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The great oil debate..
 Moderated by: Dave  

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Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Mon Mar 10th, 2008 12:02 am

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Well believe it or not, since I live in dirt track racing country we now have several places to get Lucas products! I was using mail-order Amsoil until that happened, now I'll switch.

The temp gauge is a good idea, I'll have to see if there is a place on my 91' dash for one. I'm afraid the one in the tank will get stolen on the road and it is very hard to check while going down the road.

The crash bar cooler does help in traffic though, it has such a large capacity and surface area. The outlet side is still markedly cooler even standing still!

marc
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Joined: Thu Nov 4th, 2004
Location: Basking Ridge, New Jersey USA
Posts: 2210
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 07:33 pm

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Fritz wrote:  Now I had my daughter on the back of the classic and we pulled a trailer and we were loaded for two weeks of camping. In the afternoon when it was the hottest and we'd get stuck in traffic the oil pressure went damn near to nothing.

I can see an oil cooler if you pull a trailer...They only work if your moving though so their useless in traffic...I would not be that concerned about the oil pressure...I had a 99 and now have an 04...At idle pressure is almost non-existant for either bike....Does not matter how hot or cold it is...As far as oil temp I never got higher than 235 and that was on a 95 degree day in traffic...In the winter I rarely get above 200...I run both a Rodger McEwan oil temp gauge which replaced the useless ambient air temp gauge and a HD digital oil temp dipstick...There within 5 degrees of each other...I also run 20-50 HD dyno oil and change every 5,000 miles...

http://www.gopartsdirect.com/2005/item2005.asp?ItemID=11584&CategoryID=28&MFG=&SubCat=&Model=&Placeholder=0

Last edited on Sun Mar 9th, 2008 07:35 pm by marc

jeffy ole boy
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Joined: Mon Jan 2nd, 2006
Location: By Bridge On The River, Indiana USA
Posts: 2213
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 07:12 pm

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Fritz wrote: jeffy ole boy wrote: Fritz wrote: As I said before, I believe the tech stuff I read about the synth oil but Amsoil's claim of being the best there ever was and if you mix anything with their oil you are screwing up just seems like hype.

A quart of Lucas would be 25% of what's in the tank of a Classic (without the cooler) and 30% of some of the other models! What's in that stuff?
Here is what I know about Lucas... NHRA hot rod assoc-  uses it exclusively in top fuel dragsters of some 5000 or more HP. I figure if it holds those motors together- then it must be good.
Why not run the Lucas 20/50 racing oil?Yeah that and Lucas makes a 20w50 motorcycle oil now thats supposed to be realy good too. They don't have it any where very close to my town.  Could order it though. Mobil 1 is also making an exclusive bike oil now too...  Its all good... Your oil cooler idea I'm sure really helps.

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 06:35 pm

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jeffy ole boy wrote: Fritz wrote: As I said before, I believe the tech stuff I read about the synth oil but Amsoil's claim of being the best there ever was and if you mix anything with their oil you are screwing up just seems like hype.

A quart of Lucas would be 25% of what's in the tank of a Classic (without the cooler) and 30% of some of the other models! What's in that stuff?
Here is what I know about Lucas... NHRA hot rod assoc-  uses it exclusively in top fuel dragsters of some 5000 or more HP. I figure if it holds those motors together- then it must be good.
Why not run the Lucas 20/50 racing oil?

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 05:48 pm

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marc wrote: Fritz wrote: I want a GPS before my next trip just for this reason. Some state maps are not very good.
Check out the Garmin Zumo 450 and 550...They are built for motorcycles...I just got a 450 to replace the 7 year old unit I had...The technology today is amazing...
Thanks Marc!

jeffy ole boy
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Joined: Mon Jan 2nd, 2006
Location: By Bridge On The River, Indiana USA
Posts: 2213
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 05:34 pm

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Fritz wrote: As I said before, I believe the tech stuff I read about the synth oil but Amsoil's claim of being the best there ever was and if you mix anything with their oil you are screwing up just seems like hype.

A quart of Lucas would be 25% of what's in the tank of a Classic (without the cooler) and 30% of some of the other models! What's in that stuff?
Here is what I know about Lucas... NHRA hot rod assoc-  uses it exclusively in top fuel dragsters of some 5000 or more HP. I figure if it holds those motors together- then it must be good.

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 05:16 pm

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I believe you are right, the lower pressure just scares me! I vowed I'd put a new high volume S&S pump in this winter, I just did not have the dough!

I did replace head and base gaskets, oil was getting on the pipes and stinking things up! I had replaced them just 12,000 miles ago. I read somewhere that the Amsoil filters would create too much back pressure in evos, the gaskets did leak badly after I used one. Who knows, but it was a Harley factory tech that wrote it. The new gaskets are supposed to be better, they looked a lot different.

Dave
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Joined: Wed Nov 3rd, 2004
Location: Monrovia, California USA
Posts: 3386
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 03:59 pm

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Fritz, oil pressure ain't a big deal on an Evo or even a Twinkie. As long as the oil pressure light goes out, you're ok. It shuts the light off with less than 5-psi...

You want oil flow. Roller bearings don't allow for much oil pressure. It all bleeds out past 'em.

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 03:41 pm

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As I said before, I believe the tech stuff I read about the synth oil but Amsoil's claim of being the best there ever was and if you mix anything with their oil you are screwing up just seems like hype.

