Triumphrat

05-13-2006

Is there a reason why I should not use a part synthetic oil in my 71 Tiger 650? I know that the Haynes book says use Castrol GTX, but does a seemingly higher quality part-synthetic oil have some property that will be bad for my bike? I was planning on changing the oil tomorrow, but I read some comments on an earlier post saying not to use full synthetic oil. Should I take mine back for regular? I just bought this bike and I want to make sure I treat it right. Also, this may seem like a dumb question, but is the oil drain plug the smallish looking plug at the bottom of the frame post that the oil goes into or the more traditional looking plug underneath the main case? And where on the fixed dipstick is full? At the bottom or up at the top? Thanks in advance for kind answers to simple questions, I'm very much a beginner at all of this.

DAGAD · 05-14-2006

Hi Tahoemojo, Part synth is ok, PROVIDING.......... it is for MOTOR CYCLE and NOT car. Secondly you should use either 20/50 or 15/50 weight. I have been using 10/40 and find the engine works fine but uses about 1 pint in 600 miles. I am now useing 20/50 semi and find it is better at about 1100 miles to the pint?????
As the bike is new to you, I would suggest removing the entire sump plate from the frame and check the filter (loosely called a filter :hammer: ) Your frame should have the feed pipe connected to a 'branch' on the frame tube, later models had the feed as part of the sump plate and this is a mod you can do to yours, incorporating a proper filter element as well.
The gearbox, I used semi in there at 80/90 grade, the primary case should be drained and filled with a lite 20 grade preferably with no addatives but put less in than more than the stated amount, this is one area where LESS is better.
Keep us posted as to your progress.
Roy.

KADUTZ · 05-14-2006

Roy
as the primary and engine on the 71 have the drilled holes connecting the crank and primary would not the 20w and semi mix?

DAGAD · 05-15-2006

Yes, to a certain degree, but not as much OR the way you would expect.
I suggested a MOTOR CYCLE, not car oil as they are designed for wet clutches. Also the cross contamination will be, the primary oil WILL be sucked into the engine but the engine oil will rarely come into the primary. Yes you could argue that by the fact that it breathes through the primary it is logical to expect mixing.
However it is my experience that it does not happen to any degree at all. But if and probably this does occur, then the two will readilly mix and not affect the clutch or it's operation. After all the oil in the primary is there to LUBE THE CHAIN ONLY.
On the cam breather engines, the crank oil seal was fitted to stop oil coming FROM the primary and not the other way around.
Roy.

OzBloke · 05-15-2006

Tahoemojo,

Roy's advice on the types of oils is solid.

To answer the rest of your question....
There are four oil drain plugs for the unit construction engine/gearbox assembly. (plus the ones on the lower forks). 1 under the Oil-In-Frame (OIF) down tube (where you descibe the small plug to be) to drain the oil "tank". 1 under the gearbox - only for gearbox lubricant. 1 under the bottom of the engine sump on an angle, also comprises mesh "filter " for oil return. You may only get about 100-200mL out of this, because the engine is designed as a "dry-sump". Last one is the larger Allen-headed screw in the bottom edge of the primary cover, which drains the primary chain case.

If the have the dipstick incorporated into the OIF filler cap, the oil should come to about the top of the flattened portion of the stick. Any higher, and you may have oil overflowing when you take the cap off - the oil gets hot and expands a bit, plus the oil left in the sump.

Hope this makes sense.

Pete

05-15-2006

Thanks guys for all the useful advice. I went back through the archives and found lots more info on this subject (and lots of other subjects that interest or pertain to me and my bike). I must have spend 5 hours this weekend just cruising around this site!!
Well, now that I've got all the oil info I need, I can fill'er back up this afternoon and go for a ride. Cheers,
Mike

05-15-2006

so, you guys are saying NOT to use regular automotive engine oil? the guys at a bike shop in nc were trying to sell me some mc oil pointing to the different formulations. but, they were also trying to sell me a bunch of ither stuff that seemed overpriced, so i passed. any particular brand of oil that is preferred?

-james

English_Spanner · 05-15-2006

Don't use synthetic or semi-synthetic unless you've cleaned out your crankshaft sludge trap first, and fitted a cartridge type oil filter.

If you keep the standard set-up (frame gauze filter)
and haven't cleaned out the sludge trap then use ONLY a 'classic' oil.