KDXRIDER.NET

I know, it's been discussed several times, but I wanted to discuss oil options.

Like many here, I use the Mobil 1 15-50 "Red Cap". But I notice the manual calls for a 10-30 or 10-40 wt. oil for the application. So today, while at the local Kragen, I looked and sure enough, there is a Mobil 1 10-30 oil. (Mobil 1 is synthetic in case anyone didn't realize). I checked the lable to see if it had any friction modifiers. One didn't. It's labeled, "Extended Performance" and has the exact specs the red label does. It is fully synthetic and sells for a buck less than the same product with the friction modifiers in it, $3.99 per quart.

Anyone out there try this flavor of Mobil 1?

Anyone have an opinion for using or not using it?

I wonder if Mobil has a website that breaks down the ingredients that their various products contain? I am thinking more along the lines on an M.S.D.S. sheet and not sales propaganda. I’ll see what I can find and post any information.

I am open to trying the 10w-30. I change my trans oil regularly and it is getting to be a bit pricey.

IMO half of the trick is just keeping clean oil in the tranny. I ran 10w-30 Castrol GTX in my C Model’s (86 and 88) for 15 years. That’s what I was using in my cars at the time and I had a case around most of the time. I pulled the R/S case cover on the 88 after I sold it to my brother to replace a spring on the shift mechanism. I was pleased at how clean it was inside after all those years and miles.

I think that one contains friction modifiers and such wich is a no-no for wet clutches. Not SURE though.

I like to use cheap oil in my tranny. Rather change cheap regular oil every weekend, than run the same synthetic for a long time since it is so expensive.

I think it is better to change the oil five times as often for 1/5 the price than it is to change it 1/5 as often for five times the price.

Dirt bike oil often gets contaminated, and synthetic won't protect against that.

JMHO,
Phil

I'm changing my oil every other ride, say, every 100 miles or so. This Mobil 1 10-30 extended performance does not have friction modifiers, just like the redcap 15-50 doesn't. I'm wondering if there is any reason not to use it or if anyone else has tried it yet?

I agree with PhilJensen. I use 10w-30 conventional oil and it doesn't matter what brand. I change it often. The bike always shifts well with good clutch action. Don't waste your money on Mobil 1.

im with phil too on this i tried amsoil 20w50 in the 250 and it didnt like it . it did like plain old valvoline 20w50 tho. ill thro some valvo in after every other ride. clutch felt better with the valvo too. i wish valvoline made 2 stroke oil.

i wish valvoline made 2 stroke oil

They do. I tried it because Autozone was out of the Mobil MX2T. Too much spooge. It was cheap though.

I just bought som Modil MX2T at Kragen which had a boat load of the stuff. Is Mobil doing away with it? How about a report on the stuff? I hear it's good.

Mobil has discontinued the MX2T and has replaced it with the Racing 2T. What is the difference - it comes in a quart now instead of a pint, it has red dye in it and it costs a lilttle more. That's what I've come up with so far (after about 100 miles with it). The MX2T burned clean and run at 40:1 produced no appreciable spooge. So far the Racing 2T has performed the same. I haven't done a teardown yet, and probably won't until mid-summer so I can't vouch for it's claim of clean power valves and all but I can say that my bike sure feels a lot snappier running the Mobil than it did with the Golden Spectro I started out with and the Valvoline that I ran for a bit.

Thanks JD. I got it for $4.99 for a small red container. The oil is not dyed so I guess that's the origonal. I didn't see the "New" stuff there at Kragen. Glad to hear it's just a marketing repackage for the stuff. I haven't tried it yet but will when I go visit CC in a couple of weeks. That will be the next time I go a ridin'.

No friction modifiers = OK. No "Energy Conserving" on the lable = No friction modifiers. I went to AZ last week to pick up some mobil, but couldn't find any. Ended up running Valv Max-Life 10w30 Synthetic. Worked fine last weekend, and it's cheap.

