Skip,

I read somewhere that you run Ford ATF in your primary? That doesn't make any sense to me at all. What is Automatic Transmission Fluid anyway? Is it an oil? Is that what the HD stuff is, ATF? My manual talks about using the same motor oil if you switch to the HD "synthetic".

I'm about to do my 5,000, and at 1,000 I put the stock HD stuff back in there. Now that it's hotter 'n blazes here in AZ, I want to upgrade it to whats best for it.

Mac

 

Mac, I would guess that Skip is running Ford ATF because he found a can in his garage and wanted to use it up.

Just kiddin', Skip.

 

LOL, no I didn't just find a can! Actually I started using the Ford ATF about 25 years ago in my Shovel. I shut off the primary chain oiler lines and ran it for about 50k miles until I went to a dry clutch and primary belt drive. Most everyone I hung with "back in the day" ran ATF.

When I bought this bike I just went back to using it. I ran the Mobil 1 15w-50 a couple times in it and tried the Mobil 1 V-Twin 20w-50 when I bought that batch to have tested. Didn't notice any difference, noise-wise and chain adjustment-wise, so I decided to go back to the ATF.

Cheaper, too! (Or should I say, "More frugal, too!")

Almost forgot: Don't use ATF if your bike is still under warranty, or the HD little tin gods might get angry with you. Of course, if you have a problem it's easy to pop the primary cover and rinse it out, then fill it with "approved" stuff.

 

Point being, I can run the 15W-50 Mobile 1 in my primary, and just buy 5 quarts of the stuff in stead of just 4 for the motor, right?

Mac

 

Yup.