250 Degree oil temp!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,475
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From: Southeast Wisconsin
RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
Don't worry about 250 degrees. There have been several threads here where folks mentioned the mid-200's as a common temperature for their bikes in warm weather. I once witnessed temps approaching 300 degrees on my Wide Glide when I was traveling through some Arizona mountains with the outside air temp at 100 degrees. The bike never missed a beat and didn't use any oil either. (AMSOIL V-Twin Oil)
RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
ORIGINAL: bear95252
240 degrees is not uncommon oil temp on a hot day or idiling in traffic. If I where you I would use a high quality Synthetic Oil that is formulated for motorcycle use. AMSOIL or Mobil 1 V twin. Lots of folks on this site use Redline but it is not formulated for Mortorcycle use so I can't recommend it. Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
240 degrees is not uncommon oil temp on a hot day or idiling in traffic. If I where you I would use a high quality Synthetic Oil that is formulated for motorcycle use. AMSOIL or Mobil 1 V twin. Lots of folks on this site use Redline but it is not formulated for Mortorcycle use so I can't recommend it. Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
I don't sell the stuff..........but I do use it,
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
ORIGINAL: bear95252
240 degrees is not uncommon oil temp on a hot day or idiling in traffic. If I where you I would use a high quality Synthetic Oil that is formulated for motorcycle use. AMSOIL or Mobil 1 V twin. Lots of folks on this site use Redline but it is not formulated for Mortorcycle use so I can't recommend it. Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
240 degrees is not uncommon oil temp on a hot day or idiling in traffic. If I where you I would use a high quality Synthetic Oil that is formulated for motorcycle use. AMSOIL or Mobil 1 V twin. Lots of folks on this site use Redline but it is not formulated for Mortorcycle use so I can't recommend it. Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
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From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
I rode today on a warm 85° day in S. La., and watched my oil-temp gauge closely, as this was the warmest riding day since purchasing this bike in November. Measured in the pan, I was running 190° after a thorough warm-up and moving at a decent clip, climbing to 205° in traffic, then settling to about 200° thereafter. Switching to synthetic (Royal Purple in this case) lowered oil temps 10°, and an oil cooler with thermostat is a necessity on a TC engine, IMO, especially the 96-in. Getting your A/F ratio in line with proper tuning will help even more. I use the PCIII with a canned map from Fuel Moto, but I've leaned the cruise range as far as I can to maximize mileage. Leaning doesn't help cooling, but I feel I have engine temperatures under control at this time. If summer heat causes them to climb beyond about 220°, I may add another oil cooler in series, mounted on the down-tubes. Or, I may enrichen the A/F a bit.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,238
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From: Desmoines, Iowa
RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
my dyna runs in 200 range most of the time . i have seen it at 250. but most of the time around 216 or 220. and i talk to a great turner and he said it's not uncommon for a T.C.to run in the 200 . but if it gets over 260 you may havta rich it up a bit.i know it sounds crazy to me . but every body and shops that i have talk to say the T.C. dont need a oil cooler. they just run hot compare to motors of the past . i'm sure alot of it is due to E.P.A.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
ORIGINAL: bear95252
Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
250* is about the limit I would go with dino oil. You would do better using a quality synthetic oil.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
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RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
ORIGINAL: vasser
I sure would like to see something to substantiate this. Any good synthetic will take you over 300* without breakdown, but 600*, I don't know about that one. The reduction of 20*-30* using a synthetic just isn't going to happen period. You may see around 10* but 20-30* is stretching it a bit.
250* is about the limit I would go with dino oil. You would do better using a quality synthetic oil.
ORIGINAL: bear95252
Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
250* is about the limit I would go with dino oil. You would do better using a quality synthetic oil.
In my '06 Ultra, I have used HD 360, SYN3 and in Feb I switched to AMSOIL. The bike seems to run a little cooler with the synthetics, but NOT 20 to 30 degrees cooler.
The '06 Ultra hasan HD oil cooler and the highest oil temp Isaw with this bike last summerwas 242 degrees.
Our air temperatures should be 100 plus this weekend and I'm looking forward to seeing what oil temps I get with the AMSOIL.
The only "test" that I have been able to come up with to see if synthetic oil ACTUALLY runs cooler that 'ol dino oil is to compare my oil temperatureswith another bike's temperatures, when both bikes are operating in the same environment.
My wife rides a '00 FLHT with HD 360 oil. I have found thatthe '06 Ultrawith AMSOIL and without the lowers installed, runs almost exactly the same oil temps as the FLHT. If I use HD 360 in the Ultra, the oil temps are a few degrees higher than the FLHT. This is not "scientific" but about the best 'test' I have been able to come up with because it is "repeatable" and anyoneelse could do it.
Just ride your bike a few days with another bike, check the oil temps on both bikes at each stop. Record the oil temps on both bikes. Change your bike's oil from dino to syn (or vise versa) and ride a few more days while checking the two bike'soil temps. Then you will KNOW if there is actually any difference.
From what I have been able to tell, Synthetic oil does run a little cooler, but not much.
JMHO
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 409
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From: Fort Myers Fl
RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
I live in Fort Myers and run to Fort Lauderdale alot. Before oil cooler in middle of summer running 75mph on 27 I would see temps of 255. After oil cooler I stay at 225. That was 20000 miles ago. Bike runs great. Put insome synthetic oil and ride. In the old days most Harleys came with oil coolers but then there was not alot of cooling fins on them. Check out an old Harley and you will see what I mean. I would recommend an oil cooler. Hot summers here plus it will make you feel more comfortable when you are running 85 mph on 95 trying not to get ran over!!!
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
RE: 250 Degree oil temp!
ORIGINAL: vasser
I sure would like to see something to substantiate this. Any good synthetic will take you over 300* without breakdown, but 600*, I don't know about that one. The reduction of 20*-30* using a synthetic just isn't going to happen period. You may see around 10* but 20-30* is stretching it a bit.
250* is about the limit I would go with dino oil. You would do better using a quality synthetic oil.
ORIGINAL: bear95252
Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
Synthetic oils don't become volatile until they reach around 600 degrees and they will normally reduce the oil temp 20 to 30 degrees over dino oil. Good luck
250* is about the limit I would go with dino oil. You would do better using a quality synthetic oil.
I would be appalled at oil temps even as high as 250°, as even though a good synthetic can handle these temps, although any oil will oxidize faster as temps rise. Synthetic just has a higher threshold and can handle the higher temps better. I'm at 190° at cruise, up to 205° in traffic so far (85° ambient), but air temps will go up another 10° before summer is over. I do think I'm in good shape, but if I see them exceed 230° in any conditions, I will buy a second cooler and mount it on the downtubes. It would be simple to install in series with the existing cooler, and the thermostat will work the same as before. I kind of what to do it anyway, actually, just for the hell of it. Am looking now for a nice Jagg on Ebay for a good price.