Just thought I'd share my experience after working on my Iron yesterday - pretty basic stuff, but there you go!

Just ticked over 12000kms so thought it was time to go fully synthetic in both holes - engine was no worries, replaced filter as well of course, used Mobil 1 V-Twin.

Also decided to change tranny oil with the same V-Twin oil. Now I havent done this before, so had to get out the manual! Easy to do, just a bit of a pain to get the oil back in without a SMALL funnel.

While I was at it, since I now run a broomstick bar and I am therefore leaning forwards a bit more, the gear lever felt too high, so I removed it and dropped it down one notch.

Went for a ride today, it might be my imagination but top end noise seems to have lessened a bit, especially when cold.

The major difference, probably the angle of the gear lever, but maybe also the synthetic oil, is the much better gear changes when accelerating! Like chalk and cheese!

Very happy with the move to fully synthetic!

Ummmm, you do realise the fully synthetic oils use dino oil as a base and the dino stuff is then chemically modified into longer chains ( which is how they get the fully symthetic bit through the legalities- the base oil is no longer in a form that occurs naturally or is found by refining tar) . Then the modifiers are all chemistry lab created stuff rather than naturally occuring gunk some one found or made every one believe would make oil work better in some extreme conditions.
( ie, with grease- who would have thought putting swamp clay in with oil would be a good idea, but that is what moly grease is! - Mind you, the moly is in there to wear and polish the parts a bit so the oil can get in the resulting gap and stop the squeaking.Graphite is sold as a lubricant and is in some oils, but it is in fact an abrasive. )

Rode it again today and tranny is definitely better and quieter shifting - very happy.
Don't really care whether anyone else runs dino or synthetic, just sharing my experience. I couldn't get the Mobil 1 15w-50 anywhere local, so paid a bit extra for the V-Twin oil. Got enough for 2 oil changes so thats ok!

Hi all...I remember reading an article about synthetic oils vs dino oils in deisel engines.They sent the oils to be analized ect.They found the top of the line dino oils were better than most of the synthetics.

I was wondering about magnatec. I have owned a large number of Jeeps in the past, and always used magnatec in them. None of them ever burned any oil between services (300000 kms was the oldest motor) and I've always been really happy with using magnatec in them.
But no one has mentioned using in the harleys so I went with mobil 1 v twin oil.
Anyone have any experience with other synthetics other than mobil 1, redline or amsoil?

Oneball, find out who paid for the research- bet it was a dino oil refiner/seller.

magnatec is a semi synthetic - but if your engine is mainly alloy then 'magnetic' oil isnt likely to be of much use!

"fully synthetic" just means the oil molecules are in a form that does not occur naturally. So if you take dino oil, cook it to make the molecules longer (a good thing) then the oil you have cooked is a synthetic oil. The only true 'synthetic ' oil as most people think of it (no 'dino oil' stuff used to make it at all ) is silicon oil and some lubricants used in contact with high purity oxygen and in space.
'Semi Synthetic' oil is where the additives put into the base oil are all lab rat made , but the base oil is dino oil. In reality almost all name brand oils fall into this category but dont claim it. So think of semi synthetic as a marketing ploy to make people cough up more money or almost the same stuff.

Air temps of under 30C and over 5C means normal oils are ok if you use the oil in the way the bottle says to. Over 30C, towing, heavily loaded and long highway hours on the highway is where the benefits of full synthethic oils comes in. I would also put in that long times spent in stop/start traffic would also qualify for the HD engine because of the known high temp issues in that mode of use.
Most of this 'I use XYZ oil and its the best' is purely about boasting how much money you have or pushing what the person sells. If the oil in your engine is your biggest issue in your life thenyou dont have much to bitch about with your life!

Pity its part of my job to know about oil dick head! people ask, if I know , I answer. If I dont, I shut up. may be you could try it some time.

OILS ain't oils.

Loves the way people gets so heated up over the oil thing.

Had to change the black stuff for some new honey coloured stuff when we put in the new cooler a couple of weeks back.

The scooter definitely liked the new stuff.

Noticed an immediate improvement in fuel consumption.

Plus reckon it was smoother,

LOUDER, Faster, Shinnier,

MORE HORSEPOWER and it was heaps - - - -

MORE attractive to chicks.

I got 10 times the number of roots the week following my oil change than the week before.

- just the bees knees really.

Would definitely recommend it - "NEW HONEY COLOURED STUFF"

 

 

whats oil...

Ozroder I have been running it for about 800 kms now in both the engine and the tranny. I ride an Iron so no I can't help with the temp gauge - sorry!
My "seat of the pants" impression of the engine - I reckon the top end noise has lessened a bit, but can't come up with too much more.
Impression of the tranny - MUCH smoother shifting, and MUCH quieter gear changes - none of the crunch that used to be there especially from neutral to first.
I am VERY happy with it and will continue to use it!

