2014 HD ROAD KING - HARLEY SYN3 20W/50

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Hello To All,

Here is my report on my 2014 Road King, changed oil at 4,010 miles on bike, with 3,022 mile on the oil, used Harley's Syn3 20/50.

Alum 5
Chromium 1
Iron 12
Copper 83
Lead 3
Tin 6
Moly 106
Nickel 1
Manganese 4
Silver 0
Titanium 0
Potassium 1
Boron 303
Silicon 25
Sodium 5
Calcium 744
Magnesium 840
Phosphorus 899
Zinc 1158
Barium 1

Sus@210 86
cST@100 17.02
Flash 435
Fuel% Insolubles TR
TBN 5.2

What should I make of this report? Initial wear in accounts for the Copper and Silicon?

RevRider
 
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I'm thinking Copper looks a bit high, but also thinking this engine is still well in the break in period so I wouldn't be alarmed. Silicon, eh, a newish AF and likely some sealing materials account for that.

And having owned a few Harley's including most recently an 08 Road King, I'd stick with a synthetic 20w50. Doesn't have to be Harley oil though, last change I used Valvoline 4T I got for a relatively reasonable price. I say stick with synthetic because IME the air cooled engines put out a lot heat especially in the summer months, and 'imo' using synthetic is inexpensive insurance for engine protection with the high engine temps.
 
I'd be interested in the air intake system. What filter are you running and are there any known leaks in the induction system. If you type the letters "K&N" that would likely account for the high silicon.

Dave
 
When I changed the oil, I put in Valvoline Motorcycle Syn 20/50. I plan to run this for 3k miles, and test it. There's been good reports using their VR1 oil, and the spec's are just about identical to their motorcycle oil.

I am thinking the copper is initial break in.

Anybody out there with similar initial break in wear numbers?
 
Considering the bike only has 4k miles I would consider this UOA normal. The Si is leaching from the sealant used. Congrats on the bike.
 
I think this UOA looks real good and I hope mine comes back like yours.
I guess my statement tells you what I think, looks good! No issues, meaning no out of the ballpark high numbers, your copper is pretty good, Id be more concerned if it was above 175, and even then, I would just hope it is half that on the next change, I dont think you can ask for a lower copper number on a new RK, we have oil coolers and would expect that number to come down by around 15/20% each time you change. Silicon, no big deal, Im sure it will come down.

I have a 2014 Road King, Bought 8/14, I changed the oil at 1000 miles and put in
Harley 360 (20/50 conventional). I will post a UOA sometime mid to late Dec. Trying to get some miles on the 360 oil, lots of rainy weather here but should be out on the road today, sunny near 80.

Im not sure what I am going to replace the Conventional Harley oil with, normally I use something a little lighter in my bikes for winter. Last winter I did a mix of 2 quarts Valvoline 20/50 motorcycle oil and 1.5 quarts of the same oil in 10/40.
I may also just run one of my favorite 15/40 diesel oils or possibly the Valvoline 20/50 syn since syn is a bit lighter for the cold. Never used a syn in a bike before though. Ill figure it out!

Anyway, thanks for posting this UOA, I would love to see one on your Valvoline motorcycle oil when you get it back. Its no secret Im a big fan of Valvoline oils. Up until this Harley I have been using their conventional 20/50 4 stroke motorcycle oil and have a great UOA on it from my last bike, a Vstar 1300.
I choose the oil not because of the low cost but beause of the great UOAs AND Amsoils 2009 Study of motorcycle oils the darn Conventional Valvoline 4 Stroke Motorcyle oil beat and met many of the synthetics in the gear wear test and 4 ball test, pretty impressive for $4. a quart and I can change it more often. Pretty impressive that out of all the oils in the Amsoil test they choose Valvoline Conventional oil to compare against their synthetic and all thge other synthetics!
Here is the link if interested,
Study of motorcycle oils
 
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Hi Alarmguy,

I plan to do a UOA on the Valvoline also, and will post the results.

