break in oil

[kenhorse]

just did a top end on my sporty and wondered what the best break in oil was. my mechanic want's to use multi grade harley syn. if i am gonna us syn i would rather use mobil 1 v twin- amsoil or redline. i also plan to change oil after first heat up, oil and filter after 100-500-1000-2000-and then every 3000 after.

[8-Ball]

from what I have gathered, this is an argument that can't be decided...

If it were me, I'd do dino. There is the argument that the syn won't seat the rings, but that is debatable. A more recent argument I heard made more sense. If you are going to change at those very short intervals, at least to start with, there is no sense in putting in syn because you will never reap the benefit, not to mention the added expense.

Remember, I don't know shlt...

[vafatboy]

I don't know chit either, but if it's just the top end without new rings and such, not much break in required.

[mori55]

Just for the top end , i don't see what has to be broken in. If it was a new build with pistons and rings etc i would do like the Moco does. Sometimes i think we go a little overboard. But changing the oil every 500 or so miles is crazy. But it's your bike have fun.

[route66paul]

Some people say top end to differenciate between opening the cases, which is needed to work on the crank. He may have meant at least rings.
For those of us that had 2 cycle motors, that is what was meant.

[YankeeBob]

I am breaking in one now. I normally use M1 VTwin, but for the breakin I am using HD dino because I will be changing it a couple times early and it makes economical sense. As far as syn vs dino, I don't think it really matters for breakin. But when my 500 miles are up, its back to M1.

[Jams]

I don't know chit either :coffee:

But oil is oil when it comes to break in miles.

IMHO the procedure is more important in breaking in a motor than the type of oil used.
Here is a few rules that I try to follow.


Use copious amounts of clean oil during assembly
Start and idle until warm then shut down until cold
Check for leaks and re-torque everything possible
Vary the RPM and avoid lugging the motor
Roll throttle on and then roll it off to pump more oil to top of motor
Then depending on what the motor is built for -- race or street I would change oil accordingly

[george douglas]

just did a top end on my sporty and wondered what the best break in oil was. my mechanic want's to use multi grade harley syn. if i am gonna us syn i would rather use mobil 1 v twin- amsoil or redline. i also plan to change oil after first heat up, oil and filter after 100-500-1000-2000-and then every 3000 after.

If the rings have been replaced then you want to use the cheapest oil possible to speed up the break in. You are also cleaning the engine internally after it has been torn apart and reassembled. In the general aircraft business with air cooled engines you break in the engine with a straight meneral oil with no additives so it will seat the rings. The rings in a harley and car engines are not as hard to to break in like they use to be so you could do it with any oil. Some will take longer though. Once oil consumption is normal the break in is done.

[kenhorse]

i did pistons and rings cams everything but split the case,,, here is what i did and why, and i too don't know shit. with the engine being dry mostly i wanted the best lube to get to the top end as soon as possible plus on the cams so i started with 20-50 amsoil. started it stooped it started it stopped it about 15 min at a time warming her up slow. then i put 100 miles on her and switched to 20-50 harley will run that 400 miles then back to mobil 1 v twin, the reason i don't run amsoil is buying it on the road, if they every get it were you can find it when you need it i am sold

[8-Ball]

the reason i don't run amsoil is buying it on the road, if they every get it were you can find it when you need it i am sold

I used to think that about amsoil, but I decided that if I'm traveling, I bring a quart from home. If I need more than that quart, I'm having some major trouble and at that point I can add whatever vtwin syn available. Amsoil is compatible with all syn oils and all dino (at least that is my understanding).

[MegaGlide]

And, unless you're touring on a shovel or a pan, when's the last time you actually needed oil on the road?

[kenhorse]

changed oil in Phoenix and redding cal. needed oil both times

[HARLET]

did a compleat upper end on my 92 ultra 3000 miles ago , i used oil the first 1000 til the rings seated in . i used vt moble one worked out fine break it in with the oil your going to run all the time

[8-Ball]

And, unless you're touring on a shovel or a pan, when's the last time you actually needed oil on the road?

have we met....?

[MegaGlide]

I think we need a "Kick Me" rocker for you, Mike.