A better Transmission Fluid?
Road Captain
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 506
Likes: 82
From: Southern NH
Ask ten people what they use you'll get ten opinions. Then everyone tells you "I use this and it works great". Works great? What does that mean?
I've tried ATF, Spectro, Syn-3 and Mobil-1. I've used 75w90 and 75w140. You know what? I still have the clunk shifting into first. That's what Harleys do. Furthermore, with each fluid my tranny shifted through the gears. No better no worse. It shifted just the same. I'm inclined to believe that people feel one fluid is better than the other because of the power of suggestion.
Follow these rules:
1. Choose a fluid and try it.
2. If you don't like it choose a different fluid and try it.
3. Repeat rule 2.
What one person likes another won't.
I've tried ATF, Spectro, Syn-3 and Mobil-1. I've used 75w90 and 75w140. You know what? I still have the clunk shifting into first. That's what Harleys do. Furthermore, with each fluid my tranny shifted through the gears. No better no worse. It shifted just the same. I'm inclined to believe that people feel one fluid is better than the other because of the power of suggestion.
Follow these rules:
1. Choose a fluid and try it.
2. If you don't like it choose a different fluid and try it.
3. Repeat rule 2.
What one person likes another won't.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 504
Likes: 192
From: Atlanta
Saying that one fluid works no better than the next is total garbage and shows complete lack of knowledge on the subject. I'm not going to go into details about the differences because I feel like I'd be wasting my time with you. Do some research. It goes a long way. Speak with multiple auto and bike mechanics. Just because you THINK something isn't working any better than the next, doesn't mean it's true.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,440
Likes: 148
From: Northwest
[QUOTE=rossWG;17446264]for that 1st gear clunk when cold at 2:10 on the link below, the guy spends a minute on his views for a fix, when you change a clutch
/QUOTE]
Only thing of note out of that 6+ minutes is soaking the plates... otherwise standard 'buy this SE stuff that should have come on your $30K plus bike in the first place' tirade. No reflection on you Ross... that's the one thing that torques my jaw about the MoCo.
/QUOTE]
Only thing of note out of that 6+ minutes is soaking the plates... otherwise standard 'buy this SE stuff that should have come on your $30K plus bike in the first place' tirade. No reflection on you Ross... that's the one thing that torques my jaw about the MoCo.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 506
Likes: 82
From: Southern NH
whew...he hit a nerve!! I too think the debate over fluids is slightly exaggerated. All those being used/mentioned are fine, Im sure. But is there any real data that says that a transmission showed more/less signs of wear with fluid A vs fluid B, or one caused a catastrophic failure and one didnt ? People swear by a fluid they are happy with, great, but Im not sure there has been any real testing to show Mobil 1 is better than Sync3. Buy good stuff.....be happy.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 13,092
Likes: 13,022
From: Texas, USA
For my 2016 I'd like to improve the shifting and eliminate the first gear clunk. I'm not sure whether to use GEAR OIL SYNTHETIC 75W-140, GEAR OIL SYNTHETIC 75W-90. I'm assuming that it was using Harley Davidson Formula + Transmission and Primary Chaincase Lubricant. I got the bike new. The manual says use either Harley Davidson Formula + Transmission and Primary Chaincase Lubricant or sync3. I'm not all for putting motor oil in my transmission.
Saying that one fluid works no better than the next is total garbage and shows complete lack of knowledge on the subject. I'm not going to go into details about the differences because I feel like I'd be wasting my time with you. Do some research. It goes a long way. Speak with multiple auto and bike mechanics. Just because you THINK something isn't working any better than the next, doesn't mean it's true.
Ya I didn't mean to come across as a jerk. It wasn't my intention. I will say that there in fact has been countless studies done on the difference between synthetic and standard fluids. Time and time again it's been proven that synthetic shows significanly less wear on high heat mechanical parts. It disapates heat much better than the standard
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Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 43
Likes: 4
From: Mantua NJ
Very simple if you do not like the first gear clunk,even when cold,hold clutch lever in for 10-15 seconds when in neutral then grab 1st I dont care what oil your using clunk gone. I am using Delvac 1300 15/40 in primary, redline in tranny.
Keith
Keith
Novice
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
From: Southwest Colorado
Owned my 2000 EG for 17 years and have always had the first gear clunk. Finding neutral is sometimes tricky but I found if I get up to about 1500 rpm's, finding neutral is much easier. Works for me.