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[novazeus]

How do you know or how can you tell if your dealer used the good oil filter and syn 3 for the oil change?

[GC_Super]

Your work order should have everything itemized with part numbers. What do you mean by the ( good ) oil filter?   

[SE08RK]

Harley only offers one chrome filter for the TC's and as for the SYN3, why would a dealer use anything else? The bike had stickers all over it cautioning the new owner to use ONLY SYN3 in all three holes. I would guarantee that you got SYN3! They can't sell it to anyone else!

[Midnight Rider]

The oil filter you got is fine.  I wouldn't run Syn3 in my lawnmower...it is a low bid product that Harley has made for them.  See if you can find any oil industry specs on the bottle anywhere.  See if you can find that it is a TRUE, 100% synthetic oil anywhere on the bottle.

Mobil 1 Vtwin or Amsoil are the two top rated, truely synthetic oils for our bikes.  If you cannot change the oil yourself, or if your dealer will not use the oil you bring to them for your services, take the bike to an Indy shop and get some decent product in the motor.

[grc]

How do you know or how can you tell if your dealer used the good oil filter and syn 3 for the oil change?

Unless your dealer is sitting on a huge inventory of the older version of the TC oil filter (10 micron versus newer 5 micron version), you can safely assume you got the latest filter.  Is that what you're questioning, or were you thinking of the even older EVO filter (30 micron)?  As for the oil, once it's been dumped into the sump I have no clue how you could easily tell what they actually used.  You could send it out to a lab for testing I suppose.  

I'm glad to see I'm not the only person with a highly suspicious mind.  With all the other scams being perpetrated on a daily basis, who's to say that some enterprising dealership hasn't figured out they can charge SYN3 prices while using the cheaper dino oil?  And don't assume that your dealer automatically knows to use SYN3 in your CVO.  After a warranty repair, my dealer used Formula⁺ in my primary (OK by me, since I haven't used SYN3 since the first change anyway).

Your question points up one of the reasons many of us do our own service work.  Other than standing over the tech during the entire job (which most places will not allow), the only way to know if everything was done and done correctly is to do it yourself.  If you look at the service requirements for '07 and later models, there is no longer a requirement to adjust the primary chain, and the primary and trans fluid change intervals have been extended, so many of the service intervals are only oil & filter changes with a few "inspections" thrown in.  My advice:  get the shop manual for your model and do your own services.  If you run across something that you don't feel comfortable with, like fork disassembly for cleaning & fluid change, then have your dealer do just those items.

Jerry

[novazeus]

The reason I ask is because the Murphy's Law side of me felt like I needed to ask the service manager prior to bringing the bike in for the "free" 1000 mile service. When there was a little hesitation in his reply, even though he gave the right answer, I still felt the need to mention it at the service desk where there was a look of puzzlement on the writer's face. Hopefully the actual mechanics that do the work can tell the difference in a SE and a regular bike and know to use Syn 3 even if it isn't a great product.

So Mobil 1 Vtwin is that much better? It is readily available at Walmart. Can I use it in all three places? I've heard Bel-RAy was good for the transmission. My Fatboy is due pretty soon for its 5000 mile service so I can use it as a guinea pig to try something else.

[Fired00d]

How do you know or how can you tell if your dealer used the good oil filter and syn 3 for the oil change?

At my dealership the guy writing up the service ticket will ask if you want "Synthetic" oil and if you say yes they have a stamp with "Synthetic Oil" that they will stamp on the work order in big red letters. I use Amsoil in the oil hole, and Redline in primary and transmission.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Midnight Rider]

The reason I ask is because the Murphy's Law side of me felt like I needed to ask the service manager prior to bringing the bike in for the "free" 1000 mile service. When there was a little hesitation in his reply, even though he gave the right answer, I still felt the need to mention it at the service desk where there was a look of puzzlement on the writer's face. Hopefully the actual mechanics that do the work can tell the difference in a SE and a regular bike and know to use Syn 3 even if it isn't a great product.

So Mobil 1 Vtwin is that much better? It is readily available at Walmart. Can I use it in all three places? I've heard Bel-RAy was good for the transmission. My Fatboy is due pretty soon for its 5000 mile service so I can use it as a guinea pig to try something else.

