ATF in the Primary>

[hogrotten]

Two Reason for me;

What about the people who used synthetic oil (against HD recommendation) because it made the bike run cooler.? Now HD recommends it, and even came up with it's own line. They also put it in all three holes(same oil). Why use the same motor oil in the motor, transmission and primary?

One good reason may be the fact that allthough they are seperate units if one of the seals,(lets say the out put shaft on the motor were to go out.)You would stand the chance of whatever fluid you had in the primary invadeing your engine! And I don't think any of us would like the thought of ATF mixed in with their motor oil! Or their transmission for that matter. :newsmile055:JMTCW.

It's amazing to me that some people think they are better engineers and designers than Harley Davidson. The engineers that built and designed these bikes recommend 20w-50 in all 3 holes. I am not an engineer, and for a company to recommend an oil of there own JUST to make $ is a little hard to believe. The company gives you a 2 year unlimited mileage on new bikes. Put 100,000 miles on what they recommendation and if anything goes bad they replace it.Old school guys need to come up to the 21 century. Metals are changing and so are the designs of motors and trans.Heavy viscosities are going away with new designs. I am not going to be very popular with some of you but this is just my option.

Good point Fireguy,I'd of never thought I'd see the day we'd be using a 5w20 motor oil in a motor(factory recomended in the wifes 05 Honda CRV) and getting 150,000 to 200,000 miles out of them!:30:

 

[Fireguy]

Point taken. I do not use syn3 just for the fact that mobile1 is better and cost the same. Thicker does not mean better these days.

 

[Bud White]

Point taken. I do not use syn3 just for the fact that mobile1 is better and cost the same. But it's also about the viscosity of the oils. Thicker does not mean better these days.

Thinner doesnt always mean better either..

manual calls for formula + which is about a 85 weight

i run 20w50 i have used the forrmula + and spectro chaincase oil ..

 

[hogrotten]

That's what I use also!

 

[Chopper]

It's amazing to me that some people think they are better engineers and designers than Harley Davidson. The engineers that built and designed these bikes recommend 20w-50 in all 3 holes. I am not an engineer, and for a company to recommend an oil of there own JUST to make $ is a little hard to believe. The company gives you a 2 year unlimited mileage on new bikes. Put 100,000 miles on what they recommendation and if anything goes bad they replace it.Old school guys need to come up to the 21 century. Metals are changing and so are the designs of motors and trans.Heavy viscosities are going away with new designs. I am not going to be very popular with some of you but this is just my option.

You're still popular in my book Fireguy, I like someone that thinks for themselves, I also have a ton of respect for Harley's engineers, I have never seen a bike have a problem that was running syn 3, except when run in the primary, I have been told that it's not the best to run in the primary by Harley's tech support, coming from there engineering dept. so I recommend a primary fluid to my customers. I myself have seen the trans quiet down and shift smoother when I install spectro 6 speed fluid, so I'm sold, engine oil I think any quality syn fluid is good and would like to see any independant tests on syn 3, are there some out there? And I do use and recommend Mobil 1 v-twin to my customers. Just my opinion.

 

[propflux01]

Originally Posted by Fireguy
It's amazing to me that some people think they are better engineers and designers than Harley Davidson. The engineers that built and designed these bikes recommend 20w-50 in all 3 holes

.

You're still popular in my book Fireguy, I like someone that thinks for themselves, I also have a ton of respect for Harley's engineers, I have never seen a bike have a problem that was running syn 3, except when run in the primary, I have been told that it's not the best to run in the primary by Harley's tech support, coming from there engineering dept. so I recommend a primary fluid to my customers.

AS you can see from just this quote alone, Engineers make mistakes. Another well founded example of why we have an aftermarket of (in some cases) more advanced fluids that can be safely used in HD's - Ones HD engineers did not dream up, yet work better or are more tailored to it's use. It kinda reminds me of those BASF commercials - "WE don't make the products you buy, we make them better".

 

[glider]

Another well founded example of why we have an aftermarket of (in some cases) more advanced fluids that can be safely used in HD's - Ones HD engineers did not dream up,

Being this post is in the "ATF in the Primary" thread, I sure hope you don't consider ATF as an "advanced fluid." for use in harleys.:laugh

 

[HarryB737]

ATF= Automatic Transmission Fluid, Is that so hard to understand? The last I rode I had to change Gears myself, therefore I'm using what is recommended... Formula +

 

[propflux01]

Being this post is in the "ATF in the Primary" thread, I sure hope you don't consider ATF as an "advanced fluid." for use in harleys.:laugh

I don't consider it an advanced fluid per se', however, I do consider it an alternative fluid that can be safely used in the primary, and with possible benefits of it's own. After all, if an automatic transmission, which has its own gears, bands, clutches and in some cases, chains, can stand up to 1000's of miles of use ( and in even more cases, like some FORD pickup's manual transmissions which use ATF as factory and recommended fill), I am sure it can be used in a simple primary such as the HD. My posting was simply referring to Fireguy's posting about engineers.

 

[glider]

I don't consider it an advanced fluid per se', however, I do consider it an alternative fluid that can be safely used in the primary, and with possible benefits of it's own.

Would you be able to substantiate any benefits with documentation concerning the the benefits of the ATF in the primary? I've heard a few tout the benefits but never seen any positive documentation other then "it works for me" type of comment. Certainly the engineers can make a mistake but I'm quite sure they know just a tad more than the average Joe that feels because an automatic trans in a car (which has a pump to pump the fluid under pressure) that the same fluid is OK for a primary chain case of a Harley.

One question I always ask and never get an answer to is why wouldn't you use fork oil in a transmission of the Harleys or why not use transmission oil in the engine?

Speaking of ATF in a standard gear box, In 1975, I made the mistake of buying a Dodge van which unknown to me ran ATF in the standard box. Well , long story short, 3 transmissions later, I sold that poor excuse for a van. Some things just shouldn't be.

Thanks for any documentation you can furnish to clarify this for me.