I have used the search feature and it sucks sometimes. It is easier to just ask what you want to know, if someone does not want to respond because it was posted before than don't. But by the time they start all the bashing because he didn't use the search they could of just answered his question.

 

Correct. You can add Royal Purple, Castrol, and a number of other competent synthetic products to that list. A good measure for the best oil to use is the synthetic product that is easiest to acquire and is the lowest price. For most that will be Mobil 1 15w50, which is <$5/qt. in the 5-qt. bottles at Wal-Mart. It does not need to be motorcycle-specific to be effective in a Harley.

 

syn-3 is in fact a true synthetic.

and no, amsoil does not beat everyones specs. it does better in some areas, and worse in others. (hey how about that 3 ball wear test that no one else uses?). like iclick said, there is no one 'best' oil. whats best is what is available.

as far as doubling mileage on an oil change. you go on ahead. i prefer to change mine at factory recommended intervals. the oil may still be good, but you are still gonna have the same amount of impurities in it as you would any other oil, be it dino or synthetic. i like the impurities on the outside, not inside my engine..... but your engine, run it for 50k if you choose.

shameless plug for independent oil testing >>>>> http://home.earthlink.net/~skratches...motorcycle.pdf

 

Royal Purple

 

Remember, Harley doesn't make oil. Nor does Honda or Chevy or Ford. They all put out a bid and they take the lowest bidder that will bottle them an oil that will meet certain specs. So, you get a cheap oil that Harley slapped a premium price tag onto and stuck you for the bill. You can certainly get a better synthetic oil for the same or even less cost of the Syn3. Mobil 1 V-Twin 20-50 or AMSOIL MCV 20-50 are both very good oils and routinely come out at the top of any tests. Can't go wrong with either one

 

You can't go wrong with Amsoil.

 

Point taken and I can agree with you. I think these bi-weekly OIL threads do make us all chuckle when they come out again over and over. Especially the ones that are cleverly disguised to promote someone's (A-someone) product.

 

Have to disagree with you...It may have some synthetic products in it but it's not 100% synthetic like Amsoil, Mobil 1 , etc.....

Syn 3 is a mixture of dino & synthetic bases unless the ingredients have changed since it first came out....

I'm looking for the site where I found that info....if I find it, I'll post it...I found it,

Component
CAS #
Concentration

(1) 1-Decene Homopolymer, hydrogenated
68037-01-4
50% - 70%

(2) Proprietary Ingredients
Proprietary Mixture
1% - 10%

(3) Polyisobutylene
9003-27-4
1% - 10%

(4) Distillates, Petroleum, Hydrotreated Heavy Paraffinic
64742-54-7
0% - 20%

(5) Distillates, Petroleum, Solvent-Refined Heavy Paraffinic
64741-88-4
0% - 20%

(6) Zinc Alkyldithiophosphate
68649-42-3
0% - 2%

Item (1) is a Group IV base oil. unable to locate the manufacturer of this base oil. Group IV and V base oils are the only "true" synthetics to the cognoscenti.

Item (2) is probably their additive package (boron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, moly), but it is conceivable there could also be some "secret" synthetic oil, maybe an ester type oil, included in it.

Item (3) is a fancy name for synthetic rubber (or elastomer) but this is probably considered to be "synthetic" oil as well.

However, Item (4) is a Group II base oil, namely Conoco Pure Performance Base Oil, either 110N, 225N or 600N. no one is calling a Group II oil a synthetic.

No information on the group number of Item (5) but it is Conoco's Cit-Con 650N Base Oil. presume that it is a Group I oil as it is solvent refined. most quality blenders are not using Group I oils in their premium motor oils and they are not considered synthetics.

(the MSDS for the HD 360 20w50 oil. The major base oil constituents in it are the same ones as are listed in Items (4) & (5) above.)

I think the Items (4) & (5) above, are to keep the old air-heads running without bearing skid and gasket leaks. Good for them, but not for us?

Harley-Davidson talks about SYN3 in their advertising as:

quote: Developed with a proprietary blend of three synthetic basestocks, ...
SYN3oil.jpg
Or not!?!

If there are significant amounts of Group I and II oils in the SYN3, could the MoCo have stretched the definition of "synthetic" a bit further than Castrol did when changing Syntec from a PAO Group IV base to a hydrocracked Group III base?

Exxon/Mobil (Mobil 1 synthetic) lost a lawsuit trying to go after a few oil companies for advertising blends as full synthetic. Mobil lost, and now the oil companies do not have to disclose on the label it contains Group I, II or III base stocks which are all petroleum based.

So it is legal for Harley to market syn3 as a full synthetic, even though it is only 60% synthetic and the rest petroleum based.

 

Royal Purple is a Group 4 full-synthetic oil.

 

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