It never hurts to ask and make sure about what they are doing/going to do.

The vast majority of the membership here uses either Mobil I Vtwin or Amsoil.  It is fine in all three holes, but if you prefer using specific products, Redline Shockproof HD Syn in the tranny is good stuff, as is their MTL product in the primary.  All of these products exceed required specs for the various applications.

All reports I've ever seen/read on motor oil rate Amsoil and Mobil I Vtwin the highest of anything out there in almost every catagory tested.  Many users here have reported lowering of oil temps with just this simple change in fluids, in addition to a quieter running top end, better oil pressure, etc.

I personally run the crankcase fluid 5K between changes of it and the oil filter (I use K&N chrome filters, but there is nothing wrong with the HD), and 10K on the tranny and primary.

If you do not do your own service, it would not hurt to try and insist that they use the products you furnish for the fluid changes, but don't expect a positive response.  Responses typically vary from a flat NO; it'll void your warranty (it will NOT do so), blah, blah.  But, some dealers will cooperate with your request, no problem, but you will need to bring the fluids to them.  My dealer will not use my products, so to avoid getting into a whizzing contest with them over it, I just do all my own work, except for the couple of times I've had a warranty issue.  If you get the service manual for your bike, and the SE supplement, have basic hand tools/socket sets, you can easily pay for the tools/manuals with the money you save, plus there is then no doubt in your mind about it being done correctly, and you get to know your bike in the process.

[ultrafxr]

It never hurts to ask and make sure about what they are doing/going to do.

The vast majority of the membership here uses either Mobil I Vtwin or Amsoil.  It is fine in all three holes, but if you prefer using specific products, Redline Shockproof HD Syn in the tranny is good stuff, as is their MTL product in the primary.  All of these products exceed required specs for the various applications.

All reports I've ever seen/read on motor oil rate Amsoil and Mobil I Vtwin the highest of anything out there in almost every catagory tested.  Many users here have reported lowering of oil temps with just this simple change in fluids, in addition to a quieter running top end, better oil pressure, etc.

I personally run the crankcase fluid 5K between changes of it and the oil filter (I use K&N chrome filters, but there is nothing wrong with the HD), and 10K on the tranny and primary.

If you do not do your own service, it would not hurt to try and insist that they use the products you furnish for the fluid changes, but don't expect a positive response.  Responses typically vary from a flat NO; it'll void your warranty (it will NOT do so), blah, blah.  But, some dealers will cooperate with your request, no problem, but you will need to bring the fluids to them.  My dealer will not use my products, so to avoid getting into a whizzing contest with them over it, I just do all my own work, except for the couple of times I've had a warranty issue.  If you get the service manual for your bike, and the SE supplement, have basic hand tools/socket sets, you can easily pay for the tools/manuals with the money you save, plus there is then no doubt in your mind about it being done correctly, and you get to know your bike in the process.

Agree totally.  Just one caution - careful in tightening the drain plugs for the crankcase & tranny fluid.  Those are steel plugs threading into aluminum and it doesn't take much to strip them.  Mine got stripped and I think it was from a wrench at a dealer who I let change my oil while on a road trip.  Not as horrible as I expected since engine & tranny oil share common pan and can be replaced by dropping rear wheel and removing from back of engine.

Now I take my own oil, borrow a drain pan and change it in the dealership parking lot if on an extended road trip and need a fluid change.

Several wrenches have told me plugs don't need to be real tight since o-ring seals very well.  Put a little teflon thread lube on the plug threads, hand tighten and then snug up with socket and you'll be good to go.

[Midnight Rider]

Agree totally.  Just one caution - careful in tightening the drain plugs for the crankcase & tranny fluid.  Those are steel plugs threading into aluminum and it doesn't take much to strip them.  Mine got stripped and I think it was from a wrench at a dealer who I let change my oil while on a road trip.  Not as horrible as I expected since engine & tranny oil share common pan and can be replaced by dropping rear wheel and removing from back of engine.

Now I take my own oil, borrow a drain pan and change it in the dealership parking lot if on an extended road trip and need a fluid change.

