Oil use
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Oil use
I was wondering if someone coule help me out..... I am a bit mechanically challenged....But, My RG is about a Qt. Low on oil... and My car is in the shop for another week, so I do not have the abiblity to get it in for an oil change...I do not have any H-D oil at home, but i think i have Honda oil (my dad has a GL1800), and I know I have regualar Castrol 5w-30, which one if any is acceptable to use until I can get it to the mechanic for a service.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,928
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From: Ashby, Ma
RE: Oil use
I hate mixing oils, but your Dad's oil is prolly the same 20w-50 you use in your RG. You could run that, or just ride a quartl low, (easy does it) down to your local vendor where you can pick up a quart of whatever you are running.
I'll mix oil in my son and daughters beater cars.. mixing some oil is better than no oil.. but I won't do it in my motorcycles.
I'll mix oil in my son and daughters beater cars.. mixing some oil is better than no oil.. but I won't do it in my motorcycles.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 765
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From: Alleghany Co., NC and SW Florida
RE: Oil use
Do NOT use the thirty weight stuff. If you are running HD 360 OR syn III , you can use a 20-50 Synthetic OR diesel OR a straight 50 weight oil will also be OK. While running 10-40 in very cold winter weather is OK, I wouldn't use anything less than 50 wt. down to about 40 degrees or so.
Oils mix OK so any autoparts store will have a synthetic (mobile one 15/50 or 20/50 is fine) or a diesel rated dino oil with a top rate of 50.
Also, be sure you have checkedyour oil HOT and with the bike level , properly sitting on the sidestand (dyna or touring) or upright (softail). Oil expands when hot and you may not be a qt. low. IF you are a qt. low, how long did it take to burn this much?
EZ
Oils mix OK so any autoparts store will have a synthetic (mobile one 15/50 or 20/50 is fine) or a diesel rated dino oil with a top rate of 50.
Also, be sure you have checkedyour oil HOT and with the bike level , properly sitting on the sidestand (dyna or touring) or upright (softail). Oil expands when hot and you may not be a qt. low. IF you are a qt. low, how long did it take to burn this much?
EZ
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,296
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From:
RE: Oil use
Remember, a qt low in a car is NOT the same as a qt low in the Harley. The Harley has an oil tank in which oil is constantly recirculated throughout the engine. The oil not only lubes the engine, it also cools the engine. Being a qt low will affect how much the temperature of your engine varies in traffic vs highway use, but, it won't hurt the lubrication end of things (assuming the oil doesn't overheat). Wait until you either get the correct weight oil (20W-50) or, until it gets changed. No need to panic.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,183
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From: Lenexa, KS (KC)
RE: Oil use
What EZ2Rider said -- you have to check the oil level with the engine HOT. If you're checking it cold and it's a quart low, you're not really a quart low. Even if you do add oil, be sure you don't overfill, and you'll have to check it HOT to prevent that from happening.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 485
Likes: 10
From: East Tennessee
RE: Oil use
The oil level is full when the oil level is about halfway up the dipstick on a cold engine. measured on the jiffy stand. I've seen some people fill it to the full mark at cold and they end of with a lot of oil blowing out the breather tubes into the air cleaner. Harley recommends diesel motor oil if you can't get the Harley stuff. I added a quart of diesel oil while on a trip and it never seemed to cause a problem.
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Oct 6, 2009 11:28 AM
