tinytrev

Member
Nov 16, 2002
40
0
Valvoline ATF RUBBISH, RUBBISH AND RUBBISH... i couldnt find neutral without killing the engine first. notchy and hard shifting... VERY ROUGH.. ive gone back to MOTUL and never looking back again....sorry if this offends but ATF IS CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Zerotact

~SPONSOR~
Dec 10, 2002
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You know there is more than one type of ATF? Most people use a synthetic ATF witch is probably Dextron-mercon type and not type " F ". Type "F" is very sticky, you might have gotten the wrong type atf
 

Braahp

~SPONSOR~
Jan 20, 2001
641
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After using ATF typr F for a while I'm not sure I like it now. You must change it very frequently. Very. My buddy gave me an old bottle of Motul he found in his garage that was about 5 years old. That stuff was amazing. Shifted better than ever. Even better than Mobil 1 15-50. I guess I'll go back to Mobil 1 since my dealer doesn't carry it. Mobil 1 does good until it gets a little old then it lets you know real quick its time to change it. I was using good ol' WalMart ATF type F at about 80 cents a quart. Put me in that "don't reccomend" category also.
 

BRush

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jun 5, 2000
1,100
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Walmart ATF's what I usually use, but I only run it 100% in the winter. Normally I mix it 50-50 with Castrol GTX 10w-40 or 20w-50 and it's proven to be very smooth shifting.
 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 16, 2001
6,449
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Charlestown, IN
tiny, If I were you I would look for the real culprit of your prolems and stop looking for the easy fix. ATF didn't make your bike do what you have described.
 

Studboy

Thinks he can ride
Dec 2, 2001
1,818
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ATF works great in most bikes, listen to what Jaybird has to say.

A couple of you guys,  try Type F ATF in your bikes and report back to us.  It works great in my KX.   Marcusgunby has reccomended in warmer climates to mix 50/50 with 10-40 or 15-40 or similar motor oil.

It sure runs good in my KX!
 

Bricks88

Sponsoring Member
Mar 14, 2002
70
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I ran Atf Dexron3/ Mercon all last year in both my bikes last year and I didnt have 1 problem. 1 is a used and abused 1985 KX125 :scream: my wifes bike and the other is my 2001 KDX 220. We rode every other weekend last year and I changed it every other ride ;) I was a heavy equiptment mechanic for a while and from what I understand type F has anti foaming agents and Dexron3/ mercon doesnt.Bottom line is use what your comfortable with and there is a ton of experience here above and beyond what I know.
 

tinytrev

Member
Nov 16, 2002
40
0
Originally posted by Jaybird
tiny, If I were you I would look for the real culprit of your prolems and stop looking for the easy fix. ATF didn't make your bike do what you have described.

if u have any suggestions on wat else it could b, it would be great if u could please inform because my box was rebuilt 220kms ago and was fine when i got it back with motul oil..1st ride after oil change and its pretty much unrideable with ATF so i am clueless as to wat else other than the oil it can be... Thanx 2 all for ur comments
 

Jaybird

Apprentice Goon
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Mar 16, 2001
6,449
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Charlestown, IN
Have you went back to the Motul yet?
 

mhardee

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Oct 17, 2002
115
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Originally posted by Studboy
ATF works great in most bikes, listen to what Jaybird has to say.

A couple of you guys,  try Type F ATF in your bikes and report back to us.  It works great in my KX.   Marcusgunby has reccomended in warmer climates to mix 50/50 with 10-40 or 15-40 or similar motor oil.

It sure runs good in my KX!

I switched last week to B&M Trick Shift (old style non-synthetic) and have been very impressed... My bike ('03 KX500) was difficult to down-shift with the clutch disengaged - the Trick Shift has greatly helped this...

Mark

 
 

tinytrev

Member
Nov 16, 2002
40
0
Originally posted by Jaybird
Have you went back to the Motul yet?

Yeah i went back to motul the same day. Within 5mins of oil change bike was shifting sweet and back to its normal self.... are there different types of ATF type F. the main prob i noticed was when the bike was idleing i could not get into neutral i had to kill the engine first. After 20min of trying to ride it, i was just miss shifting and it was really rough shifting down so i replaced the oil with motul and good as new...
 

tinytrev

Member
Nov 16, 2002
40
0
Well im guessing that there is more than 1 type of TYPE F ATF because alot of people use it with no problems but in my case it was terrible so i have no other reasonable explanation to my question.....
 

