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By Presto
#84807
On this disputed point I agree with Andy – it’ll make little, or absolutely no, difference if you leave the oil in or change it for its winter hibernation. We relish debating (?) but this this sort of thing is almost always merely ‘academic’, ‘theoretical’ or prejudice.

My prejudice? I cannot for a moment see the sense of changing to fresh engine oil simply to have it sit deteriorating in the sump for six months of a year.

In the end, when all said and done, this is simply another incontestable argument for a two-stroke! :roll:
By Andy C
#84810
Indeed - very rare that anyone agrees on an oil thread.

Dont even mention 2T oil - yet another subject there are wide ranging views on.......I have been using semi synthetic in my 2T for years......
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By Wheaters
#84845
At least we don't have to argue about which type of coolant to use. On a certain car forum in which I participate they can argue angrily for weeks about that!
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By Trev
#84869
I have a 2008 efi, had 2k on it when I got it five years ago now coming up to 12k. That's only about 2k a year (I have quite a few other bikes) mainly short'ish rides, 30 - 80 miles, more Winter than Summer and the bike gets used pretty hard, at least for an Enfield.
I change the oil and filter every year and it amazes me how much better it runs with fresh oil, starts and ticks over easier, hardly ever backfires on closed throttle although it does fairly often with 'old' oil, definitely feels smoother and even seems to pull better (although this could easily be down to smoother running giving me that perception). It is so noticeable that even my wife can tell when riding pillion!

It is the only bike I've ever owned (and I'm up to about 80) where I can tell the oil change makes any difference let alone one so noticeable, and that includes running Guzzis and old Jap bikes among the modern stuff. Is it just that I'm super sensitive to the grunts and snorts of the Ennie over other bikes (including 80's 2 strokes) or is it something to do with the oil having to work harder as part of the compression or summit I've missed in years of bike riding, owning and fettling? :?
By Andy C
#84870
Trev - if it feels right then stick with it !!

It is a bit like the argument of Supermarket vs "Branded" petrol - I swear that the 612 and my Kawa Triple run better on branded fuel.

Could be psychological I like to think otherwise, I only use supermarket fuel if there is nothing else available.
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By Presto
#84950
Trev raises an interesting circumstance: an engine running better, especially in terms of carburation and combustion, with fresh oil. That’s odd. Trev mentions better compression with new oil. I don’t see how this would be, or if it was how the very marginal difference could be detected in starting, riding etc.

Carburation and combustion aren’t directly related to oil status, or shouldn’t be unless there’s oil leaking into the combustion chamber, and, in that case, whether the oil was ‘old’ or ‘new’ oil wouldn’t make a difference.

I’m also not sure about ‘oil working harder’. Oil isn’t reactive in the way that some systems and components of an engine are reactive. Oil isn’t one of these, it either lubricates effectively or it doesn’t – and if it doesn’t it isn’t able to ‘work harder’ until it succeeds.

I can’t help wondering if any consistent conclusions would be drawn as to whether oil was ‘old’ or ‘new’ if the bike was tested ‘blind’. But Trev clearly has a lot of experience and raises a bit of a puzzle with this post.
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By Trev
#84952
I'm puzzled myself on this, I'm not usually one of those super sensitive to changes like tyre pressures or suspension settings and with several quite different bikes I'm used to hopping on something and not taking a too much notice of the the differences. If someone else had said to me they can tell the difference in a before & after oil change on their bike I would have called 'b*llsh*t' so maybe I'm just 'b*llsh*tting' myself :D

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