I have a H-D motorcycle I use 20/50 synthetic oil from HD at $13.00 a quart.Can I use any 20/50 synthetic from a part store?I believe 20/50 is 20/50 no matter who puts there name on the container. Thanks Tom
I would do a little research first…Automotive Motor Oils have had there anti-wear additive package reduced in order to protect catalytic converters from deposit damage. These additives, basically zinc, might be needed to keep your Harley alive, especially if the motor oil also lubricates the transmission…If you can find 20/50 in a Diesel (CD) rated oil, that would be more suitable as these oils still have a robust additive package…
Thirteen dollars per qt??
Yikes!
Consult your Owner’s Manual for the exact specification that the motor oil has to meet. Then peruse the oils available at your local parts store to see which ones–if any–are compatible with that specification. As long as the oil meets the same specification as the HD oil, it is “kosher” to use it, and hopefully you can avoid having your wallet continually raped by the HD dealership.
Tom, the 20W50 is only the weight or viscosity of the oil. There are many other qualities that go into lubricating oils depending on what machinery it applies to.
I agree with Caddyman that you should use the exact specification of oil that the manual prescribes. If that happens to be a car oil, great. If you tell us what the oil spec. is we can tell you if there is a less expensive auto oil available. It’s foolish to take chances with an expensive piece of equipemnt just to save a few bucks.
P.S. Mobil 1 has a Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W50 oil for 4 cycle motorcycles. It meets API SG, or JASO MA performance standards. You can buy that at any automotive store.
If you can find it, it’s $10/qt. If you are trying to save money, you will have to find a suitable mineral oil…
Now, lets see, another Oil thread…Will this one gather over 50 reply’s like most of them??
As long as it is motorcycle oil and not normal oil, yes, you can use cheaper oil.
The oil in your motorcycle is being used to cool your air/oil cooled engine, lubricate the wet clutch, and lubricate the transmission. Oil that can do all that is a little more expensive than normal oil for a reason. Normal non-motorcycle oils are not made to handle all that. At $13 a quart, I think you can do better.
I use Castrol conventional motorcycle oil for my bikes since that is the brand that is available at the local auto parts store. My local auto parts store has also started carrying Mobil 1 synthetic motorcycle oil, but I stick with conventional motorcycle oil.
Check your owner’s manual. Mine warns me not to use oils with the “energy conserving oil” star on the label.
Autozone appears to have Mobil 1 synthetic motorcycle oil for $9.50, Mobil 1 conventional motorcycle oil for $4, and Castrol conventional motorcycle oil for $5. They are all available with 20W-50 viscosity ratings, and any of them should work fine.
It needs to be motorcycle oil that meets HD’s specs. An air-cooled big twin is a lot different than a car engine.