Can I Put Car Engine In Oil In My Four-Stroke Bike?

[ClareQuilty]

I have an old Kawasaki Cheer that leaks oil, and all the mechanics have told me the problem is unfixable. It is moderately prohibitive to change the oil every month or so (it gets pretty low after about a month), so, I've been topping up for the last few weeks from the left-over oil bottles from my car's oil changes. You know how in Thailand they often give you the remains of a big bottle of oil to put in your trunk, since there's always a fair amount left over after re-filling the car. I must have 3-4 of these bottles around the place.

I'm wondering if this is OK to do. I don't know if car-engines use a significantly different oil in terms of weight or thickness or viscosity or whatever.

[Richard-BKK]

It's difficult to really answer your question without exactly knowing which oil you talking about, but in general terms I would seriously would NOT recommend it.

Most car engine oil's have different additives added, some can seriously harm your motorcycle engine. For instance car engine oil has almost always friction modifiers added, which will make the clutch on your motorcycle very difficult to operate... as it keeps slipping...

My advice is buy motorcycle engine oil...

[guzzi850m2]

As long as you don't mix synthetic and mineral oils you should be okay and only use mineral oil on an old bike like that.

Time to buy a new bike I guess.

[BirdsandBooze]

I don't know if you can buy it here but in the UK you can get an oil additive that swells the oil seals. It's usually advertised in classic bike magazines. Of course, if the problem is being caused by a warped mating surface or stripped thread this won't help. When I rented a couple of Bullets in India the handbooked stated to use Castrol GTX car oil in the engine and primary chain case. The Bullet has a wet clutch and this wasn't affected by using car engine oil and the bikes ran just fine. I owned a Harley XR1200 in the UK and the handbook stated that if Harley specific engine oil wasn't available then car diesel engine oil should be used. I had an old Honda 70 that I restored and put 30000 miles on it using 20/50 car engine oil. IMO an old low power, low tech bike won't be hurt by car oil.

[Beardog]

Putting in auto oil in an older bike should not be any issue at all . I have had many leakers in the past. Hell my 68 triumph bonneville used a half a flat of oil a week.I got tired of wearing oil in my jeans & dumped the bike after countlees times trying to seal up the sieve! Just throw in the viscosity oil they recommend or a little thicker blend & you are good to go. I use castrol oil as well for the older rides. The newer technology bikes are usually synthetic oil & you should not mix the 2 oils,unless you are in break in on the motor where you would use regular oil & then switch to a synthetic.

The bike(3 wheeled Thai style cart) we had as our truck bike leaked a ton of oil & we just filled it with auto oil no issues. About the same years as yours a honda wave year 2000.

Edited March 27, 2013 by Beardog

[harrry]

Where does the lost oil go? The answer is into the air as pollution and onto the road as a road hazard for all road users.

With the low cost of labour here and the high cost of oil it is worth considering fixing te bike.

[Richard-BKK]

Actually a Harley-Davidson engine and transmission looks more similar to the average car than the average motorcycle. With a car you have the engine, and you have a separate gearbox/clutch, Harley-Davidson motorcycles have the same setup. On the other side most other motorcycles use the same housing and oil supply for all lubrication...So to say it simple the engine oil for a motorcycle is not only to lubricate the engine, but also to lubricate the gearbox and the wet clutch...

If you use car oil for you regular motorcycle you can mess-up your clutch as the friction modifiers in most car engine oils are using special additives to make the oil even better in lubricating.

Of course if your motorcycle has a dry clutch you have no problems, but still my recommendation is to stick with special motorcycle oil...

What is the price difference? 100 THB, maybe even less? You really want to mess-up your engine just to save 100 THB ….

[Shurup]

harrry

Well, he said he was told it's unfixable... If he sells it, someone else will run it this way and the pollution will continue...

[Richard-BKK]

harrry

Well, he said he was told it's unfixable... If he sells it, someone else will run it this way and the pollution will continue...

Any motorcycle can be repaired, unless the manufacturer has stopped producing spare-parts, what I cannot really believe that being the case with the Kawasaki Cheer which was still available at the dealers until late 2007.

And even if spare-parts from the Kawasaki Cheer are not available, most engine parts from the Kawasaki Kaze 112 also fit the Kawasaki Cheer....

Edited March 27, 2013 by Richard-BKK

[Shurup]

Any motorcycle can be repaired, unless the manufacturer has stopped producing spare-parts, what I cannot really believe that being the case with the Kawasaki Cheer which was still available at the dealers until late 2007.

And even if spare-parts from the Kawasaki Cheer are not available, most engine parts from the Kawasaki Kaze 112 also fit the Kawasaki Cheer....

Richard, I found it hard to believe it couldn't be fixed too, but I was only repeating what the OP said.

[thaicbr]

i think the unfixable part may have something to do with cost.. but even saying that.. to completely strip down the engine and replace every gasket would only be about 1,500 to 2,000b.

Op. where is the oil leaking from.. i find it hard to believe it would cost much to fix. Or in fact that its unfixable.

[Richard-BKK]

If you want to spent a few thousand Baht on repairing your engine, you can also consider buying a complete new engine... they are often cheaper than you think...

http://www.asianconceptthai.com/product-RECOND%27KAWASAKIENGINEFORKLXKSR110-742-2.html

[Phronesis]

If it is stock mineral 20w-40 then you are good to go.

