Just picked up a 74 Ironhead. What would you classic Harley guys recommend for oil? I'm in WA so i was gonna go with straight 50wt since it doesn't get that hot. I guess the big question is should i stick with with single wt motor oil or go with 20W50. I also assume using full synthetic would be a waste on that motor. As a side note i do plan on installing an external oil filter. Thanks for your help.
74 ironhead oil recommendation
- Thread starter Ralph_S
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Id run a 20w50. Kendall GT1 20w50 has added zinc and would be a good choice. So would Valvoline VR1 or Brad Penn.
If you do go synthetic, Mobil V Twin would be a good choice as well.
If you do go synthetic, Mobil V Twin would be a good choice as well.
+1
I also agree about Kendall.
Don’t waste the money on synthetic. Those engines consume oil. I owned a 1976 ironhead. 1000 XLCH kick start. I had the bike for ten years and put about 43K on it. The normal oil consumption or oil mileage as Harley stated in the owner’s manual was from 300 to 600 miles per quart! The Oil was sucked through the valve guides. They had no valve seals. I retro fitted mine when I did the top end at 30K with a valve seal kit. The oil mileage went up to about a quart every 1000 miles.
I used to use Valvoline race oil 50 or 60 weight but I found the 20W50 worked the best.
Hope this info helps. The old sporty had character but it was like riding a paint shaker on two wheels!!!
Have fun and ride safe. Oh and Merry Christmas…Jim
Don’t waste the money on synthetic. Those engines consume oil. I owned a 1976 ironhead. 1000 XLCH kick start. I had the bike for ten years and put about 43K on it. The normal oil consumption or oil mileage as Harley stated in the owner’s manual was from 300 to 600 miles per quart! The Oil was sucked through the valve guides. They had no valve seals. I retro fitted mine when I did the top end at 30K with a valve seal kit. The oil mileage went up to about a quart every 1000 miles.
I used to use Valvoline race oil 50 or 60 weight but I found the 20W50 worked the best.
Hope this info helps. The old sporty had character but it was like riding a paint shaker on two wheels!!!
Have fun and ride safe. Oh and Merry Christmas…Jim
20w50 will help get the oil moving faster when temps are below 40-50 range which is often in WA. And the 50 end of the oil will withstand the heat and shear. If you change oil often, use a high quality dino oil like valvoline and don't worry, enjoy the ride and wind in your face
I am in a Harley forum the resident expert there has said on more that one occasion that your bike needs a straight 50 and straight 50 in the summer. A 20w-50 will shear down to water in your bike.
Valvoline VR-1 20-50wt racing oil, looks to stand up to shear in the heat generating Harley's today.Altho older Sporty's don't run as hot, I think for price and availability it would be hard to beat.,,
Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Valvoline VR-1 20-50wt racing oil, looks to stand up to shear in the heat generating Harley's today.Altho older Sporty's don't run as hot, I think for price and availability it would be hard to beat.,,
I hear about this stuff all the time but can't find it here in Saskatchewan.
Hey op. Join up at hdforums. Send a pm to twiZted biker. He has more experience with your model bike than most men on the planet. He will tell ya what to use. He has a 73 with a 93 engine he built himself. In this particular forum he is pretty much as expert as they come. Or just google his name. His answers will be all over the forum. I'm pretty sure he will tell ya either straight 50 or 60 simply because of the bikes low oil pressure and you need that film strength at idle or your looking at metal on metal and premature wear.
Forget dual viscosity for your bike. You need more for more reasons than 1.
Merry christmas
Valvoline VR-1 20-50wt racing oil, looks to stand up to shear in the heat generating Harley's today.Altho older Sporty's don't run as hot, I think for price and availability it would be hard to beat.,,
I hear about this stuff all the time but can't find it here in Saskatchewan.
Hey op. Join up at hdforums. Send a pm to twiZted biker. He has more experience with your model bike than most men on the planet. He will tell ya what to use. He has a 73 with a 93 engine he built himself. In this particular forum he is pretty much as expert as they come. Or just google his name. His answers will be all over the forum. I'm pretty sure he will tell ya either straight 50 or 60 simply because of the bikes low oil pressure and you need that film strength at idle or your looking at metal on metal and premature wear.
Forget dual viscosity for your bike. You need more for more reasons than 1.
Merry christmas
Clevy, around here Valvoline is available in every auto store. Are there any local speed shops by you? That would be my next attempt to find it.It does come in straight weights also, so if straight 50 wt is what you want it's something to try.,,
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I ran 20W/50 oil year round in my 1984 IRONHEAD. The straight 50 and 60 are not needed and are old school thinking.
+1
If it was mine it would be filled with Castrol GTX 20w-50.
Congrats on the bike, how about a few pics?
I ran 20W/50 oil year round in my 1984 IRONHEAD. The straight 50 and 60 are not needed and are old school thinking.
+1
If it was mine it would be filled with Castrol GTX 20w-50.
