Which oil to use?

Twig

Active VIP Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
228
Reaction score
110
Location
Alberta
Do you have to use the VES Gold motor oil in the 08 RMK that the dealer wants 60 dollars for 4L? What are some oils you guys are running in your sleds?
Thanks for the help.
 

Twig

Active VIP Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
228
Reaction score
110
Location
Alberta
Amsoil what? Just there full synthetic snomobile oil?
 

mountain_tamer

Active member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
101
Reaction score
39
Location
Rimbey
Torco Synthetic works great as well been usiing it for many years instead of the expensive dealer oil
 

Modman

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Messages
6,032
Reaction score
8,455
Location
Castlegar
Lots of good oils out there, just make sure the motor is getting enough of it, whatever you use.

Keep in mind you don't want the motor to burn it all away and leave no protection.

I run Amsoil Dominator in one sled and Shell Advance mineral in another (for specific motor reasons) and I have never had any issue with either of them. They are both good oils IMO. So is Spectro, Torco, etc. Often times its price and availability that dictate what you run. Lots of guys going away from the BRP stuff to cheaper brands, lots of guys changing over from Cat oil because it gums up the power valves as well.
 

Maverick800XRS

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
270
Reaction score
48
Location
Calgary
Burned a case of Amsoil Interceptor this season so far and have liked it, less smoke than doo oil and a lot less smell, my gear doesn't smell like 2-stroke smoke half as bad after a weekend of riding since switching.

Just recently though i had some interesting insight, it may be personal preference but heard that synthetic oils don't have any business being in 2-smokes, but thats the way everyone is heading. Also that Amsoil was the lower end of the totem pole for synthetics which seems odd. I really don't know what to think and will have a hard time thinking about my next case of oil purchase... mineral or synthetic? brand? blah !

Guess the best way to go about it is find someone with the same brand or same sled as you with lots of miles and see what has worked for them...
 

tukernater

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2010
Messages
1,243
Reaction score
1,411
Location
BC
Burned a case of Amsoil Interceptor this season so far and have liked it, less smoke than doo oil and a lot less smell, my gear doesn't smell like 2-stroke smoke half as bad after a weekend of riding since switching.

Just recently though i had some interesting insight, it may be personal preference but heard that synthetic oils don't have any business being in 2-smokes, but thats the way everyone is heading. Also that Amsoil was the lower end of the totem pole for synthetics which seems odd. I really don't know what to think and will have a hard time thinking about my next case of oil purchase... mineral or synthetic? brand? blah !

Guess the best way to go about it is find someone with the same brand or same sled as you with lots of miles and see what has worked for them...
x3 on amsoil.
 
Last edited:

Modman

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2008
Messages
6,032
Reaction score
8,455
Location
Castlegar
Just recently though i had some interesting insight, it may be personal preference but heard that synthetic oils don't have any business being in 2-smokes, but thats the way everyone is heading. Also that Amsoil was the lower end of the totem pole for synthetics which seems odd.
...

Not sure where you heard that - maybe the Castrol rep? :) I'm interested to know what the rationale for the comment that syn's do not belong in 2 strokes. Years ago synthetics were bad news for cars too, when the syn's first came out. The seals etc in the cars could not handle the corrosive nature of some of the oils. Also, syns were a big no-no for break-in. Some still swear by this methodology, but it doesn't really hold true anymore IMO. Today, Dodge specs full syn in the Viper right from the factory, break-in and all. Same with most 2 strokes - BRP runs semi or full syn right out the door, same as most others.

The guys in top fuel run full syn with an additive - If its good enough for a $75,000 8,000 HP top fuel dragster motor, I'll run it in my sled.

You used to not be able to mix TCW3 oils with non, otherwise they would make a sludge in your oil tank, but I don't even think they are making non-TCW3 oils anymore, and haven't been for probably 15 yrs as far as I know.

Depending on the application, you might need some mineral components (like a semi-syn or a mineral base) to give you some ash on the piston domes to keep things cool. In terms of wear, most synthetics are superiour in wear and oil breakdown to minerals.