I've gone to the mobil website to see what I could find about the "extended performance" flavor of Mobil 1.

http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/Motor ... mance.aspx

Even though the lable on the bottle of oil doesn't say it is energy conserving, I have a feeling there are fiction modifiers in there anyway. The site says,"Extended Performance is a new high-endurance motor oil with 36 percent more anti-wear additives and 37 percent more cleaning agents than current Mobil 1 formulations."
So if Mobil 1 has friction modifiers and Mobil1 extended performance has 36 % more anti-wear additives, then does that mean there is 36% more friction modifiers?!

I ran about 20 miles with the stuff in my bike and don't notice any slipping, but then with an auto-clutch, it might not be so easy to tell.

Also, the MX4T says it is specificly made for motorcycle engine/transmission/clutch combinations. "Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 engine oil provides excellent performance in motorcycle engines that are designed with a common engine/transmission lubrication system and is also designed to provide the proper frictional characteristics necessary for wet-clutch engine/transmission systems. "
Anyone try that oil in their KDX tranny?

Yep...That's the oil I was looking for at AZ. Been running MX4T for quite a while with excellent results. It's a touch expensive, but a synthetic specifially designed for wet-clutch bike transmissions. I don't know why they brand it '4-stroke' oil. Shooting theirselves in the foot concerning the avg consumer. I've never liked anything over 40wt...

They didn't carry it at my local store so that's when I had to find something that should work....I'm now thinking it was Advanced Auto Parts that I used to get the MX4T at...

I use Shell Rotella (or some such thing) in my gearbox because it's cheap so I don't flinch changing it every few rides. I think the stuff is designed for tractors. It doesn't have any friction modifiers, or much of any additives near as I can tell. It's a straight 40W.

Being an ex 125cc MXer I am a vicious and unapolagetic clutch abuser and everything is holding up quite well.

I have to agree with Phil, you're better off changing cheap stuff often than leaving good stuff in there too long.

I'll probably get flammed...but here goes. This is what I and several of my buddies have been running for the last 2 years:John Deere Hypoid Transmission Oil Seems to work well. I change it every two or three rides..approx. 80-100 miles. $10 per gallon...or $40 for 5 gal.

Later
Robb

skipro3, wsjkawasaki has a ...-08 current version of the service manual with 2005 model information in it. It recommends 10W-30 up to 86 degrees and 10W-40 for temperatures above that. I know our 1995 manuals (the original -01 versions) do not show that bit of information.

I think a fair range of brands and weights would work OK. Most everyone has their favorite it seems.

Indeed....I just try to go for the cheapest synthetic w/o firction modifiers. Never thought about Rotella!!

For a while the MX4T was the ONLY syn I could find w/o the 'energy conserving' label, and that's why I used it. There are a lot more options now...

Well, I've got a quart of the Mobil1 10-30 extended performance in right now. The lable does not indicate any friction modifiers, dispite what the website says about 36% more anti wear additives, unlike the regular Mobil1 which does have friction modifiers listed on their label.

I think I'll dump it into my pressure washer and stick a quart of he MX4T into it and see what that does to the auto clutch performance.

Personnally, I've always found the KDX clutch to be a bit grabby to begin with. It's always hard to start in gear and creeps even if the clutch and cable are set up perfect. My auto clutch doesn't do that anymore. Any gear, any time, one kick. Two if I'm recovering from a crash and the bike stayed tipped over for a while.

Sure, the oil brand and to a certain extent weight isn't too important with the KDX, it's just that I want to do right by my bike and get the best performance out of it. A few dollars for an oil that does that is worth the extra cost. IMO

Oh, and thanks Jason for the update to the viscosity vs. temperature range info. I'll make a note in my shop manual(s).

No problem.

Ive been running valvoline high mile atf fluid for the last year. Had no problems at all and it solved what I think was a crankseal leak. I noticed that my xmsn fluid would be low after 10 or 15 miles of riding. I started using the atf fluid and the seal conditioners in the atf fluid sealed whatever leak that was in the xmsn. I can always start in gear, & the clutch is never grabby.