KTM Engine/Gearbox Oil?

[Glenn ShawMember]

will do moto

and will keep the VMX in mind if I dont like the Dextron

[Paul BaylyMember]

Dudes,

Sorry to kick a dead horse with this thread…

I think you’ll find that Rotella is the same stuff as Caltex (not castrol)Delo 400 here in Oz. I see there’s a new version of Delo called ‘gold’ but unsure whether it has any additives that might not agree with a wet clutch.

I’ve run Delo 400 in a bunch of different stuff (Alfa 4cyl, WR426, Trucks, Mowers) and don’t doubt its lubrication abilities one bit. Unsure whether it would affect dyno figures, but I don’t really give a toss as I don’t spend much time at the pub pissing in people’s pockets these days :laugh: Delo is also kind to bike clutches (lots of tractors run wet clutches too)and the WR426 never had a problem running Delo.

After all that, I’m going to try ATF in the 300:blink:

[GregMember]

Sorry Beatle but I cant help but feel that auto fluid is for automatic transmissions, do you know how an auto works and why that fluid suits its use. Cant help for mind that the manufacturer in this case KTM would have a recommendation that in their testing would give you good life and service from their / your gearbox thus making you happy, telling your friends earning their (KTM) product a good name and thus selling more bikes?

Everyone I know that uses ATF uses it in little katos (like an auto) or they run it in bigger bikes and change it all the time, take into account your time and the amount used changing it with more regularity I feel would be as expense

I work for a major engine manufacturer and we recommend you run a certain grade depending on which engine as we want it to live as long as it can, we have our own oil but bottom line is we need the grade of oil to be used

Just my thoughts
TB

[DavidMember]

Trailboss wrote:

Quote:

Sorry Beatle but I cant help but feel that auto fluid is for automatic transmissions, do you know how an auto works and why that fluid suits its use. Cant help for mind that the manufacturer in this case KTM would have a recommendation that in their testing would give you good life and service from their / your gearbox thus making you happy, telling your friends earning their (KTM) product a good name and thus selling more bikes?

Everyone I know that uses ATF uses it in little katos (like an auto) or they run it in bigger bikes and change it all the time, take into account your time and the amount used changing it with more regularity I feel would be as expense

I am just not hip with this being an expense TB, the way I look at it , it is a Mechanical luxury for the machine, changing oil more regular than usual, always flushing out unwanted contaminants, playing with my baby bikes, I dont think of this as an expense just a luxury for my bike’s drive train, and I love my bikes

I work for a major engine manufacturer and we recommend you run a certain grade depending on which engine as we want it to live as long as it can, we have our own oil but bottom line is we need the grade of oil to be used

Just my thoughts
TB

Mate all the rest I agree with completely

[DeanMember]

Beatle, I was using Motorex 2t gearbox oil in the Gasser when it went Bang!! Not saying it was the oils fault but that was what was in it at $24 a litre:ohmy: after the rebuild I tried Dex III auto trans oil. It went sweet,no notchiness in the gears,clutch didnt squeal,started easily in gear and generally felt great. I changed it after probably 4 rides and it came out clean with no metal on the magnetic sump plug. I then changed the oil to another Fully synthetic 2t Gearbox oil,and I am not real happy with it,gears are notchier and it has contaminated after 5 good rides.

Next change will be back to the Dex III for sure.

My 2 bobs worth

OllieB)

[alanMember]

why not use two stroke gear box oil in the gearbox of a two stroke i found the silkalene brand stuff good in my old cr but as TB said you should use what the manufacturer recommend grade etc

[DeanMember]

white rocket wrote:

Quote:

why not use two stroke gear box oil in the gearbox of a two stroke i found the silkalene brand stuff good in my old cr but as TB said you should use what the manufacturer recommend grade etc

tried it,bike didnt like it.Dex 3 for me babyB)

[Paul BaylyMember]

Thanks for the concern TB and your objections are noted for the record I too work for a major engine manufacturer, though I don’t deal with pistons real often….

I have an idea how an auto transmission works. Sure, ATF is closer to hydraulic fluid in makeup than it is to engine oil. However, there are a few modern manual transmissions that run ATF in the gearbox, and these vehicles output plenty more torque than your average 2T dirtbike.

I have no faith in the factory recommendation because I’ve seen a factory explanation for the use of Motorex 15W50 oil and they say it’s due to the low ambient temps experienced in Australia. Maybe they meant Austria, but the response was in English. I can’t see how a lightweight wet clutch gearbox is supposed to operate efficiently with a 50W oil.

And, I never said I was going to change the ATF more often. If I leave it in there it will turn into 50W eventually 😆

PS: I just looked through the stuff that came with the bike and it seems the PO used Silkolene ‘Light’. So I might just go with that and see what transpires.

[Bruce CurtisMember]

I used to think as TB does, worried about shear and bearing lubrication in the box, while gearboxes don’t generally get the high temp issues the internal combustion prtion of the drive unit does, they have every other sort of pressure influencing the oil makeup, however I have found that there are two gearbox oils I prefer over the others, both lightweight and thin/low viscosity rating.