Oil related failures are kinda the thing of legends - usually the problem of the operator or a backyard mechanic turning down the oil pump, doing a motor rebuild and not bleeding the system, cheaping out and mixing too lean then blaming the oil for excessive wear at teardown, etc. When something goes wrong, they blame the oil instead of their stupidity for the "mysterious" problem. It's not very often you hear that someone ran the same oil for 3000 kms, then the motor burnt down suddenly because the oil was "bad". Typically there is something that precipitates a situation like that......
 

overkill131313

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
2,976
Reaction score
518
Location
Sicamous\Swansea Point
Not sure where you heard that - maybe the Castrol rep? :) I'm interested to know what the rationale for the comment that syn's do not belong in 2 strokes. Years ago synthetics were bad news for cars too, when the syn's first came out. The seals etc in the cars could not handle the corrosive nature of some of the oils. Also, syns were a big no-no for break-in. Some still swear by this methodology, but it doesn't really hold true anymore IMO. Today, Dodge specs full syn in the Viper right from the factory, break-in and all. Same with most 2 strokes - BRP runs semi or full syn right out the door, same as most others.

The guys in top fuel run full syn with an additive - If its good enough for a $75,000 8,000 HP top fuel dragster motor, I'll run it in my sled.

You used to not be able to mix TCW3 oils with non, otherwise they would make a sludge in your oil tank, but I don't even think they are making non-TCW3 oils anymore, and haven't been for probably 15 yrs as far as I know.

Depending on the application, you might need some mineral components (like a semi-syn or a mineral base) to give you some ash on the piston domes to keep things cool. In terms of wear, most synthetics are superiour in wear and oil breakdown to minerals.

Oil related failures are kinda the thing of legends - usually the problem of the operator or a backyard mechanic turning down the oil pump, doing a motor rebuild and not bleeding the system, cheaping out and mixing too lean then blaming the oil for excessive wear at teardown, etc. When something goes wrong, they blame the oil instead of their stupidity for the "mysterious" problem. It's not very often you hear that someone ran the same oil for 3000 kms, then the motor burnt down suddenly because the oil was "bad". Typically there is something that precipitates a situation like that......

nicely said!
 

tex78

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
17,552
Reaction score
16,985
Location
DA Moose B.C
i use coop xls synthetic 2 stroke oil..... 29.00 for a 4L.....

buddy has a 670 mod engine [ 740 ] with 7000 mountain miles on her...
and still going and never had a bearing go....

that says alot... i have been using it for 2 years.... good stuff
 

Twig

Active VIP Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Messages
228
Reaction score
110
Location
Alberta
i use coop xls synthetic 2 stroke oil..... 29.00 for a 4L.....

buddy has a 670 mod engine [ 740 ] with 7000 mountain miles on her...
and still going and never had a bearing go....

that says alot... i have been using it for 2 years.... good stuff

Coop oil? Never heard of that.
 

Summiteer

Active VIP Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
5,883
Reaction score
3,508
Location
Whitecourt, Ab
i use coop xls synthetic 2 stroke oil..... 29.00 for a 4L.....

buddy has a 670 mod engine [ 740 ] with 7000 mountain miles on her...
and still going and never had a bearing go....

that says alot... i have been using it for 2 years.... good stuff

Co-op?
 

OOC ZigZag

Active VIP Member
Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
1,581
Reaction score
1,385
Location
Calgary
Burned a case of Amsoil Interceptor this season so far and have liked it, less smoke than doo oil and a lot less smell, my gear doesn't smell like 2-stroke smoke half as bad after a weekend of riding since switching.

Just recently though i had some interesting insight, it may be personal preference but heard that synthetic oils don't have any business being in 2-smokes, but thats the way everyone is heading. Also that Amsoil was the lower end of the totem pole for synthetics which seems odd. I really don't know what to think and will have a hard time thinking about my next case of oil purchase... mineral or synthetic? brand? blah !

Guess the best way to go about it is find someone with the same brand or same sled as you with lots of miles and see what has worked for them...

Talk to Tim at Over The Top Rentals. He has machines with high kms and all he runs is Amsoil Interceptor. The only oil I will run in my sled.:beer::d
 
Top Bottom