Engine Oil

What oil for my Shovel?

All Shovelhead topics
Post Reply
1957flhchop
Member
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 1:12 am
Bikes: 1957 FLH(sold - dumb decision. I know)
1973 FLH chopped
2002 FXST
Location: Iowa
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Engine Oil

#1

Post by 1957flhchop »

I recently bought a '73 FLH that has a basically stock(except carb) engine. I know that in older cars you need to make sure your oil has zinc in it(I believe largely due to flat tappets). Do I also need to use an oil with zinc in the Shovel? Or just any good oil of the correct weight?

I really don't know much about Shovels and I can't remember what I used in the Pan I used to have.

Thanks in advance.
Mongrel505558
Senior Member
Posts: 1418
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:46 pm
Bikes: Rigid Panhead bobber, 68 Shovelhead, 2000 Road King Police bike, 2000 Dyna Wide Glide
Location: Rhode Island
Has thanked: 990 times
Been thanked: 701 times

Re: Engine Oil

#2

Post by Mongrel505558 »

Without getting into the beaten-to-death "favorite oil" topic, I'll tell you that in the summer months I use Valvoline VR1 SAE 60 racing oil with high zinc content in my pan. I don't know anything about how beneficial the zinc is - I buy the oil because it's the only straight 60 weight available anywhere near where I live. In the cooler weather I use 20W50. Just telling you because if you want zinc, the Valvoline oil advertises that they have lots of it, for what it's worth. The VR1 is also available in SAE 50.

I'd run any good 20W50 oil in the shovel unless it gets really, really hot where you live.

Jim
RooDog
Senior Member
Posts: 5327
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:00 pm
Bikes: 1950 Panhead, Resto-Mod
1968 90", 5 Speed Shovelhead,
1984 Home Built Custom Evo 100" Bagger
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Has thanked: 2801 times
Been thanked: 2158 times

Re: Engine Oil

#3

Post by RooDog »

Mongrel505558 wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 12:12 pm Without getting into the beaten-to-death "favorite oil" topic, I'll tell you that in the summer months I use Valvoline VR1 SAE 60 racing oil with high zinc content in my pan. I don't know anything about how beneficial the zinc is - I buy the oil because it's the only straight 60 weight available anywhere near where I live. In the cooler weather I use 20W50. Just telling you because if you want zinc, the Valvoline oil advertises that they have lots of it, for what it's worth. The VR1 is also available in SAE 50.

I'd run any good 20W50 oil in the shovel unless it gets really, really hot where you live.

Jim
Both my bikes have side fill oil bags, and I uses temp sensing dip stick.(that's a thermometer for the folks in Rio Linda) filler plugs to monitor the oil temperature, which in my case hardly ever approaches 200* F.

And I'll not mention that I've been using Castrol GTX 20W-50 for years, so not to snow ball this thread.....
1957flhchop
Member
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 1:12 am
Bikes: 1957 FLH(sold - dumb decision. I know)
1973 FLH chopped
2002 FXST
Location: Iowa
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Engine Oil

#4

Post by 1957flhchop »

Mongrel505558 wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 12:12 pm Without getting into the beaten-to-death "favorite oil" topic, I'll tell you that in the summer months I use Valvoline VR1 SAE 60 racing oil with high zinc content in my pan. I don't know anything about how beneficial the zinc is - I buy the oil because it's the only straight 60 weight available anywhere near where I live. In the cooler weather I use 20W50. Just telling you because if you want zinc, the Valvoline oil advertises that they have lots of it, for what it's worth. The VR1 is also available in SAE 50.

I'd run any good 20W50 oil in the shovel unless it gets really, really hot where you live.

Jim
The summer is generally in the upper '80s/low '90s with it occasionally touching 100(although I won't be riding if it is triple digits).
1957flhchop
Member
Posts: 109
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 1:12 am
Bikes: 1957 FLH(sold - dumb decision. I know)
1973 FLH chopped
2002 FXST
Location: Iowa
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Engine Oil

#5

Post by 1957flhchop »

20w50 in the transmission too? Or use an oil specifically intended for transmissions? I heard both on this.
Mongrel505558
Senior Member
Posts: 1418
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:46 pm
Bikes: Rigid Panhead bobber, 68 Shovelhead, 2000 Road King Police bike, 2000 Dyna Wide Glide
Location: Rhode Island
Has thanked: 990 times
Been thanked: 701 times

Re: Engine Oil

#6

Post by Mongrel505558 »

1957flhchop wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 4:11 pm 20w50 in the transmission too? Or use an oil specifically intended for transmissions? I heard both on this.
The factory manual calls for 50 weight motor oil in the transmission as well. Interestingly, their newer bikes call for 20W50 for the motor, gearbox and primary case. I've heard that it's a good idea to stay away from gear oil in the transmissions because something in its chemistry is destructive to bronze bushings, of which there are a few in your 4-speed.
RooDog
Senior Member
Posts: 5327
Joined: Tue Oct 31, 2017 1:00 pm
Bikes: 1950 Panhead, Resto-Mod
1968 90", 5 Speed Shovelhead,
1984 Home Built Custom Evo 100" Bagger
Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
Has thanked: 2801 times
Been thanked: 2158 times

Re: Engine Oil

#7

Post by RooDog »

Mongrel505558 wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 4:29 pm
1957flhchop wrote: Thu May 26, 2022 4:11 pm 20w50 in the transmission too? Or use an oil specifically intended for transmissions? I heard both on this.
The factory manual calls for 50 weight motor oil in the transmission as well. Interestingly, their newer bikes call for 20W50 for the motor, gearbox and primary case. I've heard that it's a good idea to stay away from gear oil in the transmissions because something in its chemistry is destructive to bronze bushings, of which there are a few in your 4-speed.
There are none in the the Fivers, they use steel rollers throughout.
Read the labels on the GL bottles. There are some that are safe for bronze alloys, as in the Fours, and some that are not.
Time for a deep dive on the interweb, no?
doc9339
Member
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2021 2:09 pm
Bikes: 60FL
Been thanked: 27 times

Re: Engine Oil

#8

Post by doc9339 »

Most oil containing zinc is mostly for break in. Myself, after that, zinc really isn't a benefit: I use synthetic oil, period, in the proper weight oil for the current temps. I use synths in my Pan, twinkie and all vehicles that I own (Off road 4x4 and road vehicles) Before rants start, synthetics DO NOT CAUSE leaks. But it COULD make an existing seep or leak possibly worse

I use MOBIL one syns, or other off the shelf syns
doc9339
Member
Posts: 71
Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2021 2:09 pm
Bikes: 60FL
Been thanked: 27 times

Re: Engine Oil

#9

Post by doc9339 »

For my trans, I do use gear oil. I change my tranny oil once a year and I use off the shelf gear oil, non synth, I have never had any neg chem reaction issues to any bronze bushings, at least at what I can see. I can see how that would happen though if you dont change gear oil that has water in it, (look like tapioca) a very common issue in our 4 speeds
Post Reply

Return to “Shovelhead”