| Author | Message | ||
     Wsplrll |
I took my 05 CityX in for the 1000 mile service. The Buell Tech advised that the Buells " run better on Dino oil". I have read that synth is better in technical articles and seems that the consensus by owners threads here is that synth is preferred. IS that the case? What is the Harley branded synth oil? Should I worry about it or call them and insist on the synth oil? Confused in PA Thanks | ||
| Wsplrll |
Also - should I use the same for both the primary and engine ? Thank again. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Both high quality normal and synthetic are sufficient if your changes are frequent and your bike is running normally. As I recall, by about 2000 miles, your non synthetic has already used up about half of it's life, but it will make it to 3500 and still be working (just not very happy). I run full synthetic for the extra margin. At 2000 miles, full synthetic is still like 90% alive. At 3500 miles, I think it still has like 75% of its capacity. I still change it then though. The reason is what if I am consuming oil and forgot to top it off? Suddenly instead of a 2.5 quart system, I have a 1.2 quart system. That wears my oil twice as fast. What if I have a partially clogged fuel injector? I then have one cylinder running lean, and getting hot. The breakdown temperature of normal oil is much lower then synthetic. I can imagine a lot of scenarios where the bike is still running and my engine temperature is up to the range where my non synthetic is baking. I have a hard time imagining any scenario where my engine can still run and I am up to the temp where full synthetic can be hurt. So either will do, but full synth gives you a much better margin when things go wrong. The 20w50 works great for both the primary and the transmission, so I have heard. I have only used Mobil 1 gear oil in my gearcase, but I may try the new Harley / Buell stuff next time. The Cyclone was pretty fussy about fluids, and the Mobil 1 gear oil made a world of difference. I don't think the XB transmissions (especially the 05 and 06 transmissions) care as much. | ||
| Brucelee |
You tech is a moron. Switch to a quality synthetic, at least Group 4-Mobil 1, Amsoil or Redline, Group 5. Then you have the best oil in your bike and you forget about it. Yes, if it were me, I would stick to the same fluid in both cavities. Good luck | ||
| Jammer |
Hi all, I found some info on a Moto Guzzi web sight that could be of interest here. "I recently had a leak on my 97 sport, coming from the front transmission seal. I tore the bike apart to replace this seal and noticed that the input shaft had a lot of up and down play. So I decided to take the transmission apart to replace this bearing, once I split the tranny I noticed that most of the bearings had just fallen apart. all of them but one needed replaced, This bike only has 10,500 miles on it, and it has been well kept for, I emailed a major bearing distributor and told them the problem that I had. They told me that if I used synthetic oil in my transmission with bearings that have a plastic cage, the bearings would fail prematurely. The bigger bearings in Guzzi tranny's do have plastic cages. A week later another bike came into Ace Malott's garage where I'm doing the work, and they wanted him to fix a leaky front tranny seal, well this bike had the same trouble that mine did except the damage went a lot farther on his bike it ruined every bearing and both shifting forks. My bike has had synthetic oil in it for its whole life, the other bike has only had it for a short while. I warn everyone on the use of synthetic oil this is not the only cases where synthetic oil is to blame". I recently had to change my 5th gear or main output shaft bearing on my 97 S3 it has a plastic cage. Correct me if i'm wrong but it's the only one in the trans with a plastic cage. I originally thought it was because my belt was to tight. Now I'm not sure. I've been using synth oil in the trans since HD started offering it well over 10,000 miles ago. If you compair the size of that bearing to the size of the rear wheel bearings i would think that the rear wheel bearing would be waisted also, if the belt was too tight but it wasn't. Any way some food for thought or discusion. Jeff- | ||
| Reepicheep |
Yeah, it will dissolve your seals, make your clutch slip, flat spot your roller bearings, and make you bald prematurely.  Synthetic oil contains the same compounds that normal oil contains, just far more of the really good molecules, and far fewer of the less useful molecules. If this was true, it would be trivial to prove and demonstrate, and it would have been, and every motorcycle maker on the planet (including every synthetic oil maker on the planet) would be telling you in every way possible and in the strongest possible terms to stop using synthetic oil. You were right the first time, your bearing failed either because the belt was too tight, or because the seal failed for some other reason. If normal oil won't hurt a seal, then synthetic oil won't hurt it. | ||
| Jammer |
Good Point. | ||
| Snooker |
Put syhthetic in it, and change it and filter every 2500 miles. That tech is an idiot....even H-D's CVO bikes are deliverred with synthetic lubricants already in them. Mobil1 "Gold Cap, 15w50, auto version" | ||
| Scubabob |
Does anyone know what type of oil is put into the Thunder Storm 1203 motor on the XB12X from the factory on the 2007 models????? |
