32V 60 weight oil

[Fineline]

Hi guys . would a mineral oil say 60 Weight be a good choice for my 32V after brake in period.or not.thanks

[Sargehere]

Harley-Davidson dealers still sell straight 50 and also 60 weight oil by the quart. Designed for their air-cooled engines. Pick up a case. Just use that. Fifty will serve you well in most conditions, and go to sixty when the motor's seen some miles, perhaps a few seasons after rebuild, starts to get "loose" and it starts making little extra mechanical noises.
That straight oil is the only thing that makes me darken the threshold of a modern plastic fantastic Harley showroom any more. The bikes are appliances, including the made-to-fail planned-obsolescence of the (you've got to be kidding me!) joke's plastic-fantastic cam drive.

[Fineline]

Thanks once again Gerry.the same for the tranny ?

[Sargehere]

That's always been the factory recommendation. Unless you prefer something "modern" & slipperier, but it's what I use, and perfectly adequate.

[len dowe]

I throw in just a tad of Lucas gear oil in the transmission.

[Steve Slocombe]

Ambient temperature is a factor as well as engine wear. Southern states might want to use 60 weight oil in the summer. I use EP80/90 in the three speed gearboxes, which is a bit thicker than engine oil, and straight 50 weight in the VL reverse and four speeds.

[pisten-bully]

So I have a question here! Mineral oil is petroleum, right?

I was on a ride recently following a total loss Indian 101 and he was using synthetic oil, and though I wasn't overwhelmed with fumes (he's got his oiling pretty well set) I thought it was a pretty unpleasant smell to be following, not that petroleum based oil smells a whole lot better! But I do wonder now if there's a better smelling oil to use on a total loss motor... for those of us who sometimes follow!

[T. Cotten]

It been a few years since I smelled castor, Harry!

I fail to see the need for a very expensive high-mileage motor oil in a total loss machine.

Aeroshell is 'ashless', and if you warm a few drops in a spoon with propane, you will see it makes minimal smoke and residue.
Then try it with others.
(I've never tested synthetic because I've never had any.)

Aeroshell did wonders for my zillion-mile panhead.

....Cotten

[pisten-bully]

Cotten, I was thinking castor oil would smell good! But not as good as bio-diesel! ....and it would be hard to trail someone burning vegetable oil, always wanting to stop for french fries !

AeroShell....I bet it can be found at your local FBO (the guys who sell av-gas at your local airport). And smoke wasn't an issue with his synthetic oil...a few puffs now and then. His Scout was still in its break in period...several runs on the flats amounting to a couple hundred miles, then I joined him for its first ride over the mountains and back...I think he was hand pumping oil on occasion because that's when I remember the smell!

[T. Cotten]

The smell of castor, Harry...

is exhilarating.

The Davenport races were never the same after "boardtrack" died.

....Cotten
PS: It took me like no time to figure out there really wasn't thirty-two volt oil.