Question on driveshaft lube or oil?

[dolphans1]

I have a question about changing the motor oil on my 1979 XS Special.

1) Is the regular engine oil separate from the case for the clutch?

Can you use synthetic?

2) The drive shaft oil or lube, how do you change and flush it? and what weight of oil does one use for that?

3) Also, I am a big fan of sea-foam for fuel additive, does anyone recommend to use with crankcase oil for engine flush?

Thanks,

[skids]

I have a question about changing the motor oil on my 1979 XS Special.
1) Is the regular engine oil separate from the case for the clutch?
Can you use synthetic?
2) The drive shaft oil or lube, how do you change and flush it? and what weight of oil does one use for that?
3) Also, I am a big fan of sea-foam for fuel additive, does anyone recommend to use with crankcase oil for engine flush?
Thanks,

1)No. Synthetic is not as good as dino juice or synthetic blend, IMO. Never use oil with friction modifiers.
2)Drive shaft is greased. Zerk is above the shaft near the final drive.
3)Several people have used it for crankcase but only 20 minutes (?) or so.

[skids]

PS, Middle and final drive oil is hypoid, or 75w120 oil. It has been said that the drive shaft spine must be lubed by removing the final drive to ensure that grease gets in there. Personally, I have not had a problem with it by squirting a lot of grease into the zerk.

[motoman]

PS, Middle and final drive oil is hypoid, or 75w120 oil. It has been said that the drive shaft spine must be lubed by removing the final drive to ensure that grease gets in there. Personally, I have not had a problem with it by squirting a lot of grease into the zerk.

Using the zerk has also worked for me since buying the bike new.

[jetmechmarty]

Check the book, but I'm pretty sure 75W90 goes into the middle and final drives. I'm using Royal Purple synthetic 75W140 for several years now.

20W50 motorcycle oil in the crankcase is safe. Even synthetic motorcycle oil has worked fine for me. The best oil is clean and slippery, with no friction modifiers to mess with your clutch.

[dolphans1]

Thanks I will, what is a Zwerk.

d-1

[bikerphil]

A Zerk is a fitting where grease is added.

[skids]

A Zerk is a fitting where grease is added.

A greezy nipple.

[Rasputin]

Sorry Skids but "2)Drive shaft is greased. Zerk is above the shaft near the final drive." is about the poorest response to this problem. You can grease this fitting until your arm falls off and you will do no good. All it will do is fill the tube the driveshaft is in.

[motoman]

Sorry Skids but "2)Drive shaft is greased. Zerk is above the shaft near the final drive." is about the poorest response to this problem. You can grease this fitting until your arm falls off and you will do no good. All it will do is fill the tube the driveshaft is in.

Well, thirty pumps from a grease gun every oil change has worked for me since buying bike new in 81'. That equals 2oz. of lube as suggested in original owners manual. That housing and shaft tube has gotten so full over the decades, that now greasing that zerk causes grease to come out around the final drive mounting surface. Final drive, if greased using zerk every oil change will NEVER have to be removed to grease splines. This HAS been proven by CZap and I a few yrs. back. Caption Zap may chime in verifying and explaining how location and angle of grease zerk MORE than lubricates those splines!

[skids]

Sorry Skids but "2)Drive shaft is greased. Zerk is above the shaft near the final drive." is about the poorest response to this problem. You can grease this fitting until your arm falls off and you will do no good. All it will do is fill the tube the driveshaft is in.

The zerk is a stupid location that looks like an afterthought. I shoot lots of grease when I lube it, and I have separated the works only to find that the spines are well lubed and in good shape.

[red bandit]

30 pumps of grease???? I think there is your answer. Poor design. MHO.

[Radioguylogs]

Zerks Work

I bought an SG with 40k miles, and the PO had thankfully used the Zerk fitting:

http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/Ra...swbt4.jpg.html




The splines looked like new:

http://s1346.photobucket.com/user/Ra...olxef.jpg.html



(Hope you got your Photobucket fix working)

[dolphans1]

Thanks guys and I will look for the zerk.

[motoman]

30 pumps of grease???? I think there is your answer. Poor design. MHO.

Actually, 30 pumps with my grease-gun IS a measured 2oz......which is what original owners manual states should be pumped into those splines at each oil change. Final drive has NEVER been off from when new, some 36yrs. ago. Miles on bike now stands at 83,000mi.