Gearbox Oil Poll

Got questions? We got answers....

What gearbox oil do YOU use?

Spec'd motor oil
10
17%
Gear oil (Gearsaver..80W)
12
21%
Synthetic
9
16%
ATF (Type 'F' or otherwise)
11
19%
A motorcycle specific motor oil (Yamalube)
12
21%
Whatever is on sale at the World of Wally
4
7%
 
Total votes: 58

firffighter
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Post by firffighter »

I cant believe you all are supporting Walmart! Dont you know they are going to bring about the end of our world as we know it? I heard Al Gore say it, so it must be true!

Just tried ATF with 10-40 as per our buddy Ron Black. Buttery smooth shifting. I liked it and the ATF was cheap to buy at my local mom and pop hardware store. Have not drained it yet, so dont know if it will be full of metal flakes or not.
'
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Re: Gearbox Oil Poll

Post by rdsrf »

>|<>QBB<
rdsrf wrote:I found the discussion on gearbox oil in the "horrible squealing screching noise" thread rather interesting. Especially the article in the link CC put in there. What's everyone out there using and what are your experiences?

I think "poll" was a bad choice of terms. I wasn't really interested in statisitics, but rather rider's experiences with different types and brands of gearbox oil. Sorry for the confusion. Seems to be a fairly popular thread though.
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canyncarvr
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Post by canyncarvr »

I think 'poll' was great, myself!!!

Popular? Yeah...as long as you don't believe a word of it..and read it with the understanding that everyone 'cept YOU (whoever that may be) is WRONG!


...like Inda said. :wink:

Mr. firff..f:

I sense a tad bit of cynicism in your remark. :shock: Honestly, we all know Algore is just about the greatest thing that has ever happened to mankind. With every keystroke I am made happy with his invention.

Well, Mr. Obamarama might be even more greatest. It's hard to choose with so many wonders of the world to choose from.

:prayer:

Oh...I found Rotella T by the 2.5 gallon jug (useable spout) in another Wallys. IT's more spendy per/quart than the 5gal. too. This particular Wallys had the ONE gallon..IT was cheaper than the one/each qt. price.

No big deal. Just odd, seems 'ta me.

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skipro3
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Post by skipro3 »

Obama is the Anti-Christ. Better be gitten right with the Lord real quick now, yahear!!!! :twisted:
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cmot
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Post by cmot »

I use it alittle backwards, I use 2 parts oil to 1 part atf. I've been a car mechanic for 35 yrs and way back I found a little atf in a gearbox would fix gears that rake while shifting and stop winter stiff shifting till warmup.
Also Nissan and some others used strait ATF in some manual transmissions. IE the twin turbo 300ZX. It works.
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cmot
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Post by cmot »

Wow ,I just read the intire thread. :shock: I think I'm constipated now. :lol:
Although I personnally would be afraid to use strait ATF. For the people who found filings in thier drained oil, The metalic filings were most likly allready there, the atf just broke it up from clumps that form in the hidden recesses in your gearbox, and so it mixed with the oil and came out.. I've used atf to flush the trans before when a waterpump bearing failure caused filings to spread into recesses in the trans and I didn't want to disasemble the whole engine.
I tend to believe that the engineers are pretty good at deciding what should be in your engine. Given this I stay pretty close to what they recomend.

Quote:
(See how reasonable I am? What I read is pontifications on the greatness of an oil the use of which is intended for a mutually exclusive application (nothing in common with your motorcycle)...just pontifications based on nothing but conjecture. I take exception to the erstwhile non-thought of it all. )

**** man, Is that english. No wonder people misunderstand you.
But thats ok I understand you. Anyway. :blink:
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canyncarvr
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Post by canyncarvr »

**** man, Is that english. No wonder people misunderstand you.
:wink:

Can you see the expression of concern on my face from there!?

I'm easily amused...all by myself, even! That usually a sign of a simple mind.

...of being simple-minded, even!

:neutral:

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rdsrf
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Post by rdsrf »

Interesting use of ATF. What did you mean by “gears that rake while shifting”? Would that mean a trans that’s difficult to shift? I could probably use some for the old pickup. 1st to 2nd is a bit rough to shift. How much would you put in the average auto transmission? Would the same apply to a bad shifting motorcycle trans? Thanks for your input!
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Jeb
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Post by Jeb »

Just a reminder for those considering ATF - it's the "F" type that you would use. Ask if you need clarification.
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Post by MX500 »

I'm currently running Redline MT90 mixed with about half a cup of heavy duty shockproof gear oil because my clutch wouldn't fully disengage with the "shitwater" (very thin and brown) oil the previous owner had in the transmission.

Redline is great, if your clutch wont disengage (with the lever properly adjusted) try adding a bit of shockproof gear oil. Add too much and you might get some clutch slippage.
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2001kdx
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Post by 2001kdx »

Funny, I just drained my ATF with 6-7 hours on it, a little more than I like to run it, and it looked great, no shaving or anything. Why use 1 part oil?
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Post by firffighter »

Cause Ron said so!
'
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Post by RTSinDallas »

Hey guys, I don't know if this was mentioned or not, but the main reason so many people use diesel oil and Mobil 1 red top, is that they don't have friction modifiers. All energy star compliant oils have friction modifiers and are bad for wet clutches. The diesel oils Delvac, Rottela and Delo are all good and cheap options for motorcycles. They still have a lot of the good stuff that have been taken out of modern car oils to meet emissions.
That being said I made a Blimpman-esk suicide mix in a big liquid tide bottle with a spigot. I mixed several bottles of gearsaver, type f and Rottela. I consolidated what ever was in the garage. Now I just pour off what I need for my oil changes. Works good for me.
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Post by skipro3 »

I thought it was mentioned there RTS, but I'm too lazy to read all this again to check.

Good use for used Tide bottles too. I use them to put partly used paint into. You know, the gallon paint can that's half full? After years they dry out or form a scum layer and you can't get the lid off. I use a Tide bottle and the lid serves as a little paint tray for a brush when I just need to do a touch-up.
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Jeb
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Post by Jeb »

The results thus far are interesting . . . the highest percentage use ATF. But a pretty even mix of types overall.

And the Tide bottle reuse - hadn't thought of it but why not, neat tip.
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Post by RTSinDallas »

I ran into the dried up paint can this week. Hung a new door, thought I had half a gallon of paint to match, and found a paint puck in the can. Those bottles seem too nice to toss out, or maybe it's the scars of having parents that grew up durring the depression "waste not, want not".

I had the tide bottle set aside for used oil. I was consolidating partial quart bottles(I run around 800-900ml) and noticed I had plenty of Rottela, because I ran it in my Scoutt II and XR600, and had plenty of type f with nothing that uses it. It made sense to blend them, because I had used all three straight before.
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