HD SYN3 Analysis

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Not my analysis - Reprinted with permission from bike owner of HD 2002 Road King Classic.

At the 10,000 mile service interval, I put HD Syn 3 in my '02 FLHRCI, all three holes. At 15,000 miles I changed the engine oil only ... left the primary and transmission oil in there and will change them at the 20,000 mile mark.
I sent a sample of the engine oil to Blackstone Labs for an analysis and report. Got it today.

The report is in three parts: "Comments," "Elements In Parts Per Million," and "Properties." I'll give you each one. What follows are verbatim statements from the analysis ... my intended explanatory notes appear in brackets:

"COMMENTS: Our average oil sample from this type engine has 2600 miles use on it and that is the level use universal averages are built on [more on universal averages below]. Your oil was run 5008 miles and we found aluminum slightly above average, with the other metals at or better than average levels. Aluminum [pistons, bearings, cases (heads and blocks)] is not high enough to show any kind of problem. This does appear to be the Harley 20W/50 oil additive group and the viscosity was normal. We found no moisture or volatile gas in the sample. We think your engine was doing well at 15,084 miles and you could go longer on the oil next sample."

"ELEMENTS IN PARTS PER MILLION. [This is kinda tricky. The report is laid out in an easy to read table ... I will try to replicate the table below, but the format may fall apart by the time it gets to your PC screen.

ELEMENT MY SAMPLE UNIVERSAL AVG.
Aluminum 11 7
Chromium 1 1
Iron 13 18
Copper 17 24
Lead 3 3
Tin 2 1
Molybdenum 4 2
Nickel 0 1
Manganese 0 1
Silver 0 0
Titanium 0 0
Potassium 0 0
Boron 272 240
Silicon 11 14
Sodium 3 17
Calcium 1301 1367
Magnesium 781 723
Phosphorus 813 723
Zinc 1096 1053
Barium 0 1

"PROPERTIES.
Values Should Be: SUS Viscosity @ 210 deg F ... 87-98
Test Values Were: " " " ... 90.7

Values Should Be: Flashpoint in deg. F. ... >410
Test Values Were: " " " ... 460

Values Should Be: Fuel % ... Test Values Were: " ...
Values Should Be: Water ... Test Values Were: " ... 0

Values Should Be: Insolubles % ... Test Values Were: " ... 0.3
 
Good wear numbers and it stayed in grade to boot. But is it worth close to $9 a quart ($8.25 plus a bunch of sales tax in Alabama)? There's got to be a better way! M1 (for cars ... not the V-Twin) or Amsoil may be the answer.
 
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