Mobil 2T light gear oil
Dextron III

I’m running Shell motorcycle gear oil at the moment, and it’s not a great oil for shifting, took 4/5 rides for the notchiness to subside to tolerable levels, false neutrals everywhere, so It’s back to either the Mobil or DexIII.

Me again

[Anonymous]

beatle wrote:

Quote:

Thanks for the concern TB and your objections are noted for the record I too work for a major engine manufacturer, though I don’t deal with pistons real often….

I have an idea how an auto transmission works. Sure, ATF is closer to hydraulic fluid in makeup than it is to engine oil. However, there are a few modern manual transmissions that run ATF in the gearbox, and these vehicles output plenty more torque than your average 2T dirtbike.

I have no faith in the factory recommendation because I’ve seen a factory explanation for the use of Motorex 15W50 oil and they say it’s due to the low ambient temps experienced in Australia. Maybe they meant Austria, but the response was in English. I can’t see how a lightweight wet clutch gearbox is supposed to operate efficiently with a 50W oil.

And, I never said I was going to change the ATF more often. If I leave it in there it will turn into 50W eventually 😆

PS: I just looked through the stuff that came with the bike and it seems the PO used Silkolene ‘Light’. So I might just go with that and see what transpires.

I like you more and more Beatle

I rode with aguy from another webiste (that shall not be named :laugh:) a couple of times and he used ATF in his KTM 300. It had notched just over 4,000 Km’s and he said he’d used it from day one as that what he used in his 05 KTM without issues for the whole time he owned.

[GregMember]

Look I only offered an opinion after it was asked Beatle and why I had that opinion, use whatever you want I dont care but having just read your reply Beatle I thought it was a touch hard cause like I said you asked peoples opinions :blink:

Good luck with whatever you use mate

TB

[drewMember]

my 2c beatle, i had an 03 300 kato, i run penrite enduro in the g/box, had no issues .

i run it in all my bikes, current 02 640 and a 2000 M600, even my old mans yami ag 200.

the penrite is not the cheapest but @ $38.00 for 4L it’s not the dearest either.

i tend to agree with TB on ATF in a manual box, :ohmy: 😆

however the ford guys run a small amount of ATF in the old 4spd it aids with smoother shifts.

but a late model motorcycle box is far from a single rail or toploader!

[Bruce CurtisMember]

I don’t think DXIII has anywhere near the lubrication properties of dedicated gear oil, and as T/B stated all of us who have run it change it frequently, probably every 2-3 rides, whereas dedicated gear oil would go all year and be changed at coolant time.
Another point is what type of bike, my choice of off-road bike is light, turns on a dime, with instant “hit”, not a huge amount of torque to wind up the gearbox, or to cause “gear-climb”, therefore the oil shear issues are lesser than say a hussie 570 or tt600, in my style of bike I can get away with a light “slippery oil” but if I was running a big-bore 4T I’d be using a good quality mainstream lubricant. Now having said all that my old kato 300 disliked the ATF, but loved the Mobil light.

Horses for tracks methinks.

Now T/B what’s your next bike gunna be?, and got the M/cyl all good, fitted it up last night, thanks mate absolutely tops.

Now let’s talk brake fluids…..

BC

[DavidMember]

Mr Blue wrote:

Quote:

I don’t think DXIII has anywhere near the lubrication properties of dedicated gear oil, and as T/B stated all of us who have run it change it frequently, probably every 2-3 rides, whereas dedicated gear oil would go all year and be changed at coolant time.

Thats just the problem there Mate, all year on one gearbox oil change, does it come out as grease to be then used for the headset lube???…..Mental note dont buy your secondhand bikes:huh:
Another point is what type of bike, my choice of off-road bike is light, turns on a dime, with instant “hit”, not a huge amount of torque to wind up the gearbox, or to cause “gear-climb”, therefore the oil shear issues are lesser than say a hussie 570 or tt600, in my style of bike I can get away with a light “slippery oil” but if I was running a big-bore 4T I’d be using a good quality mainstream lubricant. Now having said all that my old kato 300 disliked the ATF, but loved the Mobil light.

Horses for tracks methinks.

Now T/B what’s your next bike gunna be?, and got the M/cyl all good, fitted it up last night, thanks mate absolutely tops.

Now let’s talk brake fluids…..

BC

Sorry Mr Blue, I just dont agree with the logic there Mate:dry: :unsure: :huh:

[Bruce CurtisMember]

Mr Rat, dissention is good, it’sd where good ideas are born, and I was probably exagerating about all year, depends on how many rides I do, but 10-12 medium rides on gearbox oil, would be rule of thumb, this year that would be about my total so far.

And logic, who’s using logic, I just do stuff cause some bloke at the pub told me to….

PS graphics came up great ta for that Bud.

BC

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