Brand of oil?

Ribster · 03 March 2016, 07:32

I'm going to service my Suzuki DF175 in the next few weeks to get it ready for the season. The owners manual recommends 10W-30 engine oil and I am wondering which brand I should use? Should I use genuine Suzuki oil? Semi-Synthetic or fully Synthetic? What would be the best stuff? Same for the gear oil. Thanks

A1an · 03 March 2016, 07:42

As long as you match the spec any manufacturer will do.

Oil is all about the spec.

Max... · 03 March 2016, 07:53

There is not really any such things as 'Suzuki oil' or Honda or Yamaha or Mercury etc, etc. They are all engine companies - they don't refine or blend oils. They just stick their name on a oil made by an oil company that has the right basic spec that their engineers deem for their engines. As A1an says buy an oil that is the same spec and save money.

A1an · 03 March 2016, 08:01

Specs from Suzuki website.

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jeffstevens763@g · 03 March 2016, 08:14

suzuki 4 stroke oil made in france by MOTUL semi-synthetic conforms to NMMA FCW standard
viscosity rating 10w-30 of 40

willk · 03 March 2016, 10:41

Don't muck about trying to save a few euros on gear oil. Get a high performance marine gear oil like Quicksilver (not the basic offering) or Yamalube. The marine variants have the ability to mop up small amounts of water and hold it in an emulsion. Make sure you replace the gearbox drain screw washers with good fibre washers...

Max... · 03 March 2016, 11:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Don't muck about trying to save a few euros on gear oil. Get a high performance marine gear oil like Quicksilver (not the basic offering) or Yamalube. The marine variants have the ability to mop up small amounts of water and hold it in an emulsion. Make sure you replace the gearbox drain screw washers with good fibre washers...

This isn't Gear oil though willk - we're talking regular 4 stroke engine oil.

jeffstevens763@g · 03 March 2016, 11:56

he did ask engine & gear oils. OMO just use what they spec/recommend keep proof of purchase in case of warranty issues.

willk · 03 March 2016, 12:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

we're talking regular 4 stroke engine oil.

You were - but the OP asked about both and the Massive failed to answer.

The "written comprehension" on this forum is shocking!

jambo · 03 March 2016, 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

You were - but the OP asked about both and the Massive failed to answer.

The "written comprehension" on this forum is shocking!

As usual Obe one you are correct. Your bi focals are obviously working!!

Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

Max... · 03 March 2016, 12:27

Blimey! How many spotted that little bit tacked on the end...

You're right of course - gear oil - use marine stuff for sure.

Fenlander · 03 March 2016, 13:05

>>>Get a high performance marine gear oil like Quicksilver (not the basic offering) or Yamalube. The marine variants have the ability to mop up small amounts of water and hold it in an emulsion

Yes important to realise that marine specific oils are not the same as for cars. As Wilk says re gear oil... and while car engine oil may meet the basic spec for an outboard the marine specific outboard oils are biased towards their use so...

Have a higher resistance to foaming when bouncing all over the place, are designed for a running environment where revs are at a higher constant than cars and also contain better anti-corrosion packages due to the fact/possibility a cooling off engine will pull in salt laden atmosphere to the crankcase.

No idea how much a 175 holds but for those of us playing at it with smaller engines one litre a year of the premium marine stuff isn't too much.

willk · 03 March 2016, 13:10

That said, I've met a bloke who was unwittingly running his outdrives on truck gearbox oil. They didn't seem to be any the worse for it but he WAS changing it every month.

jwalker · 03 March 2016, 13:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

That said, I've met a bloke who was unwittingly running his outdrives on truck gearbox oil. They didn't seem to be any the worse for it but he WAS changing it every month.

I think you'll find that most ep gear oils have a high tolerance for moisture...after all they can be in the axle casing for years at a time.
Sorry wilk but my advice is contrary to yours and I am happy using good quality non-marine specific gear oil in my lower units. Just go by the manufacturer's specification rather than buy their branded products.

