which fluids to use?
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,221
Likes: 4
From: Annemasse (border of Geneva-Switzerland) facing Mt-Blanc.
Keep some basic and renowned 20W50 or 15W40 oil around the house.
Both can be used practically everywhere except for brakes, front suspension and your shaver.
Both can be used practically everywhere except for brakes, front suspension and your shaver.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 4
I recently purchased a 2012 Street Glide. I am getting ready to change the fluids but not sure exactly what fluids to use. I know that HD recommends SYN3 in the engine, tranny, and primary drive but I have heard many mixed views about SE SYN3 that HD recommends. Which fluids will run the engine cooler and will quiet down the transmission?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,377
Likes: 646
From: Santa Clarita
I go down to the ol' farm supply house and put the cheapest drip oil in mine, hellfire, it's gonna break anyways, why spend a lotta money on it...works fine for me...all that rattlin' and clankin' don't bother me none, as long as ah git down to the corner bar and look good doin' it...
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 496
Likes: 6
From: League City, TX
I've tried just about everything there is at one time or another. Syn and conventional. And honestly I ain't really seen one bit of difference in using one thing over the other. At least enough to be a game changer anyway. I think a lot of guys that say it changed this or changed that say that because that's what they want to believe. I am now of the believe that if you just run a good name brand product and change the fluids when you suppose to then you will be just fine and your bike will love you still no matter what. The only thing I don't readily agree with that Harley recommends is running the Syn 3 or any other synthetic motor oil in the tranny. For this I run a quality gear oil. I've come to like the Spectro 75/140 6 speed gear oil for this application. But I do know people that run synthetic motor oil in their trannys and have not had issue #1. So I am sure it works fine but that's just me. Other than that I now stick with the Syn 3 in the motor and Formula + in the primary. Grab it all at once along with the filter when I am in the dealership.
Last edited by Bearcat1; Jan 10, 2014 at 01:03 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,335
Likes: 5
From: CT
If you wanna quiet things down, I sure wouldn't use synthetic. I also know a couple people that had gasket weeping issues with syn. And, I would worry about "bearing skate".
Davidsons & other vehicles have been running on dino oil for over 100 years. I see no reason to change.
And, I love that clunk when shifting into gear. Reminds me that it's a Harley & that it is really in gear, not like a metrics wimpy little "snik"!
Davidsons & other vehicles have been running on dino oil for over 100 years. I see no reason to change.
And, I love that clunk when shifting into gear. Reminds me that it's a Harley & that it is really in gear, not like a metrics wimpy little "snik"!
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,532
Likes: 132
From: SoCal
Don't go making sense now. These boutique oil buyers are gonna stroke out!