Avoid any synthetic oils or oils that contain friction modifiers...they may cause your clutch plates to slip.

[KRS1]

you'll be fine with with car oil in a bike.

[thaicbr]

If you want to spent a few thousand Baht on repairing your engine, you can also consider buying a complete new engine... they are often cheaper than you think...

http://www.asianconceptthai.com/product-RECOND%27KAWASAKIENGINEFORKLXKSR110-742-2.html

Richard. That is Really. Really cheap..... 0 baht

[Richard-BKK]

If you want to spent a few thousand Baht on repairing your engine, you can also consider buying a complete new engine... they are often cheaper than you think...

http://www.asianconceptthai.com/product-RECOND%27KAWASAKIENGINEFORKLXKSR110-742-2.html

Richard. That is Really. Really cheap..... 0 baht

Good right? Who wants dirty hands for that price....

[BSJ]

Absolutely unbelievable! Why aren't you cable tying an old baked bean tin to the underside to collect the oil that drips out? You wouldn't have worry about using your fresh oil resources then.

[KRS1]

Absolutely unbelievable! Why aren't you cable tying an old baked bean tin to the underside to collect the oil that drips out? You wouldn't have worry about using your fresh oil resources then.

better to just tape a roll of toilet paper to the leak and then squeeze it back into the engine.

[Bosse137]

If I asked a Thai that question,"Can I put car engine oil in my four stroke bike",the answer would probably be:" If you want" or "Up to you"

[ClareQuilty]

Where does the lost oil go? The answer is into the air as pollution and onto the road as a road hazard for all road users.

With the low cost of labour here and the high cost of oil it is worth considering fixing te bike.

It drips out on the ground under the bike, making a puddle where it is parked. If its parked just a few hours its just a little 2 inch wet spot, at the house where its usually parked there's a big oily patch.

They say it can't be fixed, reporting that 'someone has epoxied up the engine' or something to that effect in Thai.

[ClareQuilty]

Absolutely unbelievable! Why aren't you cable tying an old baked bean tin to the underside to collect the oil that drips out? You wouldn't have worry about using your fresh oil resources then.

Actually that's a great idea! I never thought of that. Anyway it would keep the parking area at the house a bit cleaner.

It drips out so slowly it would only be necessary during periods of parking - not during driving!

[harrry]

Hang on ....so you have 4 bikes or are a troll. I suspect the latter from looking at the threads you have started.

People wonder why when they place a=genuine posts they do not get replies, it is because of trolls.

[thaicbr]

Hang on ....so you have 4 bikes or are a troll. I suspect the latter from looking at the threads you have started.

People wonder why when they place a=genuine posts they do not get replies, it is because of trolls.

I too cannot really understand the Op. 4 crap bikes = approx 10k+ baht.. just get one decent bike..... sorted.

[BSJ]

Absolutely unbelievable! Why aren't you cable tying an old baked bean tin to the underside to collect the oil that drips out? You wouldn't have worry about using your fresh oil resources then.

Actually that's a great idea! I never thought of that. Anyway it would keep the parking area at the house a bit cleaner.

It drips out so slowly it would only be necessary during periods of parking - not during driving!

At last, worthwhile advice that can save you money and help the environment. You can thank me now......or thank me later!

[ClareQuilty]

Hang on ....so you have 4 bikes or are a troll. I suspect the latter from looking at the threads you have started.

People wonder why when they place a=genuine posts they do not get replies, it is because of trolls.

I have about ten bikes, harrry.

[wolf5370]

Hang on ....so you have 4 bikes or are a troll. I suspect the latter from looking at the threads you have started.

People wonder why when they place a=genuine posts they do not get replies, it is because of trolls.

I have about ten bikes, harrry.

Awww don't be greedy - lemme have one

[ClareQuilty]

have about ten bikes, harrry.

Awww don't be greedy - lemme have one

Most of them are for sale, wolf - around 6-8k mostly. Or rent

[wjmark]

Yes, put car oil. in. Simple - if the clutch starts to act funny, change the oil.

There is no way in hell it will actually damage anything.

(You could run a tube from the leak to the chain, and keep it lubed!)

And there is nothing wrong with saving a few bucks - don't let people spend your money for you!

[Richard-BKK]

It sounds maybe weird, but the friction plates in a motorcycle clutch are designed to grip at specific pressure, temperature and spin with an approximate amount of rpm...

Exceeding any of this specs can damage the engine, a clutch with the wrong oil can permanently damage the friction plates in your clutch as burned oil residue will first form something what closely reassembles asphalt and with enough time this
will turn the surface of your friction plate into a shinny black-glass like surface. Sometimes pieces of this surface will brake from the clutch plate, due to high centrifugal forces and will damage other vital parts of the engine... This black-glass is remarkable hard material...

But who cares, a new 112cc Kawasaki engine is not that expensive, and a friend told me that a 125cc Lifan engine is even cheaper...

[VocalNeal]

Absolutely unbelievable! Why aren't you cable tying an old baked bean tin to the underside to collect the oil that drips out? You wouldn't have worry about using your fresh oil resources then.

Guy pulls into a garage on an old Triumph Bonneville asked the guy to fill it up and for a litre of oil. When he come back from the toilet the attendant is looking all over for where to add the oil. The rider says Oh never mind just pour it on the ground it will be quicker that way!