Duh, or Damn the '70s

[GrandpaDenny]

I finished putting everything I wanted to do to Gertrude yesterday:
1. Finished installing the CB. Didn't take any pictures - DUH #1
2. Removed the old kronked-up voltmeter. That's where I mounted the CB hanger.
3. Replaced the kronked-up USB port with one that has a voltmeter. Didn't take any pictures. DUH #2.
4. Moved the 12v power port from where the factory CB controls go to the fairing. Didn't take any pictures. DUH #3.
5. Installed the new battery.
6. Somehow in the process I didn't connect the driving lights back up. I'm guessing a ground wire is under the battery or hiding elsewhere. - DUH #4.
7. After completing everything, I was talking to a neighbor, and looked at the bike being all clean and shiny, even the usually grubby greasy parts, and the right rear shock caught my eye. Nothing wrong with it, nothing special about it at all, but then it occurred to me - during the month she was parked due to snow and kronked battery would have been a perfect time to change the oil in the rear shocks. DUH!

[mayhem8]

I've gone through my list as well except for the rear shock oil. It's likely not horrible, but I got the bike used last year and it would just be nice to know that it was done, and when. Planning to use ATF for that, which I believe was recommended in a prior thread on the forum.

[Nails]

My shocks were full of a pus-like substance -- very nasty. I used ATF and have been quite pleased with the result. I plan to change the oil again just because it was so nasty last time. If it comes back fairly clean, I'll probably use real fork oil (10 wt, I think). But if still nasty, it's ATF again.

[SgtSlag]

Mayhem8, just to clarify, Dexron ATF (Dexron VI ATF is full synthetic, and should last twice as long...) is recommended only for the front forks. It is 8 Weight oil, impervious to viscosity changes from temperatures, unless you really heat it up! Same is true for Fork Oils: they maintain their viscosity across their working temperature range. This is why Dexron ATF is useable.

For the rear shocks, I do not know what viscosity oil is recommended, but I believe it is something like engine motor oil. 30W, maybe?

Yes, Dexron ATF is a superb cleaner, high in detergent. If you just want to clean out your front shocks, however, you can just add some SeaFoam to them, and manually compress them 5-6 times, then drain. The SeaFoam will dissolve oil sludge within seconds. Marvel Mystery Oil will likely do the same thing, in the same timeframe, for around 1/4 the price. Cheers!

[Nails]

Regular Dextron II (circa 8 wt) works swell in the shocks.

[GrandpaDenny]

Kawasaki specs 5wt for the rear shocks. I don't know about the fondness for Dexron especially "because of the detergents", as one of the things that makes fork oil fork oil is that it does not contain detergents, and that's why engine oil is not suitable for forks or shocks. I'm not smarter than the engineers who designed the bike, so I'll stick to what they recommend. I've never seen Dexron recommended for late model bikes, either - they all use fork oil.

That's my two cents.

And on to another DUH... I didn't get to ride today; phone kept ringing, cat needed attention, etc. etc. etc. So I went out this afternoon to clean up the tools and put them away and the like, and... the brand-new battery was almost dead. stuff. So I've got it on the bathroom windowsill charging, and tomorrow will bring the multimeter out and find out where the battery drain is. That's way too fast a drain for it to be the clock. I hope it's something simple (and cheap), as it likely is, so I can ride with the Retreads on Sunday.

[GrandpaDenny]

Kawasaki specs 5wt for the rear shocks. I don't know about the fondness for Dexron especially "because of the detergents", as one of the things that makes fork oil fork oil is that it does not contain detergents, and that's why engine oil is not suitable for forks or shocks. I'm not smarter than the engineers who designed the bike, so I'll stick to what they recommend. I've never seen Dexron recommended for late model bikes, either - they all use fork oil.

That's my two cents.

And on to another DUH... I didn't get to ride today; phone kept ringing, cat needed attention, etc. etc. etc. So I went out this afternoon to clean up the tools and put them away and the like, and... the brand-new battery was almost dead. stuff. So I've got it on the bathroom windowsill charging, and tomorrow will bring the multimeter out and find out where the battery drain is. That's way too fast a drain for it to be the clock. I hope it's something simple (and cheap), as it likely is, so I can ride with the Retreads on Sunday.

