keefbikes

Member
Apr 16, 2007
183
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I am changing the oil and Coolent in my 95 KTM 440 2 stroke. I am not sure what to use to replace the fluids. Is there a better coolent to use? What type of oil is best for the trany? I have never done this before so I am not even sure where to drain and where to fill, Can anyone walk me through it?
 

rjardo

Member
May 21, 2007
4
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The drain will be somewhere near the bottom, and the fill areas are generally at the top...
No, seriously, a few things to think about. go to a cycle shop and have them set you up with the right fluids. car motor oil is not good for your clutch, and I wouldn't even want to guess on coolant. you don't want to corrode your innards :)

Last thing, stop and think about taking out your oil plug. If you have to, get under the bike to visualize lefty-loosey... had a buddy with a breaker bar and pipe on his KDX oil plug, finally pulled the threads right out of the case.. Damn, this sucker is in here tight, he was saying. Had his dad holding the bike cause he kept rotating it off his workstand. Just stop and think before you start to use deadly force. :^)
 

Surfrider

Member
Apr 9, 2007
18
0
on the ktm, the trannys like 15w50. like rjardo said... drain bolt on the bottom, fill should be on the clutch cover.....as far as coolant, the best i have used is honda hp motorcycle anti freeze. Dont use regular ethelyne glycol for cars it will eat at your water pump, the honda is the best stuff and is much better than the other crap out there
 

Surfrider

Member
Apr 9, 2007
18
0
indy, if you notice in your manuals for the tranny API oil service rating it should be SG or SJ to meet motorcycle needs of heat and wet clutch. if you have car oil rated this way you will have no problems, but as far as i know you arent going to get the proper protection in your tranny using car oil
 

keefbikes

Member
Apr 16, 2007
183
0
Surfrider said:
on the ktm, the trannys like 15w50. like rjardo said... drain bolt on the bottom, fill should be on the clutch cover.....
15W50 of what brand? And why am I seeing threads of Auto tranny fluid in 2 strokes?
 

76GMC1500

Uhhh...
Oct 19, 2006
2,142
1
API ratings are supposed to superceed all previous API specs. Emphasis on supposed to. Most would consider you crazy if you ran a SM instead of an SL in your diesel. The SM vs. SG/SF goes the same way. It is my opinion that the SG/SF oils have an additive package better suited to the motorcycle transmission. Why do manufacturers produce and recommend SG/SF oils for use in wet clutch applications and produce/specify a SJ for the crankcase and SG/SF for the transmissions in applications with seperate lube systems? SL rated oils like Delo 400, Rotella T, and Delvac are probably adequate, but they may be updating to the SM formula if the EPA has anything to say about it. Then, they may no longer be suited.
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
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Jul 18, 2006
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Amo, IN
He has no idea what he's talking about, but he is right about the fact that you can't just use any type of coolant for your bike..

You need to use coolant that's formulated for Aluminum engines.
 

76GMC1500

Uhhh...
Oct 19, 2006
2,142
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I'm using Prestone Extended Life. It specifically says on the back, for aluminum engines and contains corrosion inhibitors for aluminum and all other metals. It also makes no mention of phosphates or silicates in contents.
 

keefbikes

Member
Apr 16, 2007
183
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OK so Prestone Extended Life it is. Now how about an oil? I like Valvoline Durablend for my SUV's will this work in my KTM's Transmission? If not can you give me a approved or proven brand that will that I can get at a regular automotive store?
 

keefbikes

Member
Apr 16, 2007
183
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I looked for any 15w50 at Wally World when I picked up the Prestone coolent and they had nothing. Do i mix 50\50 on the coolent or pure? Is that a little thin 10w30 for a transmission? And di I use standerd or Durabled, the durablend said it was rated over a GS-4, or G something -4, but again I dont know if they make a 15w50 in Durablend.
 

keefbikes

Member
Apr 16, 2007
183
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Thanks Indy, I am asking alot of dumb Q. but I would rather get it from people who know first hand than learn the hard way first hand.
 

supajdogg

Member
May 1, 2007
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keefbikes said:
I looked for any 15w50 at Wally World when I picked up the Prestone coolent and they had nothing.

I use Rotella T 15W-40 diesel oil in my street bikes and in my dirt bikes. It's cheap as sin and works great with wet clutches. I buy it at wally world for like $7 a gallon.
 

IndyMX

Crash Test Dummy
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Jul 18, 2006
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supajdogg said:
I use Rotella T 15W-40 diesel oil in my street bikes and in my dirt bikes. It's cheap as sin and works great with wet clutches. I buy it at wally world for like $7 a gallon.


That's what I've been using in my 95 S-10.. works pretty good in that.. May give it a try in the bikes.
 

keefbikes

Member
Apr 16, 2007
183
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Surfrider said:
on the ktm, the trannys like 15w50. like rjardo said... drain bolt on the bottom, fill should be on the clutch cover.....as far as coolant, the best i have used is honda hp motorcycle anti freeze. Dont use regular ethelyne glycol for cars it will eat at your water pump, the honda is the best stuff and is much better than the other crap out there
K, so I went out to drain the coolant first and aI have a radiator on each side and the hoses going down into the engine. Where is the plug, I have searched. Is it under the skid plate? Are both the transmission drain and the coolant under the skid plate? Does it matter if I use 15w40 appose to the recomended 15w50?
 

keefbikes

Member
Apr 16, 2007
183
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Found the transmission plug, searched the water pump cleaned it, and prayed about it and still no luck. Nothing there with a copper washer, or that is any bigger than the casing bolts. The plug that I did find is back under the engine oppisite the kick start so I can drain it right onto the skid plate or try to fit a tiny rench between the engine and the plate and attempt to take the plate off. The bolts are dome bolts so my only option is to take the nuts off under the engine to get that stupid plate off.
 
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