[Timothy Ma]

Hey Guys,

I replaced my tranny oil and did it this way:

1) removed the bottom panel and clutch cover
2) cleaned the drive belt filter at the same time
3) drained the oil from the BOTTOM 10 mm nut and removed the TOP 10 mm nut by the 200 mL label on the case
4) re-installed the BOTTOM 10 mm nut and then squeezed oil into the TOP 10 mm hole until oil started to over flow out....BIG QUESTION HERE???

Is this an acceptable way to do it? I did this with the scooter on the center stand and then during the over flow I spun the rear tire. It seemed to me like I didn't put enough oil in there even if it did overflow. I was wondering if others did this the same way. Need some advice here thanks.

 

[ted clement]

Tim, thats the way I did mine also. I guess we should have measured the amount to be put in and we would have known. I'll be doing mine again sometime fairly soon as i need to replace the 75-90 with 10-40 or 20-50. Hope you didn't use the hypoid gear oil!

 

[Timothy Ma]

Yes I did use hypoid gear oil...oops. I guess I'm going to have to go back in there and replace it with 10-40 engine oil. Whats in there anyway? Is it a bearing only...I guess it must not be gears in the housing or else they would recommend gear only. I used synthetic gear only. Timothy

 

[ted clement]

Timothy, the rear axle shaft comes thru there and onto that shaft some gears which tie into a larger gear; these gears appear to slide to some extent and are driven by the clutch shoe. Theres also a roller bearing, and other good stuff to be lubricated.

I don't know what I'm talking about other than describeing pics in the service manual. They also call this gear box the "transmission".

 

[Timothy Ma]

Thanks Ted,

I guess I'll have to replace the oil then. Since I used synthetic I think I can still get away with it for the next little while. From what I heard they came with hypoid oil from the factory anyway and since the recommended interval is so long (12K) between changes I think another 500 miles won't hurt anything.

 

[ted clement]

Timothy, in thinking back to when I first changed mine, seems to me the oil that came out had that smell of hypoid. Of course that was what I expected, so I can't be sure. At any rate, I changed oil today and put in synthetic Amsoil and while I was greasy, I changed the gear oil. Put in 20-50 Amsoil. Even tho they call for long intervals between gear oil change, the hypoid oil I took out today was quite dark, with a couple specks of metal....and its only been in 1200 miles! I'm going to make a point of changing mine every time I do the valves since that bottom plastic panel has to come off then anyway.

 

[roy_ryall]

Does any one know who puts the original rear drive oil in? My guess is the factory. When I changed my rear dive oil, the original oil sure looked and smelled like hypoid. The dealers have been putting hypoid oil in the 400s until this notice. Most people agree hypoid is generally used in drive units. The new notice is not very clear on what to use. So, were does this leave us?

 

[ted clement]

The latest info from Suzuki is that you use the same motor oil as you're using in your engine.

 

[Greg]

Well for me after 25 years in the automotive game I'll be using what I think should be in rear drive Hypoid 90 ... like every other gear drive unit that I've come across, that's what came out when I changed it ...

Greg ...

 

[ted clement]

Greg, I think you are right, in that hypoid is probably what was put in by the factory. But for some reason they have changed to motor oil. Wish they would tell us what prompted them to make that change.

 

[NormanB]

I'm going to make a point of changing mine every time I do the valves since that bottom plastic panel has to come off then anyway.

Yes it would be a neat idea to revise and group the maintenance jobs so that tupperware removal was kept to a min (withour breaching manadatory periodicity).

You know like 2000 miles remove X and Y conduct maintenance items 1,2,3 & 7 blah blah.

 

[philtag6000]

What is the difference between gear oil and engine oil?
Is it going to hurt or damage the final drive if I put gear oil in?

 

[ted clement]

Phil, I would stick with what the factory recommends and that is the same stuff you put in your motor. I think they began with gear oil...at least that is the impression I get, and some folks are fairly certain that theirs had gear oil in it when they first drained it...but they recently amended the owners manual to state that gear oil is same as the motor oil. Prob won't hurt anything if you have had gear oil in (90W) especially if you ride in hot weather, but I would now go with factory recommendation.