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[biker0051]

230-250 is normal on a hot 90+ degree day.

I would be running a full synthetic 20W50 motorcycle oil like Amsoil or Mobil 1 motorcycle 20W50.

I graduated from MMI in May 1994. At that time HD allowed the use of Mobil 1 in a emergency and it wouldn't void your warrenty. And only till you could get to a HD dealership and get HD motor oil. HD, if I remember correctly, didn't marketa synthetic oil back then.

[dlaws01]

I graduated from MMI in May 1994. At that time HD allowed the use of Mobil 1 in a emergency and it wouldn't void your warrenty. And only till you could get to a HD dealership and get HD motor oil. HD, if I remember correctly, didn't marketa synthetic oil back then.

Who were they kidding?  You can run any manufacturer's brand oil if it meets or exceeds the rating requirements of the engine it's going in. Regardless of what the engine manufacturer says. 

[biker0051]

Who were they kidding?  You can run any manufacturer's brand oil if it meets or exceeds the rating requirements of the engine it's going in. Regardless of what the engine manufacturer says. 

And Mobil 1 was the only one that was close. As I said, that was back in '94. Please, feel free to go buy a new CVO, drain the oil, then put in whatever you like. If, and when, the engine seizes, they will ask for oil samples before authorizing a rebuild or replacement. Not HD oil, claim will more than likely be denied.
Conventional motor oils are designed for LIQUID COOLED engines that MAINTAIN a operating temperature of 180-195 degrees. We have already established here that HD's run hotter than that.

[Midnight Rider]

And Mobil 1 was the only one that was close. As I said, that was back in '94. Please, feel free to go buy a new CVO, drain the oil, then put in whatever you like. If, and when, the engine seizes, they will ask for oil samples before authorizing a rebuild or replacement. Not HD oil, claim will more than likely be denied.
Conventional motor oils are designed for LIQUID COOLED engines that MAINTAIN a operating temperature of 180-195 degrees. We have already established here that HD's run hotter than that.

Nobody is talking about conventional motor oils.  As you say, the majority of them are designed for car engines, not motorcycle engines, regardless of whether they are air or water cooled.  There are other factors that come into play, not just engine temps...Wet Clutches, for example.  And a LOT of bikes run wet clutches common to the crankcase oil.  There are several products out there designed for Vtwin (Harley) motors...Mobil 1, Amsoil, Redline, and Syn 3, just to name 4.  Harley would be hard pressed to prove that Syn 3 is superior to the other three...in fact, it would surprise me if it were not 4th in that list.  Since HD chooses not to put the SAE specifications on their bottles of oil, and their oil is likely low bid, by whatever maufacturer, they would have a hell of a time denying warranty coverage simply due to oil brand.  In fact, there are numerous instances here on the site of people who do not run Syn 3 in their bikes who have had engine related failures covered by warranty.  I can 100% assure that an engine failure on a modern day Twin Cam will NOT be due to inferior motor oil (if properly changed every 5K), but will be caused by inferior PARTS that HD is putting the engine together with.  So that dog won't hunt...

As I am sure you are aware, any vehicle manufacturer that dictates the brand of motor oil you MUST use in that vehicle, must, by Federal Law, furnish the product free of charge.  I don't see anyone getting free oil from HD.

[halfcirclej]

My 2cents. As a pilot an fly my airplane with air cooled engine.  Oil temp is very important.  Any increase in temp from a known temp range of my engine is an indication of something amiss from normal.  Its best to find the problem before complete failure. Its usually cheaper in the long run. Just saying I watch my oil temp closely.

[grc]

My 2cents. As a pilot an fly my airplane with air cooled engine.  Oil temp is very important.  Any increase in temp from a known temp range of my engine is an indication of something amiss from normal.  Its best to find the problem before complete failure. Its usually cheaper in the long run. Just saying I watch my oil temp closely.

I agree, in your circumstance a sudden variation from your customary oil temperature is a good indicator of something possibly being amiss.  But on the other hand, how often do you sit in traffic with no air flowing across your engine in that airplane?  Probably not an apples to apples comparison, in other words.


Jerry

[halfcirclej]

Jerry, sometime it can be a long time. Depends on traffic, ,long runways an taxiway. Control towers an priority tragic, etc. I have been up to 45 minutes before I could finally get to runway for take off Sometime pull out of line to get some prop wash from acft in front of me. We also use oil developed for air cooled engines. Used to use aeroshell w 20-50 in one of my ole sporsters.
They use to say it woiuld run for 30 min after oil pump failure. Due to special additaves in the oil. There are times when its about the same, not always thou. HAGD.

[LovemyCVOgirl]

FYI   Who do you think makes Harley Synthetic oil    Amsoil. That's the company that makes the Harley synthetic oil that I read so much bitching about on this web site. 

[Midnight Rider]

FYI   Who do you think makes Harley Synthetic oil    Amsoil. That's the company that makes the Harley synthetic oil that I read so much bitching about on this web site. 

I've always heard that it comes though Citgo.  And Citgo comes through Venezuela, which is a crappy government.  But so are others.  I seriously doubt Amsoil makes it or they would not be doing comparative tests against it, which always show that Amsoil is "better", as well as others.  HD would have big time issues with those tests if they had a contract with Amsoil.

It's low bid, whatever it is...

Not saying that Syn 3 is complete garbage, just that there are better products out there, IMO.  I don't like the fact that HD does not publish the specifications on the oil, like it's some closely guarded secret formula, which is BS.

