I have heard from several people that the oil used in shovelheads should be a straight weight oil instead of multi-weight oils such as 20W-50. Reasoning was because shovels use a sump type system and the straight weight oils sink particles so they are lifted up to the oil filter and multi weight oils float particles. Is there any truth to this??

 

I've been using 20/50 forever in my shovel...and I know of a lot of other guys using the same, there's gonna be a lot of opinions on this oil subject...Mike

 

Junk Science...

SAE 50 or 20w50 will be fine.

 

As Crash previously stated, this question is like asking what spark plugs to use. You'll get a lot of different opinions. Personally, SAE 50 in winter, 60 wt. in summer. Just my $.02.

 

Have been using Valvoline racing 60 mine forever year round here plus was weaned on Valvoline as a youngster all my vehicle use it from personal to drag boats , Alcohol blown funny and all bikes. But just my .02 $ worth and also my Pro street Nova

Wild Bill Ride safe

 

68 Hurricane BBC tunnel flat bottom. Thanks

you guys on east coast keep an eye out for this boat heard it was now owned by some one on the coast now.

 

Shovels do better with straight weight dino oils, 60 in the hot months 50 fall and spring. Multi's work but the engines noisier and the hyd. lifters will clatter more and lose lift. Synthetics will bleed like a stuck pig from everywhere, syn. wants out and the old gaskets, o-rings and seals will start weeping within weeks of running it.

Last years of the shovel handle the multis better than the pre 81 bikes if you do go that way. Like another said been running Valvoline 50 or 60 in my shovels 4 decades now.

 

Yep ... Valvoline 50 or 60 here too ... no problems

 

Straight weight oils in my Iron Head Sporty and all the Shovel's I've owned. Multi weight in my Evo and TC 88. Just my .02

 

Donny Petersen has a lot to say about it in his Unauthorized Technical Guide. Basically what Twizted said...20W50 is ok to run, but it may leak a lot.