Motul USA - FAQs

Is there a shelf life on lubricants?

Motul is certified to ISO 9001. According to our quality procedure, Motul products are guaranteed for two years after their production date. To ensure the validity of this guarantee, a reference sample of each production batch is kept systematically and checked on a scheduled basis.

Is there a difference between motorcycle oil and Automotive oil?

JASO T904 tests have been performed on the 300V Factory Line range (competition range for motorcycles), thereby guaranteeing that these lubricants do not perturb the operation of wet clutches. In cars, the lubrication system is specific for gearboxes or clutch boxes, which are not lubricated at the same time as the engine. Friction modifiers can be used to reduce friction in the engine and thus increase its performance. Motul therefore recommends the use of a lubricant suitable for the vehicle and mechanical part to be lubricated. You should always read your maintenance manual when choosing an oil.

What is the difference between synthetic lubricant and mineral lubricant?

A lubricant is said to be 'mineral' when it is based on refined crude oil. Synthetic lubricants use bases from chemical reactions between various components. The process for obtaining a synthetic lubricant, compared with that for obtaining a mineral oil, is more complex and therefore more costly. Nevertheless, synthetic products have superior properties such as resistance to oxidation, allowing them to be used in very severe temperature conditions and/or with a longer period between oil changes. Semi-synthetic oils are obtained by carefully mixing a mineral base and a synthetic base. This produces, at a reasonable cost, properties that are superior to mineral oils since these oils retain the high performance characteristics of the synthetic base.

What does Technosynthese mean?

Nowadays, the terms 'synthetic', 'semi-synthetic', and 'synthetic base', are overused and confusing. It is not enough just to add a few percent of PAOs (poly-alpha-olefins) to claim to rival the performances of oils using Motul synthesic techniques. All these techniques using synthetic products have been developed for over 50 years by Motul, which fully masters them. They are now grouped under the generic name 'TECHNOSYNTHESE', a registered trademark.

On packaging, what does 15W-40, 5W-4, etc. mean?

These are SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) viscosity grades that class 4-stroke engine oils in relation to their hot and cold viscosity characteristics. These grades are defined as follows: • A cold or winter grade, followed by the letter W, 15W for instance. • A hot or summer grade. This figure comes after the winter grade: 40 for instance. The smaller the winter grade number (0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, 25W), the more the oil remains fluid at negative temperatures, and therefore the easier it is to start your engine in very cold weather. The higher the summer grade number (20, 30, 40, 50, 60), the more the oil remains viscous at high temperatures (100°C), and therefore the more protection it provides to the engine during strenuous use. Present-day engines are generally designed to operate with a hot oil viscosity of SAE 40. In winter, in temperate countries, a cold grade of SAE 15W is ample for easy starting. An SAE 15W-40 oil is therefore suitable for temperatures ranging from -10°C to +40°C. You should refer to the OEM's exact recommendations when choosing your vehicle lubricant

Until now, I have used a competitor's oil in my 4-stroke engine vehicle. Can I use Motul without damaging my engine?

4-stroke engine oils are compatible and miscible.
Oil drain intervals

The oil drain interval depends on the frequency of use of your car and also on the type of driving you do. - For ordinary daily driving, you should follow the OEM's recommendations, either in your service hand book or on the in-car display. - If you take part in track-days or performance meetings, you should shorten the oil drain intervals. Our technical hotline will be happy to discuss the possibilities according to your usage and driving style. - Similarly, if your engine has been modified or tuned, you can no longer follow the OEM's recommendations. In this case also, you should shorten the period between oil changes. Again our technical hotline can give you advice depending on the modifications you made to your car.

300V Motorsport Range, 8100 or 6100? Which oil should I choose?

300V Motorsport range of lubricants are specifically formulated for racing applications. They are based around Motul’s unique ESTER Core® technology which combines the best performing synthetic base oils including esters with bespoke dedicated chemical additives. The result is unrivalled power increase, outstanding lubrication and optimal protection, the best conditions for ultimate victory! These lubricants have been developed for leading Factory Racing Teams Worldwide, but also have exactly the same availability to the general public! 8100 is Motul’s top of the range passenger car engine oil based on 100% synthetic technology containing esters. These products meet the up to date and most demanding OEM engine oil approval requirements. 8100 lubricants are available in the latest and fuel-efficient 0W grades. 8100 lubricants are the safest way to keep your engine protected and operating the way it was designed to, fully compliant with the car’s warranty, whether it is in stop-and-start traffic or at full speed on the motorways. 6100 is based around Motul’s Technosynthese® technology containing esters. 6100 Products come with a multitude of official OEM approvals making sure you are using the right oil for your car. 6100 is designed to be price competitive without sacrificing on quality and performance. They are available in a wide range of popular viscosity grades.

I am currently using a 15W-40 oil in my car engine. In very cold weather (-10 °C), when starting, I hear a clacking sound. What should I do?

Your engine probably has hydraulic tappets. At low temperatures, a 15W oil is too viscous to ensure the proper operation of such pushrods. You should therefore use a 10W-40 or 5W-40, depending on the OEM's recommendations – please refer to your handbook that came with the car or contact your nearest dealer

I am currently using a 15W-40 oil in the engine of my car which has more than 100,000 km/miles on the clock. I have noticed my oil consumption is high, so I wish to reduce it, but without incurring great expenses.

