For Sportster 883cc and 1200cc motorcycles, the AMSOIL Synthetic 20W-50 Motorcycle Oil is recommended for both the engine and transmission. Older Shovelheads, Panheads and Flatheads the recommendation is to use AMSOIL SAE 60 Synthetic oil for optimum performance and protection.
What kind of oil should I use in my Harley Davidson?
Harley Davidson recommends using their new 20W-50 Syn3 in the engine, transmission and primary chaincase. While you may certainly use the AMSOIL 20W-50 motorcycle oil as a replacement for the Harley Davidson Syn3 in all three areas, AMSOIL’s alternative recommendation is for using their 20W-50 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil for...
What is the best motorcycle oil for protection?
There are many full synthetic oils that provide excellent protection, specifically including Royal Purple Max Cycle, Mobil 1 V-Twin & MX4T, and more generally, products offered by Amsoil and Redline, Motul, and Elf among many other oil companies, just to name a few. Why use a motorcycle oil?
Can you use the oil treatment on a motorcycle?
Unfortunately, I've never used it on a motorcycle yet...especially, on one with a wet clutch. Not sure if there would be issues or not. I use the oil treatment in my freshly rebuilt Chevy 305 motor, since the 305s usually always run low on oil pressure, at idle.
How often should I change the oil on my Harley Davidson?
Harley Davidson recommends that the oil be changed at the first 500 miles and then every 2500 thereafter. For climate temperatures of 40 degrees and below, the correct oil is HD for Harley Davidson grade 58 weight. For temperatures of 40 degrees and up: HD grade 75 weight.
What kind of oil should I use in my Harley-Davidson Sportster?
20w50 oilThe manufacturer recommends using 20w50 oil. Make sure that the oil you use is approved for wet clutches.
What kind of oil goes in a 1200 Sportster take?
20w50 oilSportsters require a little over three quarts of 20w50 oil.
What is the best oil to use in a Harley-Davidson transmission?
Answer: For any Harley Twin-Cam engine, we highly recommend using AMSOIL Synthetic 20W-50 in “all three holes” (as they put it) for two essential reasons. Update: AMSOIL now offers dedicated fluid for Harley Davidson primary chain-cases and transmissions.
Should I use synthetic oil in my Harley-Davidson?
The best lubricant for your precious Harley Davidson Twin Cam engine is synthetic oil. There are other options, too, such as mineral and semi-synthetic. But you should choose synthetic oil for the best results.
What oil does a 1995 Harley-Davidson take?
This 20w-50 motorcycle oil for your 1995 Harley-davidson Flstc Classic is a top oil for those who want the best protection and extend the life of the engine. Top research goes into this lube to protect air cooled engines, wet-clutch lubrication, and even protects when your motorcycle is in storage.
How often should you change oil in Harley Sportster?
While some may recommend having different intervals for all 3 components, we like to change the oil in all 3 every time we do a change, which is typically every 3000-4000 miles. Consult your owner's manual for recommended numbers, but the fresher you keep the oil, the better the bike will run.
How often should you change the transmission fluid on a Harley-Davidson?
Oil changes as per Owners manual every 5k Miles, Tranny and Primary every 10K. If you ride it more you'll be changing it more often.
What fluid do I put in my Harley transmission?
Our answer: It is perfectly acceptable to use 75W-140 gear oil in Harley-Davidson transmissions. But, do consider that 75W-140 is much thicker than oils typically used in Harley transmissions. For instance, AMSOIL V-Twin Synthetic Transmission Oil is an SAE 110 gear oil.
Can I use 20w50 in Harley transmission?
A particularly nice feature about AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil is that it can be used in the engine, transmission and primary chaincase of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Is Mobil 1 good for Harley-Davidson?
Mobil 1 V-Twin full synthetic motorcycle oil 20W-50 is an advanced full synthetic technology designed for four-stroke motorcycle engines and is recommended by ExxonMobil for use in Harley-Davidson motorcycles*.
Is Lucas oil Good for Harley Davidsons?
I tried your Lucas 50w petroleum and the V twin 50w synthetic both were better, however, your Lucas 20w50 synthetic (10702) is by far the best performing oil of all. The Lucas 20w50 synthetic is smoother, by far the quietest, cooler and the engines performance is awesome.
Should I use synthetic oil in an old motorcycle?
Older bikes (air cooled) have much lower tolerances in build quality & therefore can burn off more of the modern hi-spec oils. Synthetic oils will not necessarily make the clutch slip as long as they are "wet clutch" specific - not car oil But they do tend to be more "slippery" than non-synths.
Can I use car engine oil in my motorcycle?
This can be risky. Even though you can and will find car oil with the same viscosity ratings (i.e. 10w40) as for motorcycle engines, the additives...
Does engine oil have an expiry date?
Engine oils have an expiry date which means the performance levels can no longer be guaranteed. However if your oil hasn't been opened, it'll take...
What are the most critical areas where the oil flows?
For a motorcycle engine, the critical engine areas are the piston assembly, bearings and valve train. The engine oill also lubricates the clutch (b...
What does my oil filter do and do I need to replace it?
The oil filter traps foreign particles and debris that are introduced into the oil by normal riding. These particles can be anything from carbon de...
What is the difference between a mineral, semi-synthetic, and full-synthetic engine oil?
Mineral oils are refined from petroleum, but even mineral oils contain some synthetic compounds or additives to improve them. Semi-synthetic oils a...
Why does a 2-stroke oil have to be mixed with fuel?
A 2-stroke engine is built and runs differently to a 4-stroke one. A 4-stroke engine keeps most of its oil in its crankcase and oil sump and recirc...
Is any engine oil better than no engine oil?
Yes, but when it comes to motorcycles, the 'right' engine oil is better than 'any' engine oil!
