Not wanting to sound like a savage who does little to no maintenance (I'm certainly not!) but I suspect that the theory about oil becoming, for want of a better word, permanently damaged by the cold I've got to say i think it's unlikely to be of a problem here in the UK. Yes, it gets cold, sometimes sub zero, but I wouldn't imagine that we start our bikes when it's sub zero often for a ride? I agree that starting a bike when it's cold puts extra strain on the oil pump etc, but as I said earlier they are road bikes, designed and sold to be used on the road in the uk, under uk conditions. If it's decent - eg not too windy tomorrow and the roads aren't icy (as is threatened on the forecast) I will be flashing up either bike for a ride as I've a few hours to kill, and enjoy riding. Now, where's my thermals?
The two numbers given for the viscosity of a multi grade oil are measured at a given temperature for the standard. I cannot remember the figures but if for example an oil is a 5 at 0c and 40 at 100c (it will be a 5w40) then all oils will be measured at 0c and 100c if they are mineral, semi synthetic or full synthetic. I have never heard this new theory that synthetic oil can be damaged at cold temperatures and don't believe it. How could that be true when 90% of car manufacturers now use the stuff. If anything full synthetic is more stable than any other type of oil. As with all oil threads, the owner must decide what he wants to use with guidance from the manufacturer, the oil companies and his own experience and training. The only thing that I would avoid is anyone who says something can happen to oil when cold without the scientific evidence there for scrutiny.
Yes they do, diesel pre heaters! Diesel grows wax crystals at low temperature and those will not go through the diesel filters, so the engine will not run. Many Canadian cars have a coolant heater fitted and supermarket parking bays have an electrical socket at the front of each bay.
Cress Beds, a trout farm and wild deer out of the window! 347 trees, 189 visible kerb stones, 8 pot holes in the one road. 87 shrubs or bushes and approximately 5,837,873,985,364,738,284,482 blades of grass. The last one I could have miscounted as I had to start over a few times
I said even synthetic oil... Herewith the article where I read this. It doesn't give figures for how cold oil has to be before being thickened permanently, just that it's something that could happen in States further north in America than Florida, where it won't be a problem. About the author:
I agree with some much of what the guy says, but there is no evidence that oil stored at a cold temperature can be damaged. If you want to buy a container of synthetic 5/40 for me then I'll put it in the freezer for now and use it on my next oil change on the Ducati. I am very happy with the 5/40 synthetic that I use in all of my four stroke petrol engines (4 bikes, ride on mower, aircraft) and with the 5/30 that I use in the diesel cars. You use what you want, I am away from this thread.
Totally agree, just flagged up what he said about the effect of extreme cold on oil. Shouldn't be a problem for me in Devon though
I use the oil I drain from the Ducati in my lawnmower...........The damn thing burns so much, it isn't hardly a worry......
Probabaly aswell riding the mower on the road ........less vibes than the ducati , and you may get 'foreigner jobs ' when you pass any grass fields
