Can somebody answer this chain lube question?

[venture2]

I decided to change the chain case oil on my 06 Venture. The owners manual says to use 75-80 weight gl3 gear oil. I went to the Yamaha dealer and all they sell is a yamaha chain case oil (acc-chncs-lu-be) that pours like maybe 30 weight oil, that's what I ended up useing the last time. But this time I questioned him about why they say to use a heavy gear oil but then only offer the lighter weight chain lube. He looked in their book and said thats all the factory offers and it works, but also agreed with me that this oil doesn't appear to be 75-80 weight .
My point in all this is that I have always used 30 weight oil in the chain case on my older machines with no problems. But when the factory manual says to use a heavier 75-80 weight oil, there must be a reason they would specify that, maybe because of the reverse gear mechanism? But then, it appears that they don't even sell the heavier oil that they specify to use, unless I'm wrong about the weight of the oil they sell?

Thanks,
Venture2

 

[twomorestrokes]

All I can say is that I use synthetic lube in my 3 sleds. I have a few different brands on hand and none of them state the weight that they are and I cannot find any information online either. It is definitely thinner than gear oil but I can't tell you what weight it is.

Just about anything is going to work in there. 30w, synthetic, ATF, gear lube etc. The key is long life, low heat and less resistance.

 

[swmichvector]

gear lube is too thick, use some brand of synthetic chain case lube. i think i used up the rest of the polaris stuff i had in mine this year.

 

[Groomerdriver]

This is one of those "ask 5 people get....." types of questions.

I've been using Mobile 1 75W-90 gear lube (with Yamaha dealer's BIG thumbs up) for years without a problem. I know people that run straight 30W motor oil.

Have you ever felt a chaincase after a long/fast RR grade run? HOT!!! Give me a thicker synthetic oil any day of the week and Sundays.

 

[erosled]

Yamaha chaincase lube (acc-chncs-lu-be) is 80 weight GL3 hypoid oil, exactly what your machine calls for. Odd how it comes in a 250cc bottle (the correct amount for your Venture) isn't it?

 

[twomorestrokes]

One thing to think about is how well it lubricates during all temps. Some folks think that gear oil is too thick to lube well on the fast moving chain and gears when it is well below zero until the chain warms up, possibly causing extra wear until it flows well.

 

[thrasher]

Also use 75W90 synthetic gear lube. No problems so far, at a 1/3 of the cost of synthetic chain lube. Try to save a few dollars where I can, prefer a little more viscous oil in there because it does heat up. I'd be more worried about engine wear at sub-zero temps on start up than chain wear.

 

[twomorestrokes]

I'd be more worried about engine wear at sub-zero temps on start up than chain wear.

That's why the recommended engine oil is so thin (0w30) so it lubes quickly when cold yet still does very well when hot. That's my feeling on thinner chaincase oil, but as I said, it's just preference. All will work fine.

 

[Bob Miller]

I also use Mobil 1 75w-90 Synthetic in my 04 Warrior from the first oil change in all different conditions, from -30 degrees and up!
What I was most impressed with was when I broke my driveshaft at 9800 miles, I ordered a new chain for the chaincase and all new bearings.
When I checked the chain it was still at original spec and all the bearings in the chaincase were still in excellent condition and these were hard and fast miles!
I presently have over 13000 miles on sled and will continue using an oil that has impressed greatly.

 

[APEX 06]

This is one of those "ask 5 people get....." types of questions.

I've been using Mobile 1 75W-90 gear lube (with Yamaha dealer's BIG thumbs up) for years without a problem. I know people that run straight 30W motor oil.

Have you ever felt a chaincase after a long/fast RR grade run? HOT!!! Give me a thicker synthetic oil any day of the week and Sundays.

I run the same thing in my sleds.

 

[snoway]

amsoil gear lube and be done with it,...one quart lasts a long time