Major Screwup? - Synthetic

[Nocage]

Hello,

At 600 miles when my first oil change was due, I replaced the engine oil with Motul 5100 10W40. Now that I have 7,000 miles on the bike and am ready for the second oil change, I realized that in small print on the bottom left of the bottle it says synthetic blend. Did I just screw-up my bike?

I called several dealers and I'm not getting a consensus. Some say the Motul 5100 is a 50% synthetic and that I'll be okay and others say that I screwed up the seating of the rings and the bike will have problems. So, my questions are as follows please:

1. Did I harm the bike by using the partial synthetic for the last 7,000 miles?
2. Should I be worried about future problems?
3. At this point, should I continue to use the Motul 5100 or switch to conventional?

I would appreciate some input on this matter. I'm freaking out a bit...

2012 Concours 14
Bought new, now has 7k miles.

Frank

[wrichstrom]

I'm at work and don't have my manual by me, but my memory was the owner's manual said to change oil every 7500 miles (along with the 600 mile break in service).  Also my memory was that the 7500 mile oil change interval was irregardless of dino, synthetic, or blend.  I doubt you voided your warranty since you used a motorcycle oil. 

I probably err on the side of caution and change my oil to frequently, but following the manual is probably just as good an approach to follow.

Enjoy your bike!  And keep riding and stop worrying.

[Conrad]

In my opinion the first oil change should have been done using conventional motor oil but I don't think that you've screwed anything up using the Motul. I'd just continue to use the same oil now.

Besides, what else is there to be done at this point?

Ride more worry less.   

[stevewfl]

You haven't hurt anything!

[VirginiaJim]

• No
• No
• Use whatever oil floats your boat...

[stevewfl]

• No
• No
• Use whatever oil floats your boat...

except perhaps the exotic oils at the adult stores......    or at least if you use that insure the FOB has a fresh battery too 

[Son of Pappy]

FWIW I did my first oil change with full synthetic (Lucas 20W50) at 100 miles.  Why?  Has anyone ever seen what comes out at the first change??  I have, I used a coffee filter between the drain and the oil catch, really cool looking silver.  In my mind I didn't want any of that bonding somewhere it shouldn't.  Slim chance, but as this was my first brand spanking new motorcycle I decided to leave nothing to chance.  54,000 miles later she still runs as smooth as new and once I started using the K&N filter I never even get the start up rattle so many have.  So, when do I change the oil?  When the shifting starts feeling notchy.  May happen at 4,000, may happen at 7,000.

I'm fairly certain that few place as high a load on the motor for an extended amount of time as I do, yes, there are some, such as the sweet turbos out there and maybe another ZX14 TB modded bike, but other than that?  I get to play on the track 2-4 times a year so I get to really load her up, over and over.  Works for me, but as the saying goes, YMMV   No, I have nothing scientific to prove my findings, but I do have the SOTP dyno that validates it every time I ride

[VirginiaJim]

Cactus?

[Son of Pappy]

Cactus?

Think ASL   It's my way of being none PC   Kinda slick, eh?

[Conrad]

Cactus?

[stevewfl]

FWIW I did my first oil change with full synthetic (Lucas 20W50) at 100 miles.  Why?  Has anyone ever seen what comes out at the first change??  I have, I used a coffee filter between the drain and the oil catch, really cool looking silver.  In my mind I didn't want any of that bonding somewhere it shouldn't.  Slim chance, but as this was my first brand spanking new motorcycle I decided to leave nothing to chance. 54,000 miles later she still runs as smooth as new and once I started using the K&N filter I never even get the start up rattle so many have.  So, when do I change the oil?  When the shifting starts feeling notchy.  May happen at 4,000, may happen at 7,000.

I'm fairly certain that few place as high a load on the motor for an extended amount of time as I do, yes, there are some, such as the sweet turbos out there and maybe another ZX14 TB modded bike, but other than that?  I get to play on the track 2-4 times a year so I get to really load her up, over and over.  Works for me, but as the saying goes, YMMV   No, I have nothing scientific to prove my findings, but I do have the SOTP dyno that validates it every time I ride

So get out and ride it more

[Son of Pappy]

So get out and ride it more

So many bikes, so little time   Quick spin to get an external drive today, still puts a smile on my face everytime I ride her

[VirginiaJim]

Think ASL   It's my way of being none PC   Kinda slick, eh?

ASL?  Don't know.  Trying to figure out what ASL means....   

http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/ASL

[maxtog]

YAOL!!!!

(Yet Another Oil Thread!!)

Has been posted a zillion times, but here it is again....  I do believe in synthetic oil has have a much longer life (double or longer).  I think it probably helps with engine wear but I don't think it is magic (I don't think it clings magically or is super-slippery and whatnot).

I do always use conventional oil in the first change, and follow the rev restrictions in the manual, then switch to 100% synthetic (such as Mobil 1) thereafter; and do this in all my vehicles (and for many, many years now).

Nothing you can do now, anyway.   I suggest using a 50% blend in this second oil change, THEN moving to synthetic.  Many of believe that modern engines are pretty much mostly pre-broken in at the factory and are not prone to "rings never seating properly" as might have been the case 20 or 30 years ago.

[katata1100]

The big fear with synthetic (and I am not talking about group III wanna be "synthetics") is that the rings won't seat right during breakin. This is why Redline recommends not using their oil for the first 2000 miles.
If your oil consumption is low, your rings are seated, all is well in the C14 universe.

[Son of Pappy]

ASL?  Don't know.  Trying to figure out what ASL means....   

http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/ASL

ASL-American Sign Language.  Cactus is, well, think slighly modified international peace symbol.  Pinky, ring, and index bent at second knuckle and the thumb protruding.  Online ASL sites don't "recognize" this but I'd be willing to bet Slivera will back me up   My daughter did three years in HS with ASL, got to sign the National Anthem at a Mariners game and looked hard at becoming an ASL Interpretor but decided she wanted to learn to interogate instead so she joined the Army

[Son of Pappy]

The big fear with synthetic (and I am not talking about group III wanna be "synthetics") is that the rings won't seat right during breakin. This is why Redline recommends not using their oil for the first 2000 miles.
If your oil consumption is low, your rings are seated, all is well in the C14 universe.

For all, I have never, ever needed to add oil between oil changes.  But I have replaced my fob batteries once

[Cuda]

Red line says not to use Red line till 2,000 miles?
The people I know that use Red line rebuild their motors LONG before 2,000 miles
Race motors I got a race in two weeks,  going to do a leak down test tomorrow , might have to re-ring,   I bet I have  less than ten hours  on it,  2.5L  Merc ... 2 cycle
We run the motors so close to the edge that the rings don't live very long .
We use to run Klotz R 50 now we  have to run AiSYN oil
The reason we have to run one oil or another is for Fuel Check that they do for the top five boats per class.
The Unlimited boys can run what ever they want and they swear by Red Line , they spray their motors No2.


MAX the Molecules are the same size so they don't  move , compress , squish out of the way

[VirginiaJim]

Word of the day - Molecules

[Nocage]

Thank you for all the responses. I feel much better. I didn't burn any oil, so as someone pointed out the rings should be sealed. Also, the owner's manual does state that a semi or full synthetic may be used, but it doesn't state a miles recommendation, so I assume even at the first oil change I could have gone to full synthetic? Basically, I don't think my warranty is void.

Again, thanks a lot. I nearly had a stroke. Now I'm going to go and make love to the road with my bike

Frank