Amsoil experience
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
You are right, we all have our favorite oil. And, the fact is none of it is really bad. IMO, Amsoil is at the top of the food chain when it comes to synthetic oil - they basically wrote the book. As far as the pyramid sales, it's just their chosen way of advertising/sales - has absolutely nothing to do with the product.
i'm kinda funny that way, i will pay extra for good customer service too.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 415
From: Southern Maryland
Same thing
2009 Ultra classic, rode to Philly in 95 degree day, hit stop/go traffic. Engine had AMSOIL 20W-50 synthetic oil. Engine started pinging really bad, and I posted asking about the pinging and thought it was the gas.
I went to Autozone yesterday and bought a pump to take an oil sample, and sent off to Blackstone Labs for a test kit.
Bike has been sitting about 10 days, so I started it up today and the lifters were really really loud. After about 40 seconds, they quieted down somewhat, but were still loud. Took a ride and after about 3-4 minutes, they sounded normal.
After the ride, I collected about 4 ozs of hot black oil that only has 1309 miles on it. The oil was changed at 1K by dealer to Syn 3, at 3817 miles, I changed oil and put in AMSOIL 20W-50 synthetic. At 7622 I changed it again with AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic and always with a new HD filter. Bike now has 8931 miles. SO I am number 3 stating my problem, and I am not bashing AMSOIL, but I was the only bike of 17 bikes caught in traffic that day, and the only one that was pinging. Now the lifters???
I went to Autozone yesterday and bought a pump to take an oil sample, and sent off to Blackstone Labs for a test kit.
Bike has been sitting about 10 days, so I started it up today and the lifters were really really loud. After about 40 seconds, they quieted down somewhat, but were still loud. Took a ride and after about 3-4 minutes, they sounded normal.
After the ride, I collected about 4 ozs of hot black oil that only has 1309 miles on it. The oil was changed at 1K by dealer to Syn 3, at 3817 miles, I changed oil and put in AMSOIL 20W-50 synthetic. At 7622 I changed it again with AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic and always with a new HD filter. Bike now has 8931 miles. SO I am number 3 stating my problem, and I am not bashing AMSOIL, but I was the only bike of 17 bikes caught in traffic that day, and the only one that was pinging. Now the lifters???
I was taught as an Engineman in the Coast Guard that oil does not wear out.
It becomes diluted or polluted. Secondly, with enough heat (usually over 275F), the additives break down, not the oil.
Wether you have a carb or fuel injection, things can cause fuel oil dilution, be it electronics breaking down or a carb leak or a choke pulled out. This would cause sudden dilution, lower viscosity and noise like crazy. So of course changing the oil to ANY new oil would rectify the problem. And no one seems to be looking at the fuel system as the culprit.
I'll go by the teardown measurements of engines that ran Amsoil or Mobil 1 for my guide - because I want mine to last a very long time. Very impressive.
OTOH, if you don't care; it was correctly mentioned that ANY MC oil made for bikes will do fine if changed regularly and the proper filter run. For me, that is a Purolator, after doing the research.
It becomes diluted or polluted. Secondly, with enough heat (usually over 275F), the additives break down, not the oil.
Wether you have a carb or fuel injection, things can cause fuel oil dilution, be it electronics breaking down or a carb leak or a choke pulled out. This would cause sudden dilution, lower viscosity and noise like crazy. So of course changing the oil to ANY new oil would rectify the problem. And no one seems to be looking at the fuel system as the culprit.
I'll go by the teardown measurements of engines that ran Amsoil or Mobil 1 for my guide - because I want mine to last a very long time. Very impressive.
