Maintenance & Technical > KX500 Original

ATF as Gear Lube

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KXcam22:
My last few rides I have been testing (very unscientifically) different gear oils back-to-back to see if it might make any noticeable difference to the shifting.  Basically 1 ride under the same conditions and terrain with fresh oil.  I never use the clutch to shift.  Lately my 92 has started missing fast 1st to 2nd upshifts.  That was while running my longtime favorite Belray gearsaver.  For a trial I thought I would try out some ATF.  Hughes turned me on to this.  Never in +35 years of dirtbiking have I used ATF in a bike trans. Used it many times as fork oil but NEVER as trans oil.  The result: Today was butter smooth shifting with NO missed shifts all day. Shift effort was noticeable lower. Nice clutch action too.  I ended up using Dextron III.  Looking at old posts I likely should have used type F.  Next test will be some 10W40 then 20W50.  But unless I get a pleasant suprise with the other oils, I will likely end up back using the ATF. Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks.....

I don't know what to think about the ATF. Handles the duties in the transfer case of my 3/4Ton 4x4 truck and every automatic trans around so it must be good at handling friction, lubing clutch packs, lubing bearings and padding meshing gears.  It should have all the right stuff.  Does it?    Cam.

Paul:
I used the same Dexron III in my KX as I used in Mustangs T5. Worked like a charm.

hughes:

--- Quote from: KXcam22 on October 22, 2006, 05:37:58 PM ---My last few rides I have been testing (very unscientifically) different gear oils back-to-back to see if it might make any noticeable difference to the shifting.  Basically 1 ride under the same conditions and terrain with fresh oil.  I never use the clutch to shift.  Lately my 92 has started missing fast 1st to 2nd upshifts.  That was while running my longtime favorite Belray gearsaver.  For a trial I thought I would try out some ATF.  Hughes turned me on to this.  Never in +35 years of dirtbiking have I used ATF in a bike trans. Used it many times as fork oil but NEVER as trans oil.  The result: Today was butter smooth shifting with NO missed shifts all day. Shift effort was noticeable lower. Nice clutch action too.  I ended up using Dextron III.  Looking at old posts I likely should have used type F.  Next test will be some 10W40 then 20W50.  But unless I get a pleasant suprise with the other oils, I will likely end up back using the ATF. Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks.....

I don't know what to think about the ATF. Handles the duties in the transfer case of my 3/4Ton 4x4 truck and every automatic trans around so it must be good at handling friction, lubing clutch packs, lubing bearings and padding meshing gears.  It should have all the right stuff.  Does it?    Cam.

--- End quote ---


Glade to see you come around. My buddy just traded his yz250 for an kx500 and the first thing we did was fill it with aft type f. I have used it for the last two years or so with great results.

5dracing:
I used the ATF in my sons 50cc KTMs. They have wet clutches and were gas and go's. The problem with those bikes is the wear of the clutch gunked up the cup washers that changed the clutch engagement point. When I changed to the ATF, less gunk. No Scientific testing here either. I've never tried it in the big bikes.

ebers17:
i used to use the belray gearsaver, and i changed it every ride/race and it would always be almost black, now i'm using just regular castrol 10w40 and change it every ride/race and its the cleanest i've ever seen oil come out my bikes, and i'm saving a butt load of money since I change it so often.

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