GL1800 Oil Change

[Woolie]

I changed the oil in my trike yesterday myself, it was a chore but I got er done. I used Mobil1 M/C 10-40 Racing 4T oil. The transmission whine in lower gears is nearly gone, even after the engine warms up. When I bought it the dealer said they had just changed the oil to Honda syn oil, but after hearing the difference I am beginning to think they probably put regular oil in it to save the dollars. I bought this oil at Walmart, about 10 bucks a quart. I would happily pay the dealer to change it if I could get exactly what I want there.

 

[RobertW]

I'm in the process of doing my first oil change. Going to syn oil also. I also get a transmission wine in lower gears. Could help.

 

[wingking51]

I switched from regular oil to Amsoil last oil change. First time for synthetic ever. What a difference! Transmission shifts much smoother and is quieter too. Will stay with synthetic oil in the future. ThumbUp

 

[Ozarkryder]

I noticed when I went from dino to synth the oil seemed to break down or get dirty much quicker than I expected. I like to change my oil by the look, smell and feel of the oil, not just the mileage the oil maker claims, but I expected more miles than I got. Found out what happened was a bit of the old oil is still in the system, and this mixes and made the new oil look darker, and the synth seemed to have cleaned up and held more contaminates in suspension. After the initial change away from dino oil the synthetic stayed cleaner, felt slicker and smelled less burnt longer than before.

 

[Calman]

Per my brother, the mechanic in the family, any time you swtich over to syn oil it takes about two oil changes to get ALL the old stuff out off your engine's system. Thereafter you'll get the lasting effect you were looking for when you swtiched oils.

 

[John Luciano]

Want to try syn oil but don't want to spend $40.00. Rotella in the blue gallon jug. You can get a gallon at Tractor Supply or Wally World for about $22.00. Been using it now for 10 years. I felt the difference in the first 50 miles. Smooth up shift( actually can shift without the clutch )

 

[Konrad]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>John Luciano</strong><br /><br />
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<div class="message">Want to try syn oil but don't want to spend $40.00. Rotella in the blue gallon jug. You can get a gallon at Tractor Supply or Wally World for about $22.00. Been using it now for 10 years. I felt the difference in the first 50 miles. Smooth up shift( actually can shift without the clutch )</div><br /><br />
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</div> John, I put in Rotella in the blue jug about a month ago as a switch from <span class="highlight">Mobil</span> 1. Can't say I've noticed any particular change in shifting as that may be individually bike-dependant - but I do like the difference in price!<br /><br /><br />
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What is your recommendation for a synthetic oil filter and usual intervals of change?

 

[John Luciano]

Going from Mobil 1 you would not feeli any smoother, going from Dino oil, to Rotella you would.

 

[Shimpy]

Maybe it's me but in the last 9 years of owning 2 Gl1800's riding over 130,000 miles and going from several dino oils to several full synthetics I've never felt any difference in shifting.

 

[Motogordo]

Sept. 18, 2012<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
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When I stopped by my dealer "East Coast Cycle Center" the service manager Alan said that they use semi-synthetic oil since they mentioned that the full synthetic doesn't cling to the parts and drains off quicker then half or standard oil. Any opinions ?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />
Motogordo<img src="images/smilies/GL1800smilie.gif" border="0" alt="" title="GL1800" class="inlineimg" />

 

[rmrc51]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Motogordo</strong>
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<div class="message">Sept. 18, 2012<br />
<br />
When I stopped by my dealer "East Coast Cycle Center" the service manager Alan said that they use semi-synthetic oil since they mentioned that the full synthetic doesn't cling to the parts and drains off quicker then half or standard oil. Any opinions ?<br />
Motogordo<img src="images/smilies/GL1800smilie.gif" border="0" alt="" title="GL1800" class="inlineimg" /></div>

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</div>I don't have any personal opinion, but my service manager, Gary at "BlueRidge PowerSports" in Harrisonburg, VA said the same thing. I value his opinion highly so that's what I'm using.

 

[jfingalls]

I'm not sure why, but most of the new vehicles require a synthetic blend (not pure synthetic) also. I had an interesting experience several months ago -- I put synthetic oil (<span class="highlight">Mobil</span> 1) in my 2004 Caddy for the first time (140,000 miles) and suddenly the seals began seeping oil out on my garage floor. Did some research and found several opinions but many explained that what happened to me was common for high mileage engines when switched over to pure synthetic oil. By the way, at my first oil change in my '08 GW Trike, I switched over to Shell Rotella T6 and started enjoying the reduced noice in my transmission also.

 

[Hoghead]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Motogordo</strong>
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<div class="message">Sept. 18, 2012<br />
<br />
When I stopped by my dealer "East Coast Cycle Center" the service manager Alan said that they use semi-synthetic oil since they mentioned that the full synthetic doesn't cling to the parts and drains off quicker then half or standard oil. Any opinions ?<br />
Motogordo<img src="images/smilies/GL1800smilie.gif" border="0" alt="" title="GL1800" class="inlineimg" /></div>

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</div>My Harley Dealership told me the reason my Tri-Glide had a rattle in it was the Amsoil I was using. He said the oil was too slick and the needle bearings were slipping instead of turning.....I won't put in writing what I told him.....