A quart of Lucas would be 25% of what's in the tank of a Classic (without the cooler) and 30% of some of the other models! What's in that stuff?

marc
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Joined: Thu Nov 4th, 2004
Location: Basking Ridge, New Jersey USA
Posts: 2210
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 03:26 pm

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Fritz wrote: I want a GPS before my next trip just for this reason. Some state maps are not very good.
Check out the Garmin Zumo 450 and 550...They are built for motorcycles...I just got a 450 to replace the 7 year old unit I had...The technology today is amazing...

jeffy ole boy
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Joined: Mon Jan 2nd, 2006
Location: By Bridge On The River, Indiana USA
Posts: 2213
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 02:27 pm

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Fritz wrote: I took a trip last summer when it was hitting close to 100 every afternoon. I travel the small hyways, don't like the interstates. On the small hyways you have to go through a lot of towns. Now I had my daughter on the back of the classic and we pulled a trailer and we were loaded for two weeks of camping. In the afternoon when it was the hottest and we'd get stuck in traffic the oil pressure went damn near to nothing.Then for the rest of the ride the oil pressure was about 5# lower. The thing didn't rattle a lot but it scared me enough to decide to do the cooler thing.

I changed my route to take the small roads arround the towns, I want a GPS before my next trip just for this reason. Some state maps are not very good.
I like to run a qt of Lucas Syn. additive on long trips when its really hot...  It seems to help cushion moving motor parts.   Thats just me......  Amsoil says not to use additives but it don't hurt anything.... Oh now I wouldn't ever use STP or anykind of real thick stuff.....

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 02:03 pm

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I took a trip last summer when it was hitting close to 100 every afternoon. I travel the small hyways, don't like the interstates. On the small hyways you have to go through a lot of towns. Now I had my daughter on the back of the classic and we pulled a trailer and we were loaded for two weeks of camping. In the afternoon when it was the hottest and we'd get stuck in traffic the oil pressure went damn near to nothing.Then for the rest of the ride the oil pressure was about 5# lower. The thing didn't rattle a lot but it scared me enough to decide to do the cooler thing.

I changed my route to take the small roads arround the towns, I want a GPS before my next trip just for this reason. Some state maps are not very good.

Dave
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Joined: Wed Nov 3rd, 2004
Location: Monrovia, California USA
Posts: 3386
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 12:52 pm

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Yeah, the FXR frame leaves the engine pretty wide open to air flow. Only thing I could imagine causing a problem is either idling or low speed stuff for a long period of time.

Thats one problem I've never had with mine...

weasle
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Joined: Thu Nov 4th, 2004
Location: Tiffin, Ohio USA
Posts: 1600
 Posted: Sun Mar 9th, 2008 12:43 pm

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never  have had a problem  with the oil getting to hot on my fxr, nothing much blocking the engine. interesting  idea though. something to store away for future reference. thanks fritz.

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sat Mar 8th, 2008 09:07 pm

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Here's how another guy did it, they have a thermostat that mountd under the oil filter. My machine is lowered and the filter would stick out so I did it the other way.

http://silvercrow.com/performance/oilcooler.htm

This is the thermostat I have, you can turn it off so no oil goes to the bars

http://www.jpcycles.com/search.aspx?search=thermostat&store=Harley

Another good thing about this way, it's cheap! Thermostat, hoses and brass fitting add up to less than $100 on the high side.

 

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sat Mar 8th, 2008 08:43 pm

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Thre's no kit that I know of I did a lot of searching and found a guy who had done it, I just did what he did. I can't find his site now, duh, but you just drill and tap the ends and screw in brass fitting from the hardware. You must make sure you flush it good! Then go through the thermostat and splice into the return line from the pump. Presto! The inlet side of the bars will be hot to the touch, the outlet will be noticeably cooler. It adds a quart to your capacity, that's good in itself!

Here's a couple of thermostats:

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsearch.asp?N=700+304354+115+4294906736

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=1228

weasle
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Location: Tiffin, Ohio USA
Posts: 1600
 Posted: Sat Mar 8th, 2008 07:51 pm

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the crash bar  thing is  cool , do you actually run the oil through it ? did you have to change oil pumps? how many quarts do you hafta use now compared to stock . ya got my curiosity up about  this.somebody make a kit to do this?

Fritz
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Joined: Mon May 7th, 2007
Location: Gomerville, Arkansas USA
Posts: 83
 Posted: Sat Mar 8th, 2008 07:32 pm

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I read the tech stuff on synthetics and thought it was convincing. It just does not break down as fast as dino.

I run synth but I do change it sooner than they say, hell Amsoil says you can run 25,000! I changed my first tank of synth at 8,000, it was black, I don't know how it gets contaminated but it does.

Last summer was hot as hell and you could see it by the drop in oil pressure, I don't have a temp gauge on my evo, so I've turned my crash bar into an oil cooler. It's easy to do and there are thermostats available for cooler weather.

I don't think Harley 60 and 70 is really that heavy of a viscosity, it wasn't in the 60's when I was paying attention. Then there's this.

http://www.munising.com/harley_oil.html

jeffy ole boy
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Joined: Mon Jan 2nd, 2006
Location: By Bridge On The River, Indiana USA
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 Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 02:04 pm

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Dave wrote: I hope what I said isn't the reason you asked Jeff.

I meant other types and makes of engines. I'm pretty sure that Cummins and Detroit Diesels do it. Some gas engines, mostly designed to run with turbos have that too.

Definitely not the Evo engine...
Naw.. wasn't the reason Dave..  There was some confusion in my mind because I heard somewhere not long ago that the Evo's had this set up..  Thats why I ask.   Got the right answer now.

Dave
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Joined: Wed Nov 3rd, 2004
Location: Monrovia, California USA
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 Posted: Wed Mar 5th, 2008 12:26 pm

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I hope what I said isn't the reason you asked Jeff.

I meant other types and makes of engines. I'm pretty sure that Cummins and Detroit Diesels do it. Some gas engines, mostly designed to run with turbos have that too.

Definitely not the Evo engine...


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