Castrol Actevo Oil

[CBMGSXR92]

I just got back on a Busa after finding this 2019 black beauty with only 1400 original miles and I'm getting a maintenance plan together (I have 3 other vehicles, including a Civic with 250,000 miles on it, so I'm very meticulous). I found this Castrol Actevo oil at my local Wal-Mart and was curious what you all think about it's claims? It's only $6.47 a quart for 20W-50 vs $10 for Mobil 1 10W-40. The chart in the manual indicates that 20W-50 is recommended if you're staying over 4*F, which isn't an issue living just South of Phoenix. I'm going to put some miles on the bike before "Winter" comes here in Arizona, then tear it apart to bleed the brakes, clutch, and get the oil changed for the 2023 season. I'd love some opinions on this stuff, as it seems to be of decent quality and Castrol has never let me down in any of my 4 wheeled machines.

I do notice some valve chatter after a cold start with the oil currently in the bike, which after asking the previous owner, is 10W-40 synthetic. So, let the debate begin!

Robot or human?

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

I too am meticulous about maintaining my vehicles but to me, being a long time user of fully synthetic oil, semi synth is (almost) as good as it could be.

 

[CBMGSXR92]

I too am meticulous about maintaining my vehicles but to me, being a long time user of fully synthetic oil, semi synth is (almost) as good as it could be.

I mean, if Mobil 1 made a full synthetic 20W-50, 4T.....Lol

After doing some serious research, I actually run Supertech Full-Syn and their MP line of oil filters in my Honda and have had fantastic results...I had ran Castrol Syn-Blend for years prior to the switch without issue.

Since these bike require a more stringent maintenance schedule, I wouldn't be bothered by a syn-blend, but if there's a better 20W-50 out there for the price, show me the way! Lol

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

I mean, if Mobil 1 made a full synthetic 20W-50, 4T.....Lol

After doing some serious research, I actually run Supertech Full-Syn and their MP line of oil filters in my Honda and have had fantastic results...I had ran Castrol Syn-Blend for years prior to the switch without issue.

Since these bike require a more stringent maintenance schedule, I wouldn't be bothered by a syn-blend, but if there's a better 20W-50 out there for the price, show me the way! Lol

Having said what I did, I’ve never heard of an oil related engine problem where there was a sufficient amount of clean oil present and the filter wasn’t clogged. However, I ride a lot of miles and keep my bikes for a long time so ‘just good enough’ for me, isn’t. I change oil and filter every 5,000 miles or so and have done so for many years on water cooled and air cooled bikes over hundreds of thousands of miles. Even hot running air cooled engines like this.

 

[michael parris heuberger]

Having said what I did, I’ve never heard of an oil related engine problem where there was a sufficient amount of clean oil present and the filter wasn’t clogged. However, I ride a lot of miles and keep my bikes for a long time so ‘just good enough’ for me, isn’t. I change oil and filter every 5,000 miles or so and have done so for many years on water cooled and air cooled bikes over hundreds of thousands of miles. Even hot running air cooled engines like this.

View attachment 1656509

Hi. I run the Walmart 20-50 oil in my Honda Civic with 482000+ miles i change oil every 3000 miles it comes out clean. On the HD I run V Twin 20-50 3800+ miles. On the busa will run what ever Eric at DAS runs in his XDA bike does and change often when I use VP M1 fuel after every race.

 

[nintastio]

I ran the cheapest Rotella I could find in my turbo civic, my daily driver honda I use the cheapest oil I can find, don't care what brand. In my forged and stroked LS3 car I run the cheap penzoil 20w-50. My previous civic had 280,000 miles on it when I got rid of it and my current accord has ~225,000 miles on it. From my experience brand of oil doesn't make a difference in the least.

I've had about 15 other vehicles over the years I treat the same with cheap oil. my Hondas get new oil about every 5,000 miles and the performance vehicles every 2,000-3,000 miles max.

 

[jellyrug]

Thinner is better, the 20W is a little too thick for me. Takes longer to get into the critical parts during a cold start, which is when most engine wear happens.

That said, for the transmission, thinner is not ideal, which means we need excellent film barrier properties, so full synthetic is the best choice.

The transmission beats viscosity modifiers to death with a cheap additive package, so if you do not have your oil analysed, you will never know.

The comparison with cars is probably not the best, as the duty on a high performance motorcycle motor, sharing the same lubricant with engine and gearbox has different needs.

