I've been recently been reading some oil threads. Seems like alot of people like Mobil 1 75W-90 in the tranny. But I just read something last night that said the viscosity of that is the same as the Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50. This whole oil thing give me a damn headache. I'm sure some experts will chime in soon.

 

HD recommends something like a 20,000 mile change interval in the transmission and 10,000 in the primary if you're using Syn3 20W-50.

Personally, I use the M1 75W-90 in the transmission..... and Rotella 15W-40 in the primary. There is a clutch basket and a couple double row gears and chain in there. No need for high-tech lubrication.

Yes, "gear" oil has a different additive package and (technically speaking) is longer-lived in a gear-box than it's motor oil cousin, at least on paper. For our application it makes little difference.

M1 V-Twin 20W-50 in all three holes? Absolutely.

 

As long as you use the Mobile 1 V-twin oil and not the regular Mobile 1. The regular stuff has friction modifiers that will make your clutch slip if you put it in the Primary.

 

As long as you use the Mobile 1 V-twin oil and not the regular Mobile 1. The regular stuff has friction modifiers that will make your clutch slip if you put it in the Primary.

sorry, but I have to call bulllshit on that one. I've been running regular Mobil 1 15w-50 for two years in my current bike and for about five in my previous bike with no clutch slip at all.

 

primary oil ?

I run mobil 1 in my engine, and trany. I've been running dexron II, or dexron III
ATF in my primary for many years with no problems. We ran it in the old British triumphs and nortons. Works great. Buy anywhere. Cheap. I think Harley has a hitman after me, ha. Any comments?











'07 FLTR

 

... I just read something last night that said the viscosity of [M1 75W-90] is the same as the Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50

This is true, but don't assume it is a problem. The 75W-90 is the correct viscosity for the tranny. An oil rated 75W-90 is intended for gearcase.

An engine oil rated 20W-50 has a similar viscosity as the gearcase oil rated 75W-90, but the engine oil is not necessarily intended for the gearcase.

This whole oil thing give me a damn headache.

Maple syrup may have a similar viscosity to the oil you use in your car, but it won't lube very well. Your car oil may have a similar viscosity to maple syrup, but it tastes like crap on pancakes.

 

As long as you use the Mobile 1 V-twin oil and not the regular Mobile 1. The regular stuff has friction modifiers that will make your clutch slip if you put it in the Primary.

This has been stated previously, but the VOAs (virgin oil analyses) posted on BITOG seem to disagree. The VOA for M1 EP 15W-50 is very similar to the VOA for M1 VTwin 20W-50. Which modifiers will cause the problem?

 

As long as I seem to be monopolizing this string....

To answer the question posed in the title: Are there any good reasons to NOT run Mobil1 syn in all 3 holes?

Sure: cost.

The primary does not need the expensive syn oils; any quality dino will work fine, as, aparently, will various ATFs. I beleive some post sarcastically mentions "you could piss in the primary".

 

As long as I seem to be monopolizing this string....

To answer the question posed in the title: Are there any good reasons to NOT run Mobil1 syn in all 3 holes?

Sure: cost.

The primary does not need the expensive syn oils; any quality dino will work fine, as, aparently, will various ATFs. I beleive some post sarcastically mentions "you could piss in the primary".

At around 8 bucks for the primary, and another 8 bucks for the tranny- even if changed every year, this isn't a lot of money. We're talking maybe 4 or 5 bucks more than the cheaper stuff. Cheap insurance, if you ask me.

 

We're talking maybe 4 or 5 bucks more than the cheaper stuff. Cheap insurance, if you ask me.

well, hell, that's a beer!

 

I put in RedLine heavy shockproof in my tranny and its really quieted 5th down a lot. It also shifts much smoother and easier.

Search around. I believe that quite a few others have had similar success with redline.

 

sorry, but I have to call bulllshit on that one. I've been running regular Mobil 1 15w-50 for two years in my current bike and for about five in my previous bike with no clutch slip at all.

Call bullshiit all you want. This is straight from the guy at the Mobile 1 booth at a rally a few years ago. He recommended the Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 for the Primary (this is the new name of the oil).

From their Web Site:
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Motorcycle_Oil_FAQs.aspx

Okay. Let's start with Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40. What does it offer that Mobil 1 for cars does not?

Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 is designed for sport bikes. Most of these bikes have multi-cylinder/multi-valve engines and use a common sump, which means the engine oil lubricates the engine, transmission and wet clutch. So unlike Mobil 1 for cars, Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 has no friction modifiers, which could lead to clutch slippage.

