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[evilapes]

After telling my mechanic to put synthetic oil in my bike at the 1000 mile service he put regular oil in it. He's an old time mechanic that doesn't believe in synthetics. He says it makes harleys leak. Will my bike be alright atleast until the 5000 mile service or should I immediately drain and refill.

[sadunbar]

After telling my mechanic to put synthetic oil in my bike at the 1000 mile service he put regular oil in it. He's an old time mechanic that doesn't believe in synthetics. He says it makes harleys leak. Will my bike be alright atleast until the 5000 mile service or should I immediately drain and refill.

A dealership or an independent mechanic??  Just curious....  If it were me, I would put synthetic in now....  But you won't hurt anything by waiting... 

[Fired00d]

I don't think I'd go 5K on dino oil.. maybe 2.5K. As anal as I am I'd probably change it out right away though.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[hard10]

After telling my mechanic to put synthetic oil in my bike at the 1000 mile service he put regular oil in it. He's an old time mechanic that doesn't believe in synthetics. He says it makes harleys leak. Will my bike be alright atleast until the 5000 mile service or should I immediately drain and refill.

To have a service person do something explicitly against your wishes is inexcusable. It would be the last time I ever went to him. In today's age of ECM's and computers, you may be doing yourself a favor to find someone who is a little more with the times. I'd get the dino stuff out of there within the next 2k miles. Don't loose sleep over it.

[Screamin]

After telling my mechanic to put synthetic oil in my bike at the 1000 mile service he put regular oil in it. He's an old time mechanic that doesn't believe in synthetics. He says it makes harleys leak. Will my bike be alright atleast until the 5000 mile service or should I immediately drain and refill.

WTF!?!?

You need a new wrench. I'd tell him to drain it and put in what you specd.

[Iglide]

Evilapes,

Been there done that. IMHO you need to monitor your oil temp, period. Find a way to do it. If your oil temps run above 250 deg F, then switch to Mobil V-Twin, Amsoil, or Redline.

Any proven method to lower oil temps below 250 deg F, while increasing performance, is worthy of further study.

As the summer ambient temp increase, your oil temps will increase as well. Your engine is air cooled, and the less air flow across those jugs and heads, the higher oil temps you will get. Lugging around town or running the engine without forward movement (air flow) are conditions that would indicate a need to monitor CC oil temps.

The 110 engines with the factory oil coolers, really need an electric fan, with a start/stop themostat. I expect that to happen in the near future. Until a viable option for that upgrade exists, I would suggest you monitor your oil temp on these 110 engines closely and work your oil selections as necessary.

Hope that helps...

Rob

[grc]

Old school, or old fool?  Synthetic oil causing leaks is one of the many wives tales that have been debunked for decades now.  I suppose if this guy decides to stick with the 14mm spark plugs from his Shovelhead days rather than the 12mm plugs in all Twin Cams that would be OK?  How about replacing the electronic ignition and the EFI with points and carbs while he's at it?  Can't trust that newfangled electronic crap.

You need to find a better and more up-to-date wrench.  If it were me, I would invite him to drain whatever he put in the engine and replace it with the synthetic I originally told him to use.  If he refused, I'd do it myself well before the next 5000 miles.  These engines run too hot for dino oil to hold up that long, that is why H-D finally endorsed synthetics after decades of encouraging many of those same wives tales so they could sell more of their H-D 360 oil. 

Jerry

[Highwaystar]

Only one solution...The death penalty!

[Gettinold]

unbelieveable.   

[FLSTFI Dave]

Glad the mechanic at my dealer, does exactly what we ask.  Now when my wifes went in for her 5K service, we specified synthtic in every hole.  He called when we wanted to use something other than Syn 3 for the gear box, he wanted to use Red Line, and we said go ahead.  Point is, he never does anything different unless he asks.  He also explains why he wants to do something.

I have been using the same guy at the Harley dealer since 2002 now for that reason.  He is also who built the motor in my 03 Fatboy.  Went with what he recommended after we talked for an hour on it.  100 Torque and 89 HP, and the torque curve is nice and flat and down low.  I have 40K trouble free miles on that build.

[dartman]

After telling my mechanic to put synthetic oil in my bike at the 1000 mile service he put regular oil in it. He's an old time mechanic that doesn't believe in synthetics. He says it makes harleys leak. Will my bike be alright atleast until the 5000 mile service or should I immediately drain and refill.

I would run the oil 3,000 mi or so and Dump the So called Tech who put it in Immediately.

[evilapes]

the mechanic is the owner of an independant shop that I've been using for about ten years. I'm friends with the guy and he has done some really good work for me in the past on past bikes that i had. He's just stuborn about some things. He also charges me about half the price that the dealorships charge for work. It's a hard situation but I'm ready to break my ties with him.

[Screamin]

That's too bad. So many small shops aren't making it. You'd think he want to maintain his customers. Maybe there's enough shovels and pans around to keep him alive. I've got an old guy who does some of my work too. He11, he even bought a computer 

[HOGMIKE]

This is one of the reasons I invested the time and money to do my own. I like it, I have the time, and if I screw up (and I have!) it's MY fault.
I do my homework, and use parts and oils that have worked for me over the years.

[B u d d y]

This is one of the reasons I invested the time and money to do my own. I like it, I have the time, and if I screw up (and I have!) it's MY fault.
I do my homework, and use parts and oils that have worked for me over the years.

I agree 100%.  Same here.