Why do some engines burn oil?
Unfortunately, some types of engines just use more oil than others due to their design. Here, the burnt oil can leave damaging deposits behind, mea...
Can I top up my engine with a different type of oil?
As long as you don’t mix a 2-stroke oil with a 4-stroke oil, you can safely top your engine up with a different type of oil. You probably wouldn’t...
Do I need to warm up my engine before riding?
The oil needs to be warm, but, even better, hot, especially when riding at speed. When cold oil is pumped into an engine, cavitation (bubbles of va...
How long does it take to change an oil filter on a Harley?
A new filter costs a few quid and it only takes a couple of minutes to change. We’ve put together this Harley-Davidson oil filter chart to help you pick the best oil filter for your motorcycle.
Why do engines need oil?
In order to ensure that that oil can flow quickly at start-up, but also provide enough of a film to protect the engine when running, an engine needs an oil with different viscosity ranges. Engine oil creates a film on moving parts in the engine, which acts as a protective layer.
What is the purpose of oil in an engine?
A good engine oil lubricates, protects, cleans, and cools the engine to keep it running smoothly. Engine oil provides lubrication between the individual engine components, reducing friction. It does so by providing a slippery film between the moving parts in the running engine.
What happens if you block a motorcycle filter?
These particles can lead to engine damage, while a blocked filter may lead to oil starvation and ultimately engine failure.
How does engine oil react with sludge?
Detergent. This engine oil additive chemically reacts with acidic, sludge-forming contaminants in the oil to neutralise them. It then holds these, now harmless, impurities in suspension.
Why is engine oil important?
Engine oil also prevents damaging deposits from forming. Finally, engine oil also helps to keep the engine cool. Heat is caused by the friction between the moving parts as well as by combustion. The radiator is responsible for cooling the top part of the engine.
Is 30 oil thinner than 40?
Again, a lower number means a thinner oil, so, at 100 °C, a 30 oil would be thinner than the 40 oil. It is, of course, important to follow the guidelines of the manufacturer in choosing the correct multigrade oil for your motorcycle.
Can you use oil on a Harley?
You can't use just any oil for a Harley Davidson--it has to be a specific oil, as the Harley is not water cooled. Therefore, the oil is used to help keep the engine cool. Harley makes a specific oil that is not available at most auto parts stores. The weight of the oil depends on the air temperature. It helps to understand that an air-cooled ...
Is an air cooled motorcycle engine the same as a four stroke engine?
It helps to understand that an air-cooled motorcycle engine is different in many ways than a four-stroke automobile engine, as it is air-cooled and uses no auxiliary fans. In one of the few automobile engines that utilizes an air-cooled engine, there is always a fan used to direct ...
Does Harley oil have a viscosity?
Features. The Harley Davidson oil has a far higher viscosity or weight than an automobile because as oil gets hotter, it gets thinner. A common car oil is 5 W30. This allows the oil in hot temperatures to go no lower than five-weight and no thicker in cold temperatures to 30-weight. This would never do in a Harley, ...
Does Harley need heavy oil?
This would never do in a Harley, as the oil would be so thin the bearings would wear out in no time. Harley needs heavy oil since the engine always runs warm.
Is it better to have an air cooled motorcycle engine or an oil cooler?
The Facts: It is advantageous to understand the air-cooled motorcycle engine and the demand that is made upon the oil in all-weather conditions. Without the aid of a cooling fan, the temperatures absorbed by the oil are far higher and fluctuate far more than that of a car.
Shadow125 New Member
hello, We have just acquired a 95 fatboy 1338cc and we are getting ready to do some basic work on it. When I started probing the net for things like the oil capacity things were not as straightforward as it is with cars and other brands of bike i have worked with. They were also very much written with people who work on harleys often in mind.
Jeff Klarich Experienced Member Contributor
The best thing you can do is get the owner's manual for that bike and the repair manual as well.
Harttoo Well-Known Member
Beware of capacities on Motorcycles.Fill to level on the dipstick for engine and trans.
tourbox Senior Member Contributor
Primary is 1 qt. of primary fluid. Tranny is 22 oz. of tranny fluid, because of being a 5 speed. Oil with filter is 3 qts., of your choice. Run the motor for 3-4 minutes prior to changing fluids. Warm fluid drains easier, and gets the sumping oil out of the bottom of the motor to return to the tank.
TQuentin1 Well-Known Member Staff Member Moderator
Some folks drain the oil/fluid out of a reservoir, measure how much came out and put that much back in on refill. Then run the engine/bike until it is at operating temp and top off to "Hot" measurement line on the dip sticks. With the engine oil, that will be a bit low since the oil filter will take some of the oil to be prelubed.
ThunderRogue Active Member
Good luck with your "new" bike. There are a lot of resources out there on the old "interweb" and YouTube has some nice videos for the do it yourself'er. "Jiffy Stand" is the name for Harley's side, or kick stand. Since most of your service will need to be done with the bike straight up you'll need a lift of some sort.
joel Senior Member
Look over the maint info for.the tyle of oil that has been used in this bike and stay with it. Filters I like to get from dealer.
Is synthetic oil better than parrafinic oil?
In general, synthetics provide the best protection, but a good additive package and quality parrafinic base stock has been proven to work just as well. Failure to use the right oil, use proper filtration, or observe proper changing intervals can affect the performance of even the best motor oil.
Can synthetic oil cause a leak?
Synthetic oils can clean these blocked up leaks out, making it appear that the synthetic oil is the cause of the leak, where in actuality, you had a leak there to start with or were going to.
Can you use detergent oil on an engine?
Wait until you rebuild the engine and can clean the engine from the inside out, then proceed to use a detergent oil from then on. You should not use STP or EOS products either, as both add some detergents back to the oil and may do the same thing as switching to a detergent oil.
