20-60w Redline oil update

[TOMCENTRAL]

Just changed to 20-60 Redline Motorcycle oil.The motor is noticeably quieter than even the 25 60 I was using & the price is right.THX,Bob FLRTI for the info.Regards,Tom

[Hillside Motorcycle]

Bob has good input on this message board.

[Snuff™]

I was going with a blend of Redline, 2 qts. of 20w/50 and 2 qts. of 20w/60 for early summer and 4 qts. of 20w/60 during the summer.  New build with TW6 Wood's cams.  Any comments?

-Snuff

[drgn*95]

Snuff:

[TOMCENTRAL]

I was going with a blend of Redline, 2 qts. of 20w/50 and 2 qts. of 20w/60 for early summer and 4 qts. of 20w/60 during the summer.  New build with TW6 Wood's cams.  Any comments?

-Snuff

Do all 4 20-50w or 20-60w unless all you have is 2qts of each.After break-in,It won't hurt anything but,I doubt if the mix would do much or if it would be any different.Regards,Tom

[perthnitro]

I am not sure why you are mixing your oils but let me assume you are trying to reduce the pump load at cold start up. There is a good chance the 20w 50 and 20w 60 will be very similar when cold anyway.

The important information is 20w (Cold start viscosity indicated on the packaging) and if my memory serves me well, this indicates a fluid that flows (at 40C I think) the same way a calibrated mineral oil sample flows (at 40C) in the lab. The big number is an indication of how the oil flows at 100c degrees. These calibrated oils will flow differently at different temps but mineral oils have a very predictable curve they follow before additives to increase viscosity are included in their package.

The oil industry standardized viscosity a 150 years ago so engineers could design pumps and bearings around the characteristics of the oils industry offers. Engine clearances are designed around lubes as well. Anyone who has 40 years experience with engines will tell you the clearances on new engines have closed up and this results from better machining and better lubes. So the oil industry blends their base oils to meet the predetermined viscosity standards so they can be used as base for blended products marketed to the public.

Multi vis mineral oil have additives that are long strands. These strands curl in to pig tales when they get very hot and this creates resistance to flow and that resistance reads as oil pressure. So the 20w oil cold acts like a 50w oil when it is hot.

Synthetic oils change their shape with some swelling (others may go curly because the additives in mineral oils are often synthetic oils) so they have a naturally different viscosity curve to mineral oils. They can be a 20w40 oil with out viscosity additives.

So with 20w50 and 20w60 the cold numbers are the same, the benefit comes when the engine is hot. If you are really worried about the 50 not being good enough at high temp and the 60 being too heavy at start up, contact Red Line and ask their tech people what the two oils viscosity is at 0c, they should be able to tell you and then you can make your choice. Maybe the go will be 20w50 in Winter monthes and 20w60 in the hot weather.

I am interested in their answer to you.

STU