Forum

[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

[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.

[Tomshayes]

Grease in gearbox surely (with a splash of oil) unless you've fitted sealed bearings?

Tom

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Valsp]

Are there any bronze or copper based bushes in the box?
Some EP oils can chemically react with these metals, causing premature wear

[Clement]

Flushed grease out long time ago and had no leaks so must have sealed bearings.....

[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