 

True. The M1 15W-50 was gone for a while, then reappeared. The technical literature claims that it's been reformulated. Looks like some amount of zinc and phosporus in there. Good stuff.

And - personally, I favor the 75W-90 gear oil in the transmission. What do you think that "Formula+" stuff is?

You folks running synthetic oil in the primary chain case (IMHO) are wasting $$$. We keep hearing how slippery synthetic oil is......... do you really want your clutch basket going round-n-round in synthetic oil?

Just sayin'.

As far as the crankcase goes - any Mobil 1 synthetic in 15W-50, 20W-50 is fine. This is the place where you WANT "slippery".

 

Call bullshiit all you want. This is straight from the guy at the Mobile 1 booth at a rally a few years ago. He recommended the Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 for the Primary (this is the new name of the oil).

From their Web Site:
http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Motorcycle_Oil_FAQs.aspx

You two are talking about two different oils.

Mr. mark_bert said he was using 15W-50 in the primary. Your post is talking about M1 4T motorcycle oil in 10W-40 with the JASO MA rating.

Two different animals.

 

You two are talking about two different oils.

Mr. mark_bert said he was using 15W-50 in the primary. Your post is talking about M1 4T motorcycle oil in 10W-40 with the JASO MA rating.

Two different animals.

He's running 15W-50 car oil in the primary (red cap?). My point was that the car oil has friction modifiers. But if he hasn't had any clutch slippage, then he's good to go. When I built my engine over the winter, I didn't think I had any clutch slippage. I had the primary open to install a new (chrome) starter and installed an SE clutch spring. I was shocked how the clutch grabbed after the change out. The bike leaps when you crack the throttle now. But I never felt like the clutch was slipping in the past but it must have been a little.

I run Amsoil in the crankcase, Mobile 1 75W-90 gear oil in the tranny, and HD Primary oil in the primary. I used to run Mobile 1 Vtwin in the crankcase, Mobile 1 75W-90 in the tranny, and Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 in the primary. The Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 was hard to find so I just started using the HD Primary oil. Afterall, there isn't anything special about the clutch basket running in oil and I don't believe it needs synthentic.

 

He's running 15W-50 car oil in the primary (red cap?). My point was that the car oil has friction modifiers. But if he hasn't had any clutch slippage, then he's good to go. When I built my engine over the winter, I didn't think I had any clutch slippage. I had the primary open to install a new (chrome) starter and installed an SE clutch spring. I was shocked how the clutch grabbed after the change out. The bike leaps when you crack the throttle now. But I never felt like the clutch was slipping in the past but it must have been a little.

I run Amsoil in the crankcase, Mobile 1 75W-90 gear oil in the tranny, and HD Primary oil in the primary. I used to run Mobile 1 Vtwin in the crankcase, Mobile 1 75W-90 in the tranny, and Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 in the primary. The Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 was hard to find so I just started using the HD Primary oil. Afterall, there isn't anything special about the clutch basket running in oil and I don't believe it needs synthentic.

Oh, OK - I'm with you there. I tried synthetic in the primary for about 1,000 miles (once) then went far the other way and have been using the Rotella 15W-40 ever since. Many of my friends use a 10W-40 or 20W-50 Castrol in the primary. I actually had clutch slippage in my 2006 Road King whilst running synthetic in the primary. It only showed up when I was on the throttle hard, shifting near the rev limiter.

For years and years we just used a straight 40 weight in the primary or ATF or 80 weight gear oil. Neither seemed any better or worse than the other.

 

I've run Syn 3 for years, and recently switched to Mobil1 V-Twin Synthetic. I like the simplicity of running this in all three holes, but I'm wondering if there is something better for the transmission and primary?

I'd personally like to hear something other than Amsoil, if that's ok. I like to have the option of buying my oil from the local store, and don't care for the multi-level marketing type approach Amsoil seems to take (no offense).

Is there something that would make the tranny clank less going into first, and shift a little more quiet?

Thanks

If the " Marketing gets in your way.............you lose.............Amsoil is a great product. Subject has been covered alot...........
What conveniece are you gaining????
I have never had to add to my primary or my trans on a trip............
carrying a quart of Amsoil 20/50 is no big deal.
Gear oil does a better job in the trans, 20/50 Motoroil is best for the motor and the primary is best served with the ATF Synthetic..... Honest.

 

well, hell, that's a beer!

