Tranny oil weights....
  • Mtngoat00
    Posts: 21
    Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:55 pm

    Tranny oil weights....

    by Mtngoat00 » Tue Jun 27, 2017 7:16 am

    Hi Mr. Dirt,

    I am wondering about the weight of tranny oil I should be using. Honda calls for 10-40w but I have seen some posts on other forums that seem to indicate people are using 60 to 80w in their tranny. Is there any reason why? Is it better to use one over the other? Is running a heavier oil harmful?

    Thanks for your reply,

    Robert
    2016 CRF 250x
  • User avatar
    crfsonly
    Owner
    Posts: 9651
    Joined: Thu Apr 01, 2004 3:45 pm

    Re: Tranny oil weights....

    by crfsonly » Wed Jun 28, 2017 2:48 pm

    I know you are as Jim's opinion but seeing as he has not jumped in I'll do my best to answer your question. You can never go wrong using the Honda oil recommendations. So, keep that in mind. Honda knows these engines and understands the oils required to keep them running at the their best. Having said that many stray from the Honda recommendations for all kinds of reasons. Some of these reasons are sound and are based on a good understanding of oil properties and the requirements of these engines. These individuals typically do their own research and make their choice based on facts and their own knowledge and experience. Others do not have this knowledge or experience nor do they do any real research. Sure they will Google the topic and read a few post perhaps but that's not different than having the expertise, experience and conducting actual research. The only oil recommendations we here at CRF's Only will officially make are those found in the Owner's Manuals of each CRF model. If we are asked what oil we use in our own personal bikes, well that's a different question and will yield a different answer. However, we would have no issue whatsoever with using oils meeting the Honda specifications and yes even the Honda brand. We've done both and will again in the future. However, most of the time we are using oils that are not specifically meeting the Honda specifications as called out in the Owner's Manual.

    To your question, there's no reason to run oil in your transmission with viscosity values of 60w to 80w. That's not to say it will damage anything or on the other end extend the life of the transmission. We have never run these oils and have never had any transmission or oil related issue.

    Ken
    OEM Parts for Honda - Yamaha - Suzuki - Kawasaki: http://yeltrik.com
    _________________
    CRF Parts and Accessories: http://crfsonly.com
  • User avatar
    JimDirt
    Posts: 4406
    Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 6:31 pm

    Re: Tranny oil weights....

    by JimDirt » Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:44 pm

    Pretty much as Ken said (since he is the owner of this site , if he recommends something , i would tend to follow his suggestions) , and i am just like you and many others here , just a enthusiast with a somewhat extensive mechanical background who happens to have a lot of free time on my hands , so i hang out here because i like the people and atmosphere , and the quality of the experience i have had for the 11 years i have participated in these forums , ............. but anyway , oil is like beauty , its in the eye of the beholder , what oils one person uses or likes may not be suitable for riding conditions of another rider , or some people are just brand specific and choose based on what everyone else uses or what is locally and readily available ....

    That said , what Honda recommends is usually based on meticulous testing and research , but as Ken mentioned , some of us stray from that , but usually only slightly , I personally use Rotella T Full Synthetic 5-W40 , and/or Amsoil (full synthetic) 10/40 Off-Road in both engine side and tranny side , I am also looking into Maxima (full synthetic) , but have not tried it yet , as i do like to research things before submitting my engine to a product i know nothing about , personally , the main concerns you need to worry about is compatibility with your wet clutch by meeting the JASO MA guidelines for use with a "Wet Clutch" , not viscosity so much , since most people with these bikes change their oil frequently enough , the oil will never have enough run time to actually break down to the point is is allowing excessive wear to occur , so the thicker oil is really unnecessary for its intended purpose , .... what most of us do , is run a full quart in the tranny side , as the space is tight around the gears , so if you do desert or any sustained 4th-5th gear riding , it has a tendency to evacuate the oil galley surrounding the gears , sometimes causing a catastrophic failure of the transmission , ...that said , its rare to happen now days , as mentioned , most of us run a full qt . in the tranny side , which keeps the gears and bearings well lubricated , its cheap insurance and you stay within the Honda recommendations ..... we always run the recommended amount in the engine side

    The only thing i could think of gaining with a thicker viscosity oil is maybe a cooling effect which as mentioned , people that do use it are either street riding or doing Supermoto or the like , ....What advantages are gained from a thicker oil are purely speculation at this point , as i am sure Honda has tried them , and came to the conclusion that the recommend viscosity is sufficient for most every circumstance you would encounter while riding

    Hopefully between the 2 of us that gave you more insight as to what to do...... ;)

    If not , then ask away...... 8-[
    Last edited by JimDirt on Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
    2020 CRF450R
    2006 CRF450X
    Image
    Weiser , Idaho
  • Mtngoat00
    Posts: 21
    Joined: Sat Apr 16, 2016 9:55 pm

    Re: Tranny oil weights....

    by Mtngoat00 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 4:09 pm

    Hi Guys, thanks for the replies....Great info and I appreciate your knowledge and time in responding. R

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests