First off: I apologize for asking because there thousands of old posts about oil. Did read a lot of them though.
Second: posted here because I own a dyna and would like dyna owners opinion although we all have same HD air cooled engines.

I ran HD oil for engine and transmision. I get two different oils, engine and the one with the + sign for transmision.

My local temp runs between 80°F and 100°F most the time. Heard a lot of comments about synthetic oils. My engine runs hot a lot and will probably buy pretty soon an oil cooler or a pair of cooling fans. I know my engine temp should be around or a little over the limit.

Do synthetics make the engine run cooler?
Do they break down or have higher break down temperature limits than HD?
Who makes HD? It's isn't like it's the Coke formula? Someone must know what oil it's is.

If suggestions to try an oil comes up, please provide what oil reference I should use: 20w50? Probably US name brands will vary in name down here.

Basically, I want to protect my engine from wear and heat. An engine cooler is on my purchase list but I want to learn more about lubrication in the twins, specifically for my ultra hot climate

Thanks guys

 

Yes it will run cooler.

I actually ran a test on 2 identical kawasaki lawn mower engines. One running john deere oil, the other mobil 1 10w-30. The mobil 1 engine ran 23 degrees cooler than the other engine. I later drained the oils and switched them. Same result from other engine with the synthetic.

These were 740cc kawasaki vtwin air cooled engines. Although quite different from a HD engine I suspect the results would be near the same. It sold me on the idea.

 

The primary benefit of using synthetic oil is that it can withstand much higher temperature than conventional oil without breaking down, and thus, continues to do its job at temperature that destroy conventional oil.

I highly recommend a 10 row Jagg oil cooler as well.

 

citgo makes harley's oil. as all ready mentioned the jagg 10 row oil cooler makes a big difference have found on mine engine temps average 225-235 and head temps are at 285-295 degrees. on 80 degree days with the humidity @ 60 percent running mobil 1 vtwin 20w50.

 

If you weather temps are what you say, you should be running a 50W oil and I would recommend an oil cooler as well...........

I am running a Jagg 10 row low mount and run Lucas V-Twin full syn. 50w when ambient temp's are above 60 degrees and run Lucas 20w/50 when temps are below 60 degrees.

The full syn. oil will not break down at higher temp's like the dino oil does... and the oil will run cooler.......

I would highly recommend a full syn. oil of your choice and an oil cooler....

Here is what I run........ and my bike run's 20 - 30 degrees cooler on the oil side, you will need to look at other option's for cooling cylinder head's......

Lucas V-Twin full syn. 50w in the engine case....
Lucas 75/90 in the trans.........
and either Lucas Primary oil or Mobil 4T 10w40 racing in the primary......

Live Free = Ride Free............

 

That's exactly what I was hoping. A couple of degrees below what I have now will do the engine a lot of good.

 

Seeing everyone agrees on Synthetic, guess HD is not.

Ok, I've seen most use 20w50, is there such thing as 50w50 or did I misunderstand californiafatbob2013?

 

You misunderstood. He was talking about a straight SAE 50. It is like 20w50, just minus the 20. You will see it on the shelves of your local auto store sometimes. It is for very hot environments, year round. Columbia probably fits the bill.

 

Ambient temp above 60 degrees, run straight 50w....
Ambient temps below 60 degress, run 20w/50...........

Some will recommend the 50w all the time with 103 ci engines up......

This is what the manual states...... it will also keep oil blow by threw breather's at a minimum............

I used to run 20w/50 full syn all the time and found I had a lot of blow by with the hotter ambient temp's..........

Live Free = Ride Free............

 

That's why I write here. I trust fellow riders opinion and knowledge.

Thanks....will definitely switch to one of those oils on my next oil change.

Mobile 1 is a good way to go in hopes of lowering temp.