| Author | Message | ||
     Moosestang |
Or a blend? I keep hearing how synthetic makes the engine louder, but what about a synthetic blend? I'd like a quieter engine and i'm willing to change the oil more often to get it, plus the oil would be cheaper. I'm not sure what oil to try. | ||
| Etennuly |
I ran HD dino oils per temperature recommendations in the book. It worked great and the engine was quieter than most others that I compared it to that had synthetic oils in them. I ran that oil for 33,000 miles, right up until HD decided it was worth $9.00 per quart. I just switched to Mobil 1 V-twin oil, where they say the 25-50 is good for year around use. I do like the heavier weight oil in the heat of summer, but I will see how it goes. In the cooler weather it is not noticeably noisier, but it is broke in pretty good now too. | ||
| Hughlysses |
If you want to really read up on oils, go to the forum at www.bobistheoilguy.com They post used oil analyses for all kinds of oils in all kinds of vehicles. There's a motorcycle section in the forum for used oil analyses. IF I was going to run conventional oil, based on what I've read there, I'd use Havoline 20W-50. They had a couple of threads where guys were running this oil in HD V-Twins and were amazed at how well it was holding up (much better than HD oil IIRC) and it's cheap to boot! | ||
| Werewulf |
thats a good article and it supported what ive thought for years, that K&n filters dont filter all that well... i need to read the article again... i couldnt figure out if he was pro or con on synthetics.. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Was it Road Thing or Big Hairy Ralph (or does it matter) that nailed it with regards to the K&N... It has a mesh size designed to successfully filter most mammals... | ||
| Sloppy |
That's too funny. I got a letter from K&N stating essentially that K&N does not filter as well as paper but that it filters "good enough" for vehicles. Supports what a lot of the data has shown as well. I'll have to dig it out for exact wording. In regards to synthetic, I actually noticed it being quieter with synthetic (15-50), but it will depend upon vis. So you have to make sure you're comparing oils properly! | ||
| Jcbikes |
I have been using Rotella T 15w-40 in my 2004 xb12s for 4 years and 24,000 miles with no problems. I use it all year round. I change oil with filter every 1,500 miles. Very good stuff. I change often cause dino oil breaks down in these engines around 2,000 miles I read somewhere. Their is nothing on the magnet when changing oil. | ||
| Werewulf |
if im not mistaken, buellistic has well over 100k on his buell and runs dino... | ||
| Hughlysses |
I think Tramp has over 200k on his Buell and runs dino. | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Tramps bike is a dino. | ||
| Froggy |
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| Dc29 |
Way to funny Froggy, you got to make it stop.LOL | ||
| Moosestang |
IF I was going to run conventional oil, based on what I've read there, I'd use Havoline 20W-50. They had a couple of threads where guys were running this oil in HD V-Twins and were amazed at how well it was holding up (much better than HD oil IIRC) and it's cheap to boot! I was reading some of the oil analysis posts for this oil on bobtheoilguy's website. There is only one kind of havoline 20w50 right? It says it's API SM, what's the difference between that and API C? | ||
| Eicas |
Last oil change I switched over to Schaeffer Supreme 7000 Synthetic Plus Racing Oil SAE 20W-50. It is a blended oil, not pure synthetic. They advertise it as a premium quality multi-grade para-synthetic engine oil, I bought a case because I liked the specifications and it appears to give superior cold start protection and good temperature stability. I only have a couple of thousand miles on it so far so it is way to early to tell if it is a "good or bad" oil, that should take well over 50,000 miles. That oil brand has been around for a long time and has a "track" record that I also like, and I can get it locally for a reasonable price. I like to do oil changes every 5,000 miles or once a year, which ever comes first. I cut the filters open and look for metal in the pleats when I change oil. | ||
| Sloppy |
API - American Petroleum Institute "S" - spark ignition engines "C" - compression ignition engine So why use "C" oils in a Buell? "C" oils have much higher detergent properities to keep dirt suspended in the oil so it can be filtered out. Diesel and air cooled engines have greater contamination of the oil than water cooled, gasoline engines. Does it make a difference? YES! Try your own experiment or trust the thousands of dollars invested by HD/Buell... | ||
| Moosestang |
Does it make a difference? YES! Try your own experiment or trust the thousands of dollars invested by HD/Buell... I'll trust independent oil analysis before I trust any company. The havoline tests low in wear metals and holds it's viscosity well. I wonder how much money harley has invested in oil testing? I bet it's not nearly as much as you think. | ||
| Moosestang |
Well I changed the oil today. I only had about 1400 miles on the mobile 1 v-twin, but it had been in there for a few months. I wanted to change to a dino oil to see if the bike would run quieter, at least at idle. It is definitely more quiet now than before the oil change. The difference was night and day. I wish I had done a before and after video. I also changed from the pure one filter to the napa gold 1394, not sure if that made any difference in flow. I'm going to run this oil for 3 months or 2,000 miles and then have it analyzed by blackstone labs. I still don't understand why the mobile 1 would cause more engine noise. They are both 20w50 oil. It will be interesting to see if my rear cylinder base gasket stops weeping oil. (Message edited by moosestang on November 16, 2008) |
