Im getting ready to change the oil and was wondering if i should put a lighter weight oil in her for the winter months. Should i just stick with synthetic 20w-50? Darn Amsoil around here is $9.50 a quart!

20/50 is fine unless you live in the artic

I use amsoil 20w50 all year round and have no problems with it. I paid $10.15 for a quart of amsoil the other day at my indy.

I run 20W50 throughout the winter, but it is a synthetic. They flow better/faster at cold temps compared to dino oil.

Make sure ya don't flog the motor until it warms up in any case.

You don't mention what sort of temps you see in your area in the winter months. Typically you should not run a 20-50 dino oil in the winter...if you have any doubts, place a quart outside this winter and then try to pour it. :)

what trans/primary oil to use in '05 sportster. I would like to go to synthetic. I've have have people tell me to go from amsoil to mobil 1 to h-d primary fluid.
just woundering what everybody else is using.

what trans/primary oil to use in '05 sportster. I would like to go to synthetic. I've have have people tell me to go from amsoil to mobil 1 to h-d primary fluid.
just woundering what everybody else is using.
After reading about a hundred million posts about oil in the last year I decided to stay with good old tried and proven HD Sport-trans oil.

Its cheap and it works.

what trans/primary oil to use in '05 sportster. I would like to go to synthetic. I've have have people tell me to go from amsoil to mobil 1 to h-d primary fluid.
just woundering what everybody else is using.

I like Amsoil, but all the emotionalism aside, probably anybody's syn is about equal, especially in a tranny/clutch/primary, but if you like Sportran, try the new stuff HD is selling for that purpose - some sources say it's OK for Sportsters, some don't, but I believe HD specifies a 10,000 mile interval for that product. Make sure it's suitable for '05 and older, and not just the '06 tranny, which is new.

rbcss:

The pre 06' Sportster transmissions use straight cut gears and will live with any good lube within the 18-20 cSt viscosity range. Sport-trans, a good 20W-50 engine oil or a 90W gear lube fall into this range.

If you have a 06' Sportster, which uses helical cut gears, you'll have to use a "GL" rated lube (gear-lube), not sport-trans or engine oil. Harley's Formula + Transmission Lube is "GL" rated if you want to stick with HD and is backwards compatible with Sport-trans.

A lot of us have switched to 75W-90 Mobil 1, Redline and Amsoil synthetic gear lubes and have noticed smoother shifting.

thanks for your input, i'm a little lerry about the 90 wgt gear lube. but i'm going to try the amsoil. I have the sports-tran in there now. and i'm not saying it's a bad oil, but I would like to try and quite those gears down a little. and then again maybe thats the way it is. those tranny's are going to make noise.

Harley Davidson Formula +
Application: recommended for heavy-duty service in manual transmissions where the manufacturer normally recommends either engine oils or GL-1 lubricants.
Specific Gravity: 0.857
Pounds per Gallon: 7.14
Viscosity, ASTM D 445,
cSt at 40°C: 168.04
cSt at 100°C: 20.10
Viscosity Index, ASTM D 2270: 139
Brookfield Viscosity, ASTM D 2983,
cP at -26°C - 28,800
cP at -40°C - n/m
Pour Point, ASTM D 97, °F (°C): -60 (-51)
Flash Point, ASTM D 92, °F (°C): 507 (264)

that's pretty good info! in laymans terms, what does all that mean?

that's pretty good info! in laymans terms, what does all that mean?

You have to be a propeller head with a pocket protector to understand.

It means it's a 50w Engine / 90 weight Gear Oil, probably a semi-syn.

so your saying h-d recommened a 90w gear oil in thier sportster? do you know what wgt the sports-tran oil is?
someone else in another forum said that also, but most of the forum said no. I cann't get a straight answer from my dealer. ( they have to protect themselfs)

thanks

Is 20W/50 okay for temps in the 30s and 40s...I'm in Carolina and may get nuts and ride that cold this winter. Or should I go down to 10W/40 ???

Again
Until the 06' model year, Harley Davidson recommended Sport-Trans or Syn 3 for Sportster transmissions. For 06', Harley Davidson has dropped Sport-Trans and replaced it with Formula + which is backward compatible for all EVO Sportsters.
If you check the viscosity of Sport-Trans it falls in a SAE 40W Engine Oil or 80W Gear Lube. Syn 3, obviously is a heavy SAE 50W Engine Oil or 90W Gear Lube.
Pre 06' Sportsters can live with engine oil or gear lube in the transmission. 06's with their helical gears require the EP additives of a true gear lube.
If you prefer to use Harley Davidson products, use the new Formula + Gear Lube in your Sportster transmission. From it's pour point, it looks to be a semi-syn.
Again, check the Viscosity Chart @ http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/visc.html


Testing by Oil Analyzers and SW Research

Harley Davidson Sport-Trans Fluid
Viscosity @ 100ºC: 14.1 cSt (40W engine / 80W gear)

Mobil 1 75W-90 Gear Lube
Viscosity @ 100ºC: 15.2 cSt (light 90W gear)

Harley Davidson Formula +
Viscosity @ 100ºC: 20.1 (90W gear)

Harley Davidson Syn 3 20W-50 Engine Oil
Viscosity @ 100ºC: 20.5 cSt

Harley Davidson 20W-50 Engine Oil
Viscosity @ 100ºC: 21.4

Harley Davidson Formula +
Application: recommended for heavy-duty service in manual transmissions where the manufacturer normally recommends either engine oils or GL-1 lubricants.
Specific Gravity: 0.857
Pounds per Gallon: 7.14
Viscosity, ASTM D 445,
cSt at 40°C: 168.04
cSt at 100°C: 20.10
Viscosity Index, ASTM D 2270: 139
Brookfield Viscosity, ASTM D 2983,
cP at -26°C - 28,800
cP at -40°C - n/m
Pour Point, ASTM D 97, °F (°C): -60 (-51)
Flash Point, ASTM D 92, °F (°C): 507 (264)

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, but I've been digging around for the specs on Formula + and I found this.

Despite what HD says, with this pour point and flash point, there is no way this stuff is mineral based. I'd say it's definitely a PAO based synthetic fluid. It's too heavy to be made from nothing but Group III base oil, and the low VI indicates virtually no VI improvers are being used (which is good).

I don't know what the dealers charge for Formula+, but just from the specs, this is good stuff. Don't see any reason to run Mobil 1 75w90 or Amsoil 75w90 if Formula+ is cheaper or roughly the same price.

AWW GEEZZZ! Just when I was going to dump Mobil 1 v twin 20-50 in both holes, you got me to thinking too much again. I will not read oil threads, I will not read oil threads, I will not read oil threads.

MCF 10W-40 for lower ambient temps.