Oil (again)

W

Walenut

Guest
I know this has been discussed a thousand times before, but I'm going to do an oil and filter change as I'm sure everyone would do when picking up a new second hand bike.

Now I know a little bit about engine oils, which as they say is a dangours thing, and that the Evo takes a good old 20/50 and that everyone basicly recomends Harley oil, this oil is a fully synthetic, I've checked.

To what I understand this oil is made by Mobil, same as their 20/50 fully synthetic V-twin oil, which is a bloody good oil, the question is where can I get the Mobil from as its a fair bit cheaper than Harley's and there is enough in one tub to do a complete oil change?
 
Re: Oil (again)

Whilst the oil thread is going again I might as well ask.....

Just fitted new barrels and pistons, the bike had a 5000 mile service 100 miles ago.

My plan is to let the engine go 500 miles, I'll then change it, putting in Halfords 15/40 Diesel Mineral oil.

500 miles again and change oil and filter, this time I have the SE synthetic to put in. Should I do that or put mineral oil in again for a 1000 miles or so to let everything settle down?


I don't wanna waste the Synth.
 
Re: Oil (again)

50 = Change it, plus the filter.
500 = You're broke in, change the oil & filter again, this time go synthetic or *whatever* make you feel all warm an fuzzy.

Start your oil change service interval from whatever mileage the 500 mark on the clock reads.
Zero the trip meter and use that. ;)
 
Re: Oil (again)

Walenut said:
.

Now I know a little bit about engine oils, which as they say is a dangerous thing, and that the Evo takes a good old 20/50 and that everyone basicly recomends Harley oil, this oil is a fully synthetic, I've checked.

To what I understand this oil is made by Mobil, same as their 20/50 fully synthetic V-twin oil, which is a bloody good oil,
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I have personally heard what synth does to evo's its not a nice noise at all all the lifters start banging.
but a simple cure just drain it and use mineral oil.

its ok in twincams apparently, but again personally I dont use it.
if it were a sofisticated engine designed to use synth then fine but they aint, so I stick to good old 20/50sae mineral oil.
 
Re: Oil (again)

as said a thousand times before, any NON-CHEAPO is good as long as it is changed regularly. I dont know anyone who waits longer than 2,500 miles.

ALWAYS use non-synth for RUNNING IN new rings/hone for first 1,000 or so miles.

I did a price check one time - the H-D SE 360 fully synth is no dearer than any other brand's fully synth. And any other brand *IS* hard to find here - it's not worth the tyre wear. If you wanna use fully synth, just go to the dealership UNLESS your nearest store stocks it.

But accept Harley-Davidson's OWN advice for countless decades. DON'T put that H-D 360 in the tranny. It's not heavy enough. Put some kinda 75w or 80w tranny oil in there instead.
 
Re: Oil (again)

Cheers again all, I'll recheck my facts about the Harley oil, a bloke in Texas who tests oil said that Harley sell 20/50 Mobil V-twin oil, maybe he just meant that they retail it along side the Harley oil?

Can?t understand why synthetic oil would have any diverse effect on a Harley unless it was a high mileage bike, then the synthetic oil might wash all the crap out of the engine making it sound bad?
 
Re: Oil (again)

Walenut, one thing you might be tempted to do, as the bike's new to you and therefore an unknown quantity, is a "five quart" oil change.

Forgive me if I'm "teaching your granny to suck eggs" here but just in case, this is how you do it.

As per normal oil change,warm the engine up, drop the old oil, remove the filter and let it all drain.

Replace drain plug in oil tank. DO NOT yet replace filter. Fill tank with oil; having ensured that there's a drip tray underneath the filter, start engine, and run on tickover till CLEAN oil is running into the drip tray. Stop engine, prime new oil filter, fit to bike, run engine briefly. Leave for 20 minutes or so, check and top up oil tank if necessary.

Gets ALL the old oil out, well worth doing every second or third oil change.

Goes without saying that you will need an extra can of oil every time you do this; even a 5 litre might not be quite enough.
 
Re: Oil (again)

Interesting, but won't that run your big ends dry for a short time?
 
Re: Oil (again)

Walenut said:
Interesting, but won't that run your big ends dry for a short time?
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Theoretically yes, but since they're roller bearings anyway there will be enough residual oil in the roller cage to cope with the few seconds when there's no fresh oil coming in. That's why you ONLY do this after a few oil changes, not on the first one. It's important of course that you don't run the engine any longer than is strictly necessary without the filter.

Never known it to go wrong if you follow the guidelines; if you're not comfortable with having the engine running, make sure your battery is well charged, disconnect plug leads and do it a few cranks at a time on the starter.
 
Re: Oil (again)

kevscrivener said:
if you're not comfortable with having the engine running, make sure your battery is well charged, disconnect plug leads and do it a few cranks at a time on the starter.
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even easier if you whip the plugs out, I do, every time I change oil, turn it till the oil light goes out.
 
Re: Oil (again)

S.T.Chapman said:
even easier if you whip the plugs out, I do, every time I change oil, turn it till the oil light goes out.
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Same here ;)
Always good practice me thinks.
JC
 
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