[Twolanerider]

FYI   Who do you think makes Harley Synthetic oil    Amsoil. That's the company that makes the Harley synthetic oil that I read so much bitching about on this web site. 

Citgo is the OE for the Harley oil.  Sunoco used to be several years ago.  A company called Champion labs makes the HD branded oil filters.

OE for the various fluids with Mother Harley's name on them is (literally) all over the map.  Just a few examples (and may not all be current):

H-D WINTER FUEL CONDITIONER (DOWANOL DM GLYCOL ETHER) 99889-91A HJS OF WISCONSIN

HARLEY-DAVIDSON SPORT-TRANS FLUID 99896-88 HJS OF WISCONSIN
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON WHEEL BEARING GREASE 99856-92 HJS OF WISCONSIN
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON FORK OIL TYPE B 99880-73 HJS OF WISCONSIN

HARLEY BRIGHT METAL POLISH 99725-89 ROLITE CHEMICAL
 
HARLEY DAVIDSON FUEL ADDITIVE WITH DURALT FUEL CONDITIONER 99893-91A POLAR MOLECULAR
 
HARLEY BUG REMOVER, BLACK CREME POLISH 99271-96V APPLE POLISHES
 
HARLEY DAVIDSON LEATHER CARE 98263-95V APPLE POLISHES
 
HARLEY DAVIDSON LEATHER CLEANER 99274-98V APPLE POLISHES
 
HARLEY DAVIDSON SUEDE & FABRIC CLEANER 99272-96V APPLE POLISHES
 
HARLEY DAVIDSON SPRAY POLISH 99817-99 PETRO CHEMICAL PRODUCTS
 
HARLEY GLAZE 99701-84 CHEMRITE INDUSTRIES
 
HARLEY GLOSS 94627-98 CHEMRITE INDUSTRIES
 
HARLEY SUNWASH 94659-98 CHEMRITE INDUSTRIES
 
HARLEY SWIRL & SCRATCH REMOVER 94655-98 CHEMRITE INDUSTRIES
 
HARLEY WHEEL & TIRE CLEANER 94658-98 CHEMRITE INDUSTRIES
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON WINDSHIELD WATER REPELLENT 99841-01 CHEMRITE INDUSTRIES
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON LEATHER DRESSING 98261-91V PECARD CHEMICAL
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON POLY OIL 99860-81 GENERAL POLYMERIC
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON CHAINCASE OIL 99887-84 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON HD MOTOR OIL, SAE 10W-40 99816-1040 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON HD MOTOR OIL, SAE 20W-50 99816-2050 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON HD MOTOR OIL, SAE 50 99816-50 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON HD MOTOR OIL, SAE 60 99816-60 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON HYDRAULIC FORK OIL TYPE E 99884-80 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SCREAMIN' EAGLE FORK OIL (HEAVY) 99881-87 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SCREAMIN' EAGLE RACING FORK OIL (EXTRA HEAVY) 99909-93R CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SEMI-SYNTHETIC TRANSMISSION LUBRICANT 99892-84 CITGO PETROLEUM
 
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SYNTHETIC SCREAMIN' EAGLE MOTOR OIL, SAE 20W-50 99824-03 CITGO PETROLEUM

HEAVY DUTY CHAIN LUBE - PJ1

DOT 5 BRAKE FLUID 99902-77 DOW-CORNING

[LC110]

According to the "Material Safety Data Sheet" for H-D's SYN3, it is chemically a blend of 60% synthetic and 40% petroleum oils.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on the SYN-3, as filed with the Federal Government.
Manufactured by - Citgo Petroleum.
Composition section:

Component
CAS #
Concentration

(1) 1-Decene Homopolymer, hydrogenated
68037-01-4
50% - 70%

(2) Proprietary Ingredients
Proprietary Mixture
1% - 10%

(3) Polyisobutylene
9003-27-4
1% - 10%

(4) Distillates, Petroleum, Hydrotreated Heavy Paraffinic
64742-54-7
0% - 20%

(5) Distillates, Petroleum, Solvent-Refined Heavy Paraffinic
64741-88-4
0% - 20%

(6) Zinc Alkyldithiophosphate
68649-42-3
0% - 2%

[cahdbiker]

SE66, On a personal note I am glad I don't have an oil temp gauge. I went thru St. George Utah last August with my wife and luggage and it was about 115 degrees while they were putting down fresh black top (not the smartest time of year to go thru that area, but that was the only time I could get for vacation). I was on my way home from Canada.I would hate to imagine what my oil temp was. No problems with the bike and when I got to Las Vegas that evening at dusk it was still 107 degrees. I figure if my bike can go thru that and have good oil pressure (which I do) what do I need to know the oil temp for.(BTW my only upgrades are Fulsac stage 1 with 1.75 Baffles)  Just my 2 cents and two beers. Good riding to all you guys this summer. CAHDBIKER

[rxbob]

Rode the colonial parkway last Friday.  No stops or traffic.  Mostly 35 to 45MPH. Stopped for Ferry at Jamestown and oil was 271 with ambient of 68.

[cvo1717]

My bike runs from 220-255 but have seen it as high as 275 in hot weather and traffic.

[biker0051]

still want to run that conventional motor oil? doesn't matter who makes HD oil, it's made to HD specifications, if you noticed it listed a "proprietary blend". Champion makes HD spark plugs, but the Champion plugs don't hold up as well as the made to HD spec plugs.