Oil pressure/synthetic oil

[89 FXRS]

this is my first winter that I've had synthetic oil in my roadglide(redline 20/60) I live in California so it doesn't get nearly as cold as some places back east or up in Canada - however with the rainny season I haven't started the bike up for a couple of weeks and today was the second time I noticed that when I first start the bike up after not starting it for a week or more that it shows no oil pressure for the first 4 to 7 seconds - I never noticed this before when using regular 20/50 Harley oil, nor did I notice it any other time of the year while using synthetic - is this a normal characteristic of synthetic oil, and is there anything to be concerned about? My guess is that synthetic oil is so much more slick than the regular stuff that it drains down to the cases faster. Also that maybe I should run 20/50 in the winter time???

 

[Jack Klarich]

this is my first winter that I've had synthetic oil in my roadglide(redline 20/60) I live in California so it doesn't get nearly as cold as some places back east or up in Canada - however with the rainny season I haven't started the bike up for a couple of weeks and today was the second time I noticed that when I first start the bike up after not starting it for a week or more that it shows no oil pressure for the first 4 to 7 seconds - I never noticed this before when using regular 20/50 Harley oil, nor did I notice it any other time of the year while using synthetic - is this a normal characteristic of synthetic oil, and is there anything to be concerned about? My guess is that synthetic oil is so much more slick than the regular stuff that it drains down to the cases faster. Also that maybe I should run 20/50 in the winter time???

The first thing I would do is check the oil pressure with a known good gauge, does the bike knock or tick loudly when it is taking this time to show pressure, could be pump on the way out from debris from tensioners worse case scenario

 

[89 FXRS]

The first thing I would do is check the oil pressure with a known good gauge, does the bike knock or tick loudly when it is taking this time to show pressure, could be pump on the way out from debris from tensioners worse case scenario

No Jack - no knocks or ticks - replaced the tensioners 3k ago and the old ones showed little to no wear - also just replaced the oil pressure sending unit - found it to be bad - checked the oil pressure with a seperate mechanical gauge and everything checked out OK.

 

[Jack Klarich]

No Jack - no knocks or ticks - replaced the tensioners 3k ago and the old ones showed little to no wear - also just replaced the oil pressure sending unit - found it to be bad - checked the oil pressure with a seperate mechanical gauge and everything checked out OK.

HMMM, guess the synthetic oil is pretty slippery then and you probably have no issues Keep an eye on the pressure and happy riding,Capital Jack

 

[HOLY DIVER]

my guess is when you changed your oil u replaced the filter right? i think the new filter has a bad anti drainback valve(this happened to me on a K&N filter) so every time i fired the bike up the oil pump had 2 fill the engine up

 

[geezer]

Could the oil have sumped down and it took a couple of seconds for the pump to grab it?

 

[BUBBIE]

I would wonder IF you aligned your oil pump correctly?????

When you had it out and back together Did You do the alignment like in the BIG BOOK calls out for,,, BY proper tightening and Turning the rear tire forward turning engine over while it is snugged into position?????


Just a thought...

signed....BUBBIE

You are using the BEST synthetic oil on the market.... Glider said it to be on the 5 scale when others hit 4 (good)...

Doubt the 20/60 has anything to do with it.. 25/50 to 20/60 won't do much on the 20 end...

 

[89 FXRS]

I would wonder IF you aligned your oil pump correctly?????

When you had it out and back together Did You do the alignment like in the BIG BOOK calls out for,,, BY proper tightening and Turning the rear tire forward turning engine over while it is snugged into position?????


Just a thought...

signed....BUBBIE

You are using the BEST synthetic oil on the market.... Glider said it to be on the 5 scale when others hit 4 (good)...

Doubt the 20/60 has anything to do with it.. 25/50 to 20/60 won't do much on the 20 end...

BUBBIE - I believe it's aligned - the pressure is great all other times - I only noticed it these last two times after not riding it for a week and a half or longer that it seems to take a little longer for the oil pressue to come up - after starting it up I waited 2 hours and went out to start it and it had good pressure just like I'm used to seeing. Do you think it's just from sitting in this colder weather?

 

[btsom]

My understanding of multi weight oil is thus: whether Harley oil, Mobil 1 or Red Line, the 20 part indicates viscosity when cold. (I don't know the actual temp for certification) Any oil rated 20 when cold will flow about the same, no thicker than a straight 20 wt. oil at that temp. The 50 or 60 part is for when the oil is hot, again, I don't know the certification temp. When hot, the oil will get no thinner than a straight weight of the same rating at that temp. Both of your oils have the same cold rating so they should perform similarly. If, in previous years, your machine sat for this long between starts and the pressure came up faster, the anti drain back valve on the filter seems the easiest and cheapest to replace (new filter) and check for improvement. Any other changes to your storage procedure? Is it on a jack sitting vertically this year and was it on the jiffy stand in previous years, or vise versa? Intuitively I would guess that the depth of the oil at the pickup tube would influence how soon the oil starts to circulate. Not having had the crank case apart, I don't know the set up, if storing vertically is different from an oil standpoint than storing on the jiffy stand. My scooter only seems to take as long as yours on the first start after an oil change, hope it is nothing serious/expensive.

 

[BUBBIE]

BUBBIE - I believe it's aligned - the pressure is great all other times - I only noticed it these last two times after not riding it for a week and a half or longer that it seems to take a little longer for the oil pressue to come up - after starting it up I waited 2 hours and went out to start it and it had good pressure just like I'm used to seeing. Do you think it's just from sitting in this colder weather?

You are probably right on the time it has set..

The 20 W weight and the 50/60 are just like said, the 20 keeps at a 20 W = to the point the 50 or 60 weight oil would become a 20W oil after heated...

so the 20W on each oil is always the same until it also gets Over Hot..(?)
the 60 will stay a 20 w for a little longer and more Heat.. before it thins out to Less W then a 20 W..

signed....BUBBIE

Have you tried redline shockproof heavy in the tranny? :bigsmiley16:

I use it and have never ever,,,, that is Never Ever had ANY metal on my magnetic plug when changed after Many Miles....(20,000)