final drive oil - likely used the wrong kind..am i safe or should i stop riding?

[Ridetherock]

just did my 1000 km final drive oil change. i had my dealer send some up to me, but i got time to do it before it arrived so i bought what i assumed was the same that i was getting and did the change.

i used this stuff.

the dealer sent this stuff (which is apparently the wrong stuff)

and now i see yamaha has oil specifically for this bike

I've only put a hundred km on the bike since the change to check for leaks, so no harm done there.

but

i have a 1000km trip coming up in a few days and don't think i can get the proper yamaha stuff in time.

should i cancel the trip, or should i be safe for a 1000km or so and just swap it when i get the proper stuff? how wrong can gear oil be?


thoughts...opinions?

 

[tc9988]

The short answer is ::021:: Enjoy your trip.

The oil you used is just fine unless of course you ignored the warning and drank some ) BTW how much$$ is that / quart

 

[20valves]

The short answer is ::021:: Enjoy your trip. The oil you used is just fine unless of course you ignored the warning and drank some ) BTW how much$$ is that / quart

::026::

 

[Mike Sisson]

I have several bottles of left over BMW Gear Oil which I've been using. Synthetic 75-100 or some such crap. Also have a bottle or Red Line 75-90 Syn. Will use that up next. Don't worry about it. It's probably better than spec and all will be well!! Enjoy your ride!

::021::

 

[MidlifeMotor]

The oil you used is just fine unless of course you ignored the warning and drank some )

LOL!!! Cleaning beer off my computer screen now!!

 

[stevepsd]

The short answer is ::021:: Enjoy your trip.

The oil you used is just fine unless of course you ignored the warning and drank some )

I think the only one around here would would drink some would be DaFoole! (or so I've heard) ::025::





Hi Mike!

Did you do your Colorado trip yet?

 

[Mike Sisson]

I think the only one around here would would drink some would be DaFoole! (or so I've heard) ::025::

Hi Mike!

Did you do your Colorado trip yet?

Hey, it keeps me regular..... ::025::

Yep, AWESOME ride and time. Got into some 40mph winds around Monument Valley (fortunately tail winds) and gusts got up to 60mph later in the day... ??? Other than that, excellent trip. Will get off my ass and do a ride report soon. BTW, was heading South on 101 just south of Klamath a few days back and saw an ST heading North. You???

 

[TEN YC]

the first one is quite tasty. Tar flavored, with hints of spiced blueberry and plum. the finish is very long

the second one does not taste as good. That is the only difference that I can tell

 

[markjenn]

Yamaha has messed around with several different final drive oils (I think two you show may be the same but one is in an older bottle) at several different price points. While Yamaha has, at various times, recommended the most expensive synthetic ones in some of their bikes (particularly the VMax and FJR), all are approved to work and meet warranty requirements. You're really looking at the same situation of whether to use a conventional or synthetic engine oil - for most engines (including our S10) either is fine, but the synthetic might give you better protection for extremely challenging conditions or last longer if you extend drain intervals. Ride on.

Many (most?) of us use aftermarket GL-5 oils like Mobil 1 75W-90. Cheaper (for a synthetic) and more readily available. Some even like to use the wider viscosity 75W-140 stuff, but I think it is probably more prudent to stick closer to the Yamaha's 80W-90 spec.

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Other_Products/Mobil_1_Fully_Synthetic_Gear_Lube_75W-90LS.aspx

- Mark

 

[Dallara]

just did my 1000 km final drive oil change. i had my dealer send some up to me, but i got time to do it before it arrived so i bought what i assumed was the same that i was getting and did the change.

i used this stuff...

I've only put a hundred km on the bike since the change to check for leaks, so no harm done there.

but

i have a 1000km trip coming up in a few days and don't think i can get the proper yamaha stuff in time.

should i cancel the trip, or should i be safe for a 1000km or so and just swap it when i get the proper stuff? how wrong can gear oil be?

thoughts...opinions?

