Redline 20w-60 & Amsoil 20w-50...

[Turk]

So I was looking at Harley threads and found one "Redline 20w-60 anyone using it on a TC (Twin Cam)?"

Most guys think it has better protection in the heat that Amsoil 20w-50. I'm not so sure about that...

One guy said it stopped a ticking noise he had in his.

Again, no brand debate, "just the facts, man".

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher

So I was looking at Harley threads and found one "Redline 20w-60 anyone using it on a TC (Twin Cam)?"

Most guys think it has better protection in the heat that Amsoil 20w-50. I'm not so sure about that...

One guy said it stopped a ticking noise he had in his.

Again, no brand debate, "just the facts, man".

NO argument from me - if you need a taller viscosity just please compare Amsoil SAE 60 (which is really a 20/25W-60), not the 20W-50.

 

[JohnBrowning]

To be honest I think all the synthetic 20W50's are over kill and not really needed! Redlines 10W40 has more then enough HTHS and thermal resistance to take anything a V-Twin can toss at it! It would yield better milage as well. 20W60 is just so not needed. I am not saying it will not protect just fine but that engine could never hope to put enough load on that oil to actualy take advatage of that viscosity and HTHS!Now maybe if you where going to do the Poreche DD Test with that engine then you might see the benifit of a 20W60 but outside of an extreme like that I just can not see it! In fact Redlines 15W40 and Amsoils 15W40 would probably cost less, provide better fuel economy and still protect as well. Before HD came out with their own synthetic most HD owners that used synthetic used Old School M1 Red Cap 15W50 so if that is the Gold Standard for early HD's and synthetics why would anyone need to go as extreme as 20W60? In fact until that 20W60 is up to operateing temp it is more of a liability then an advantage!I would say the guy was tossing good money downt he drawn and that his UOA if he did one would not look so hot. You could easily run the silver cap M1 15W50 spend 1/2 as much on oil and get results that where darn near perfect. THis makes me wounder how well a nice solid 5W40 like RTS 5W40 or Mobil Delvac-1 would perform?

 

[Turk]

Well, that's just it. Does the Harley engine need a 60 wt. in it. Perhaps in 90+ heat, but not everything else.......

 

[JohnBrowning]

Oh and what does a ticking noise being stoped have to do with an oil matching the needs of the engine?I could pour hot roofing tar in an old engines top end and tempoarly quiet it down but that does not mean that anything is better then before. It is a given that more HTHS=quiter engine that just has to do with sound dampening qualities and does not translate to reduced wear at all!

 

[Turk]

Bingo. I chuckled some on that one...

 

[Turk]

Pabs - are you talking about the AHR?

Stupid me, did not know it was out there.

"High viscosity oil designed for high horsepower racing engines. Resists thinning effects of fuel dilution and provides unsurpassed wear protection, friction reduction and more power. Highly resistant to thermal degration and oxidation. Also great for older model Harley-Davidson motorcycles."

 

[Pablo]

Yep. AHR.

 

[Fatboymoe]

Well JohnBrowning, when you go and spend 4-5k on mods for the engine, you could be the first to test out your theory on 5-40 in a TC HD. Or 5-40 and 6oz of roofing tar. Do a UOA and let us know how it worked. Maybe I could save a few dollars a year on my oil changes. But until then, I will stick to my 20-60 Redline in the summer and 20-50 Redline in the winter. And yes, the 20-60 does quiet my gear driven cams in my stroked HD TC.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
To be honest I think all the synthetic 20W50's are over kill and not really needed! Redlines 10W40 has more then enough HTHS and thermal resistance to take anything a V-Twin can toss at it! It would yield better milage as well. 20W60 is just so not needed. I am not saying it will not protect just fine but that engine could never hope to put enough load on that oil to actualy take advatage of that viscosity and HTHS!Now maybe if you where going to do the Poreche DD Test with that engine then you might see the benifit of a 20W60 but outside of an extreme like that I just can not see it! In fact Redlines 15W40 and Amsoils 15W40 would probably cost less, provide better fuel economy and still protect as well. Before HD came out with their own synthetic most HD owners that used synthetic used Old School M1 Red Cap 15W50 so if that is the Gold Standard for early HD's and synthetics why would anyone need to go as extreme as 20W60? In fact until that 20W60 is up to operateing temp it is more of a liability then an advantage!I would say the guy was tossing good money downt he drawn and that his UOA if he did one would not look so hot. You could easily run the silver cap M1 15W50 spend 1/2 as much on oil and get results that where darn near perfect. THis makes me wounder how well a nice solid 5W40 like RTS 5W40 or Mobil Delvac-1 would perform?


You are apparently not up to date with the heat issues now being experienced by the TC96 engines. In desert conditions people are reporting oil temps in the 350F range. HD says cylinder head temps in the 400f range are sustainable. I read one recent report where a guy measured his oil pan at 285F and rear cylinder at 385F. The older carbureted big twins would see average oil temps in the 210-240F range. My 2006 runs oil temps at 230-250F. But the TC96 is a heat monster and would destroy a 5w40 in no time. I wouldn't even think about using anything below a 20w50 in the new 96. My TC88 will run the 15w50 fine but never a 10w40.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Yep. AHR.


I have a bud who runs it in Arizona in his TC96 bagger. Works fine. On "cold mornings" (65F) he lets the engine warm up for a few minutes before taking off. 20w50 was not doing the job for him in Summer when it hits 100F+. The 60w solved his issues nicely.

 

[EagleFTE]

Anyone riding an air cooled Vtwin should be concerned about heat. So an Grp V ester based 20W60 sounds good. I've use it for summer fills on a TC88 for three years. Over kill.....maybe but I don't worry much about my oil being too good.

However I have been in some situations on HDs in the summer with 2000 mile dino in the case and I have been concerned. It's not a good feeling and the Red Line Keeps me from worrying.

 

[GMBoy]

I used to use M1 V-Twin 20W/50 without issues in my TC88. Then, my dad, who is a Redline fanatic, gave me a case of the Redline 20W/60 bike oil. I put it in just before my ride to Sturgis last year and while I cannot say honestly that it was better than the Mobil 1, I did notice the bike ran fine and the temps were never an issue. I like the fact of a Grp V oil in there working to protect my engine. Therefore, I stuck with the Redline.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
Well, that's just it. Does the Harley engine need a 60 wt. in it. Perhaps in 90+ heat, but not everything else.......


Exactly. The only time I've seen my oil temps get over 220F was on an extended run on the Interstate at 70+ mph when it was about 90F. Normally, the oil temp gauge never goes over 200F. Under these conditions, a 20w50 is more than adequate and 15w40 would do just fine.

 

[Turk]

The problem is on the 96" engines like mine, the temps go way up as they run super hot!

The Amsoil & Race Tuner bringing the Air/Fuel Ratio down to 12.8:1 helps some in mine...

 

[benjy]

i am always concerned and question "racing" in the oils title. is it a racing only without the proper addatives for normal oil changes, even mobil or castrol 4Tracing is it suited to street use, kinda getting like the "synthetic" term used to mean before the bums at castrol ruined that, so many conflicting pieces of info on oils these days!!!!

 

[rraiderr]

Sunrah did some testing with the Amsoil, I am sure he will chime in.

 

[sunruh]

normally i dont on HD's.

this newest form of amsoil 20w50 is darn nice. yes its spendy, all of the top oils are.