Gearbox oil

LOL !!



Sorry, I had to do it Cobram, Just couldn't resist

Lots of us use diesel oil for the zinc content. 15W-40 or 20W-50. No synthetic unless you like a slippy clutch.

It's not the,"Synthetic" part of oil that causes clutch slip but the friction modifiers.



Note:The drive box oil should be changed at the same time as the engine oil for good measure.The type of drive oil required is embossed on the Drive unit.It only takes a little so a bottle of Hypoid 80w90 gear oil will last a loads of changes.



Do NOT overfill the drive box otherwise it can blow it's seals and make sure it's Pressure release assembly is clean and good.Parts numbered 15/20/4 on here,



http://www.donandroys.com/fiche_sec...ry=MOTORCYCLES&make=HONDA&year=1979&fveh=3397



Also 3 pumps of Grease into the zerk every oil change(Take off and clean to make sure it's working correctly).I do re-emptive oil changes between 3,000/4,000 miles.I also add a little Molyslip to my engine and Final drive box.

Alright, I guess I want to add to the endless oil conversation. I searched out "second gear" and I found this thread with the slippy clutch references.



I put a synthetic 10w-40(I think thats the weight) in the bike when I first got it, just because I really like the synthetics in everything else I own and only after having read some posts after the fact did I learn its not the best of ideas. I just left it in because I didnt want to waste good oil and I have a tendency to have to learn by my own experience. I have been finding that second gear will be hard to get into(not like I have grinding or anything, it just doesnt want to engage) and on my ride home from work today, it actually slipped out of second mid throttle. Fortunately Im quick to get it back in gear and dont go darting out in front of traffic. My assumption at this point is its the synthetic I have in the motor causing me the issue. Its not often, but if I dont give it a good solid push up into second, it has a tenancy to slip out or not get in at all.



When I got home, after having no more problems, I just sat on the running bike and tried to shift into second while standing still, it absolutely wouldnt go with the clutch pulled back. Dont know if that helps or hurts my question.



Any feedback?

If the original poster couldn't even remember the viscosity of the oil he bought, who knows what he put in his engine.



This is way, way past 10,000 words, here's a picture worth at least 1000 words, Rotella T6.







JASO MA means you can use it in a MOTORCYCLE with a WET CLUTCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, I just walked out to the garage and decided to dig through my collection oils that I have labeled for each motor I own, and lowe and behold, my recollection was correct. I used a 10W-40, full synthetic. I remember now why I had chosen it, because the oil type listed in the owners manual, stated that it needed to meet certain standards, that when I consulted a very close friend who has been wrenching for 50 years and riding for 40 explained that oil technology has advanced considerably since the specs produced in 1980, therefore, in his opinion, If I wanted to give it a shot, use the 10W-40 full synthetic.



I guess my major mistake was not consulting a condescending _________ first?! who seems fully unavailable for constructive advice, my bad.



Is there ANYBODY here with an opinion/experience that might provide me some direction? Do I potentially have a transmission problem or do you think its as simple and as cheap as just putting new oil in? Because this really is a potential safety issue.



-again, no silly emoticons needed-

I'm really inclined to assist you now. Sounded like you were quoting another thread in that post.



No good ever came from an oil thread.

You call what you have provided to this point assistance?

Keep it.



-No good ever came from being a condescending jerk-

Cobram said:

I'm really inclined to assist you now. Sounded like you were quoting another thread in that post.



No good ever came from an oil thread.

Click to expand...

To answer the question you had about the tranny and shifting issue. I think the added benefits of the synthetic oil may have just magnified a problem in the shifting drum that was already on the boarder of showing up. The ability of the synthetic oil to reduce friction is not allowing the gear to stay engaged as it should. It sounds as if there was damage done to second gear or the shifter that puts it in it's position and holds it there.

If it were me I would do an oil change with the 15/40 Rotella oil and see if the issue resolves itself. It's possibly just a coincidence that the shifting problem showed up at the same time you changed oil. But it sure sounds like there's a problem in the shifting mechanism or the shift drum itself.



Most of us have been using Rotella due to it's added protection of the zinc. It seems to hold up well to the abuse that oil gets in motorcycle engines since the oil gets hammered by all the gears at the same time it's being used to lubricate the motor, the added protection is a plus to holding up better.



I hope this helps.



Larry

Here is a follow-up to my 2nd Gear issue.

I have a buddy I work with who races indoor motocross and is ranked ect. He knows a thing or two about bikes. I consulted him on this too. We went out yesterday and I let him give it a good once over. He rode it around the parking lot and he ran into the same problem. He was really surprised at how long of a lift it was to get from 1st to 2nd relative to his KTM. He pointed out one thing that nobody has gotten to yet, the clutch cable. The clutch cable is adjusted to as tight as it can get and there is still a bit of slack in it, his conclusion is its either old and stretched or its an aftermarket cable and is just a smidge too long.



The new plan of attack.



1) change the oil, Ive already done it. The parts store only had 1 bottle of Rotella T 15w-40, so I had to get a second bottle in Valvoline Motrocycle 10W-40. Im not too worried about the mix, its only going to be in there for a maximum of a week before it gets replaced again with nothing but the Rotella. After I changed the oil I took it out and racked up 20 miles on it, to try and get the Syn to dilute with the regular oil. It seems to work, the problem lessened and I was able to work from 1st to nuetral to 2nd and from 1st to 2nd with more consistency and fewer occurrences of hiccups. This morning was a different story. It was cold and it was slipping. I discussed it with my co-worker when I got in and he thought the thinness and the surface tension of the syn was the issue. The new oil had not found its way fully mixed between the clutch plates yet and the surface tension of the synthetic was causing the plates to not fully separate. We will see. I will easily put another 100 miles on this weekend and hopefully it will work its way out.



2)I already ordered a new OEM clutch cable along with new adjustment nuts ect., it will be installed when I change the oil again in a week, assuming I can get the bugs to continue to work out, otherwise it just may have to get put on if I get too frustrated with the shifting performance. I want to isolate each change so I can get a better mental handle on whats happening.



3)I also ordered the shifter seal (thanks Iheartfatdudes, when I think about it, it makes good sense that it could prevent proper alignment in the case if the seal is sloppy). That may or may not go on with the cable, again to keep this as step by step and isolate each change.



thanks all for the constructive response. I will update when I know more.