Author Topic: Boric Acid in engine oil.  (Read 26383 times)

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Mandar_C500

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on: June 05, 2015, 06:52:47 pm
Hi,
      I have came across this information on another form (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/14280-my-experience-adding-boric-acid-engine-oil.html).
I have a doubt about using it in the wet clutch in the Classic 500.

Please advise.

Regards
Mandar


tooseevee

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Reply #1 on: June 05, 2015, 08:26:26 pm
Hi,
      I have came across this information on another form (http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/14280-my-experience-adding-boric-acid-engine-oil.html).
I have a doubt about using it in the wet clutch in the Classic 500.
Please advise.
Regards
Mandar

            I have my doubts also, but I'm not an internet oil expert.

             What's wrong with good motorcycle oil?

               What's next? Baby powder?

                 Wasn't there some snake oil years ago that was supposed to coat all your delicate metal surfaces with Teflon? How did that work out? ???
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pmanaz1973

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Reply #2 on: June 05, 2015, 09:45:38 pm
                        What's wrong with good motorcycle oil?

+ 1  Plain old good quality motorcycle specific oil is really all that is needed right?
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ace.cafe

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Reply #3 on: June 05, 2015, 10:16:13 pm
I don't know about this stuff specifically, but most products like this have particle size that just gets picked up in the oil filter, sometimes clogging it and making matters worse.

I see no need for it, and there is never any shortage of snake oil products or snake oil salesmen around.
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The_Rigger

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Reply #4 on: June 05, 2015, 10:51:35 pm
A million or so years ago, Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN in the US, at the time it was called Road Rider magazine) did an excellent article on so-called motorcycle-specific oils, performance oils, and oil additives... It's worth looking up online or in back issues, if you can find it. Basically says most so-called "performance" oils and additives are at best a waste of money and at worst damaging to your engine.
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Mandar_C500

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Reply #5 on: June 06, 2015, 09:05:28 am
I don't know about this stuff specifically, but most products like this have particle size that just gets picked up in the oil filter, sometimes clogging it and making matters worse.
In India the we get a boric acid in the form of very fine powder. this powder didn't get dissolved in the oil easily hence one has to use the hand mixer or shake the solution very well. I think it can pass thru the oil filter.
Many people have used it in their cars (which has oil filter) so I am not worried about it.
Only thing I am worried about the wet clutch.

Regards
Mandar
 


SteveThackery

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Reply #6 on: June 06, 2015, 11:56:50 am
To be honest, Mandar_C500, I don't think anyone here can help you, except by expressing their opinion.  We simply don't have access to any more facts that you do, and it is FACTS you need to make this decision.

There don't seem to have been any controlled, scientific tests performed on the effects of boric acid on wet clutches, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence out there.

I think the best you can do is what I did: just enter boric acid wet clutch into Google and have a read through.
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SteveThackery

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Reply #7 on: June 06, 2015, 12:05:55 pm
This thread seems to suggest that clutch slippage is a significant problem:

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/technical-zone/7562-boric-acid-engine-oil-3.html
Meteor 350

Previous:
'14 B5
'06 ElectraX (Good bike, had no trouble at all)
'02 500ES (Fully "Hitchcocked" - 535, cams, piston, etc - and still a piece of junk)

...plus loads of other bikes: German, British, Japanese, Italian, East European.


ace.cafe

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Reply #8 on: June 06, 2015, 12:25:16 pm
After reading those threads, I am convinced that this is a snake oil idea.

First of all, using it has no benefits. It takes 1500km before you "notice anything", which is a huge belly-laugh all by itself. No power gains, no other gains outside of some psychological "wishing that it does something, but not sure what". So, I'm wondering what all the fuss is about, since nobody is really seeing any kind of gain that they can verify, but they seem very enthralled with the idea of using it, for some reason unknown to anyone else. This puts it firmly in the "wishful thinking" category.

One thing that stuck out was the recommendation to change the oil filter after 250km because "it cleans out the muck from the engine". I suspect that it is not "cleaning out" any muck, but it IS the muck that you just put into your engine, and it clogs the filter.

The other thing is this idea of "over-lubrication" causing a slipping clutch. It is more likely that these granules in the oil is preventing full contact of the clutch plates, thereby ruining clutch holding.

So basically, this is a "treatment" for oil that doesn't do any good, and causes problems.
Great! :o
« Last Edit: June 06, 2015, 12:36:00 pm by ace.cafe »
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Chuck D

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Reply #9 on: June 06, 2015, 01:55:46 pm
BORIC ACID?!? (face palm)
You find boric acid right between the cans of Raid and the Roach Motels.
What's next, Drano?

But seriously, think for a moment. When you drain your oil, you're removing the acids.
Why would anyone deliberately put acid
 IN the engine?
« Last Edit: June 06, 2015, 02:05:00 pm by Chuck D »
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High On Octane

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Reply #10 on: June 06, 2015, 03:15:00 pm
Sounds like a good way to spin all the bearing in your motor.
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ace.cafe

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Reply #11 on: June 06, 2015, 03:22:50 pm
I recently read an article about WW2, when they were putting Ethylene Dibromide into the fuel for knock resistance in the supercharged P51 Mustangs.
The hydrobromic acid produced as a by-product caused the valve seats to erode away within 100 hours of operation. An unexpected side-effect.
Acid can be nasty stuff.
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Chuck D

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Reply #12 on: June 06, 2015, 04:01:10 pm
Neutral pH.
Good for your body. Good for your swimming pool. Good for your engine. :)
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Reply #13 on: June 06, 2015, 04:08:54 pm
                 Wasn't there some snake oil years ago that was supposed to coat all your delicate metal surfaces with Teflon? How did that work out? ???

Slick 50?

It was a thick blue gunk that did nothing but help your engine blow up.
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Bulletman

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Reply #14 on: June 06, 2015, 06:59:45 pm
I think Boric Acid's best place and use is in a "Carrom board" game... ;D
Otherwise it'll make things slip and slide just like on the Carrom board.
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