Where can I find 15W40 motorcycle oil?My job is on the line.

John Flushing · Post by **John Flushing** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:24 pm

Dear internet forum users:

I am currently driving a Genuine Buddy 125 from 2009 and it is almost time for the oil to be changed. This vehicle is my only form of transportation which means that if I cannot drive it, then I will no longer be able to reach my place of employment. The public transportation where I live is nonexistent and if I cannot drive to my job, then I will not be able to feed myself. This is a matter of survival.

I have spent many long hours searching for 15W40 motorcycle oil. A prominent label is plaster-cemented onto my vehicle. The label tells me in plain English to use 15W40 oil. I have searched high and low, far and wide, up and down, and all around, all over the internet. No matter what I do, and no matter how hard I try, I cannot find the necessary oil. Every single website on the internet (that I have extensively searched for using A.O.L. Search) absolutely refuses to carry the oil.

For me to pay an official Genuine Scooter Dealership to change my oil is not an option on the table for me, as I live 5 minutes away from Wappingers falls, New York. The nearest Genuine Scooter Dealership is in New Haven, Connecticut.

If anyone can point me to an appropriate website and thereby put food on my table, then I thank you in advance, because I need 15W40 oil in order to avoid eating out of the garbage.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:36 pm

10w40 works just fine.

DeeDee · Post by **DeeDee** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:37 pm

You are thinking too hard. If you want full dino, go with Shell Rotella T 15w40. If you want full synthetic, Shell Rotella T6 is the bill. Both available from walmart.

John Flushing · Post by **John Flushing** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:44 pm

viney266 wrote:10w40 works just fine.

The local autozone sells a tremendous amount of 10W40 oil. If I wind up using it then I am placing a tremendous amount of trust in you.

DeeDee wrote:You are thinking too hard. If you want full dino, go with Shell Rotella T 15w40. If you want full synthetic, Shell Rotella T6 is the bill. Both available from walmart.

I went to the Walmart website and all of the Shell Rotella T oil is Diesel engine oil.

If I use it then I can only hope the Diesel engine oil will not damage my engine, an engine which requires gasoline fuel.

Kevinpsu160 · Post by **Kevinpsu160** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:03 pm

Go here:
803 Old Route 9 North
Wappingers Falls,NY 12590

Buy this:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/shel ... Term=15w40

Do this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJxeHbsq6gA

and this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYDm2pW5vAM

KrispyKreme · Post by **KrispyKreme** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:14 pm

John, 10w40 is all I've ever used and I'm at 20k.

Check above post and watch the youtube vids.

Stitch · Post by **Stitch** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:23 pm

Relax about the numbers. The 40 part means it's a 40 weight oil, and the 10w or 15w means it is multiviscosity. All that means is that the oil is still that viscosity at 10 or 15 degrees. Easy to find 10w40 (or 15w40) will work just fine. Generally, "motorcycle" oil has less long chain molecule additives (in some bikes the transmission gears will chew these apart supposedly).

Just run a good quality oil, and change it when you are supposed to.

scootERIK · Post by **scootERIK** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:50 pm

John Flushing wrote:I went to the Walmart website and all of the Shell Rotella T oil is Diesel engine oil. If I use it then I can only hope the Diesel engine oil will not damage my engine, an engine which requires gasoline fuel.

I have 33,000 miles on my 2009 Buddy 125, 32,000 of those miles were done with Shell Rotella T 15w40.

And- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_Rotella_T

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:23 pm

Use the links provided above. The only things I do a little differently is clean the screen and drain plug with CRC contact cleaner, I make a funnel out of aluminum foil so oil doesn't get on the frame when removing the filter and I use a torque wrench for the filter. The filter needs to be properly tightened...more than the hand tight suggested in the video.

DeeDee · Post by **DeeDee** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:28 pm

You can always take it in to your dealer for their $150 oil change. Just hope the kid making $10 an hour working on it remembers to torque the filter.

schroeder · Post by **schroeder** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 11:31 pm

I use Rotella 5w 40 in my Buddy. POC Phil is my dealer. He is well known in the
scooter world. He highly recommends Rotella 5w 40 and yes it is diesel oil. That is all I have ever used in my Buddy and it has 10,000 miles on it. I use synthetic, but it is not necessarily a must. I get it at Walmart.

avescoots1134 · Post by **avescoots1134** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 12:16 am

A different weight of oil won't make it explode.

ucandoit · Post by **ucandoit** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 12:22 am

John---You are trying hard to do the right thing and seeking information on this site is a good idea. I got a 2008 Buddy and stressed deeply about finding 15-40 oil and SAE 140 gear oil (you'll eventually want to change the gear oil & you won't find SAE 140 gear oil. At least I never did). I agree with every reply that you've gotten so far. Still, you are wise to be careful. Some people are deeply misinformed and are really casual and careless about advice. The Buddy oil change youtube video is excellent. She used 10-40.
I use the 10w-40 and feel confident about it. I don't have a torque wrench and was careful, but I'm getting one just to be on the safe side.
My livelihood does not depend on my scooter, but being fearful makes things harder. Seek advice from multiple sources--just as you're doing. Read as much as you can. I really hope things improve for you.

Dooglas · Post by **Dooglas** » Thu Mar 26, 2015 1:13 am

Most good quality synthetic oils that are rated for heavy use meet the spec for diesel engines. There is absolutely no reason not to use CJ rated motor oil in a scooter.

kmrcstintn · Post by **kmrcstintn** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 1:21 am

15w-40 is designated as a heavy duty engine oil designed primarily for diesel engines; it is available virtually everywhere; you can run the lowly SuperTech brand at walmart or uber expensive synthetics from Royal Purple or Amsoil; there are great choices priced in between...

with the 2 Buddy 125's I owned, I brought my own oil to the dealer oil change between 600-1000 miles...Chevron Delo 400 LE; 15w-40; then I would use whatever was on sale for 2000 mile OCI using HiFlo Filtro HF183 filters (or a more expensive Piaggio filter than fits a Vespa 150/Fly 150 if HiFlo's were out of stock);

10w-40 oil works also...motorcycle oils have a stronger additive package (but car oil works in a pinch); Auto zone runs sales a few times per year that takes $2 off per quart (eg: Valvoline & Castrol conventional motorcycle oils that cost $6/qt go down to $4/qt or you can buy more expensive synthetic if you want);

5w-40 diesel or European car oils offer an advantage of better flowability in cold temperatures but they cost more since they are synthetic or synthetic blends;

some people will select oil weight based upon climate/temperature...15w-40 for warmer climate/temperature and 10w-40 or 5w-40 for colder climate/temperature which flow easier during cold startups...

don't forget to learn how to do the final drive (rear differential) lube changes also...a good 80w-140 or 85w-140 gear lube works well (140 wt monograde also exists but flows like mollases in cold temps)...

GregsBuddy · Post by **GregsBuddy** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 10:49 pm

Motor oil is also specified by engine tolerances. The Buddy appears to have larger clearances than many engines, given that the minimum viscosity if 15W. The 10W oil is thinner and used in engines with tighter machine tolerances.