I am in Southern California, fortunate to ride pretty much all year long, so I should have to test in about 4 to 6 months.

I bought the Valvoline Motor Syn 20/50 at Walmart, got it for $35 for 6 quarts, which I consider a great price.

Before selecting it, I compared it to the specs published by Mobil 1, Amsoil, Red Line and Spectro Oil, all the motorcycle specific products.

The Valvoline was the least expensive, and if it produces the wear numbers like I've seen posted, it would seem to be a best buy. I've noticed since it's been in the bike, that the valve train is a little quieter, which is a nice benefit.

Valvoline had a higher flash point than Mobil 1, was consistent with Amsoil's & Spectro's specs; Red Line was higher. I am going to try Red Line also.

The Road King is just a blast to ride, I've left it all stock, the new high output 103 really runs nice. I have no intention of opening the engine to do anything, I am just going to run the bike. I will probably put HD mufflers on, but I don't think you have to install a different air filter or do a remap of the fuel injection, do you know if that is true?

I just don't want to have something screw the bike up but doing a bunch of aftermarket engine stuff.

RevRider
 
Originally Posted By: RevRider
Hi Alarmguy,

...

The Road King is just a blast to ride, I've left it all stock, the new high output 103 really runs nice. I have no intention of opening the engine to do anything, I am just going to run the bike. I will probably put HD mufflers on, but I don't think you have to install a different air filter or do a remap of the fuel injection, do you know if that is true?

I just don't want to have something screw the bike up but doing a bunch of aftermarket engine stuff.

RevRider


I agree, had some nice weather yesterday, took a good few hour run. Im not sure what you mean by the words "HD mufflers" I assume you mean HD aftermarket or another company?
Funny but I also have NO intention of doing anything to the engine, I bought this bike for the power and its plenty for me, have no desire for more, it runs that well and with the money spent it should and it does. if I wanted to hop up an engine I would have kept my vstar 1300 tourer and worked that engine.

I cant honestly answer the remap question, I am not qualified to answer it, I know the stock FMS can handle a small variation, Im not sure how much, for sure, if you change the intake and exhaust you will need to do something to adjust the fuel mixture but just the exhaust without touching the intake should not matter much but its a bit of an unknown in my mind as these engines are pretty leaned out from the factory.

Anyway, long story short, I do KNOW the only thing I am going to do, at some point, is to drill out the CAT, I understand from forum posts that it will slightly increase the sound (for the better) and reduce the amount of heat coming up from under the passenger foot board, that CAT cooks at around 500 to 1000 degrees. I do not plan on making any changes to the fuel mapping. Im not sure when I will remove it, maybe over the winter, then again, who knows. I like the way the bike runs so much, if and when I do it, it will be after much more thought but ... I pretty much have decided to do it someday, I think *L*
 
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Quote:
Here is my report on my 2014 Road King, changed oil at 4,010 miles on bike, with 3,022 mile on the oil, used Harley's Syn3 20/50.


So, you did the initial 1000 mile oil change correct? There's a lot better oils on the market for the price other than the SYN3.

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Anyway, long story short, I do KNOW the only thing I am going to do, at some point, is to drill out the CAT, I understand from forum posts that it will slightly increase the sound (for the better) and reduce the amount of heat coming up from under the passenger foot board, that CAT cooks at around 500 to 1000 degrees. I do not plan on making any changes to the fuel mapping. Im not sure when I will remove it, maybe over the winter, then again, who knows. I like the way the bike runs so much, if and when I do it, it will be after much more thought but ... I pretty much have decided to do it someday, I think *L*


If you remove the CAT you will have to have the bike remapped..Just put on a tuner and get it dino'd. You do not have to have it remapped if you just swap out the mufflers
 
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You won't have to have it remapped just because you remove the cat!! Only when the air cleaner is removed and replaced with a free-flowing type will a remap become necessary. That being said, the factory leans the mixture pretty good so a tuner sure wouldn't hirt, but is not required unless the intake is changed.
 
