I started my apprenticeship in heavy duty mechanics (1978) the instructors told us that additives are a waste of money. If a manufacturer wanted an additive package used in tehir engines, they would recommend it in their users manual. I have seen hundreds of user manuals and have never seen a recommendation for an oil additive. They must know something about their engines, transmissions and rear ends.

Years ago (1982) a pickup came in with a blown diff, we had a new boss at the time, he said, don't change the diff, just put this can into it and send it out again. We all laughed about it at the time, the idea that whatever was in that can could weld broken gears back together, but I did what I was told, and , of course, it didn't work, and I changed the diff two days later.

A few years later (1984) we diecided to try synthetic oil in our off road logging trucks. Two new engines were going into trucks (Cat 3408 engines at 24.000 dollars each), the drivers were very similar in miles and maintenance records. We used synthetic in one and dino oil in the other. After 12 years of service both engines were brought in and torn down and inspected with particular attention to bearing wear. Neither engine showed any apprecable wear. It was uncanny, the parts looked identical. This is after 24,000 hours nearly continuous use. The conclusion was that the synthetic was a good oil but the extra cost was not justifiable.

I know that you guys want what you think is best for your equipment, and that you might feel better knowing that you paid more for the oil you use in it. That is where synthetic oils advantage is, it might make you feel like you have the best in there. If that is what you want, go ahead.

I had a high mileage VW rabbit (750,000 kms.) that would run away on dino oil, I put synth oil in it and it didn't run away any more. The problem was blow-by at the rings, and that the synth wasn't as combustable as the dino oil. The solution to the problem was new rings, but I got another 30 or 40 thousand out of it by using synth oil. Like they say in the commercials "your results may vary".

Global Rider said:

The oil that drained from the rear wheel drive of both my 2003 and 2004 GS Adventure contained molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) additive as far as I'm concerned. No doubt in my mind unless another additive makes oil that black and I mean pitch black. I'm used to seeing it because that is what my hypoid gear oil looks like coming out of the transmission and rear drive of my R100 GS that I mix DC M Gear Guard in with.

At the upcoming show, I will ask BMW what the story is.

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BMW Canada contacted BMW AG. They claim no additives are used. I wonder. In all my years of wrenching, I have never seen a gear oil turn pitch black in a mere 600 miles.