So 'spain to me why anyone purchasing a $20K motorcycle would wanna cheap out on oil...you wouldn't cheap out on accessories would you?

 

What conveniece are you gaining????

Simple. When I want the product, I can get it from Walmart, Autozone, etc. I don't have to call up some dude, get his voicemail, wait for him to call me back, and then watch for a box to show up on my doorstep days later. And, sure- I'll bet you have some sort of system where you plan ahead and then send in your order. There are too many other things in life like this already. I don't want buying a god damn quart of oil to be like this. To each his own.

 

Simple. When I want the product, I can get it from Walmart, Autozone, etc. I don't have to call up some dude, get his voicemail, wait for him to call me back, and then watch for a box to show up on my doorstep days later. And, sure- I'll bet you have some sort of system where you plan ahead and then send in your order. There are too many other things in life like this already. I don't want buying a god damn quart of oil to be like this. To each his own.

OK..............I find it no problem to plan ahead. I am so lazy, I want ALL the stuff to do the job in my garage...........not at the auto parts store..........
to each his own..........:wavey:

 

So 'spain to me why anyone purchasing a $20K motorcycle would wanna cheap out on oil...you wouldn't cheap out on accessories would you?

Cheap, htf do you get that?
I run M1 20W-50 in my engine, M1 75W-90 in my tranny, and a very good dino, Rotella, in my Primary. I also run M1 5W-20 in my mazda, and some other M1 in my wife's Mountaineer.

There's is "good enough", there's "more than good enough" and then there's "wasteful extravagance". I don't have enough money to waste, especially when what I am using is an order of magnitude better than stock.

I also wouldn't put premium gas in a old volkswagen beetle.

Cheap my ass.

 

I've run Syn 3 for years, and recently switched to Mobil1 V-Twin Synthetic. I like the simplicity of running this in all three holes, but I'm wondering if there is something better for the transmission and primary?

I'd personally like to hear something other than Amsoil, if that's ok. I like to have the option of buying my oil from the local store, and don't care for the multi-level marketing type approach Amsoil seems to take (no offense).

Is there something that would make the tranny clank less going into first, and shift a little more quiet?

Thanks

To answer your question directly! Better than Mobil1 V-Twin Synthetic?
Please read this http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g2156.pdf and make your own decision. JMHO. All of the synthetic motorcyle oils are high quality, just find one that suits you and make you feel good. Myself, marketing is not on the table, I don't mind going after the "BEST" product. After all you spent alot of
$$$$$ for your ride. My opionion only is why not spend a few bucks on high quality motorcyle oil. JASO MA rating means "no friction modifiers".
Your using a good product, and much better that any petroleum oil. Period...
Seems like alot of people like Mobil 1 75W-90 in the tranny. quote from 'monstermile'

 

Ford tightened up the gear clearances in their manual transmissions in the 80's ( As did other manufacturers) and started using ATF for lube in the trans. Made the trans shift better in cold weather. I my self like a lubricant designed for manual transmissions, as the gears in a manual trans put a lot of shear wear on the oil. That is why I always use a manual trans designed oil in my trans. IE M-1 75/80, or any good hypoid rated trans oil. Obviously a synthetic product will be better in cold weather shifts and wear reduction abilities.

 

I never did understand this rivalry between Amsoil and Mobil 1 V-Twin. They are both PAO based synthetic motor oils. Amsoil buys their PAO base stock from Exxon-Mobil.

Amsoil reformulated the oil early this year? It's not the same as the oil they tested with.

Go over to bobistheoilguy.com and look at the oil analysis reports posted by the members. There's not spit difference between the Mobil 1 and the Amsoil.

About the only thing wrong with Amsoil is their multi-level marketing scheme but I suppose it works for THEM.

 

As long as I seem to be monopolizing this string....

To answer the question posed in the title: Are there any good reasons to NOT run Mobil1 syn in all 3 holes?

Sure: cost.

The primary does not need the expensive syn oils; any quality dino will work fine, as, aparently, will various ATFs. I beleive some post sarcastically mentions "you could piss in the primary".

True enough on the ATF...in fact because our "wet clutch" is similar to the discs in an automatic tranny there is a benefit in clutch lockup/wear and it keeps the primary cleaner than a standard oil. I use B&M Trickshift synthetic ATF in my primary, (I make enough ponies to notice any slip) it's not that pricey at $8.95 a quart. (this is a 20k+ bike fer crissakes...replacement ain't cheap!) Both Barnett and S&S recommend it's use...