Crankcase survey...

[QuantumDuck]

What do you guys run in your crankcase?

I've heard everything from 5w/30 to 20w/50 to ATF...what do you run?

[Rick]

BelRay Gear Saver.  Never tried anything else, but have heard of lots of different permutations.  

I can see running motor oil in a crank case on a 4 stroke if the oil also lubricated the crank, but on a two stroke, if ATF, chicken and noodle soup, or what ever else one could think of was the right stuff, you would think that your local MX shop would be stocking little white and red cans, or whatever the magic elixer of the day was.

For the few bucks extra for the oil designed for the application, compared to the cost of lunching (hey maybe that's what the soup is for??) a tranny, I'll stick with the right stuff.  As a note, once I switch to steel plates on the clutch pack, I have never had a problem with a tranny.  This includes the time my son lost his oil plug (brought the fresh motor straight from a shop to the race site the morning of the race, and prepped the bike really early in the morning before start time) on loop one at a National in Utah, and ran the second 40 miles without any oil.  Cleaned the tranny with solvent, let her dry, added some BelRay, and is still running great to this day, and that was more than 5 years ago.

Now if I could only figure out how to get a BPJ sandwich through that little hole, I'm sure my bike would go faster...

Rick

[ShanMan]

Last time I did an oil change I used Motul Two-Stroke crankcase oil (5W-30). I don't like it...I seem to get more false nuetrals than I did with whatever was in there previously (not sure, it was the previous owner's work). I will be interested to hear what you all are using.

[tomasaki]

I've been using Castrol Syntec 5W50 full synthetic.  I buy it in the gallon jug.  It cured the "catching neutral" problem I was having on my KDX220, so I used it in my KX500 also.  It seems to work great!!!  Next time I'm at Walmart, I'm getting a gallon of Rotella T synthetic.  It's only $12/gallon!!!  All synthetics are about the same anyway.  The cheapest full synthetic is way better than the most expensive conventional oil any day!!!   I use Mobil 1 MX2T full synthetic in the gas.  Full synthetic all the way!!!

[mikesmith]

I also use BelRay Gear Saver,I buy it in bulk to save a couple bucks.No complaints with it.

[Paul]

Well, I'll chime in here. I use Maxima MTL 85 Endurance in mine and have been very pleased. At $5.95 a litre it's like getting the 5th one free.

[EZ-Rider]

I usually run B&M trick shift but occasionaly if the store is out I run either a standard atf or Mobil 1 15/50.
In my bikes I get 0 slippage and effortless shifts which is something  didn't get from the Bel Ray. If you haven't experimented and your trans feels notchy it would be worth the couple of bucks to see if there is a difference.

[yzmike]

 Man, am I confused, I've never heard of such diverse opinions about gear fluids. I'm totally paranoid about the motor's lower end, so reading that the successful use of automotive products in a two stroke astonishes me. Can the Mobil 1 15/50 have enough shearing properties to engage clutch plates?  Can the ATF have enough emolients to adequently protect the gears? Tell me more.

[yzmike]

I just hopped over to the YZ 490 club messages, and they are discussing trans fluids also, the horror stories are painful to read.    Check out the site!!!  

[Hogwylde]

 Can the ATF have enough emolients to adequently protect the gears? Tell me more.

Well, think about what's IN an automatic transmission.  Slip clutches and gears.  The ATF has to have enough lubricating properties to properly lube all the gears and bearings in your auto tranny.  Plus, it has to properly lube the slip clutches and bands in the tranny that are effectively the gears.  It also functions as hydralic fluid to pressurize the various actuating devices in the tranny that make it function.  And.....how often do you change your auto tranny fluid??  50,000....100,000 miles....NEVER!  

Most automotive engine oils have additives that reduce friction.  These additives may tend to prevent the clutch from locking properly and may even induce slipping by reducing the friction between the plates and fiber discs.

I've had good results with ATF.

[sdkx500]

I use Maxima MTL 85 Endurance.  No problems at all

[GreenMachine]

I know you guys are going to think I am a nut, but here goes. My bike is an 89. It has had 4 pistons 16 rings,2 bottom ends. Up untill last august I rode twice a week and once on the weekends almost every week. I run nothing but 10/40 motor oil. used to be any motor oil, but for the last few years beel only castrol. Oh, btw I still have the original clutch in it. Don't believe me, I live on the out skirts of Phoenix and invite any one to come check it out. Oh I had to quit riding back in August cause after all the years of riding I finally blew up my knee. (Knee braces optional, I think not now.) But I am looking forward to getting to do some riding in the fall again. Maybe see some of you out there.
Later,
Jody

[Paul]

Hey, I live here also. We should hook up for a ride sometime

I know you guys are going to think I am a nut, but here goes. My bike is an 89. It has had 4 pistons 16 rings,2 bottom ends. Up untill last august I rode twice a week and once on the weekends almost every week. I run nothing but 10/40 motor oil. used to be any motor oil, but for the last few years beel only castrol. Oh, btw I still have the original clutch in it. Don't believe me, I live on the out skirts of Phoenix and invite any one to come check it out. Oh I had to quit riding back in August cause after all the years of riding I finally blew up my knee. (Knee braces optional, I think not now.) But I am looking forward to getting to do some riding in the fall again. Maybe see some of you out there.
Later,
Jody