Trans oil

[martian]

Dealer told me to use Honda HP gear oil 80/90 wt, the manual says 10-40 wt.
What do you guys think is best?

Chris
03 200

 

[powercart]

I think that the manual knows what it is talking about....
The local bike store recomended 80 weight for my kdx, but the manual recomends a 10-30. So i decided to try both too see, Well let me tell you, the 80 weight stuff ran like crap and i swear I will never use it again. I couldnt shift, and I was hitting neutral every two seconds. I now run the 10-30 and also race it, and have never had any problems....:)

 

[limitless]

here's an equivalency chart....

CLICK ME

 

[limitless]

powercart you should have stepped up to 90 and seen how that worked. I like the 85 alright, but do sometimes hit neutral sometimes. I think now that it's warmer out I will switch to 90w.

 

[limitless]

BTW if its fairly cold where you are (40f - 80f) I would go with the 10-40. if its usually over 50 and less than 100f then I would go with 20-50.

if its usually 75f-over 100 degrees I would go with 90W. if its between 50 & 60 go with the 80W

Hope this helps.

 

[Jackpiner57]

I use Spectro Clutch Saver 10w-30 with great success. I've never had a shifting problem of any kind. I change it after about 50 miles or sooner if I'm using the clutch a lot.

The only drawback is that it's pricey.

 

[kevinkdx]

I use Klotz Gear oil. It is a thinner oil and it makes the shifting smooth. The 80-90 weight stuff i have tried from Bel-Ray and i hated it. I was always missing shifts and it just seems to thick so i switched and will never go back.

 

[martian]

Thanks for the sugestions, I thought that 80/90 was alittle thick.

 

[whtkdxtra]

I use Type F automatic transmission fluid. I first read about it in this forum and I tried it and liked it. Not to mention it's cheap. I change it frequently and the bike shifts great.

 

[Tom Ludolff]

Use Full Synthetic!!! It's DA BEST!!! Most of the weights ending in W40 or W50 are not "Energy Conserving" and won't cause clutch slippage..

 

[NYkdxer]

ATF type F...great stuff, no slippage, shifts good and best of all it's cheap. I change it every 150 miles, or 3-4 rides.

 

[stinx]

I too use ATF type F works great,excellent clutch feel and best of all its cheap, plus its red color makes it easy to see in the oil window

 

[Ark_220]

I have used Bel-Ray tranny fluid for years and never had any problems with it. It is personal preference, but I stick with works.

 

[martian]

Thanks for all the input. I took the thick stuff back to the dealer and they traded me for some Motul 10-40 sysnthetic gear lube. I'll give that a try and see how it shifts.
Also the dealer had recommended the Motul synthetic for the premix,I think it is 800. They said I could mix it 50/1, but since the engine is new, I followed the recommended 32/1 ratio. It does smoke some when cold.

Since were on the oil subject any input on brands and ratios for premix?

 

[phastphill]

Motul 800t is very good stuff but pricy.I have used it in trials bikes at 80 to 1 and after 3 years the motor was spotless inside without any wear. I would think 50 to 1 or even 66 to 1 would be ok in a KDX. A lot of people in my area also use Optimol and seem to like it. In the tranny I use 10-30 when cold and 10-40 in summer and it works just fine.I put almost 10000 kms on an 89 KDX, lots of enduros and hare scrambles and a couple of 6 days of Mich....and never touched the clutch, worked fine the whole time.

 

[Tom Ludolff]

I've been using Mobil 1 synthetic 2-stroke oil. Somebody on this site said it burns very cleanly. It's only about $3.50 / pint. That's about $5.00 / quart cheaper than BelRay H1R. I stick with the synthetics to prevent wear. I also mix 32:1 I figure it doesn't cost me anything to clean out my exhaust, but new piston and rings run around $150!!! I haven't noticed any difference in power between 40:1 and 32:1, so I follow the Kawi spec at 32:1!!! Just my $0.02!!!

 

[Braahp]

ATF Type F if you want to change very frequently(every couple rides). WalMart for less than a dollar. Or....Mobil 1 synthetic 15-50 in the red bottle. Both work great and are cheaper than most tranny specific oils. Heck.... If you want to change frequently just use any 10-30 or 10-40 motor oil but make sure its not the kind with the "energy conserving" label.

 

[KDXFreestyle]

Either the 10W40, or the 10W30 is axctually equal to the 80 weight. Someone told me this..

 

[procircuit21]

I run Castrol GTX 10-30. The guy at my bike shop said he used it when he races and rides casual, plus its pretty cheap

 

[FLBob]

Mobil 1 2-stroke and any brand of Type F tranny oil.

 

[kmccune]

Originally posted by kevinkdx
I use Klotz Gear oil. It is a thinner oil and it makes the shifting smooth. The 80-90 weight stuff i have tried from Bel-Ray and i hated it. I was always missing shifts and it just seems to thick so i switched and will never go back.

 

I use belray but found the same porblem with the 80 weight gear oil. Now I use the multi grade according to the manual.

Kevin