Congrats on the bike, how about a few pics?
Thanks for the advice and help guys. I do have a question regarding Valvoline VR1. I looked some oils up up and some of them, specially the racing type oils intended for cars which include VR1 50wt have friction modifiers in them. Since most of the older Ironheads are suppose to run same oil in the crankcase and primary due to the valve that allows oil to pass between the two wouldn't oil with friction modifier affect the clutch performance.
Originally Posted By: Ralph_S
Thanks for the advice and help guys. I do have a question regarding Valvoline VR1. I looked some oils up up and some of them, specially the racing type oils intended for cars which include VR1 50wt have friction modifiers in them. Since most of the older Ironheads are suppose to run same oil in the crankcase and primary due to the valve that allows oil to pass between the two wouldn't oil with friction modifier affect the clutch performance.
Good thinking and you are correct about the clutch. However - the crankcase and the tranny are not connected and do not share oil. With that, you can run a 20W/50 oil or Harley's trans/Primary oil and be served well.
Thanks for the advice and help guys. I do have a question regarding Valvoline VR1. I looked some oils up up and some of them, specially the racing type oils intended for cars which include VR1 50wt have friction modifiers in them. Since most of the older Ironheads are suppose to run same oil in the crankcase and primary due to the valve that allows oil to pass between the two wouldn't oil with friction modifier affect the clutch performance.
Good thinking and you are correct about the clutch. However - the crankcase and the tranny are not connected and do not share oil. With that, you can run a 20W/50 oil or Harley's trans/Primary oil and be served well.
Yeah maybe in the old days when oils were less shear resistant, a straight 50 might have been better. But nowadays a 20w50 will hold up fine. I reccomend the Kendall GT1 and Valvoline VR1 in 20w50 because simply this...if they hold up in a modern hot running Twin Cam V twin, a cooler running Ironhead will love it just fine. Also those two have the elevated anti wear additives compared to other 20w50 oils on the market and are easy to find at most auto parts stores.
Brad Penn 20w50 and even Pennzoil GT 25w50 racing oil would be awesome if you can find it as well. Pretty much and 20w50 racing oil is made to be beat on in high performance engines, so it will protect that old mill of yours better than just about any oil of yesteryear.
Brad Penn 20w50 and even Pennzoil GT 25w50 racing oil would be awesome if you can find it as well. Pretty much and 20w50 racing oil is made to be beat on in high performance engines, so it will protect that old mill of yours better than just about any oil of yesteryear.
How much do you like that engine, and how good of an oil do you want? Willing to buy oil by the case?
Schaeffer's new #707 20W-50 V-Twin oil is tops.
http://www.schaefferoil.com/cmss_files/attachmentlibrary/TD Sheets/707.pdf
(I wish they made it in a 10W-40 or 5W-40 for my bike, but #9000 5W-40 is working great.)
Schaeffer's new #707 20W-50 V-Twin oil is tops.
http://www.schaefferoil.com/cmss_files/attachmentlibrary/TD Sheets/707.pdf
(I wish they made it in a 10W-40 or 5W-40 for my bike, but #9000 5W-40 is working great.)
Originally Posted By: Ken2
(I wish they made it in a 10W-40 or 5W-40 for my bike, but #9000 5W-40 is working great.)
hi. you are saying #9000 5W-40 is suitable for motorcycle with wet cluthes use?
i read alot from Mr sunruh that oil with weight like 5w40 is less shear stable then oil like 15w40. is this true across the board?
thanks.
(I wish they made it in a 10W-40 or 5W-40 for my bike, but #9000 5W-40 is working great.)
hi. you are saying #9000 5W-40 is suitable for motorcycle with wet cluthes use?
i read alot from Mr sunruh that oil with weight like 5w40 is less shear stable then oil like 15w40. is this true across the board?
thanks.
Older Ironheads had a oil transfer valve which allowed primary pressure to vent into the crankcase, which in turn mixed the oils. That's why those bikes used the same oil in both. HD got rid of that valve in 76 i believe, and then primary and crankcase was actually separate. I'm pretty sure i'm correct but i could be wrong.
Originally Posted By: Ralph_S
Older Ironheads had a oil transfer valve which allowed primary pressure to vent into the crankcase, which in turn mixed the oils. That's why those bikes used the same oil in both. HD got rid of that valve in 76 i believe, and then primary and crankcase was actually separate. I'm pretty sure i'm correct but i could be wrong.
Mine was an '84 with completely seperate cases, but I could see that being possible on the early 70's. Interesting information.
Older Ironheads had a oil transfer valve which allowed primary pressure to vent into the crankcase, which in turn mixed the oils. That's why those bikes used the same oil in both. HD got rid of that valve in 76 i believe, and then primary and crankcase was actually separate. I'm pretty sure i'm correct but i could be wrong.
Mine was an '84 with completely seperate cases, but I could see that being possible on the early 70's. Interesting information.
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