Several wrenches have told me plugs don't need to be real tight since o-ring seals very well.  Put a little teflon thread lube on the plug threads, hand tighten and then snug up with socket and you'll be good to go.

Jerry...since I have a natural tendency to overtighten things, everytime I can get a torque wrench on something, I use it.  Those bolts only require a very small amount of TQ, and you are correct, a BFW would easily strip them...

[DeathTrap124]

Jerry...since I have a natural tendency to overtighten things, everytime I can get a torque wrench on something, I use it.  Those bolts only require a very small amount of TQ, and you are correct, a BFW would easily strip them...

Over many years (at least 28) my arm has become a TQ wrench. I torque wrench the important stuff like heads and such but the normal stuff gets the "arm torque". I'll have a friend over and he'll say "the manual says..." and I'll stop him and say "agggh, 28 pounds, on the dot!" as I'm tightening down a bolt. I'm a backyard mech, no formal training at all but for the most part it seems to work. Don't get me wrong, over all of those years, I've stripped out a bolt or two but after awhile you start to get a feel for it. The first major "strip" was a bad one, '79 Shovel spark plug. Thank God for the Helicoil!

[DeathTrap124]

Over many years (at least 28) my arm has become a TQ wrench. I torque wrench the important stuff like heads and such but the normal stuff gets the "arm torque". I'll have a friend over and he'll say "the manual says..." and I'll stop him and say "agggh, 28 pounds, on the dot!" as I'm tightening down a bolt. I'm a backyard mech, no formal training at all but for the most part it seems to work. Don't get me wrong, over all of those years, I've stripped out a bolt or two but after awhile you start to get a feel for it. The first major "strip" was a bad one, '79 Shovel spark plug. Thank God for the Helicoil!

Oh BTW, don't ever forget to put loctite on a riser bolt when you swap handlebars! That story's for another day!!!

[Midnight Rider]

Over many years (at least 28) my arm has become a TQ wrench. I torque wrench the important stuff like heads and such but the normal stuff gets the "arm torque". I'll have a friend over and he'll say "the manual says..." and I'll stop him and say "agggh, 28 pounds, on the dot!" as I'm tightening down a bolt. I'm a backyard mech, no formal training at all but for the most part it seems to work. Don't get me wrong, over all of those years, I've stripped out a bolt or two but after awhile you start to get a feel for it. The first major "strip" was a bad one, '79 Shovel spark plug. Thank God for the Helicoil!

I just don't trust myself on those drain plugs with the O rings...easy to overtighten them.  Everything else gets the elbow TQ...you're right, wrench enough bolts, and break off or strip a couple, and you develop a feel pretty quickly.

Most of the time, I enjoy working on the bike...

[DeathTrap124]

I just don't trust myself on those drain plugs with the O rings...easy to overtighten them.

Yep, you're spot on! And everyone ends up doing it a few times. (That means I've done it more than a few times...)

[/quote]Most of the time, I enjoy working on the bike...[/quote]

Yeah, until you strip something. Then the Mother of your Children has to listen to every bad word that man created. At least mine does...

[grc]

Over many years (at least 28) my arm has become a TQ wrench. I torque wrench the important stuff like heads and such but the normal stuff gets the "arm torque". I'll have a friend over and he'll say "the manual says..." and I'll stop him and say "agggh, 28 pounds, on the dot!" as I'm tightening down a bolt. I'm a backyard mech, no formal training at all but for the most part it seems to work. Don't get me wrong, over all of those years, I've stripped out a bolt or two but after awhile you start to get a feel for it. The first major "strip" was a bad one, '79 Shovel spark plug. Thank God for the Helicoil!

   Back when I did a lot of wrenching I found I could do the same thing.  If you use the correct size wrench (probably don't need an 18" breaker bar on a 1/4-20 bolt, for instance) and just pull normally with your fingers, it's surprising how close you can come to the correct torque.  Of course, I don't encourage that method for anything other than non-critical fasteners.  And I definitely don't encourage another method I've seen, where you tighten until the part squeals, and then back off just a touch.  (No, I'm not kidding, I actually worked with a guy who did that.)

As ultrafxr pointed out, when you're dealing with threaded aluminum parts it is best to play it safe and use the torque wrench. 

Jerry