Also, my experience with branded products has been that they're not always of the highest quality.

willk · 03 March 2016, 13:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker

Sorry wilk but my advice is contrary to yours and I am happy using good quality non-marine specific gear oil in my lower units. Just go by the manufacturer's specification rather than buy their branded products.

Well, to be fair, my advice and my "real life" story were at odds with each other - and now I can add you to the pile of evidence too!

If I thought that everyone who was tempted to "go bush" on alternative products was as careful as you, I'd be a lot happier about recommending their use. I have visions on some bloke voiding a warranty etc....

On a funny note - a boat showed up at a particular yard recently with one leg full of ATF and the other full of chip oil. No idea if they were actually run with it of if it was for the antioxidising properties / flavour

beamishken · 03 March 2016, 13:45

I'm with jwalker on this one it's all about the spec and keeping it changed regularly,if the oil is cheaper your more likely to change it rather than the gold plated makers labeled stuff.
If it's to spec then imho it'll be fine no mater what the name on the bottle

jeffstevens763@g · 03 March 2016, 14:08

didn't fail didn't know so kept stum

jwalker · 03 March 2016, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

.....On a funny note - a boat showed up at a particular yard recently with one leg full of ATF and the other full of chip oil. No idea if they were actually run with it of if it was for the antioxidising properties / flavour

And it likely did no harm. Maybe depends on the number of fish it fried in a previous life but some seed oils have very good film strength - remember Castrol R? a castor based product. ATF is a very good lubricant too and many auto transmissions are filled for life....and that's the problem with oil recommendations, most modern lubricants are pretty good so how do you know what is good and what is better unless you run two similar engines under similar circumstances for an extended period until one of them suffers an lubrication related failure? Tricky.

So, for me, with engine oils, if it comes out after 4k miles looking like gnats' pish or unusually dark and smelling burnt, and some do!, that particular oil type doesn't get used again. If google is your freind, a good search will reveal some comparisons of the loss of viscosity of popular brands and grades of oil. Some of the big players are not necessarily the best - but mantaining viscosity, whilst important, is not the only consideration.

With gear oil, if it comes out particularly dark or looking like metal flake paint it doesn't get used again.

For the record, I buy my lubricants in bulk because I have four diesel engines, umpteen axles and a couple of marine lower units to service and I can standardise on oil, my supplier is a Fuchs agent and they are a word player in the field of lubrication so I buy that. It seems fine and one of my vehicles is now in its thirteenth year and mechanically sounds as good as it did when new. 4K oil changes though.

My final little story... my partner has a Can-am Spyder (look it up) and was supplied with a Can-am service kit of oil and filter when she bought it. The first oil change was done at very few miles and the original fill oil came out like dilute pish, the service kit was used and at 3k it too came out like pish. The Spyder requires a fairly high spec oil so where to buy?... The local Spar grocer had it in stock - yeh, really! and cheap too. At oil change time it came out looking just as it did when it went in but a little darker - more amber nectar than golden syrup. Needless to say, we went back and bought quite a few litres while it was still available - good thinking as it turns out because it's no longer available there. But, long term....I'll let you know in a few years.

In my motorbike I use 20-50 dino oil...but that's another story.

Pikey Dave · 04 March 2016, 07:29

We use industrial worm drive gearboxes from Germany, they now come filled & sealed for life (10 years at 30% duty cycle) The oil is a fully synthetic glycol based product. We normally dip it annually for peace of mind. It ( the oil) invariably looks "as new"

mick · 04 March 2016, 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamishken

I'm with jwalker on this one it's all about the spec and keeping it changed regularly,if the oil is cheaper your more likely to change it rather than the gold plated makers labeled stuff.
If it's to spec then imho it'll be fine no mater what the name on the bottle

Me 2 mine are old units now so it doesn't really matter but I get my oils from Millers the specs are the same.
And just adding to what Dave said some of the new Land Rovers have there axles sealed for life 😳