I read somewhere earlier this morning than even when you drain all the oil out of the motor using both bolts, there is still about 1 quart left in the motor and really no way to get the oil out without tearing down the engine. I purchased 4 quarts. I am assuming I would use all 4 quarts of oil. Do I need to pick up another quart?

With that in mind, I have decided to switch over to synthetic motor oil. I decided to try Royal Purple. All they had on hand was 10w 30. I live in East Central Alabama. Would that oil be ok, given my location or should I return it (unopened obviously) and go with 20w 50? Not sure what the going rate for that oil is. At the stealership it is almost $9.50. I ended up paying $7.50 per quart. I also picked up the iridium spark plugs. I have never changed the spark plugs. Guess I just kinda go by the saying "If it ain't broke don't fix it" (With some things).

Also, I have noticed that lately when starting the bike, even after the engine is warm, shut off, and restarted it seems to have difficulty starting. Especially with the clutch pulled in. Just a habit I have off engaging the clutch. Would not changing the spark plugs in five years, since new, have that effect on the motorcycle? Would these new plugs help fix that problem?

Thanks,
Michael

4 quarts is perfect....Make sure you use anti-size on plugs.Also 40wt. oil is better choice.Sal

If by chance advanced auto will not let me swap the oil, will there be any harm in running 10w30?

Do a search on the site there was just a couple days ago a fairly
long thread about oils. I start my bike in nuetral as the starter
seems to labor a bit when in gear. Hope this helps.
Chris

easyrider003 wrote:
If by chance advanced auto will not let me swap the oil, will there be any harm in running 10w30?

Too thin. and you need to make sure the API label does not say friction modifiers or your clutch will be slipping. And I have a feeling that that oil will have friction modifiers.

The dealer probably has the motorcycle specific oil, hence the price. Sound like yours is automotive, but more important with any auto oil that you use, it cannot have the additional friction modifiers.

Replace the plugs, they don't last forever. as far as starting, could be battery too, they don't last forever either.

10w 30 Seems to be a little too thin for your V-twin Air Cooled Engine, as Erbman02 mentioned, I would go after the 20w50 and you won't have any problems. Also Advanced Auto will take anything back un-opened with your receipt.

Royal purple makes what they call Max Cycle 20-50 designed for wet clutches around $10.00 a QT and remember put 2 QTs in start the bike rev it a little then put the other 2 in and your done i've been running RP for years with no issues

And before you start to pull the plugs spray a little WD-40 around them and that will help them come out easier.

Yes,your std over the counter 10w-30 will have friction modifiers so dont use it forthat reaosn alone not to mention the fact 10-w-30 is too thin for you big air cooled vtwin.

15w-40/30w-40/15w-50/20w-50 are the visc you want to run that have no friction modifiers.

But also keep in mind since 1/2007 when last zddp/zinc & Ohos reduction was mandated by epa/feds that some ofthe diesle oilsike the rotella were reduced to lower zddp lvls for less protection thats the bike oils come std with.

shells 15w-40 was redeuced from approx 1500ppm to 1050-110oppm zddp post 1/2007 in the newer CJ rated 15w-40 diesel oil.

But chevrons delo 15w-40 oil zddp was only reduced from 1500ppm to 1300ppm being a little better on zddp protection.

Moils 15w-50 syn oil has approx 1200ppm zddp which isnt bad and is very helpfull for a lrg hot running v-twin motor like our stars have.

But not all 15w-40 & 15w-50 oils have approx 1200-1300ppm zddp anyore which is a motors friend when thinks get hot and pressure and or friction increases inbetween moving parts for ex like lifters to cam lobes which is when the zddp gets fully activated and steps into action setting up a temporary protective barier layer untill things coold down and or more oil is avail again for what ever the reaon like maybe when in traffic at low rpm idle when oil pressure is lower.

Id run the chevron delo over the shell rotella any day of the wk due the the delos better zddp lvl and it also has a great reputation i the field too.

And BTW,the reason i am comention this is over the past 3+ yrs i had been testing some oils and doing research in general on my own tiem & $ for the team chevelle site with respect to the zddp issues/reduciton casuing havic with the hiperf flat tappet cam'd muscle motors running hi spring rates which do take kindly to oil with less then approx 1200-1400ppm at a min and 1500-1800ppm zddp if perfect for those perf motors from 60's to early 70's.

So I have been into this oil subject for a while not counting the 38 yrs i have been rebuidling/dialing in carbs & ign's /wrenching muscle car and motorcycle motors in general and have a lot or experience in that area and thought even being new to RSC i could be of some help with this topic thats i have been involved in.

And in general its the lighter fuel consering oils that have the dfreded firction modifiers like in your std over the counter pass car oils like for ex 5-20/5-30/10-30/some 10-40's etc.

All the above mentioned ligher oils also had the zddp lvls reduced to a max of 850ppm due to it fouling cats by 100k miles and that isnt enought zddp to do a good job protecting our big R* star motors

But even though the zddp reduction was only mandated for those lighter fuel conserving oils most oil mfg's lowered the zddp in the heavier pas car oils too like 10-40 /15-40/20-50.

So keep in mind it not just the friction modifiers you have to be carfull of ,you shoudl also ensure your running an oil with a decnet zddp lvl in your big air cooled motors too and thats where i found the rotella fell short in newer CJ rating then for ex the chevron delo of same 15-40 grade.

The older pre 1/2007 diesel oils with older CI rating still had good zddp lvls,castrol still mfg's a 15w-40 diesel oil with older CI rating that when i tested it still had approx 1300ppm zddp which isnt bad ,saw it in advanced auto this afternoon,castol also mfg's a newer CJ rated diesel oil with CJ rating thats suposed to have a sig reduced zddplvl bit i never tested that oil .

What about valvoline's 10-40 & 20w-50 v-twin conventional bike oil that i see in autozone etc for 3.99 a qt,thats seems to be a decent oil to me at an affordable price that has no firction modifiers and also has a decent zddp lvl for proper engine protection esp since out motors have flat tappet cams & lifters that also need a decent zddp pkg.

I have had a many bikes in the past 41 yrs i have been riding them but the 06 R* silverado 1700 is my 1st big v-twin so i used spectro's 20-50 bike oin in it but may switch to valvolines 20-50 in future .

I run the valvoline 20-50 in the 77 kawaski kz1000 i bought new in 77 ($2,250) and have been riding every summer for the past 33 yrs along with many other 2nd bikes too. To mention a few i had, 5 tripple 2 stroke kawi's widowmakers (4-500-H1's & 1 750-H2)& a 76 kz-900 kawi i still have.

Have also owned other yami's/suzuki's/honda's along the way too.

Scott

Just when I thought we had throughly exhausted the oil subject....

Steven