Bel-Ray 10w-50????

[PutteLiten]

I got me some new oil in me babe.

But, on the recipt I saw that it said Bel-Ray EXS 10W-50

10W -50?
Huh?

It should be 10w-40.

So, is it a typo or is 10w-50 better/worse than the 10w-40?

It is pure synthetic.

Should I bother??

[TLSBill]

Here's an oil primer..

The viscosity grade (for example, 5W-30) tells you the oil's thickness, or viscosity. A thin oil has a lower number and flows more easily, while thick oils have a higher number and are more resistant to flow. Water has a very low viscosity -- it is thin and flows easily. Honey has a very high viscosity -- it is thick and gooey.

The standard unit used to measure viscosity is the centistoke (cSt).

Viscosity is ordinarily expressed in terms of the time required for a standard quantity of the fluid at a certain temperature to flow through a standard orifice. The higher the value, the more viscous the fluid. Since viscosity varies inversely with temperature, its value is meaningless unless accompanied by the temperature at which it is determined. With petroleum oils, viscosity is now commonly reported in centistokes (cSt), measured at either 40°C or 100 °C (ASTM Method D445 - Kinematic Viscosity).
The centistoke rating is converted into the SAE weight designation using a chart like the one shown on this page.
Multi-weight oils (such as 10W-30) are a new invention made possible by adding polymers to oil. The polymers allow the oil to have different weights at different temperatures. The first number indicates the viscosity of the oil at a cold temperature, while the second number indicates the viscosity at operating temperature. This page offers the following very interesting description of how the polymers work:

At cold temperatures, the polymers are coiled up and allow the oil to flow as their low numbers indicate. As the oil warms up, the polymers begin to unwind into long chains that prevent the oil from thinning as much as it normally would. The result is that at 100 degrees C, the oil has thinned only as much as the higher viscosity number indicates. Another way of looking at multi-vis oils is to think of a 20W-50 as a 20 weight oil that will not thin more than a 50 weight would when hot.

[TLSBill]

Linkafied

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question164.htm

[TLSBill]

Last one...

Viscosity
Viscosity (a fluid's resistance to flow) is rated at 0° F (represented by the number preceding the "W" [for Winter]) and at 212° F (represented by the second number in the viscosity designation). So 10W-30 oil has less viscosity when cold and hot than does 20W-50. Motor oil thins as it heats and thickens as it cools. So, with the right additives to help it resist thinning too much, an oil can be rated for one viscosity when cold, another when hot. The more resistant it is to thinning, the higher the second number (10W-40 versus 10W-30, for example) and that's good. Within reason, thicker oil generally seals better and maintains a better film of lubrication between moving parts.

At the low-temperature end, oil has to be resistant to thickening so that it flows more easily to all the moving parts in your engine. Also, if the oil is too thick the engine requires more energy to turn the crankshaft, which is partly submerged in a bath of oil. Excessive thickness can make it harder to start the engine, which reduces fuel economy. A 5W oil is typically what's recommended for winter use. However, synthetic oils can be formulated to flow even more easily when cold, so they are able to pass tests that meet the 0W rating.

Once the engine is running, the oil heats up. The second number in the viscosity rating--the "40" in 10W-40, for example--tells you that the oil will stay thicker at high temperatures than one with a lower second number--the "30" in 10W-30, for example.

[PutteLiten]

OK, that explains a few thing.

But, still doesn´t know if 50 is better than 40.

TLR is supposed to have 10W-40.
But, since I don´t have a clue, I trust the mekanics, but when they does thing differently than I anticipated, I ask TLP.

Usually works.

EDIT:
Didn´t see that last post before I posted. But, If I understand right. a 10w-50 is slightly better than 10w-40.

[TLSBill]

It depends on the tempatures where you run it. Thicker is generally better (so long as it's still pumping well... )

For example in So. Cal I still run 10-40 on the TLS, but for my old air cooled GPz I ran 20-50 It handled the heat better, and I didn't have to worry about it getting so cold that the "20" would afftect the engine much.

I don't find 10-50 so much, as that's a large tempature spread.. but technically it should be better.. But that's just viscosity @ tempature and not taking into account additive packages in the oil and etc...

[PutteLiten]

Thanks TLSBill!!!



Have had some worried thoguhts about this. No longer.
Really thanks for takeing the time to write up that long explanation!

[TLSBill]

Cut and past job.. just search on multi-weight oil and you'll get more info than you ever wanted. I also attended a seminar on lubricants from a bel-rey/spectro rep here in So. Cal about 5 years ago.. Amazing thing is I actually remembered a lot of it..!

[PutteLiten]

Well, Im glad you did.

Cut´n paste, whatever. You educated me just the same.

[Ryno]

I run Bel Ray 20-50, always have.
Great oil.

[TLSBill]

Originally posted by Ryno
I run Bel Ray 20-50, always have.
Great oil.

Isn't that a little heavy for your neck of the woods in wintertime?

[Ryno]

I don't ride in winter