I wouldn't worry one yoctosecond about it. Each one you have pictured Yamaha has recommended for their final drive systems over the years, and I've personally used two of the ones you have pictures in Yamaha's I've had. I used the second one you have pictured for the first 4,000 or 5,000 miles in my own Super Tenere, and that was changing it at like 500, 1,000, 2,500, and 3,000 IIRC. Then I switched to Mobil 1 synthetic and have run it in there ever since, and I have 16,800 miles on mine now.

IMHO, enjoy your ride and don't even think about it. ::008::

Hope you have a great trip!

Dallara



~

 

[Ridetherock]

Thanks guys. i won't be worrying about it for now. ill be swinging into a dealer along the ride to look at some riding gear, if i see the proper oil or one of the synthetics mentioned, ill pick up a litre and swap it when i get a chance. (ill do a few quick changes with the stuff i have after a few 1000 km just to use it up) ide like to have the good stuff in her before i head off on the big ride (10,000 ish kms towards the end of the summer).

 

[markjenn]

ill be swinging into a dealer along the ride to look at some riding gear, if i see the proper oil or one of the synthetics mentioned, ill pick up a litre and swap it when i get a chance. (ill do a few quick changes with the stuff i have after a few 1000 km just to use it up) ide like to have the good stuff in her before i head off on the big ride (10,000 ish kms towards the end of the summer).

Just run it to the next change and then replace with the oil of your choice or continue to run what you have. The oil you have in there is "proper". And the spec'ed Yamaha change interval is 16K miles and this is probably pretty conservative given that similar systems in other bikes and cars are often spec'ed for "life of the vehicle".

I think because of the GS problems in this area, everybody is a little gun-shy of these systems and goes overboard. These are robust systems that need nothing other than book'ed maintenance to work virtually forever.

You're WAY WAY over-worrying this.

- Mark

 

[TEN YC]

And the spec'ed Yamaha change interval is 16K miles and this is probably pretty conservative given that similar systems in other bikes and cars are often spec'ed for "life of the vehicle".

where are you reading that? My service manual states a final drive oil change every 12k after break-in. Not that it makes a big difference, but I'm curious why your source would differ from mine

 

[Psyduck]

Hey, it keeps me regular..... ::025::

Yep, AWESOME ride and time. Got into some 40mph winds around Monument Valley (fortunately tail winds) and gusts got up to 60mph later in the day... ??? Other than that, excellent trip. Will get off my ass and do a ride report soon. BTW, was heading South on 101 just south of Klamath a few days back and saw an ST heading North. You???

Might have been me. Had a meeting in SF and took the ST along. Took the quick route to SF and played a bit on the way back. Was my first time on Route 1. Thoroughly enjoyed that part of the trip. Although my ST really craved some right turn 180s after doing soooo many left 180s going North. Here is my trip: http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=4a7b4fcd22027162d

 

[markjenn]

where are you reading that? My service manual states a final drive oil change every 12k after break-in. Not that it makes a big difference, but I'm curious why your source would differ from mine

Probably because you're reading a PDF version of the Euro service manual which says 20K km (12K miles). The US OM and service manual both say 16K miles (25K km). Oil change intervals are different too - 4K miles for US, 6K miles for Euro.

Don't know why they are different, but I have a theory. The Euro importers, to better match the BMW competition, insisted on longer 10K km basic service intervals, whereas Yamahas in the US have typically had 4K mile basic service intervals, probably reflecting that US riders put fewer miles on their bikes per year. With the final drive needing a fluid change around 15K miles, the closest match was every other service (20K km) for the Euro bikes and every fourth service (16K miles) for the US bikes.

These discrepancies do show that service intervals are very arbitrary and reflect some broad judgment of when the cost of servicing balances the increased risk of failure and shortened service life. I wouldn't get too hung up on them - service the bike more/less when is says to, but this is not the space shuttle we're working on here and anything reasonable will be fine.

- Mark

 

[Yamaguy55]

Spec is GL4 or GL5, SAE80. If it fits that spec, it works. Generally, after a suitable break-in, converting to a synthetic gear oil is no doubt a good idea; slipperier, lower friction and lower heat. A good point would be the 15 K point, everything that needs to wear in will be done by then.