Amsoil to be exact !
Another oil versus Synthetic question
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 28,842
Likes: 16,582
From: Wisconsin, USA
Another oil versus Synthetic question
I had my 5K, 10k and 15k done at 2 different HD dealers. They both recommended Syn 3. Now I switched to using Drag Specialties 20-50 Dino oil, which is what my local Indy recommends. I changed the oil myself at 19,500 before Winter.
I brought my 2003 FLHTCUI into my Indy for 20k at 21,500. He put Dino in, and showed me that the Rear Rocker Box was weeping. He was able to tighten the bolts a quarter turn and thinks that should stop the weeping.
I called the HD dealer who sold me the bike and they actually recommend oil over Syn, because of the roller bearings, if I understood him right.
How many on here are OK with oil, and if not could me using oil for only 2,000 miles have anything to do with weeping?
This has been a cool summer, in WI so bike hasn't been rode in over 80 degree weather.
I brought my 2003 FLHTCUI into my Indy for 20k at 21,500. He put Dino in, and showed me that the Rear Rocker Box was weeping. He was able to tighten the bolts a quarter turn and thinks that should stop the weeping.
I called the HD dealer who sold me the bike and they actually recommend oil over Syn, because of the roller bearings, if I understood him right.
How many on here are OK with oil, and if not could me using oil for only 2,000 miles have anything to do with weeping?
This has been a cool summer, in WI so bike hasn't been rode in over 80 degree weather.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,156
Likes: 41
From: So Cal
Get ready to do a months worth of reading. Everyone has oil opinions!!!
No , the synthetic did not cause your rockers to leak, Leaks happen from poor mating surfaces, gaskets ect.
No, synthetic will not hurt your roller bearings and neither will dino oil. As long as any of the lubricants used meet the basic requirements of your intended use you are OK.
In general synthetics tolerate heat better , and may last longer doing their job.
Use the oil you like and change it on schedule
Ive used dino and Ive used synthetics sine the 1970s in everything from MX bikes, street bikes, V 8 and imports cars and trucks. I prefer synthetic in all of my bikes and cars now due to higher heats because of EPA requirements , especially with HD and a air cooled engine
For the past 10 years Ive run Redline products in every car, truck and bike I own with good results
No , the synthetic did not cause your rockers to leak, Leaks happen from poor mating surfaces, gaskets ect.
No, synthetic will not hurt your roller bearings and neither will dino oil. As long as any of the lubricants used meet the basic requirements of your intended use you are OK.
In general synthetics tolerate heat better , and may last longer doing their job.
Use the oil you like and change it on schedule
Ive used dino and Ive used synthetics sine the 1970s in everything from MX bikes, street bikes, V 8 and imports cars and trucks. I prefer synthetic in all of my bikes and cars now due to higher heats because of EPA requirements , especially with HD and a air cooled engine
For the past 10 years Ive run Redline products in every car, truck and bike I own with good results
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Factually synthetic caused weeping on my 02 RK case gaskets when I switch from dino oil at about 15000 miles. I tolerated the weeping because my engine did run cooler with the synthetic, but it was annoying.