Oil consumption is a natural phenomenon in an engine, whether new or old. However, high consumption is probably more pronounced in engines that have been driven a greater number of kilometers/miles and have increased wear. Depending on the exact problem causing your high oil consumption, it can sometimes be reduced by altering the choice of your engine oil. Changing to an oil that is more viscous than grade 40 when hot, such as 15W-50, 20W-50 or 15W-60 is more than likely to considerably reduce your oil consumption, without there being any risk to your engine.

What is the difference between petrol engine oil and diesel engine oil?

The constraints on oils in these two types of engines are not exactly identical. In particular, the minimum performance levels differ regarding to the ability to keep the surfaces of the engine clean. Nevertheless, virtually all products of the Motul range largely exceed these minimum levels and therefore meet the standards and approvals for both petrol and diesel engines, for example ACEA Ax / Bx or API Sx / Cx.

I am currently using an SAE 80W-90 oil in my car's manual gearbox. In cold weather, changing gears is very difficult during the first few kilometers. What can I do?

Here, we touch on the SAE viscosity grade classification for manual gearboxes. It works in similar ways to the engine viscosity grade system for a 2 part “Multigrade” viscosity product: - A winter grade, the “80W” which is an indicator of the viscosity at cold temperatures (“W” still stands for “Winter”). The numbers go from 70W to 85W with 70W having the lowest viscosity at cold temperatures and 85W having the highest viscosity - A hot grade, the “90” in the example above. Numbers go from 80 to 250 with 80 having the lowest viscosity at high temperatures and 250 having the highest viscosity. Going back to the question itself, these difficulties are probably caused by using an oil that is too viscous when cold, preventing the synchromesh mechanism from working correctly. Changing to an oil with a 75W-90 viscosity grade should help to solve the problem, but always check the OEM’s recommended viscosity grade as listed in the handbook of the vehicle prior to making any change.
Why are oil drain intervals shorter for motorcycles compared to cars?

Unlike with cars, the capacity of motorcycle oil sumps are generally limited given the low overall dimensions of a motorcycle engine. For scooters in particular, their capacity is often less than 1 litre and for some applications dry sumps can also be used. (this is when the oil sump is located remote from the engine) Given these lower volumes of oil in motorcycles and the increased constraints put on the lubricant, such as higher temperatures, multiple lubrication (engine, gearbox and clutch) and extreme RPM - oil drain intervals are shorter for motorcycles than for cars. However, we advise that In any event you should always refer to the OEM's recommendations for the correct oil change intervals.

300V Factory line, 7100 or 5100?

Choose your oil depending on use and riding style: 300V Factory Line lubricants are especially formulated for the severity of racing applications. Based around the Ester Core® technology, 300V Factory Line lubricants provide the best engine response and protection at very high temperatures and RPM, throttle feedback, clutch feel and ultimate gearbox protection. Four viscosity grades are available for track/road applications with 100 % shear stability and constant oil pressure and two viscosity grades are available for off-road with optimal traction. Developed in close partnership with Worldwide Factory Teams, the 300V Factory Line range of lubricants are also available to the general public who demand only the best! 7100 is Motul’s dedicated 100 % synthetic range of lubricants for modern high performance 4-stroke motorcycle engines. Ester technology and optimized additives ensure clutch compatibility, gearbox durability and power response from the engine. With a variety of viscosity grades to choose from, you can be sure to find the right lube for your bike and your riding style. 5100 is Motul’s Technosynthese® range of lubricants formulated with esters. For the price conscious, you can still be sure that this range of lubricants is certainly not lacking in performance and protection. They are especially formulated for the highest possible reliability for more general everyday use. For sure, the requirements of a lubricant for normal everyday use of your motorcycle are entirely different from those of the demands of racing. Motul 7100 and 5100 have been formulated so that you can meet the OEM's recommended viscosity and oil drain intervals without any issues under normal daily use conditions.

Until now, I have used a competitor's oil in my 4-stroke engine motorcycle. Can I use Motul without damaging my engine?

4-stroke engine oils are compatible with each other and can be mixed. You can therefore safely use a quality Motul lubricant in your motorcycle from now on.

Can I mix two types of oil of a different quality or brand?

We can only recommend that you mix two different brands or qualities of lubricant only if the two oils were designed for the same application (4-stroke engine oil for instance, but you can’t mix a 2-stroke oil with a 4-stroke oil). However, make sure you comply with the minimum quality recommended by the OEM, bearing in mind that the quality of the mixture obtained will generally be closer to that of the lesser product, depending on the proportions.

I am currently using a 15W-40 oil in my motorcycle engine. In very cold weather (-10 °C), when starting, I hear a clacking sound. What should I do?

Your engine probably operates with hydraulic pushrods. At low temperatures, a 15W oil is too viscous to ensure the proper operation of such parts. You should therefore use a 10W-40 or 5W-40, depending on the OEM's recommendations – please refer to your handbook that came with the bike or contact your nearest dealer.