Cooling the M8
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,113
Likes: 666
Duane,
You mean to tell me you were part of a study that determined synthetic oil helps engine longevity?
Did you also see a reduction in syn oil temps as compared to Dino oil?
How 'bout power? Were you able to measure (dyno) a change in power due to a reduction in friction?
It's really nice to hear confirmation about the value of syn oils as we found over 30 years ago in racing. Very easy to see the benefits in a controlled environment such as a proper dyno cell with climate control.
Been using syn oil for over 30 years in everything I've owned from lawn mowers to 1200+hp turbo charged endurance (24hr) engines as used in GT prototypes years ago.
Go synthetics! And thanks for the post!
Bob
You mean to tell me you were part of a study that determined synthetic oil helps engine longevity?
Did you also see a reduction in syn oil temps as compared to Dino oil?
How 'bout power? Were you able to measure (dyno) a change in power due to a reduction in friction?
It's really nice to hear confirmation about the value of syn oils as we found over 30 years ago in racing. Very easy to see the benefits in a controlled environment such as a proper dyno cell with climate control.
Been using syn oil for over 30 years in everything I've owned from lawn mowers to 1200+hp turbo charged endurance (24hr) engines as used in GT prototypes years ago.
Go synthetics! And thanks for the post!
Bob
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 354
Likes: 315
From: Alexandria, VA
Correct. I was part of an aviation consulting business and we did projects mostly for regional airlines, which are the smaller "puddle jumpers" that were mostly turbo-prop powered in 1986-1987 (this is going back thirty years). Synthetic oils were just coming on back then and they were 5 to 6 times as costly as dino juice, and one of our partner airlines wanted to justify if the cost for the oils was beneficial to engine longevity. I was in the Compliance side of things, but one of my partners was in Maintenance and involved in it. The study was done over a 1-year period using new aircraft to the TBO (typically 5,000 hours). Part of the test group used recommended oils (petroleum based) and other engines were running the largely unproven synthetic oils from Mobil.
At overhaul, the engines running the recommended dino oils needed the usual things on a rebuild expected at 5,000 hours, the ones running synthetic showed virtually no wear at all. The Maintenance side was very impressed with all this, and the decision was made to convert the entire fleet to Synthetics as it saved money at overhaul time over and above the cost of the oil. I didn't have the data sheets as it was not in my department, it was something we just discussed in conference. But I will tell you that once I heard that, I ran synthetics in all my cars and motorcycles and have never gone back to petroleum based oils.
This is why you really need a controlled test environment on any claim for accelerated wear due to heat, lubrication, etc., otherwise its just speculation.
Duane
At overhaul, the engines running the recommended dino oils needed the usual things on a rebuild expected at 5,000 hours, the ones running synthetic showed virtually no wear at all. The Maintenance side was very impressed with all this, and the decision was made to convert the entire fleet to Synthetics as it saved money at overhaul time over and above the cost of the oil. I didn't have the data sheets as it was not in my department, it was something we just discussed in conference. But I will tell you that once I heard that, I ran synthetics in all my cars and motorcycles and have never gone back to petroleum based oils.
This is why you really need a controlled test environment on any claim for accelerated wear due to heat, lubrication, etc., otherwise its just speculation.
Duane
Cruiser
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 111
Likes: 5
From: Trường Sơn trail
Harley Fan assisted Oil Cooler option for my M8 SGS
Comes standard on Police and Trike models and a relatively inexpensive P&P option so WTF. The only draw is you have to get it activated via HD Digital Tech II so I recommend having it installed by HD.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,763
Likes: 371
From: North of Hell, South of Heaven
I rented an M8 SG for Bike Week. except when my inner, right thigh rested against the rear rocker cover, I never noticed any heat issues. It's the only Harley motor I would keep stock.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,807
Likes: 1,488
From: SW Washington State
Two non scientific points over the last 3000 miles on my M8
1, Until I rode Death Valley and got up into the hills I never felt much if any heat off the engine. And even then the heat was not uncomfortable for me or my wife.
2, After a 20 mile interstate ride in mid 60's, My Oil cooler fan is blowing luke warm if not cool when I put my hand down there.
My observation is that the M8 does real well at managing its heat.
1, Until I rode Death Valley and got up into the hills I never felt much if any heat off the engine. And even then the heat was not uncomfortable for me or my wife.
2, After a 20 mile interstate ride in mid 60's, My Oil cooler fan is blowing luke warm if not cool when I put my hand down there.
My observation is that the M8 does real well at managing its heat.
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