I recently had a thread about a noise that has developed after having a leaking inner primary seal replaced and a new primary chain tensioner. The shop filled the primary with Syn 3, which I didn't request and don't really care either way, but would like to verify it as either the source of the new noise or remove it from the short list. I've always run the OEM Formula + Primary & Transmission lubricant and have only put maybe 300 mikes on the bike since the Syn 3 fill. Any concerns about draining it and refilling it with Formula +?

And if that is not the source of the noise, any big deal about maybe switching back at some point to the Syn 3?

Thanks.

 

You can drain and swap fluids anytime wont hurt a thing.

 

on a "pull the plug" drain, you can expect to get about 38 oz of the 45 oz capacity out.


with bike on jiffy stand, let drain over night.

put a zip tie on the clutch lever to allow the plates/disks to separate and the held fluid to drain.

in the morning start and run the bike briefly to spin out anymore fluid from the clutch basket.

that'll get most of it out.

some will be held in the clutch disks, but they are probably full of your original fluid.

check fill level visually as in your manual....the closer you get to 45 OZ, the more you have managed to drain.


a possible drawback of changing fluids around is if the old and new fluids are not compatible...a fluid drain may retain 7 oz or so of the old fluid and the friction disks absorb and retain fluid...if your 2 fluids are not compatible you can have funny results



mike

 

Wise move going back to Formula +, it cured all the nasty sounding noises coming from my '14 Limited in the primary at idle. I will not put Syn 3 into a late model primary again. Easy drain as detailed above. 38 oz of fluid if not removing the primary cover.

 

Switching won't hurt anything. I'm not sure switching oils can have an effect on noise in the primary, but I have found they do have an effect on the feel of the clutch. However, that is a personal thing , not a performance issue.

Beary

 

I went to Spectro from Syn3 and the clutch engages much better now.

 

^^^^^X2^^^^^

 

I've switched brands, I've used one brand for 1 qt and another brand for the 6oz to complete the fill, I have NEVER noticed any difference.

 

after the 1k service on my bike (covered by my dealer) where they switched to Syn3, I thought they had done something wrong to the bike. New noises and vibrations I had never felt before. I believe it is the synthetic. At about 3k RPM I get weird pulsing and vibrating coming up through the floorboards that wasn't there before the 1k. I've been playing around with various lubricants since, but haven't managed to get rid of it totally. I've changed back to Forumula+ in the primary for good, though.

 

Any change in the tension of the drive belt, which they might have done at the 1K, will give a different "feel". I think the same goes for the primary chain.