 

[Bumblebee]

My brother runs 20w50 dino oil in his Beemers and one has well over 500,000 miles and the other has over 250,000 miles with zero engine work ever done...he changes oil when they need it and doesn't go by an interval...he can tell by the feel and smell of the oil.

 

[CBMGSXR92]

I went strolling through Wal-Mart again this morning and saw that Rotella T6 (either the 5W-40 or 15W-40) meets JASO MA and MA2. Any thoughts on this? I've heard many people have had great results with T6.

 

[dave s]

I ran the cheapest Rotella I could find in my turbo civic, my daily driver honda I use the cheapest oil I can find, don't care what brand. In my forged and stroked LS3 car I run the cheap penzoil 20w-50. My previous civic had 280,000 miles on it when I got rid of it and my current accord has ~225,000 miles on it. From my experience brand of oil doesn't make a difference in the least.

I've had about 15 other vehicles over the years I treat the same with cheap oil. my Hondas get new oil about every 5,000 miles and the performance vehicles every 2,000-3,000 miles max.

In the UK we change oil every year or 10000/12000 miles
Some manufacturers are now every 2 years or 20000
Why is it over there you change your oil so soon??
Is that what manufacturers recommend over there or just personal choice

 

[nintastio]

In the UK we change oil every year or 10000/12000 miles
Some manufacturers are now every 2 years or 20000
Why is it over there you change your oil so soon??
Is that what manufacturers recommend over there or just personal choice

I think a lot of us are stuck in the old days where oil only lasted 3,000 miles, maybe it's just me? I know on newer vehicles they have larger intervals like 10 or 12k miles, but all my vehicles are old so I stick to the old ways.

In my LS3 car I run regular oil 20w50, non synthetic for the zinc content since it has loose bearings.

I haven't had the Hayabusa long enough for my opinion to hold any ground, but I just run the Mobil 1 4T because that's what was on the shelf at the local store.

 

[jellyrug]

My brother runs 20w50 dino oil in his Beemers and one has well over 500,000 miles and the other has over 250,000 miles with zero engine work ever done...he changes oil when they need it and doesn't go by an interval...he can tell by the feel and smell of the oil.

That's pretty good for a BMW. They seem to have lots of issues and get pretty expensive to maintain over here past 100k.

Must be that nose.

 

[Bumblebee]

That's pretty good for a BMW. They seem to have lots of issues and get pretty expensive to maintain over here past 100k.

Must be that nose.

One is a '78 and is bullet proof the other is a '96 and a little less bullet proof but so far seems to be stout...

He said he would go nowhere near a newer Beemer...he belongs to the BMW owners' group and hears lots of horror stories from many of them.

He's had a couple little things act up in the '78 but nothing major, the '96 had a fuel injection issue-the butterfly guides in the throttle bodies were worn out-it cost $10 a side to fix them as he did the work himself like he does on all his bikes and everything he owns.

 

[CBMGSXR92]

So no real experience with Actevo from anyone? Lol

I know that our engines make a little noise when their cold until the engine gets some heat in it (about a minute or so), but does anyone have any experience with an oil that keeps this noise to a minimum?

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

So no real experience with Actevo from anyone? Lol

I know that our engines make a little noise when their cold until the engine gets some heat in it (about a minute or so), but does anyone have any experience with an oil that keeps this noise to a minimum?

What noise is that? Amsoil is good stuff, no noise, ever. My motor hummms on start up.

 

[CBMGSXR92]

What noise is that? Amsoil is good stuff, no noise, ever. My motor hummms on start up.

There's either a little valve chatter or a little cam chain play right after a cold start for about a minute (maybe since the hydraulic tensioner doesn't build oil pressure quickly?), then it quiets down. It's not very alarming, but it's something I pay attention to and wonder what oil everyone is using and the results they get with said oil.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

There's either a little valve chatter or a little cam chain play right after a cold start for about a minute (maybe since the hydraulic tensioner doesn't build oil pressure quickly?), then it quiets down. It's not very alarming, but it's something I pay attention to and wonder what oil everyone is using and the results they get with said oil.

At such low mileage there shouldn’t be any noise on start up even with dino oil unless the the valves weren’t adjusted properly from the get go. And for a ‘whole minute’?

 

[dave s]

I now some of the 2008/9 had a tick from cold, believed to be the hydraulic tensioner but not the newer ones,

 

[CBMGSXR92]

At such low mileage there shouldn’t be any noise on start up even with dino oil unless the the valves weren’t adjusted properly from the get go. And for a ‘whole minute’?

Everything I've read here on the oil threads say that Busa engines are known for being noisy when cold...so now I'm getting conflicting information. Lol