Yeah I know, I've been thinking of one of those........

I ride an 07 Heritage Softail..I put an oil cooler on it at 30,000...then I changed over to Synthetic in all three hole's at 60,000...In my opinion, the bike seem's to run better, and a little cooler...the gear shifting has been smoother as well...I have now done 150,000 k's and no problem's...but as some guy's have mentioned..oil's are a personal choice...goodluck with your's....

  

Hey Solo...Lotta k's in a few years,good on ya...Do you use the same oil in all 3 or different types in each hole???

Cheers...Sparra

Good k's Solo!

well what is Synthetic?

& why are you calling some oil Dino?

also how many of you run one type of oil then pull motor apart inspect and measure clearances?

Me i run mobile 1 in my car but only just started to ( new car ) i have noticed bugger all different from runing normal 15w 40w turbo diesel oil. like it runs same as it did b4, it uses same amout of fuel. so were is the difference?

with my old Shovel all it ever got was Valvoline set 70w, then after i fitted velva touch hydralic lifters i started to use Penrite oil multi grade. that motor or the bike had 1 million k's on it when i sold it lost count of how many top end rebuilds but for every two top end rebuilds its due for a bottom end rebuild. this bike was a 98" S&S Sidewainder but still ran stock factory cast heads. now a mate owns it it has now got Riveara 6 speed & 3" belt primary with hi torque starter ( used to be kick start only ) my mate still uses multi grade oil & just road it to sunshine coast and back to sydney no troubles not one nut needed to be tightened it also runs down quarter mile quicker than most of these real big inch twinkies.

then we come to my ride its a ratty looking old looking 2001 twinky dyna i use Redline in motor ( but don't know why ) like i was told it's the best and the internet tells me it's the best ( so it must be LOL ) but b4 that i was useing Penrite turbo diesel oil in it at the track same trap speed with penrite as with redline so that tells me not difference in friction protection. but in the gearbox i run Redline heavy shock proof oil and i'm telling you it is beautifull shifts smooth & lightning quick, would not use anything else in my gear box.

but after all this typing i'll tell you something, a mate of mine that has a machine shop & engine Dyno Room & builds a lot of car motors 7 dyno tests a lot 7 tunes a lot, will not use synthetic oil in his own motors he has a harley & a v8 ute only uses Valvoline turbo diesel oil in both said the turbo diesel oil still has the friction modifier the newer oils had removed as it damages cat converters. he say's synthetic oil does not lubricate up top end of the conrod as well he pulls motors apart all the time and rebuilds rods so gets to measure them inspect them a lot. he said after all the different oil's reach operating temps there is no difference at all in HP & TQ on engine dyno, & an engine dyno picks up very small gains that a rear wheel dyno would not show.

yet another guy told me synthetic oils have a very important additive that once it reaches a temp it breaks down & any motor of his if it reachs that temp, the oil gets removed & replaced no matter how old or new it is as it won't lubricate as well. the top of the con rod where my m8 see's a lot of wear on motors that use synthetic oil, is one of the hottest parts in a motor as right under piston.

well make up your own mind. i'm due for an oil change i think redline will cost me $150 but i only do it once a year on my harley.

cheers

ps i've just checked out the whole thread, i'm not getting Redline now i want that Honey Coloured Stuff!

 

Hi Sparra, yes I use the same in all three hole's.....

In my humble opinion I think a lot of you guy's worry to much about what oil...just get on the fucking thing and ride it like your suppose too..don't leave it in the shed just so you can say you own a Harley...I walk further in a week than alot of you guy's ride....

I thought 10000 kms in 6 months wasn't too bad..... I have to use a ute for work so the HD is purely pleasure riding!
Promise I'll try harder! ;-))

I drive to work as well mate,  I only use my bike for pleasure, guess I just ride more than the normal guy....

After MUCH research and asking, I now use Mobil 1 in all three holes on my '07 softail, I changed the engine oil over at 16000km (I made a puk to do a complete oil change) and the primary at 20000km and the tranny at 28000km, done 36500+ kms now and it does seem to run smoother and quiter (tranny and primary) and cooler (no temp gauge, just ass guessing). I reckon... If you care for your bike you will do you own research and find your own conclusions, oil is a personel choice, just make sure you use the RIGHT oil for the right job... not like putting gear oil in the four stroke mower engine , I ran out of four stroke oil, grabbed the cheap gear oil (for kids dirt squirts) topped up, while waiting for oil to settle, read in small print on bottom of back label "DO NOT USE AS ENGINE OIL" ... fuck ... thought, fuck again, done mowing (bit smokey) than got #5 boy to do oil change following weekend.

mate, I have done nothing to the motor at all...and the only problem I have had is a blown Stata in December down at Port Lincoln....I did it in 4.5 year's mate, I was suspended for a little bit last year, lol....