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I accidently put 5w-30 oil in my 09 dyna low rider will this harm it?
Wrong Oil?
- Thread starter James57
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- 5,653
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- Central IA
It is way way too thin, especially in a hot Texas summer. I would not run anything thinner than a 40 weight in a Twin Cam.
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That bike needs 20w-50 in a Texas summer. Maaaaybe 10w- or 15w-40 when it gets cooler.
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- Northern Kentucky
Does it have a shared sump? Either way probably not thickeenough for the high temperatures of an air cooled engine.
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- Clovis, CA
Now the Harley Davidsons are getting attacked by the thin oil people. 
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Here are my choices for air cooled bikes:
Premium choices:
Crankcase: Regular Red Line 20w-50 / Amsoil Z-Rod 20w-50
Primary: Red Line Primary Oil
Transmission: Red Line Shockproof Heavy
Cheaper:
Crankcase: Valvoline VR1 20w-50
Primary: 15w-40 HDEO
Transmission: 80w-90 GL-5 gear oil
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Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Does it have a shared sump? Either way probably not thickeenough for the high temperatures of an air cooled engine.
Last edited:
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- Great White North.. eh
Yes. Too thin. Change it with properly spec'd oil.
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- 9,783
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- Saskatoon canada
Way too thin. It'll swallow that oil up in a few hours.
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- 450
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- Ft Hood Texas area
How do you accidently dump 4 quarts of 5w-30 oil into an engine that requires 20w-50?????
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- Ohio
Originally Posted By: James57
I accidently put 5w-30 oil in my 09 dyna low rider will this harm it?
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- Palmyra, PA
Originally Posted By: rossn2
How do you accidently dump 4 quarts of 5w-30 oil into an engine that requires 20w-50?????
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"filter is optional (if a new filter, then use it and compensate for the oil it holds...refill 1/2 quart less than 'normal' and check level after starting/idling & incimentally add oil until full)"
not exactly what I wanted to convey...refill bike with 1/2 quart less than what it takes to fill it; start engine, idle for a few mintues, shut off and let sit a few minutes; meaure amount add 4oz at a time; remeasure; top off (use less than 4 oz if close); repeat until oil is full
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A 30wt can not harm your engine because the actual viscosity of moving oil is measured in
centiStokes or cSt. and the viscosity ranges between a 30wt and 50wt weight oil flow rates
can be just 5 cSt apart which means your engine is not within 5 cSt of harm...
Grade 30wt actual viscosity should be between 9.4 to 11.9 centistokes
Grade 40wt actual viscosity should be between 11.9 to 14.8 centistokes
Grade 50wt actual viscosity should be between 17.7 to 20.6 centistokes
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Ummm, what? I don't follow the logic. I think that math might be a bit fuzzy.
5w-30 is not appropriate in an air-cooled Harley in Texas summer heat. 20w-50 is called for in your owners manual. Stick with that.
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- 5,653
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- Central IA
Agreed. You really need 50 weight in a Texas summer. You can get by with 40wt when its colder, but 30wt is too thin for a big twin Harley. That may fly in a liquid cooled Honda, but not in a retro modern piece of engineering like an HD
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Change it......... I'd redo the filter as well.
Lesson learned. IMHO
JP
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