Rev,
1st off i rarely comment on hd motors.

there is a lot more suspect than just copper and silicon.

yes this is a new motor and 1st oil, but still

so lets pull the significant ones out:

Alum 5
Iron 12
Copper 83
Lead 3
Tin 6
Manganese 4
Silicon 25
Sodium 5

where do you get alum in just a motor? pistons and what else?
iron 12 maybe ok, worth making a note of.
copper 83 is something that definately needs to be watched. or its from brass and the zinc present in the oil masks its dancing partner.
lead is either scatter or what?
tin is higher than most scatter...plain bearings or what?
manganese is either scatter or what the heck part can that be?
silicon 25 is either a horrible air filter, leaching, both or in the oil
sodium is either scatter, oil or???

are these 4 scatter or actually present?
Potassium 1
Chromium 1
Nickel 1
Barium 1

this report has so many things to keep an eye on that you need to be a spider to keep up with it.
OR
it was a worthless report and all it showed was the oil was in grade with no fuel.

steve
 
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Quote:
yes this is a new motor and 1st oil, but still


I bet he had the initial oil changed at 1000 miles, that's why there's only 3000 miles on the UOA ????




Quote:
You won't have to have it remapped just because you remove the cat!! Only when the air cleaner is removed and replaced with a free-flowing type will a remap become necessary. That being said, the factory leans the mixture pretty good so a tuner sure wouldn't hirt, but is not required unless the intake is changed.


Not true! By removing the CAT you just increased the free-flow of exhaust and no back pressure! The bike will be running too lean. The bike is under warranty and I wouldn't want to not have it remapped, even with a simple Stage 1 download from Harley.
 
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Good Morning Steve and Rossn2 & To All Who Replied,

I had the bike serviced at the 1,000 mile recommended service interval, and as part of their service, the dealer installed the HD Syn 3 20/50.

When I changed oil the other day, the bike had 4,010 miles, I put in Valvoline Motorcycle Syn, 20/50 as I agree there are better oils than HD's product.

I am going to change again in about 2,500 to 3,000 miles to see how things are going.

I have a couple of questions:

1. As a general rule, is it a truth the all engines experience initial break in wear and as the engine matures with mileage, the wear metals drop?

2. If I took this report to the dealer, specifically on the Copper, what would they say? Is there something I need to address right now about the engine?

RevRider
 
Good Morning Rossn2,

Thanks for the info on the no re-map if I just change the mufflers. I am considering Harley's Screaming Eagle product, or Rinehart, Vance & Hines.

I have over a year left on my warranty, I won't do anything that would risk that.
grin.gif
 
Quote:
1. As a general rule, is it a truth the all engines experience initial break in wear and as the engine matures with mileage, the wear metals drop?

2. If I took this report to the dealer, specifically on the Copper, what would they say? Is there something I need to address right now about the engine?


1. Yes.
2. Don't bother cause unless the motor in knocking extremely loud or has a connecting rod sticking out the side of the motor the dealer isn't gonna open the engine as they will not get paid by MOCO for it.
3. You're in CALI..I would be very careful about removing the CAT. Didn't they pass a law recently regarding the exhaust systems on bikes out there?
 
Hi Rossn2,

Yes, I live in California, great weather in Southern California, but the worst run state in the union. We all sorts of environmental regulations. I don't have any intentions of removing the CAT, that will stay as is, I am just entertaining an aftermarket slip-on exhaust.

The engine really runs nice, I am getting about 45 mpg as an average; uses no oil; HD engines have their own particular sound when running, like a Moto Guzzi or Ducati, just mechanical engines sounds, there's really nothing that I can do on the copper at this point.

It has an oil cooler, could copper come from that?

RevRider
 
sure copper can leach from the cooler....if there is copper/brass in it.

i'd give the motor another oic and then on the run after that do a uoa. you need some time between. now, not saying you cant do a uoa on this oic and see if the levels have come down. looking for trends.

is there any voa on this oil to compare against?
 
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