 

[geol]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>John Luciano</strong>
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<div class="message">Want to try syn oil but don't want to spend $40.00. Rotella in the blue gallon jug. You can get a gallon at Tractor Supply or Wally World for about $22.00. Been using it now for 10 years. I felt the difference in the first 50 miles. Smooth up shift( actually can shift without the clutch )</div>

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</div>John, I am a vintage bike mechanic and own a vintage bike related business. I used Shell Rotella-T for years 15W40 because it is a "fleet oil" which holds up longer before breaking down. I did notice that it also sludges quite a bit and quit using it for that reason... oil pans full of sludge are a pain to clean. I went back to GTX 10W40 and noticed it sludges far less.

As far as engine protection, both tend to start breaking down at 1000 miles per Motorcycle Consumer News so change often. It probably makes sense from a dollars & cents standpoint to use <span class="highlight">Mobil</span> 1 full synthetic as it lasts about 3 times as long before starting to break down.

 

[msocko3]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Hoghead</strong>
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<div class="message">My Harley Dealership told me the reason my Tri-Glide had a rattle in it was the Amsoil I was using. He said the oil was too slick and the needle bearings were slipping instead of turning.....I won't put in writing what I told him.....</div>

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</div>Some dealers still live in the past, I guess the Mother Ship hasn't gotten them the latest list of authorized excuses. FWIW a good Harley dealer makes all the difference in the world, a bad one can leave a bad taste in a persons mouth for a long time to come. The dealer my dad and I used to do business with used to be a great dealer, owner was a great guy, good service manager who knew the job. I could walk in and take pretty much any rental, demo or used bike they had out for a ride for free. <br />
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The dealer came under new ownership and things went down hill from there. The new owner is arrogant, the service manager quit and was replaced with the guy who they had as the service writer who didn't know his a$$ from a hole in the ground. The whole vibe of the staff went from being laid back and helpful to fear for their job. The general manager who could actually make decisions under the previous owner was pretty much reduced to a figure head once the new owner took over. The service dept took a down hill slide, found loose bolts and other mechanical things wrong each time they touched one of the trikes.<br />
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The whole thing really soured me on the brand, life got more difficult than it should have had to be, Harley Davidson as a company didn't give a crap.

Their take on things was its the dealers issue and they have nothing to do with that. Fortunately we have other dealers we can go to, one is 42 miles away and does a pretty decent job and the other is 80 miles away. The dealer 80 miles away is Harley Davidson of Jamestown, they rock, tome notch folks and a service manager who actually knows his job and knows it well. Customer service is their number one priority. The owner actually gets involved and works at the dealership instead of setting in an office instilling fear in his employees like the dealer we used to do business with.

 

[rmrc51]

The dealer 80 miles away is Harley Davidson of Jamestown, they rock, tome notch folks and a service manager who actually knows his job and knows it well. Customer service is their number one priority. The owner actually gets involved and works at the dealership instead of setting in an office instilling fear in his employees like the dealer we used to do business with.

For the GL1800 owners, I have a Honda dealership that has the same reputation regarding excellent customer service in sales & service as your Harley Davidson of Jamestown. It's BlueRidge PowerSports of Harrisonburg, VA. :10:

 

[Shimpy]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Motogordo</strong>
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<div class="message">Sept. 18, 2012<br />
<br />
When I stopped by my dealer "East Coast Cycle Center" the service manager Alan said that they use semi-synthetic oil since they mentioned that the full synthetic doesn't cling to the parts and drains off quicker then half or standard oil. Any opinions ?<br />
Motogordo<img src="images/smilies/GL1800smilie.gif" border="0" alt="" title="GL1800" class="inlineimg" /></div>

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</div>From what I've heard, all Corvettes come shipped from GM with full synthetic oil in them. In the past they used to say use a heavier oil that will cling better and not run down as much. Now I'm hearing that the lighter weight oils will flow easier and get to the top faster to better lubricate. You pays your money and takes your choice. I'll chose full synthetic.

 

[cmore]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Shimpy</strong>
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<div class="message">From what I've heard, all Corvettes come shipped from GM with full synthetic oil in them. In the past they used to say use a heavier oil that will cling better and not run down as much. Now I'm hearing that the lighter weight oils will flow easier and get to the top faster to better lubricate. You pays your money and takes your choice. I'll chose full synthetic.</div>

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</div>So do the new V8 Camaros.

