What did you do to your bike today?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Scott,

I use ATF also, but I vaguely remember it being suggested to use DEXRON vs. the Ford version, can't recall WHY, so I use Dexron III. As to Brant's statement about it airating more??? Tranny fluid as you eluded to operates under fairly high temps, and is supposed to be designed to NOT foam under those stresses....otherwise the torque converter wouldn't work would it!? It's also fairly high detergent, so I think it can either stay cleaner longer?
YMMV.

T.C.

[BA80]

Hey Scott,

It's also fairly high detergent, so I think it can either stay cleaner longer?
YMMV.

T.C.

Also eat at seals that aren't designed to withstand it. Detergent is kinda tough on seals.

[3Phase]

I honestly don't know about transmission fluid in our forks, there are too many types and viscosities and formulas, especially the new synthetic stuff. None of it should foam unless you try doing motocross and 'airing' out 85ft. table-tops.

The really new formulas may not even contain any oil, they're a bunch of chemicals designed to work in specific manufacturers' transmissions and they aren't general-purpose hydraulic fluids.

In a pinch, I'd go to the dealer and buy fork oil before using modern ATF.

[Bonz]

The good-old dexron II/III is what I'm talking about. Not those Universal ones that cover all ranges and types of vehicles nowadays.

It is ready it available and I don't buy any of this stuff about aeration because of transmission cannot get air in it for it to work. And the detergents are no different than when this was specified for forks for bikes in the 80s. I'm good to go, and tickled "pink" (or red) for it.

I have seen a study that compared all the fork oils and different fluids and ATF is a 10 weight fluid and there is no downside to using that in our Forks. So many old Japanese bikes used it and to think our forks and seals are any different than Honda or Suzuki or Kawasaki is silly.

Just like guys swear synthetic oil is a waste of money, I think fork oil is a waste of money. The only reason I would use Boutique brand fork oil is if I needed a heavier weight than what ATF provides.

[3Phase]

Bonz, the Dexron patent and license are dead but use it while you can for your forks. Like Ford Type H and Type A, they're not just pining for the Fords, they are an ex-fluid.

And synthetic oil is a waste of money in an XS/XJ engine.

When we did the Durango rally in 2011, I used up my Redline 10W-40 stash to fill Columbo for the long, hot, trip through the Navajo Desert and I brought my last three quarts along as spares. That was after 50 or 60K on the rebuilt engine and clutch with the '750 drive and running on whatever flavor of dino HDEO was on sale at Wallyworld. I think it was also the trip that did in my first '750 drive.

The clutch didn't slip at all, not even once and that included some extreme pulls with a full load of luggage and a lot of high speed runs. I finally had to replace the clutch when I got back from the XSSE rally (2014?) after I quite literally burned it up using it like a torque converter but that was a couple of years later and it was a completely deliberate act.

If your clutch slips when you add synthetic oil then your clutch is failing.

Fix it.

New Yamaha clutch plates are ~$80 for eight plates, Barnett springs are ~$20.

Switching back to dino squeezins' may seem to fix the slip but it's still slipping, just not noticeably. Wet clutches are designed to slip and just dump the little bit of extra waste heat from minor slippage into the engine oil. You won't notice it and it'll run like that for years, maybe decades before it gets noticeable again and you replace it.

The clutch handled the really-synthetic synthetic Redline oil but what about the engine? Man! It absolutely loved it! Columbo guzzled down two quarts from my traveling stash before we reached Flagstaff on the first night and gulped the last quart going through the desert. That was close to a hundred dollars of oil before I reached Durango. Yes, the power was great and the engine had no problem with the desert heat and heavy load but neither did any of the other bikes using $10/gallon mineral oil.

Even assuming the Redline folks were correct and oil consumption would have decreased after a few more hundred-dollar oil changes and gotten under control, there's still the short oil change interval. Buying synthetic oil for an XS/XJ11 isn't like buying gold bathroom fixtures, it's like buying gold toilet paper!

[Bonz]

I like the gold bathroom fixture analogy.

[CaptonZap]

One more, anyone ever put a grease nipple in the neck and pumped the neck full of grease to lube the steering head bearings ?

The BSA bikes in the late 50's had a Zerk on the head, which would take half a big tube of grease to fill up. And then, when you wanted to check the bearings, you would have to contend with it all. Better to use some Moly wheel bearing grease on the bearings, and NEVER submerge the bike in water deep enough to get water in there.

CZ

[donebysunday]

The BSA bikes in the late 50's had a Zerk on the head, which would take half a big tube of grease to fill up. And then, when you wanted to check the bearings, you would have to contend with it all. Better to use some Moly wheel bearing grease on the bearings, and NEVER submerge the bike in water deep enough to get water in there.

CZ

CAPTON , I do use marine grease in the steering head bearings and other points of interest, swing arm and FD splines to mention a few more.
Tell me please, how did you know ? ? ?

[CaptonZap]

CAPTON , I do use marine grease in the steering head bearings and other points of interest, swing arm and FD splines to mention a few more.
Tell me please, how did you know ? ? ?

You cheese heads have strange ways, and I've heard tales.

CZ

[donebysunday]

Yah dats what we do ir in cheeselan

[Solonys]

What I did today: Brought her home!

Then changed the oil and plugs, and realized that the plug boots are garbage, and the cam tensioner was leaking

I also disassembled the Fair Warning fuzzbuster that came with my Windjammer so I can re-use the plate for something else

[gareth]

Bonz, the Dexron patent and license are dead but use it while you can for your forks. Like Ford Type H and Type A, they're not just pining for the Fords, they an ex-fluid

Lovely plumage, though...

[3Phase]

Lovely plumage, though...

Yeah, now the licensing is gone, "They" can put whatever red stuff suits the bottom line in a bottle and someone will buy it. It's really not all that critical for motorcycle forks and shock absorbers but car and light truck transmissions and power steering will self-destruct if it's wrong.

[puskrat]

Yesterday....assembled sealed beam into bucket. Now when I get the valves valved I can drive Dora home and get her out of my workplace. Boss Happy, Body shop manager happy, Dora happy, Puskrat happy.

[3Phase]

Yesterday....assembled sealed beam into bucket. Now when I get the valves valved I can drive Dora home and get her out of my workplace. Boss Happy, Body shop manager happy, Dora happy, Puskrat happy.

Way to go, that's sticking with it. Now just take your time checking and setting the valve clearances and you'll be stylin'!