Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Engine Oil for M3W

Sounds like oil changes are needed regularly for the 3W. I know this is probably not an issue yet for most but has anyone done any research on what engine oil options there are?

So far I've established that a Mobil 1 V Twin 20W-50 Fully Synthetic should do the trick, and there are lots of potential 20W-50 oils that could do it at widely varying prices...

I've also seen it said for H-D engines that you can use any 20W-50, 15W-40 or 10W-40 that meets CF-4, CG-4, CH-4, and CI-4 but not sure what this means. Synthetic or semi-synthetic seem to be ok, but also mineral oils.

Oil changes seem to be needed much more frequently than most modern engines and at 6 litres or so a change it's going to cost a lot!

Thoughts, or even actual knowledge, very much welcomed...

By the way, the oil filter is an S&S 31-4103. Are there options here? Someone told me a H-D filter will be fine too.

This was discussed a little in this thread: http://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/97876/S_S_Motor_Break_In_Recommendat#Post97876

Thanks - I'll study it and hopefully understand!

Do we really need oil changes at 50 miles and again at 350 - 500 before the 1000 mile service / check??

I note the comment that oil was clean as a whistle at 350 miles. Isn't this sort of saying the oil is still ok? If the oil was getting dirty then I could understand why it was necessary to do a change.

This 3W is going to cost plenty in oil if not careful. Just as well I have the Aero 8 to keep the costs down (!)

the early and frequent oil changes are in to clear out any lose contaminates that may have come lose over the early parts of the engines life. Tiny bits of metal are the last thing you want running through your engine over a long period of time.

Buy the cheapest oil to the correct spec whilst running in. High end fully synthetics are designed to stay in grade for 20,000 miles and can hinder the running in process.

This is Jeff from S&S. Full synthetics like the Mobil 1 are the best. They perform better and live longer at higher temperatures. The early oil changes are for flushing out any debris that may be in the engine or oil system. It is acceptable to use non synthetic oils for those changes to reduce cost.

Harley Twin Cam filters for 1999-newer models can be used on the X-Wedge engine.

Thanks
Jeff

Thanks Jeff, nice and clear. I'll pass this on to my dealer (Brands Hatch Morgan) - they've obviously little experience of motorcycle engines although one of the guys there is a biker and sounds like he knows what he's talking about.

If in doubt, flush it out (as my doctor friend tells me!).

Do you mean to say that the Factory does not tell you what the options are in the Handbook (presumably there is a Handbook )

In my old three wheeler, I'll admit to using quite cheap oil.

But the requirements of a total loss oiling system with ball bearing mains are quite different. However, I do significantly over oil - ie feed more through than the book amount.

Same reason as with the new engine, oil is cheap, rebuilds aren't.

Synthetics stay in grade for longer, so suit high mileage engines and long service intervals. Someone who is not doing high mileage is often better off with a good normal oil, but changing it more frequently.