Oil Type?

[ddragon63]

The v-twins, Harley particularly, has a separate wet clutch from the oil run in the engine. Engine oil is completely separate from the clutch oil so you can run 2 different types.

Don't know about others.

victory, kawi, suzuki, and Yamaha all use a wet clutch married tranny in their v-twins. I think the new Harley Evo motors do also. Even Ducati's with dry clutch use a married tranny. best of my knowledge HD is the only one still using the divorced tranny

[BA80]

The guys at the local Yamaha Shop suggested Yamalube Perfomance Semi-Synthetic SAE 10W-50. Took it for a ride tonight and the clutch is slipping. This bike has been garaged since 1998. Any suggestions as to the right oil type? Is this Semi-Syn Okay?

If it's been sitting that long go ahead and replace the clutch springs. They have been sitting compressed for 14 years and more than likely are weak.

The springs are a quick, easy, cheap fix. Costs less than an oil change and only takes a little bit longer.

It would be the first thing I would try knowing what I do about these old clutches.

PM me and I'll give you a link for the correct springs.

[ddragon63]

If it's been sitting that long go ahead and replace the clutch springs. They have been sitting compressed for 14 years and more than likely are weak.

The springs are a quick, easy, cheap fix. Costs less than an oil change and only takes a little bit longer.

It would be the first thing I would try knowing what I do about these old clutches.

PM me and I'll give you a link for the correct springs.

I was just gonna mention we've wandered down another bunny trail and need to get back on subject... ya beat me to it Greg

I never thought about the springs... I was just wondering maybe the frictions may have dried out from sitting? the semi-syn is too slippery to get them to soak it up and cause cohesion maybe? maybe let it idle a while with the clutch handle taped to the grip? see if it can get some oil to get back where it needs to go. I really don't know much about the Yama-lube oils. Just looked it up on the interweb... seems to be packaged more towards dirt bikes. but don't see why it wouldn't work right in an XS motor.. Dirt bike clutches are still pretty archaic compared to they're modern street bike brethren. here the link http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outdoor/...54/detail.aspx

[alaskaxj11]

Thanks Guys

Yes, we rarely get above 70 degree (3 days last summer). Most of my rides are in the 50s and 60s with an occasional 20 degree day so long as the pavement is dry.

Thanks for the synthetic/semi synthetic/non synthetic discussion. I filled the case tonight, fired her up and watched oil drip out of the air filter housing. Must be sucking it out of the crankcase. I am about to pull the filter housing out and pitch it. Any thoughts on that? I see some rigs with individual air filters on each carb.

Why would I be pulling oil into the filter housing?

[hamjam]

ya know I have a Haynes , an owners and the factory manuals and nowhere can I find 20/50 oil mentioned ...anywhere 10/30 and 20/40 yes but not 20 /50 where is this coming from??
curious in Canada

[ddragon63]

ya know I have a Haynes , an owners and the factory manuals and nowhere can I find 20/50 oil mentioned ...anywhere 10/30 and 20/40 yes but not 20 /50 where is this coming from??
curious in Canada

as 20w-40 is not a weight of oil available most places, it has been common place to use 20w-50 in replacement of this... personally I've never seen 20w-40 on a shelf in any motorcycle shop. its just not that common of a weight anymore. The only reason bike shops really carry 20w-50 anymore is for the v-twins. Most modern water cooled bike call for 10w-40... although most of my buddies use 20w-50 in their water cooled v-twins as they pound alot of hard fast miles on them riding 2 up. the only reason my buddy (who owns the bike shop i frequent) carries 20w-50 in something other than v-twin oil is for me. he normal has 2 gallons of castrol act-evo x-tra on the shelf, and maybe a couple stray quarts of some regular mineral based. everything else on the shelf is 10w-30 and 10w-40 in every flavor you would like

[natemoen]

I am betting you had the bike on the sidestand when you filled it with oil and filled it up to the full mark on the sight glass didn't you. If so, you WAY over filled it. The bike needs to be on the center stand or held upright if you don't have a center stand.

When over filled it will suck the extra oil up and it then dumps it into the airbox.

[Mississippi]

Oil

Two years ago I was at the Daytona Yamaha display tent by the speedway and they had a big display of Yamaha oil and other products. There was a Yamaha engineer there answering questions. I asked why Yanaha had stopped providing the 20W 40 weight oil and told him my XS1100's, Roadstar and Roadliner recommend this weight in the owners manuals. His reply was that Yamaha now recommends the 20W 50 oil for all of the engines that had the 20W 40 recommendations. I have been using 20W 50 since then and cannot tell any difference.

[trbig]

Just about to go on a trip and went to Wally World to buy some oil. There wasn't a drop of 20/50 in the store from any major brand, but there was a couple jugs of Walmarts generic stuff. Anyone else run this stuff? Gonna try it for the trip. I called Oreillys and they wanted $25 for a 5 quart jug. I got 2 jugs (10 qts) of the Walmart stuff for less than that. The back of the jug says it exceeds every car maker's warranty recommendations?? It is a lighter/less dark color pouring it in than Castrol.

I don't plan on sticking with it from now on, but was just wondering.

[natemoen]

I have been using the walmart stuff. Never had any problems or clutch slip that I could clam on oil.

[bikerphil]

Tod, I've used that WM generic 20W50 for about 50K (both bikes) changing it every 3K with no problems so far.