Beary
Beary
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,586
Likes: 6,435
From: Honah Lee
Had nothing to do with weeping. Most Harley gasket are high quality layered, fiber,metal,fiber type. The primary even has a v-shape to it. When you torque any covers on them, after a few heat cycles, they tend to flatten slightly more and depending how much stretch someone put on the bolt, they can weep. Had nothing to do with the type of oil. Oil can get thru a crack water cannot. I tend to do covers by hand and let the heat cycle couple time and re-snug especially on second or third time since I fill the torque may just be too great for worn aluminum threads. I personally use formula + since there are no filters in transmission or primary and SYN oils have detergents in them designed to be used in a filtered system. The magnets on the drain plugs are for indicators of bearing or other type failures. Do not really personally think it matters if it SYN or Dino in engine unless you do a lot of miles. Something will break before you wear it out. The weakest link is the sleeve bearings in the connecting rods. I think Harley did away with them now and the piston pin is a press fit and floats in piston now. It did float in rod and piston. This enabled it to be worked on without special tools. Yours has the full float pin. You can actually use the Mobile 1 full SYN car oil since their V-Twin oil is designed for shared sump motorcycles and your Harley does not do that. By being a car oil, you can catch it at good prices. Who knows, SYN just may make the rod bushings go 10K longer..anyones' guess.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17,148
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From: SE Michigan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Had nothing to do with weeping. Most Harley gasket are high quality layered, fiber,metal,fiber type. The primary even has a v-shape to it. When you torque any covers on them, after a few heat cycles, they tend to flatten slightly more and depending how much stretch someone put on the bolt, they can weep. Had nothing to do with the type of oil.
My engine case DID NOT weep with dino oil. My case DID weep when I switched Syn oil. My case QUIT weeping when I switched back to dino. It STARTED weeping again when I went back to Syn oil.
Folks have no problem accepting that syn oil runs cooler, but won't acknowlege the make up of syn oil might also be the cause of weeping. Does that make sense?
The facts are the facts. So it's not a matter of if, but why. My guess is the molecular structure of syn oil is smaller. And maybe the gaskets become brittle in the Oklahoma heat, I don't know. The bike was four years old with around 15000 miles when I switched. Is age a factor, four years old isn't very old. Is 15000 miles a factor? Maybe, but a lot of folks who switched with around that many miles don't have weeping. So maybe not. It is something though because the engine only weeps with synthetic.
Beary
Beary
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Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 263
Likes: 30
From: Canada, Thailand
My feelings are that synthetic will last longer but I would rather use dino and change more often. It is not just the breakdown of the oil to consider it is contamination from water, chemicals and other crud that occurs in an engine. I tried synthetic and did not like the way the oil looked after a longer time between oil changes. I can change with dino oil twice as often with less cost and my bikes have never had any issues and the oil never looks as bad as the synthetic when I do change it. In the end it is just personal choice and what you feel is going to work for you.
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 507
Likes: 5
From: Florida
Here's an excellent tech paper on motor oil and its applications for your reading entertainment:
http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html
http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/Oils1.html
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 7
LOL you can't change facts. I sit and wonder why folks can't accept reality, is it personal?
My engine case DID NOT weep with dino oil. My case DID weep when I switched Syn oil. My case QUIT weeping when I switched back to dino. It STARTED weeping again when I went back to Syn oil.
Folks have no problem accepting that syn oil runs cooler, but won't acknowlege the make up of syn oil might also be the cause of weeping. Does that make sense?
The facts are the facts. So it's not a matter of if, but why. My guess is the molecular structure of syn oil is smaller. And maybe the gaskets become brittle in the Oklahoma heat, I don't know. The bike was four years old with around 15000 miles when I switched. Is age a factor, four years old isn't very old. Is 15000 miles a factor? Maybe, but a lot of folks who switched with around that many miles don't have weeping. So maybe not. It is something though because the engine only weeps with synthetic.
Beary
Beary
My engine case DID NOT weep with dino oil. My case DID weep when I switched Syn oil. My case QUIT weeping when I switched back to dino. It STARTED weeping again when I went back to Syn oil.
Folks have no problem accepting that syn oil runs cooler, but won't acknowlege the make up of syn oil might also be the cause of weeping. Does that make sense?
The facts are the facts. So it's not a matter of if, but why. My guess is the molecular structure of syn oil is smaller. And maybe the gaskets become brittle in the Oklahoma heat, I don't know. The bike was four years old with around 15000 miles when I switched. Is age a factor, four years old isn't very old. Is 15000 miles a factor? Maybe, but a lot of folks who switched with around that many miles don't have weeping. So maybe not. It is something though because the engine only weeps with synthetic.
Beary
Beary