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gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 9:15 am
by Clement
Hi All
Cast iron Bullet 500 - Albion 4 speed gearbox
Is EP90 gear oil a good idea or shall I change to something else?
Many thanks
Clement
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 9:39 am
by Bullet Whisperer
Hi Clement, EP90 will be fine, so would 20/50 engine oil, straight 50 engine oil and many others. I use 20/50 for the engine, clutch, gearbox and forks of my road going R.E.'s, with no problems. Regards, Paul.
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:17 am
by Tomshayes
Grease in gearbox surely (with a splash of oil) unless you've fitted sealed bearings?
Tom
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:23 am
by stinkwheel
Will EP90 stay in a standard albion 4-speed withoyut leaking out round everything?
I ask for future reference because dealing wth a gearbox full of warm, stinking 00 grease then refilling it again afterwards has to list among the more unpleasant and unbelievably messy bits of motorcycle maintainance I've undertaken.
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 11:20 am
by Bullet Whisperer
Stinkwheel, the oil should stay in there if the gearbox sprocket seal and kickstart shaft o ring are in good condition - mine don't leak and there are no deviations from standard. Regards, Paul.
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 12:07 pm
by Leon Novello
Grease is fine. If it stinks, it has emulsified from moisture contaminating it or from old age----never been changed until something breaks in there.
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 3:12 pm
by stinkwheel
In fairness, the grease stinks when it comes out of the can. It just stinks more badly when it comes out of the gearbox.
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 3:35 pm
by Valsp
Are there any bronze or copper based bushes in the box?
Some EP oils can chemically react with these metals, causing premature wear
gearbox oil
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 6:12 pm
by Clement
Flushed grease out long time ago and had no leaks so must have sealed bearings.....
gearbox oil
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 10:30 pm
by JTL
Hi Clement ... no need to run the gearbox with EP90 when you can get ST90. As Valsp mention gearbox oil experts advise not to use Hypoy oil because of premature wear of bronze alloys. ST90 doesn't contain Extreme Pressure additives like the EP90; it's the EP additives that does "the thing" to bronze alloys. But then again, it happens over a long period of time, and my guess is that nobody really experince this first hand. So it's sort of up to you to make the decision: the theoretically best for the gearbox oil (ST90) or a will-do gearbox oil (EP90). It's like the what's-best-for-the-engine oil discussion... good luck Jacob