[Nails]

Yeah, I'm a little ambivalent about using Dextron all the time. But if you saw the substance that originally drained out, you'd understand. (Emphasis on "original".)

I think fork oil is made to a very specific weight, but Dextron &etc are mixed bags. Maybe detergents have something to do with that.

I knew a guy at a transmission shop who ran ATF through gear boxes like transfer cases, basically to rinse them out. I put a couple gallons in my tractor's gearbox, over sludge that had been collecting since the 50's. The second "rinse" came back clean: it did an amazing job.

My XII also had spooge sediments that Seafoam didn't remove. But I dropped the oil pan and cleaned it with a toothbrush. So, no ATF in my XII gearbox.

For the crack, Dextron II has performed wonderfully in both the forks (Progressives) and shocks, anyway. But once cleaned, some real (synthetic) fork oil probably would be better. Even if a little contaminated with ATF.

[Barry]

I didn't get to ride today; phone kept ringing, cat needed attention, etc. etc. etc. So I went out this afternoon to clean up the tools and put them away and the like, and... the brand-new battery was almost dead. stuff. So I've got it on the bathroom windowsill charging, and tomorrow will bring the multimeter out and find out where the battery drain is. That's way too fast a drain for it to be the clock. I hope it's something simple (and cheap), as it likely is, so I can ride with the Retreads on Sunday.

The most common drain is a defective trunk light switch staying on all the time... Let us know what you find.

[SgtSlag]

Dexron ATF was a standard OEM fork oil, back in the 1970's. It works because it has incredible viscosity stability over a wide thermal range -- just like Fork Oils. There is only one viscosity available in Dexron ATF: 8 Weight. Note that only Dexron ATF is used for motorcycle fork oil; the other types of transmission fluids are not suitable. If you don't like 8 Weight Fork Oil you will need to buy the correct viscosity of products labeled, "Fork Oil." Note the price differences of each product.

The differences between 8 Weight Dexron ATF and 8 Weight Fork Oils, is pretty much that one has detergents, and costs very little, while the other has no detergents, and costs around double the other. Functionally, they are the same, for maintaining their viscosity regardless of temperature variations experienced under real-world situations; both are designed for use with rubber seals and gaskets, without causing damage to them, or metal parts.

As I posted previously, Dexron VI ATF is full synthetic. It will break down at half the speed of non-synthetic Dexron formulations, for a modest price increase. Compare the price of Dexron VI to 8 Weight Full Synthetic Fork Oils.

Your bike, your choice. You asked why people are interested in using ATF instead of Fork Oils: same functionality as 8 Weight Fork Oil, high in detergents so they keep your fork hardware squeaky clean, and it typically costs 1/2 the price, for cleaner, but otherwise identical, performance. Cheers!

[GrandpaDenny]

[The most common drain is a defective trunk light switch staying on all the time... Let us know what you find.

True that. That's what I think caused the initial drain, when the hinge on the trunk broke. It's happened before - the switch staying on. The last time it was because it had worked loose. I will check that today, thanks!

[GrandpaDenny]

Yep, the switch is shot. Yippee!!! I like no-dollar fixes. Ok, it's not actually fixed, but it IS removed. Thanks!!!

[Barry]

Glad to hear that! My died 2 years ago and didn't see any reason to replace it. My wife no longer rides, so that mirror in the trunk isn't being used anymore. (Don't judge me)

[SgtSlag]

Just something to consider... If you replace that incandescent bulb in the trunk, with an equivalent LED, you will cut the drain from around 7 Watts, to likely less than 1 Watt (disconnecting it cuts it to 0 Watts, of course).

I switched out every lightbulb, except for the dash lights, to LED's a few years ago. I shaved off 20 Watts from both the Low beam, and the High beam headlights, alone. My charging voltage, running down the highway, increased from 13.1 Volts, to 14 Volts (i think, been too many months since I changed them to LED's, but it gained nearly a full Volt).

You could also buy a smart trickle charger, and plug your bike's battery into that, after every trip. That way your battery will push around 13 Volts for that initial startup. It makes the starter spin noticeably faster -- makes starting that first time in the garage, a little bit easier, too. Cheers!