Randy K

Member
Sep 20, 2000
14
0
I had a similar problem as tinytrev in that my '94 refused to go into neutral unless the motor was off. The bike started to do this at about 600 miles and got worse progressively. From 600 to 1000 miles I tried a few different motor oils and Brands of ATF type F, none of which changed anything. The problem was a big nuisance as I use the bike for arrowing enduro courses and I have to stop every 50 feet or so. One day, I was so aggravated I shut the bike off and arrowed 3 miles of the course by walking. By the time I got back, the bike was cool and I hoped it would be better but it wasn't. I was really upset now so I grabbed a handful of clutch cable adjuster and rotated it about 4 times. After that it has NEVER done it again. When I got home I checked the manual and found my frustated adjustment put the play back in spec. I kinda dawned on me that the mileage and progressive cable stretch were linked. Up to that point, I believed what I read in the forum about different oils being the key to better performance and hoped to one day find the right oil. Now I think it is B.S. since there are way to many variables. Moral of the story: Cable adjustment is an overlooked item which certainly has more effect than what type of oil you use. Play with the cable and see if you can improve your bike's performance.
 

Bill Hibbs

~SPONSOR~
Aug 25, 1999
537
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You guys crack me up with your ATF and Mineral oil ... It seems like a lot of effort to achieve what? A dollar off per oil change? Get some good synthetic motorcycle oil that's actually designed for motorcycle shifting and clutches. Mixing stuff together? I ran the Honda motorcycle oil for years and it worked fine. I still run it in my street bike, but now run Dumonde Tech Fully synthetic and it is noticeably smoother shifting and a consistant clutch all day long. I know there are a ton of you out there that run ATF in your tranny's and forks and muffler bearings and it works I guess. I guess I'm just too much of a sissy and run what the manufacturer or at least a motorcycle company recommends. Call me crazy.. ;) I can understand what happened Tiny, and I believe you. ATF is designed to flow through valves and fill pumps. I for one am not going to experiment with all the different ATF's until I find the one that I somehow perceive to be working, meanwhile screwing up my stuff. Again, I guess I'm just a sissy..
 

rethnal

~SPONSOR~
Jul 14, 2002
659
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I guess there's just no reason for a forum anymore! Let's pack it up boys and call it a day... Let's just read our manuals since it has everything about our bikes in there... it tells proper spring rates for weight, Oh... and I recall reading all about how I should tear my bike apart after getting it and greasing everthing really really good! :laugh:
 
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Studboy

Thinks he can ride
Dec 2, 2001
1,818
0
Check out this sweet thread on ATF in a two-stroke gearbox...

Click Here

I think you'll find it quite interesting.

 
 

Boot

Member
Jun 11, 2002
98
0
G'day Tiny,

I run Castrol TQF (type F ATF) in mine and it's great stuff. No complaints at all.

Maybe you've got a warped clutch plate or something? If you've got the cable adjusted properly it should slip into neutral without too much trouble.

If in doubt, just use what it seems to want (if you can afford it).

Craig
Melbourne
 

JTT

~SPONSOR~
Aug 25, 2000
1,407
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Originally posted by Studboy
Check out this sweet thread on ATF in a two-stroke gearbox...

Click Here

I think you'll find it quite interesting.

 

:laugh: ah, ah, ah....never use science in a battle of public opinion ;) :think:
 

Gomes-nz

~SPONSOR~
Apr 4, 2002
36
0
I was just reading all these posts on ATF pro's ad con's. There is no majority conclusions.
However I do know that my Jeep Cherokee, states that ATF must be used in the transfer case. This lubes chains and gears. The ATF must be some what suitable, as you would think that a transfer case would use gear oil.........interesting
 

john stu

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 7, 2002
790
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just a thought but instead of using atf (automatic trans fluid) why not use mtf (manuel trans fluid)after all your bike is not an automatic is it?better yet just use gear oil made for two strokes the trany is almost all gears anyways besides the clutch, and most two stroke gear oil has addtives for the clutch.gee i think i'll try running antifreeze in my forks
 
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