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Difference between revisions of "What Motor Oil Should You Use?"
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still a very rough draft
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This is your starting point. Don't use a motor oil that doesn't meet the specifications listed in the owner's manual. There's really no reason to, since there are a vast array of motor oils to choose from that will meet those requirements. | This is your starting point. Don't use a motor oil that doesn't meet the specifications listed in the owner's manual. There's really no reason to, since there are a vast array of motor oils to choose from that will meet those requirements. | ||
===Online Resources=== | |||
We'll cover the basics of motor oil below. But this article is only one of many you can and maybe should read if you want to make a fully informed decision. So, here's a quick list of some good resources available online concerning motor oil in general, and motor oil for motorcycles. | |||
* All about oil: http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/Oils1.html | |||
* API Grades: http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/API.html | |||
* More API: http://new.api.org/certifications/engineoil/categories/index.cfm | |||
* Synthetic Oil Life Study: http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/oil-life.html | |||
* Oil Testing Lab: http://www.blackstone-labs.com/ | |||
==Basic Information== | |||
===API Grade=== | ===API Grade=== | ||
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Mark Lawrence has put together a nice summary of the various API grades on [http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/API.html this webpage]. | Mark Lawrence has put together a nice summary of the various API grades on [http://www.calsci.com/motorcycleinfo/API.html this webpage]. | ||
Your owner's manual will tell you the minimum API service and grade you need to use in your motorcycle. | Your owner's manual will tell you the minimum API service and grade you need to use in your motorcycle. But perhaps you want to go above and beyond the minimum requirements? See the More Information section below. | ||
But perhaps you want to go above and beyond the minimum requirements? See the More Information section below. | |||
===SAE Weight=== | ===SAE Weight=== | ||
The API donut also tells you the SAE weight of the motor oil. | The API donut also tells you the SAE weight of the motor oil. | ||
===Synthetic v. Conventional=== | |||
===Motorcycle Oil v. Automotive Oil=== | |||
===OEM Oil=== | |||
==Great Motor Oil Conspiracy== | |||
* Free Market Competition: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Competition.html | |||
* Economics of Collusion: http://www.tutor2u.net/economics/content/topics/monopoly/cartels.htm | |||
* Prisoner's Dilemma: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/PrisonersDilemma.html | |||
==More Information== | |||
Some of these are repetitions of links earlier in this article. They're all gathered here for convenience, with a few added in for even more information. | |||