OK, all the primary oil discussions focus on the clutch action, chain/sprocket wear, tensioner shoe wear and stator cooling with very little focus on the compensator. When you see the wear on Harley comp ramps/spokes you would think that the heaviest oil would help the longevity. Hell, if the comp was running in its own cavity, I think EP grease would be in order. So, which of the many generally accepted primary oil choices would be best for the comp.

(Currently replacing stock comp, with an SE comp plus ring gear, pinion and starter clutch - '09 RG@10,000 mi.)

 

My independent mechanic said Shell Rotella 15-40 would work well. Been running it for 10K miles and been pleased. Prob lots of opinions on this I'm sure.

 

I know that the Formula Plus had quited down my noisy compensator on the 14 SGS I traded

 

JUST MY OPINION. Use formula + gear oil. The compensator is the leat of your worries. What you need to take care of is the inner primary bearing which is no problem with Harley's oil. The clutch will not like too thick of an oil. Will bang like crazy in the transmission since the disk will be driving from all the oil friction between the plates which spin the transmission even in neutral.
What damages the compensator bearing is sustained high speed use which keeps all the oil on the outer circumference of the primary. Thick oil will make this worst. On the older pre-catch can covers, just very you speed once in a while if you are driving endless high speed miles on the interstate. If you are worrying about a little noise, the TIM man has blown smoke up your *** and there is no hope for you if that is why you are doing your repair.

 

Some oil makers tout their products as having base oils which are molecularly polar. This, they claim reduces throw off. Ever heard that yarn before ? In theory this bears a certain logic I suppose but I wonder if such an oil would benefit the compensator bearing any ?

 

Not talking about throw off. It's the chain running around at high rate spinning grabbing the oil and sling it outward. Pretty soon, you have a stream of oil running around in a circle with a big void don-nut hole area centered where the compensator bearing is. That is why the mother ship put that drip cup to catch some and drip on the compensator. Ever time you start,go thru the gears, speed up, slow down, or stop, the comp gets plenty of lube. The actual fingers on the comp are just cast and pretty rough. At idle, they will make a little noise especially with the constant idle hunt Harleys do. However, Harley has had a problem with a few not being hard enough or improper heat treatment and they gauled and got rougher. Then, they do make more racket.

 

Good thoughts......thanks all.

My repair is not "smoke". I have a tooth off my ring gear and the pinion is boogered up too. The ring gear is heat shrunk on which was fun removing. New kit from Evolution Industries includes both gears and a starter clutch.

The spring pack in the stock '09 comp is a joke. Thus the noise, ineffective dampening and shock to the other parts.

I was running ATF. Not sayin' that's bad or good, just a fact. Might try the Rotella as I get it by the case for my Cummins.

 

I ran Shell Rotella in my over the road trucks for years, great motor oil. Not a great gear oil. In an engine, you need an oil resistant to shear. If you think about a rod/crank journal connection, the two parts are going in different directions, shearing the oil. In a gear situation, you an oil that is resistant to squish. Think two gear teeth meshing together.

I'd use a gear oil in the primary.

 

You don't need "gear oil" in the primary!! Your clutch plates will definitely not like the additive pack, and even a 75w-90 is still thicker than a 20w-50 engine oil. Use Formula Plus, ATF or Rotella in the PRIMARY without issue, Save the "gear oil" for the tranny itself.

 

Kind of out of the ordinary oil im using...CaseIH Hytran. i work at a farm equipment dealer...the stuff is made for transmissions, with powershift clutches, differential gears, chains, etc. its a 10w30 base oil, with polymers, addititives etc to make it a trans oil. so far so good.