 

[msocko3]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Shimpy</strong>
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<div class="message">From what I've heard, all Corvettes come shipped from GM with full synthetic oil in them. In the past they used to say use a heavier oil that will cling better and not run down as much. Now I'm hearing that the lighter weight oils will flow easier and get to the top faster to better lubricate. You pays your money and takes your choice. I'll chose full synthetic.</div>

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</div>I think quite a few manufacturers are going synthetic. I have a 2012 Tundra with the 4.6 V8, it came from Toyota with synthetic motor oil and the oil change interval is 10,000 miles. Some are even going to real lite oils, I had a Scion XB which called for 0w 20w motor oil. I'm all for synthetics also, run them in all my bikes, and power equipment right down to my gas powered edger.

 

[Shimpy]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>msocko3</strong>
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<div class="message">, I had a Scion XB which called for 0w 20w motor oil. I'm all for synthetics also, run them in all my bikes, and power equipment right down to my gas powered edger.</div>

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</div><br />
I'm having a hard time accepting the lighter oils. Is it because the manufactures are looking to keep their MPG's lower and not worrying about how long the engine will wear AFTER the warrenty is up? I'm probably old school and skeptical about everything, but 0W20 sounds like the old 3-in-one oil we used around the house.

 

[msocko3]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Shimpy</strong>
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<div class="message">I'm having a hard time accepting the lighter oils. Is it because the manufactures are looking to keep their MPG's lower and not worrying about how long the engine will wear AFTER the warrenty is up? I'm probably old school and skeptical about everything, but 0W20 sounds like the old 3-in-one oil we used around the house.</div>

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</div>Its quite lite and sure made me skeptical. I just figuredToyota would want a black eye from engines going south before their time, plus I only keep them 2 - 3 years and only have around 20,000 miles on them at that point.

 

[Stephen]

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<img src="images/misc/quote_icon.png" alt="Quote" /> Originally Posted by <strong>Shimpy</strong>
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<div class="message"><b>From what I've heard, all Corvettes come shipped from GM with full synthetic oil in them. </b> In the past they used to say use a heavier oil that will cling better and not run down as much. Now I'm hearing that the lighter weight oils will flow easier and get to the top faster to better lubricate. You pays your money and takes your choice. I'll chose full synthetic.</div>

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</div>That's probably because the rings in those engines are full seated about 30 seconds after they are started the first time. <br />
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As for oil I stick with the factory recommended weight and don't try to experiment around with oils that may damage the engine. Going with a light weight oil might just take a big chunk a money outta your back pocket for engine repairs.

 

[Short Bus Bob]

Just DO NOT use Automotive <span class="highlight">Mobil</span> 1 in your Goldwing. It will impregnate your clutch plates with secret slippery stuff and you will wind up replacing your clutch. <br />
Been there, Done that.<br />
Bob

 

[FRR]

Several of the guys in my area just use Castroil GTX 10-40 in their Wings. I've used it on all seven of my Wings and have had no problems. This week a major super market had it on sale for $2.00 a quart, which is a 3 buck savings per bottle. I bought three cases of it and so did some friends of mine. We also use the Purolator filter that can be purchased for $8.00 so the next few oil changes should only cost around $16.00 each time. I tried synthetic in my Harley once and could not tell any difference at all.

 

[John Luciano]

Funny story... Our local dealer is selling Toyotas with free oil changes for the first 3 years of ownership by the original owner. Here is the kicker, the oil change is every 7,000 miles. Funny when I bought my Honda , where I have to pay for my oil changes, they want to do it every 4,000 miles or less.

 

[beenthere]

Want to try syn oil but don't want to spend $40.00. Rotella in the blue gallon jug. You can get a gallon at Tractor Supply or Wally World for about $22.00. Been using it now for 10 years. I felt the difference in the first 50 miles. Smooth up shift( actually can shift without the clutch )

Just changed over to Rotella and what a improvement in shifting.ThumbUp

 

[msocko3]

Funny story... Our local dealer is selling Toyotas with free oil changes for the first 3 years of ownership by the original owner. Here is the kicker, the oil change is every 7,000 miles. Funny when I bought my Honda , where I have to pay for my oil changes, they want to do it every 4,000 miles or less.

My 2012 Toyota Tundra with the 4.6 V8 has synthetic from the factory with an oil change called for every 10,000 miles.

 

[A WINGER]

Just changed over to Rotella and what a improvement in shifting.ThumbUp

What did you change from? Which Rotella did you change to?
thx
A

 

[beenthere]

What did you change from? Which Rotella did you change to?
thx
A

10w/40w dino oil to Rotella T6 in blue one gal. jug.ThumbUp

 

[Chazzman]

30 years ago I thought Synthetic oil was a waste of money. I had a friend that owned an oil company and he tried to convience me that synthetic was the best thing to protect your investment. I still didn't believe it.

I just happended to read an article where they used taxi cabs in NYC for testing. They run full synthetic for 10,000 miles and the oil had not broken down, it was still capable of going longer. That was impressive... I gave full synthetic a try and have used it since. It is amazing, I will gladly spent the extra dollars to protect and prolong my engine life. I only go 6 months or 6000 miles on my cars and my Goldwing. On a V-Twin I would change at 3K.

You can get an oil analysis for about $25, it's worth the money if you really want to know the truth about synthetic oil.