Oil soloution?

Triplebrew · Unread post by **Triplebrew** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:56 pm

Have long been thinking, and talking, as many will know about changing oil. Had a chat with the technical guy at Morris Lubricants today and he says that I need to drain out as much as possible of the synthetic stuff and then fill up with R, warm up, drain and repeat as many times as needed until the oil is clear. Now I am not so keen on that not least because I don't have a vast stock of R! What I am looking at doing is using a parts washer or similar to 'flush the engine through both right way up and upside down before adding R and running. Any thoughts from you knowledgable folks?
Have a bit of time a the motor is curremntly in the lounge whilst I waot to send the frame for powdercoat following the alterations made.

Unread post by RP » Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:46 am

You used to be able to get flushing oil. Dunno if it's still made.

the gobshite · Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:52 am

comma make flushing oil, its about a fiver a gallon

Triplebrew · Unread post by **Triplebrew** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:49 am

That is a thought. Now excuse for me being thick but how do I use it? The engine and oil tank are empty at the moment.

TomGWRacing · Unread post by **TomGWRacing** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:17 am

just fill up with flushing oil ( about 2/3 cap will do) gently warm up the motor, Dont rev hard but pick up the revs when hot a few times just to get a good squirt of oil whizzing around ,keep checking colour of oil on dip stick ,, when you think itd full of **** then stop drain while hot , change filter before and after ,,, no point flushing and old filter just takes longer to clean out the motor,
If your swapping to "R" then id rather strip and wash every bit , Read up on Slippery Sam ,, tells all about not washing the motor out

Triplebrew · Unread post by **Triplebrew** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 12:11 pm

I take your point Tom but it is much harder to clean R out before switching to a mineral oil. I am doing it the other way round. Having spoken with a few people about it they are sure I wont need a full strip. The advantage with the Trident motor is that there is a sump plate I can easily remove and then flush out the bottom, I can turn the engine upside down and flush out the top removing the rocker boxes to clean. I will then look at re fitting the motor and then using a flushing oil for good measure. Then finally put in the R and run till warm, drain and out in new then check and drain and replace if required.

TomGWRacing · Unread post by **TomGWRacing** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 1:22 pm

Sounds good mate ,,, but might pay to check the the flushing oil wont react with castor based oils ,,,, i wouldnt think it would but be wise to read the can first,,,,,,,, DONT forget the oil cooler if you use one,,

Unread post by RP » Sat Dec 15, 2007 1:37 pm

TomGWRacing wrote:DONT forget the oil cooler if you use one

Never heard one mentioned previously 8)

ianw · Unread post by **ianw** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 1:49 pm

Tripps mate, I am sorry but you are going backwards if you are going to castor based oil.
There is no comparission of any oil made that will come anywhere near as good as fully synthetic oil, especially in an air cooled motor.
To me your changing too many things, you certainly have a problem with your oiling somwhere but remember that that outfit ran for years before you had it with no problems at all. Something has changed for you to be having all these problems. Get hold of Geoff Hands phone number & speak to him about when he had the bike. Did you speak to Carl "wheelibin" Wheeldon about his Trident? Pat Gallagher also rode, he maybe able to help.
You've also got to remember not too listen too closely to solo trident riders as solo's are a completely different kettle of fish compared to outfits. DO NOT stick anything like a degreaser in your motor Tripps, you wiil be spitting conrods mate.

Triplebrew · Unread post by **Triplebrew** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:41 pm

Thanks for all the feedback. IAn I have not spoken with Karl yet as busy juggling work and stuff. Interesting that you say not to listen to the solo guys as ALL the solo guys we have chatted with use synthetic oil! All I know is that when the engine was rebuilt in 2006 and we ran R as the previous owners had we had no issues at all. Now since going to synthetic we have suffered lots

Regarding the degreaser do you mean no parafin or similar or is a flushing oil bad too? Sorry if I seem a bit thick

ianw · Unread post by **ianw** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:54 pm

Sorry Tripps, when I said solo lads I meant how they run their oil system, feed, return size of lines, tank shape etc.
If you feel confident about going back to R then do it. Don't stick anything degreasant in the engine & dont put neat flushing oil in. Mix the flushing oil 50/50 with some R oil & see if it coagulates, if it doesn't warm some up quite high in a pan & see if this has any effect, if it doesn't flush the motor with 50/50 mixture while running.Then flush with R while running but then drop that & put fresh in for the next race.

mrequipe · Unread post by **mrequipe** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 10:43 pm

If it was me I would run semi synthetic, I remember my dad putting a gas ring under his engine to warm it up before starting it !

Apparently this was quite standard practice !
When he blowing Trident engines up he tried different oils but looking back it was the oil tank.
When I was working in engine development I spent quite a bit of time with the engineers at Silkolene and dry sump engines (which the Trident and many British engines are ) require different qualities from the oil which fully synthetic doesnt give (Ian will disagree

Trouble is everyone opinion is different, I used Diesel oil in my air cooled Kwaks and it was great.

dick tapken · Unread post by **dick tapken** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 12:46 am

got to agree with mike on this one ,ive been on 15 -40 turbo diesel oil for over 15 seasons belting stuff!!if it cools and lubricates 25to 1 compresion cummins motors +turbos it will deffo do anything you can throww at it .

TomGWRacing · Unread post by **TomGWRacing** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 7:41 am

Just a thought! Has anyone played around with aircraft oils, i know the moped lads use it for gearbox oil ( helicopter turbine oil i think) less drag on a wet clutch.

ianw · Unread post by **ianw** » Sun Dec 16, 2007 9:41 am

No, I wouldn't disagree Mike, & Dick. I think it all comes down to what you are confident with for you particular bike & your riding style.
Yep I've tried all the different oils over the years & settled with Valvolene Synpower fully synthetic.
Weslakes always recommended you use Rotela Diesel oil Mike which I used in the early days.
Although I love synthetic oils I would never dream of putting it in my gearbox, the only oil I use there is good old Shell Spirax, nice & thick like treacle