Amsoil, Spectro and Redline

[Jennmarr]

Hey Mongo1958,
I wish I would have kept the photos, but not too long ago I had my transmission remove and put in a six speed. I had got the SE Kit. Well I had been using the Redline for a few years. So when the six speed kit came in, I to the bike to the shop. When they started taking it apart, man what a mess there was. There was this almost yellowish almost most white looking substance all over the transmission. It sorta looked like fat that had a build up all over the transmission. It was really nasty looking. I mean it was like caked on everything. From then on, I will not use the Redline stuff. It all depends on how long you have been using it, but I won't use it. I started using the Spector Six Speed, or the something else.

Interesting. Any idea what this yellowish/white substance was? From what you have described it could have been caused by moisture inside the transmission case.

 

[tlyoungb]

Well that is what they thought, but there was no signs of moisture. It was really nasty looking. I don't know how other to explain it.

 

[Mongo1958]

Well that is what they thought, but there was no signs of moisture. It was really nasty looking. I don't know how other to explain it.

Thanks for the info. Yeah, the pics would be cool to look at. How is the 6 speed holding out? I use 75W140 in my 6 Speed. I purchased my bike used with 20K on the tach, I don't know what was used in the trany prior to to that. After trying both Red line Shock proof heavy and then Spectro 6 Speed 75W140 I went with the Spectro gear oil because there is a local dealer in my town and easy to get. Amsoil has a 75W140 Gear oil so I'm going to give that a try.

 

[oldhippie]

Hey Mongo1958,
I wish I would have kept the photos, but not too long ago I had my transmission remove and put in a six speed. I had got the SE Kit. Well I had been using the Redline for a few years. So when the six speed kit came in, I to the bike to the shop. When they started taking it apart, man what a mess there was. There was this almost yellowish almost most white looking substance all over the transmission. It sorta looked like fat that had a build up all over the transmission. It was really nasty looking. I mean it was like caked on everything. From then on, I will not use the Redline stuff. It all depends on how long you have been using it, but I won't use it. I started using the Spector Six Speed, or the something else.

Now that's what I'm talking about with a solid reason.:bigsmiley12:

Personally, I wouldn't use it because of the cold weather riding I do. I don't think it would be the best when riding around in near freezing temps. I'll stick with the 75W140 Spectro.

 

[Jennmarr]

Well that is what they thought, but there was no signs of moisture. It was really nasty looking. I don't know how other to explain it.

It would have been interesting to send a sample of that oil in for analysis. Guess we may never know for sure what caused it.

 

[Mongo1958]

I just changed my oil with Amsoil using the scavenger Oil change system. I also added a few onces of oil in the oil filter befor installing the filter.
The top end of my engine has always been a little noisy. When I switched to Spectro the noise was reduced about 50% to my un calibrated ears.
Now...using Amsoil and starting the bike up in the garage (where everything is louder) the engine sounds even less noisy the with the Spectro.
But hey! It's like getting a new set of tires, the bike rides soooooo much better. Same deal with fresh oil, it sounds much better. So, who knows for sure.
Now I'm inside out of he heat an sipping on a frosty drink before I go out to finish up the bike.
The bugs are getting a bit thick as well. Guess I need to clean the Ultra up a bit.
It's a beautiful day for riding or working on the bike here in the great land of GA.
Enjoy the day and be safe.

 

[tlyoungb]

Thanks for the info. Yeah, the pics would be cool to look at. How is the 6 speed holding out? I use 75W140 in my 6 Speed. I purchased my bike used with 20K on the tach, I don't know what was used in the trany prior to to that. After trying both Red line Shock proof heavy and then Spectro 6 Speed 75W140 I went with the Spectro gear oil because there is a local dealer in my town and easy to get. Amsoil has a 75W140 Gear oil so I'm going to give that a try.

The six speed is awesome. Man is just sure made a huge difference in how the bike runs on the highway. Still has the same gearing as the 5 speed, but when you sift to 6th gear it is a whole different world. I can tell the difference. The engine just sounds like it is not working as hard.

 

[YnotBiker]

Hey Mongo1958,
I wish I would have kept the photos, but not too long ago I had my transmission remove and put in a six speed. I had got the SE Kit. Well I had been using the Redline for a few years. So when the six speed kit came in, I to the bike to the shop. When they started taking it apart, man what a mess there was. There was this almost yellowish almost most white looking substance all over the transmission. It sorta looked like fat that had a build up all over the transmission. It was really nasty looking. I mean it was like caked on everything. From then on, I will not use the Redline stuff. It all depends on how long you have been using it, but I won't use it. I started using the Spector Six Speed, or the something else.

This might sound crazy. Maybe a real mechanic or chemist could tell if this is true... An old timer at the Harley Stealer once told me about a Lady who worked there for years. She had a Sportster that she mostly only rode to work and back. For some reason they had to open up her engine and they found some white, kinda fat looking stuff inside. The old timer said it was detergents in the oil. We live near the ocean and moisture in the air could cause this. He said if that Sportster got really hot, that white stuff would burn off or liquify into the oil.

If this is true, then I guess it could happen with any oil that contains detergents. So I have to ask, did you take any really long trips on your Harley before you took apart your engine?

For all I know this Lady could have used Redline too, but I'm guessing since she worked at the Stealer that it had HD oil.

:44:

 

[Jack Klarich]

This might sound crazy. Maybe a real mechanic or chemist could tell if this is true... An old timer at the Harley Stealer once told me about a Lady who worked there for years. She had a Sportster that she mostly only rode to work and back. For some reason they had to open up her engine and they found some white, kinda fat looking stuff inside. The old timer said it was detergents in the oil. We live near the ocean and moisture in the air could cause this. He said if that Sportster got really hot, that white stuff would burn off or liquify into the oil.

If this is true, then I guess it could happen with any oil that contains detergents. So I have to ask, did you take any really long trips on your Harley before you took apart your engine?

For all I know this Lady could have used Redline too, but I'm guessing since she worked at the Stealer that it had HD oil.

:44:

Short trips will make the oil milky looking, even in a car engine you will find this. The oil needs to get hot enough to burn off the moisture, a by product of the combustion. A high detergent oil will suspend this in the oil and coat the internals of the engine

 

[fin_676]

As Jack said short journeys do not get the oil hot enough to evaporate the moisture from condensation inside the engine the moisture can bond with oil under certain circumstances and create a white sludge
If your vehicle journeys are short then your oil change interval should be reduced

Brian