Clutch Failure....HDEO the culprit????

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BigJohn

BigJohn

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I just learned today that my 2+ year old, 2007 Suzuki (with a totally bullet proof clutch)....Yeah, just burned up. This is with the 650 engine that is in the SV and the DL and the new Gladius.

My dealer, which has an outstanding service department, and sells a ton of these bikes, says that they do not have a record of a clutch failure inside of 100k miles.

Is there any chance that the HDEO oil that I have been using, contributed to an early failure? It is a shared sump with a wet clutch and it died with 21k miles on it.

Just wondering?????
 
1. which HDEO?
2. what does the factory recommend?

FWIW, I really doubt it was the oil. If it were you would get all kinds of slippage and not just a failure. It would take a while.
 
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Rotella Synthetic 5w40


Yeah, right now it is just slippage, once any engine RPM is applied...expect a slow rolling start. I can maintain 60 mph....but not up hill.
 
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I dont believe that the oil is the culprit. the "concern" with certain oils (energy conserving) is that they are too slippery and could cause clutch slippage - as mentioned before. although, I friend of mine owned a Suzi dealer for years (and he is a motorcycle repair instructor) who believes its not a concern.)

regardless, what are your OCI's? if too long, dirty oil could accellerate the wear of your clutch. it is possible that you are just too hard on the clutch? when I first ran rally cars I burned through quite a few clutches until I got tired of changing them - and changed my driving style.
 
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
regardless, what are your OCI's? if too long, dirty oil could accellerate the wear of your clutch. it is possible that you are just too hard on the clutch? when I first ran rally cars I burned through quite a few clutches until I got tired of changing them - and changed my driving style.



I was wondering what the first few posts would be, but I have riden stuff like this for the past three summers and 'use the clutch' like crazy through the rough and very steep stuff.

Picture1188.jpg
 
Just for an experiment, I ran down to Checkers and purchased Valvoline Motorcycle Oil...changed it and....no change.....

The Clutch is burnt up.

But....back to my original question..... Do any of you think that the oil used would lead to premature clutch failure in a shared sump, wet clutch application?
 
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I really doubt it was the HDEO. There are numerous people reporting use of Rotella and other HDEOs in their motorcycle with no problems. Apparently, Rotella meets JASO specs but they didn't pay for the privilege of putting it on their bottle. It looks like you use it hard with the pic you posted.

Truth be told, I'd be more worried about the shearing seen with HDEO UOAs in motorcycles than clutch damage.
 
I don't think so allot of your MC oil's have 80,90 ppm of moly RTS didn't do that to your clutch,there's many many bikes out there running this oil with out issue.
 
I would try Mobil1Vtwin 10w40 on the new clutch and see what results you get. Amsoil might be another decent choice as well.
 
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Well I'll will take the opposite position.

I have been reading that some M/C oems are saying right in the owners manuals to not use diesel oils in them. I believe it was Yamaha. No reason given but I suspect it has to do with the additives in the diesel oil and the possible interaction with metals in the M/C or ATV trans/clutch.

The diesel oil companies don't put JASO on the label because they have not tested it for all JASO spec's, only 1 being the clutch but there are other tests it must meet.

from a post a while back

Quote:
why does my yamaha banshee owners manual specifically say NOT to use it in the tranny?
 
I doubt that the oil contributed to clutch failure. Have you been doing a lot of drag racing with the bike or riding in conditions that require a lot of clutch slippage? Is the clutch adjustable and was it properly adjusted from day one? I've used Rotella T for many, many, years in Suzuki ATVs, and other various motorcycles with no ill effects whatsoever. I run it right from first oil change in all of my new equipment.

Don't want to come across as a smart a$$ but, your clutch failure is probably from either , defective from factory, mis-adjusted, or abuse. There are waaaaaaaaay too many people using HDEO in motorcycles and ATVs with no problems at all. It's very unlikely that HDEO contributed to your clutch failure.

By the way, you might as well pull the clutch out, thoroughly inspect the components to see where the problem is. I'd also recommend you order new friction plates and springs ahead of time. You most likely will be needing them. Other than being a bit messy, rebuilding a clutch isn't that big of a job. Pay very close attention to how the friction plates, metal spacers and seals come apart so that you can put them back together the same way. Use a torque wrench for re-assembly and follow proper adjustment sequence. Put in some good quality HDEO and go riding.
 
I don't think there be a problem with using "diesel oil" in a motorcycle which is really an HDEO...Every HDEO I've seen is also SM rated and safe for gasoline engine use...Petro Canada's HDEO (diesel, whichever term one prefers) carries diesel engine ratings, gasoline SM, and JASO...I don't know what it is they possibly put in the oil that somehow "neutralizes" it (for lack of a better term lol) to make it safe across the board for all the applications it's certified for but I can't really imagine that there's something in it that makes it significantly different than other HDEO's...Chances are is that they've just taken the time to have it certified by JASO where other oil HDEO manufacturers haven't really determined a need to...

BigJohn, how you ride can make a difference in clutch life especially in smaller cc engines...I'm assuming that you may be perhaps a larger rider (screen name) as well ? That also may play a factor in clutch life in high load situations...
 
After seeing that picture and your riding description, you just used up your clutch. I have a '04 SV650 and all it ever had was RTS 5w-40, no clutch issues whatsoever. But I don't climb mountains on it either.

I not sure I would take my "real" dirtbikes where you take your V-Strom.
 
In no way, shape or form do I suspect that HDEO was the culprit.

With that kind of failure and low mileage, it is most certainly a manufacuring defect of some type.
 
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
In no way, shape or form do I suspect that HDEO was the culprit.

With that kind of failure and low mileage, it is most certainly a manufacuring defect of some type.

Agree. The oil had zero to do with it. Sacked out clutch springs more likely. I have an SV in the garage.. 50k on a 50/50 of Delvac and 15-50 red cap M1. Still kickin like new.
 
Originally Posted By: Mike_dup1


The diesel oil companies don't put JASO on the label because they have not tested it for all JASO spec's, only 1 being the clutch but there are other tests it must meet.


Spposedly, Rotella meets JASO specs:
Rotella meets JASO specs

I run it in two quads and a Rhino.
Most of my buddoes run it in all their off-bikes.
Good stuff.
 
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