OTOH, if you don't care; it was correctly mentioned that ANY MC oil made for bikes will do fine if changed regularly and the proper filter run. For me, that is a Purolator, after doing the research.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: trumann, arkansas
oil
i forgot to add both of the bikes are 09 her dyna has about 10,000 and the u/classic has about 9300 the u/c started making the noise with about 1000 miles on the oil. i checked the u/classic again out in the shop inside. the motor is much more quite now. the dyna sounds very good also with the amsoil in it. the moible one did look darker when going in. the filter was full of oil when i took it off and was changed same time as the oil.
one thing i did forget to add the oil for her bike and the oil for the u/classic did come from the same store, but she reminded me that i got the oil a week before i got the oil for her bike maybe nothing to it or maybe i got a driffence batch than what i put in her bike. i am just going to run the moible one for a while and see which i like best might try putting it in the dyna or wait for a while and see it i can get some more amsoil to put in the u/classic also forgot to add i was using hd filters on both bikes
one thing i did forget to add the oil for her bike and the oil for the u/classic did come from the same store, but she reminded me that i got the oil a week before i got the oil for her bike maybe nothing to it or maybe i got a driffence batch than what i put in her bike. i am just going to run the moible one for a while and see which i like best might try putting it in the dyna or wait for a while and see it i can get some more amsoil to put in the u/classic also forgot to add i was using hd filters on both bikes
Last edited by wayne72472; Aug 2, 2010 at 10:31 PM. Reason: forgot to add filter
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,783
Likes: 10
From: Oh
Well it looks like I stirred the pot pretty good with this post and it was not my intention to start an oil war. Having read all the posts I am still not sure what happened. One post mentioned a possible oil line clogged or maybe a bad filter. The mechanic did not feel that was the issue during tear down and neither do I. Also to reiterate, I had normal oil pressure while riding. Just can't get over how black the oil was in 1,400 miles. Never saw that in over 45 years of riding Harleys, even having used the oil for over 2 years.
One poster questioned why I switched out to Redline from the HD syn after I got home. Like most here, I have heard good things about this oil and research says the same. Just wanted to try it.
This thread also shows some others have had similar issues. Just because 4 or 5 out of thousands have had issues does not mean everyone will but, something is happening here we don't understand.
One poster questioned why I switched out to Redline from the HD syn after I got home. Like most here, I have heard good things about this oil and research says the same. Just wanted to try it.
This thread also shows some others have had similar issues. Just because 4 or 5 out of thousands have had issues does not mean everyone will but, something is happening here we don't understand.
Again I reiterate: oil does not "suddenly" change it's characteristics, and if viscosity tanks, it's because of dilution from another source, like fuel or something added into it. So the engine and filter may not be at fault either; the fuel system is where I'd look, but if it's an intermittent problem you won't find it unless you get lucky.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 265
Likes: 0
From: Mandeville, Louisiana
I was going to start a new post on my oil change issues but I believe my question belongs here. The P.O. of my 2007 Road King Custom had all of the maintenance done at the dealer so I figure they used Syn3. I just changed the oil and went with Amsoil because of all the good things I have heard about it on this forum. After the oil change I rode about 200 miles and the motor seems to be making a lot more noise. I am not mechanically sophisticated enough to know exactly what the noise is but it clatters, ticks and the "washing machine" effect is definitely more pronounced. Is this the valves or lifters or what? It was around 100 degrees while I was riding if that makes a difference. Can anyone please shed some light on this? What should I do? Throw away about $50.00 worth of oil and go back to Syn3 or just deal with the clatter. Is this harming my engine? Thanks.
The change from dino to syn is noisier. The reason is that the molecules of dino are all different sizes and in the syn they are the same size. But this is also the reason syn has more shear strength, even though it "acts" thinner. So the noise means nothing. If clatter is apparent, valve train could be loose, but otherwise, there is slightly more noise. I get it from the primary and a tiny bit from valve train...but the engine running cooler tells me that there is less friction.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Again I reiterate: oil does not "suddenly" change it's characteristics, and if viscosity tanks, it's because of dilution from another source, like fuel or something added into it. So the engine and filter may not be at fault either; the fuel system is where I'd look, but if it's an intermittent problem you won't find it unless you get lucky.
I can see fuel being a problem in this case, but I would also think it would have to be enough fuel that would be noticed in fuel mileage.
Beary