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[Opossum]

A buddy stopped by my office commin home from oil change at HD shop.  He says in the new parts/acc book there's a NEW SYN-3 oil thats 100% synthetic whereas the old one was a blend of syn/dino.  With the old one you coulda topped of with 20-50 if needed, but with the true synthetic can't do this.  The techs at the shop weren't aware of this new product or the differences.  He went out in the shop  with the guys and there was two drums one old # for syn-3 and one new # for the true synthetic.  Don't have a parts catalog to check this and wondering if any of this holds water?

[grc]

Don't need a paper catalog, just follow this link:

http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/gma_main.jsp?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US&nickname=Jerry


Scroll down and click on the "security and maintenance" item, then scroll down and click on "oils" on the maintenance page.  The listing for SYN3 does have a NEW flag, but when you read the verbage there doesn't appear to be anything new and the part number is still the -03 suffix.  It is now available in gallons and not just quarts; maybe that's what's NEW about it.  As far as I know, SYN3 has been a full synthetic for some time now.  If you look on that "oils" page you will find another oil listed as a blend, but they don't call it SYN3. 


Jerry

[GregKhougaz]

Jerry, 

     Followed your instructions above out of curiosity.  On the HD web site, the "Screamin' Eagle® SYN3® Full Synthetic Motorcycle Lubricant - SAE 20W50" is listed as a "new" item, and is available in two versions (#99824-03.00GL and 99824-03.00QT).  Never saw that before. 

     There is also now a "Screamin' Eagle® Synthetic Blend Motorcycle Engine Oil - SAE 20W50."  (#99813-09) I've used Amsoil from the start and thus did not follow this development.     Anyone know?   

GK

[grc]

There was another thread on this same subject when the 2010 catalogs came out.  Read what OldLefty has to say about his contact with the MoCo concerning SYN3 versus the new blend.

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=39971.msg618614#msg618614


Jerry

[Opossum]

The point that my Bud was makin was that Syn-3 USED to be a blend and that the "new" one is 100% syn.  Still unclear to me.

[LC110]

Syn3 has always been classified as a synthetic oil.
Syn3 is made from PAO and Bright Stock (Group I). No Group III in it. The Bright Stock boosts the HTHS (High-Temperature High-Shear) and overall viscosity and aids in solubility. So yes, it would be considered a full synthetic and is made by Citgo.

There are three basic types of synthetic oil segregated into groups. Group I and group II are conventional oil. Groups III, IV and V oils are synthetic. Group III synthetic oil is considered a synthetic only in the U.S. It is the only group of synthetic oil that gets its base from crude oil, by the process of being hydrocracked and or hydroisomerized.

.

[grc]

The point that my Bud was makin was that Syn-3 USED to be a blend and that the "new" one is 100% syn.  Still unclear to me.

Not to my knowledge, but I have heard people make unsubstantiated claims like that in the past.  Unfortunately, in the USA they can call pretty much anything synthetic since Castrol won a court case against Amsoil (Amsoil wanted Castrol to cease selling their blend as a synthetic without full disclosure, the court sided with Castrol).

Doesn't really matter, once you stop giving your money to the MoCo and start using one of the other products like Amsoil, Mobil 1, Redline, etc.


Jerry

[Maladjusted]

by the process of being hydrocracked and or hydroisomerized.

I read that too fast and saw "hydrocracked and or hydrosodomized"   

[grc]

I read that too fast and saw "hydrocracked and or hydrosodomized"   

I think hydrosodomized is what happens at some of those water parks on the really big water slides.


Jerry

[Gecko]

As for the "used to be able to top off with conventional before but not now", if before it was part conventional and part synthetic, what's the difference if you make it part conventional and part synthetic yourself?  I've done that in nearly every vehicle I've had (that way you know how much of each is in there; with a commerical blend who knows). 

They may have changed something in it so they call it a new product, but it was a full synthetic before.

[2wheelZEN]

Syn3 has always been classified as a synthetic oil.
Syn3 is made from PAO and Bright Stock (Group I). No Group III in it. The Bright Stock boosts the HTHS (High-Temperature High-Shear) and overall viscosity and aids in solubility. So yes, it would be considered a full synthetic and is made by Citgo.

There are three basic types of synthetic oil segregated into groups. Group I and group II are conventional oil. Groups III, IV and V oils are synthetic. Group III synthetic oil is considered a synthetic only in the U.S. It is the only group of synthetic oil that gets its base from crude oil, by the process of being hydrocracked and or hydroisomerized.

Just finding out syn3 is a citgo product. Thanks, that makes my decision not to use that much easier. I refuse to send any money Hugo Chávez's way. I have always been a Mobil 1 fan and Amsoil and Redline both look like better products as well. Love how educational this site is along with a little help from google.

[grc]

As for the "used to be able to top off with conventional before but not now", if before it was part conventional and part synthetic, what's the difference if you make it part conventional and part synthetic yourself?  I've done that in nearly every vehicle I've had (that way you know how much of each is in there; with a commerical blend who knows). 

They may have changed something in it so they call it a new product, but it was a full synthetic before.

Actually, the advice to not top off with a different oil doesn't have anything to do with synthetic versus dino, it's dictated by the additive packages and any possible incompatibilities when mixing brands or products.  Harley also mentioned this back before they even thought of SYN3, in the owner manual instructions for what oil to use.  They recommended HD360 of course, but mentioned using a good diesel rated oil if you had to top up and couldn't get HD360.  But they then indicated that you should change the oil and go back to 100% HD360 as soon as possible. 


Jerry